Telephone patch system

Claim 2

In a telephone patch system, an electrical connector, comprising: an insulating terminal block having a plurality of contact pins imbedded therein, one end of each said pin adapted to be connected to a telephone line; a plurality of passageways in said terminal block, each said passageway having an opening and extending from said opening to one of said contact pins, a patch plug having a plurality of contact members, each said contact member adapted to be inserted into one of said passageways through said opening and engage the other end of said contact pins to provide an electrical connection between said contact member and said contact pin, and a monitoring plug having a plurality of contact arms, each said contact arm adapted to be inserted into one of said passageways adjacent one of said contact members and make electrical contact therewith.

Claim 3

The device of claim 1, wherein said terminal block is provided with at least one patch plug guIdeway and at least one monitoring plug guideway, said patch plug having a guide member adapted to be inserted into said patch plug guideway to orient said patch plug with respect to said terminal block, and said monitoring plug having a guide member adapted to be inserted into said monitoring plug guideway to orient said monitoring plug with respect to said terminal block.

Claim 4

The device of claim 2, wherein each said patch plug guideway is positioned adjacent one of said monitor plug guideways and each said pair of adjacent guideways are in alignment with a series of said passageways, each said series of passageways and each said aligned guideways being arranged in a column, and each said column adapted to cooperate with said patch plug and said monitoring plug.

Claim 5

In a telephone patch system, an electrical connector, comprising: an insulating terminal block having a plurality of contact pins recessed within said terminal block, one end of each said pin adapted to be connected to a telephone line; a plurality of passageways in said terminal block, each said passageway having an open end and including first and second passages extending from said open end into said block; each said contact pin having said other end positioned within one of said first passages; a patch plug having a plurality of contact members, each said contact member adapted to be inserted into one of said first passages to engage said other end of one of said contact pins to provide an electrical connection between said contact member and said contact pin; and a monitoring plug having a plurality of contact arms, each said contact arm adapted to be inserted into one of said second passages to make electrical contact with said contact member in said second passage.

Claim 6

In a telephone patch system, an electrical connector, comprising: an insulating terminal block having a plurality of contact pins recessed within said terminal block, one end of each said pin adapted to be connected to a telephone line; a plurality of passageways in said terminal block, each said passageway having an open end and including first and second passages extending from said open end into said block; each said contact pin having said other end positioned within one of said first passages; a patch plug having a plurality of contact members, each said contact member adapted to be inserted into one of said first passages to engage said other end of one of said contact pins to provide an electrical connection between said contact member and said contact pin; and a monitoring plug having a plurality of contact arms, each said contact arm adapted to be inserted into one of said second passages to make electrical contact with said contact member in said second passage.

Claim 7

The device of claim 4, wherein said terminal block includes a patch plug guideway and a monitor plug guideway, said patch plug having a guide member adapted to be inserted into said patch plug guideway to orient said patch plug with respect to said block, and said monitor plug includes a guide member adapted to be inserted into said monitoring plug guideway to orient said patch plug with respect to said block.

Claim 8

The device of claim 5, wherein said patch plug guideway is in alignment with said first passages and said monitor plug guideway is in alignment with said second passages; said guideways being adjacent to each other and said guideways and said passageways arranged in a column, said column adapted to cooperate with said patch plug and said monitoring plug.

Claim 9

The device of claim 6, wherein a plurality of adjacent guideways are provided, each said adjacent guideways and said passageways arranged in a series of columns.

Claim 10

The device of claim 7, wherein the number of passageways within each column is four.

Claim 11

The device of claim 7, wherein said patch plug includes a number of contact members equal to the number of passageways in each column, and said contact members and said guide member are so positioned on said patch plug to cooperate with said patch plug guideway and said passageways within a said column.

Claim 12

The device of claim 7, wherein said monitoring plug includes a number of contact arms equal to the number of passageways in each column, and said contact arms and said guide member are so positioned on said monitoring plug to cooperate with said monitoring plug guideway and said passageways within a said column.

Claim 13

The device of claim 4, wherein each said first passage is uniform and generally circular in cross-section and each said second passage tapers and is generally rectangular in cross-section, each said contact member being tubular in shape and having a cross-section corresponding to said first passage, and each said contact arm comprising a flexible member adapted to engage a sidewall of said second passage and curve into said first passage against said contact member in said first passage.

Claim 14

A telephone patch system, comprising: at least one first insulated Terminal block having a plurality of terminal pins embedded therein with one end of each said pin connected to an outside telephone line; at least one second insulated terminal block having a plurality of terminal pins embedded therein with one end of each said pin connected to an inside telephone line; a plurality of passageways in each said terminal block extending inwardly therein from openings in said terminal block with said other ends of said pins positioned within said passageways and spaced inwardly from said openings to avoid cross-talk between adjacent pins; a plurality of guideways in each said terminal block extending inwardly therein from opening in said terminal block, each said guideway associated with a series of said passageways, each said series of passageways and said associated guideway generally arranged in a column; at least one patch unit having a series of wires and a pair of patch plugs, each said patch plug having a plurality of contact members equal to the number of said passageways within each said column and a guide member with the positions of said contact members and said guide members on each said plug corresponding to the positions of said passageways and said guideway in each said column whereby one of said plugs is adapted to be received by one of said columns in said first terminal block with said contact members engaging said terminal pins therein and said other plug is adapted to be received by one of said columns in said second terminal block with said contact members engaging said terminal pins therein to provide an electrical connection between some of said outside telephone lines and some of said inside telephone lines.

Claim 15

A telephone patch system, comprising: at least one first insulated Terminal block having a plurality of terminal pins embedded therein with one end of each said pin connected to an outside telephone line; at least one second insulated terminal block having a plurality of terminal pins embedded therein with one end of each said pin connected to an inside telephone line; a plurality of passageways in each said terminal block extending inwardly therein from openings in said terminal block with said other ends of said pins positioned within said passageways and spaced inwardly from said openings to avoid cross-talk between adjacent pins; a plurality of guideways in each said terminal block extending inwardly therein from opening in said terminal block, each said guideway associated with a series of said passageways, each said series of passageways and said associated guideway generally arranged in a column; at least one patch unit having a series of wires and a pair of patch plugs, each said patch plug having a plurality of contact members equal to the number of said passageways within each said column and a guide member with the positions of said contact members and said guide members on each said plug corresponding to the positions of said passageways and said guideway in each said column whereby one of said plugs is adapted to be received by one of said columns in said first terminal block with said contact members engaging said terminal pins therein and said other plug is adapted to be received by one of said columns in said second terminal block with said contact members engaging said terminal pins therein to provide an electrical connection between some of said outside telephone lines and some of said inside telephone lines.

Claim 16

The telephone patch system of claim 12, wherein each said column includes four passageways and each said plug includes four contact members.

Claim 17

The telephone patch system of claim 13, wherein said guideway in each said column is located nearer one end of said column to properly orient said contact members of said plug with respect to said terminal pins in said column.

Claim 18

The telephone patch system of claim 12, wherein a plurality of first insulated terminal blocks are removably arranged together to provide a terminal board for outside telephone lines and a plurality of second insulated terminal blocks are removably arranged together to provide a terminal board for inside telephone lines.

Claim 19

The telephone patch system of claim 12 wherein a monitoring plug is provided having a plurality of contact arms, each said contact arm adapted to be inserted into one of said passageways adjacent one of said contact members and make electrical contact therewith.

Claim 20

A terminal block for a telephone patch system, comprising: an insulated housing having a plurality of terminal pins embedded therein with one end of each said pin adapted to be connected to a telephone line; a plurality of passageways in said housing extending inwardly therein from openings in said housing, each said passageway including adjacent first and second passages with said other ends of said pins at the ends of said first passages spaced inwardly from said openings and thereby separated by sufficient insulation to avoid cross-talk, each said second passage being angularly disposed inwardly toward said adjacent first passage; and an opening between each said first and second adjacent passages for communication therebetween.

Claim 21

A terminal block for a telephone patch system, comprising: an insulated housing having a plurality of terminal pins embedded therein with one end of each said pin adapted to be connected to a telephone line; a plurality of passageways in said housing extending inwardly therein from openings in said housing, each said passageway including adjacent first and second passages with said other ends of said pins at the ends of said first passages spaced inwardly from said openings and thereby separated by sufficient insulation to avoid cross-talk, each said second passage being angularly disposed inwardly toward said adjacent first passage; and an opening between each said first and second adjacent passages for communication therebetween.

Claim 22

The terminal block of claim 17, wherein said first passage is substantially uniform and circular in cross-section and said second passage tapers and is substantially rectangular in cross-section.

Claim 23

The terminal block of claim 17, wherein said passageways are arranged in a plurality of columns, said housing including a plurality of first and second guideways, said first guideways being associated with said first passages and said second guideways being associated with said second passages with each said column including at least one said first guideway and one said second guideway.