US3699284A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Tap shoe assembly for use with wire terminal strips
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-08-26
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Granted: 1972-10-17
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Expires: 1991-08-26
Abstract
Abstract A gang connector for temporary use in making simultaneous connection to a multiplicity of pairs of conductors permanently soldered to the separate terminals of a terminal strip. The connector includes simple, positive means housed therein for making or breaking contact between any selected pair of conductors and terminals carried by the connector and readily connectable to cabling equipped with separable coupling means mateable with these terminals. The connector is specially designed with conductor prongs insertable into the test probe wells of individual line protectors customarily present on wire terminal strips. Guard strips extend along either side of these conductor prongs and include adjustable means for clamping the connector assembled to the terminal strip via its line protectors.
Inventors
- 👤 Karl R Anderson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-29 02:39
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04Q; H04Q1/00; H04Q1/02; H04Q1/14; H04Q1/141; H04Q1/142; H04Q1/146; H04Q1/18; H04Q1/20
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
125 words
That improvement in a gang connector for use with a terminal board of the type having line protectors each equipped with test probe wells each connected to a line conductor and opening through the outer ends of the line protector, said gang connector comprising: an elongated hollow main body having a multiplicity of conductive probes projecting therefrom and adapted for telescopic insertion into respective ones of said probe wells to complete a conductive path to a respective line conductor, a separate conductive terminal for each of said line conductors carried by said main body, and means including manually operable switch means carried by said main body for connecting each pair of line conductors to a corresponding pair of said conductive terminals at the user''s option.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
125 words
That improvement in a gang connector for use with a terminal board of the type having line protectors each equipped with test probe wells each connected to a line conductor and opening through the outer ends of the line protector, said gang connector comprising: an elongated hollow main body having a multiplicity of conductive probes projecting therefrom and adapted for telescopic insertion into respective ones of said probe wells to complete a conductive path to a respective line conductor, a separate conductive terminal for each of said line conductors carried by said main body, and means including manually operable switch means carried by said main body for connecting each pair of line conductors to a corresponding pair of said conductive terminals at the user''s option.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
32 words
That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in the provision of means on said main body for releasably clamping said gang connector in place over the outer ends of said line protectors.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in the provision of alignment means insertable abreast the exposed outer ends of said line protectors to hold the same properly spaced and positioned for the simultaneous insertion of said conductive probes into said probe wells.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
44 words
That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in that said main body includes a protective guard flange projecting from either side of said main body and along said conductive probes to protect the same when said gang connector is disassembled from said line protectors.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
45 words
That improvement defined in claim 4 characterized in that said guard flanges closely embrace the remotely spaced lateral edges of said line protectors when assembled thereover and cooperate therewith in positioning said conductive probes in alignment with said probe wells during assembly and disassembly operations.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
27 words
That improvement defined in claim 5 characterized in the provision of means carried by said guard flanges for releasably clamping said gang connector to said line protectors.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
44 words
That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in that each of said switch means includes an operator therefor accessible from the exterior of said main body and movable between the open and closed position of an associated switch for a pair of line conductors.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
65 words
That improvement defined in claim 7 characterized in that said switch operator means comprises a non-conductive member movable between two positions in one of which an associated pair of said conductive probes are in electrical circuit with a respective one of said conductive terminals and in the other of which positions said non-conductive member holds said pair of probes out of circuit with said terminals.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
62 words
That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in that said conductive terminals are mounted in upright uniformly spaced parallel rows and form part of a two-part separable electrical cable connector assembly, and an extension electrical cable having a separate wire corresponding to a respective one of said upright terminals and connected to a respective separable conductive contact of said cable connector assembly.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
118 words
A gang connector comprising a main housing, a first set of long conductors arranged parallel to one another and adapted to be telescoped into mating electrical contact with a plurality of other electrical contacts, a second set of conductors movablY supported inside said housing and normally spring pressed into firm electrical contact with the inner end of a respective one of said first conductors, and non-conductive means operatively associated with separate pairs of said first and second conductors and movable between first and second positions in the first of which said pairs of first and second conductors are in contact with one another and in the second of which said pairs of conductors are held out of contact.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
118 words
A gang connector comprising a main housing, a first set of long conductors arranged parallel to one another and adapted to be telescoped into mating electrical contact with a plurality of other electrical contacts, a second set of conductors movablY supported inside said housing and normally spring pressed into firm electrical contact with the inner end of a respective one of said first conductors, and non-conductive means operatively associated with separate pairs of said first and second conductors and movable between first and second positions in the first of which said pairs of first and second conductors are in contact with one another and in the second of which said pairs of conductors are held out of contact.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
73 words
A gang connector as defined in claim 10 characterized in that said non-conductive means is supported for limited lengthwise movement crosswise of said first and second sets of conductors, and cooperating cam means on said non-conductive means and on said second set of conductors operative to move a pair of the latter away from contact with a pair of said first pair of conductors as said non-conductive means is moved in one direction.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
45 words
A gang connector defined in claim 11 characterized in that said non-conductive means is slotted lengthwise thereof and provides a loose sliding fit with a non-circular portion of said second set of conductors to restrain the latter against rotary movement about the longitudinal axes thereof.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
119 words
A gang connector comprising a hollow main housing having first and second non-conductive supports formed with rows of aligned openings therethrough, a first set of rigid conductors immovably supported by said first support with the outer ends thereof lying parallel to one another and projecting away from both of said first and second supports, a second set of conductors movably supported by said second support and spring biased into contact with the adjacent inner end of a respective one of said first set of conductors, and conductor separator means operatively associated with each pair of said second conductors operable to hold a selected pair thereof positively out of contact with the associated ones of said first set of conductors.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
119 words
A gang connector comprising a hollow main housing having first and second non-conductive supports formed with rows of aligned openings therethrough, a first set of rigid conductors immovably supported by said first support with the outer ends thereof lying parallel to one another and projecting away from both of said first and second supports, a second set of conductors movably supported by said second support and spring biased into contact with the adjacent inner end of a respective one of said first set of conductors, and conductor separator means operatively associated with each pair of said second conductors operable to hold a selected pair thereof positively out of contact with the associated ones of said first set of conductors.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
32 words
A gang connector as defined in claim 13 characterized in that said conductor separator means is reciprocally supported crosswise and between the adjacent ends of said first and second sets of conductors.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
76 words
A gang connector as defined in claim 14 characterized in that said conductor separator means comprises an elongated slider having a stepped passage therethrough accommodating the adjacent end of said second set of conductors and a step portion of said passages being insertable between the ends of said first and second sets of conductors to hold the same positively out of conducting relation and being movable to a position permitting said conductors to contact one another.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
42 words
A gang connector as defined in claim 15 characterized in that said conductor separator means includes means holding the same captively and slidably assembled between said first and second conductor supports and accessible for operation from the exterior of said main housing.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
62 words
A gang connector as defined in claim 13 characterized in the provision on said main housing of one of the two parts of separable coupling means having a terminal contact for each of said second set of conductors, and flexible conductor means within said main housing interconnecting each of said terminal contacts and a respective one of said second sets of conductors.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2237666A
Cited
US3509297A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-10-17 | 1976-04-17 | 1976-10-17 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-10-17 | 1980-04-17 | 1980-10-17 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-10-17 | 1984-04-17 | 1984-10-17 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |