US3736387A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and accessory for testing the serviceability of telephone conductors
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1970-12-14
•
Granted: 1973-05-29
•
Expires: 1990-12-14
Abstract
Abstract An improved accessory, technique and method for testing telephone conductors at a central station main frame equipped with terminal boards having a separate contactor for each conductor. The testing equipment is connectable to the conductors terminating at any terminal board through a flexible patching cable provided at one end with a separate contact pin for each terminal board contactor and with manually operable clamping jaws for holding these pins assembled to the contactors. In larger installations the patching cable is made in separable sections, a plurality of one of these sections being permanently installed and selectively connectable to the test equipment using a mobile patching section to connect a terminal board to the adjacent end of the nearest end of the permanently installed sections.
Inventors
- 👤 J Thompson
- 👤 G Gillemot
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 01:08
CPC Classifications
H; H04; H04M; H04M3/00; H04M3/22; H04M3/26; H04M3/28; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S439/00; Y10S439/912
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim
289 words
That improvement in a testing accessory for testing telephone lines from the ends thereof terminating on a central station terminal board of the type having closely spaced rows of contactors crosswise of the ends thereof each permanently connected to a separate telephone conductor terminal lug, said improvement comprising a gang connector assembly for a flexible cable connectable to test equipment remote from the terminal board, said gang connector having a relatively narrow rigid hollow main body of a length corresponding generally to the width of the front face of a terminal board, said connector assembly having a foremost face forward of all other portions of said main body, a separate spring biased pin for each of 50 pairs of contactor pins protruding from the foremost face of said main body and which contactor pins are positioned to contact a respective one of said contactors when pressed theretoward, an elongated clamping jaw extending closely beside each end of said main body spaced apart a distance corresponding generally to the width of a terminal board and journalled thereto on an axis extending crosswise of said ends, said clamping jaws having hookshaped ends extending toward one another and adapted for insertion between the lateral edges of closely spaced rows of terminal boards into embracing engagement behind the lateral edges at one end of a selected terminal board, and said clamping jaws having separate manually operable adjustable means accessible from the rearmost face of said main body for tightening said clamping jaws to clamp said gang connector assembly rigid crosswise of one end of a terminal board with said spring biased contactor pins pressed in firm contact with respective contactors of all telephone lines connected crosswise of one end of the terminal board.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
289 words
That improvement in a testing accessory for testing telephone lines from the ends thereof terminating on a central station terminal board of the type having closely spaced rows of contactors crosswise of the ends thereof each permanently connected to a separate telephone conductor terminal lug, said improvement comprising a gang connector assembly for a flexible cable connectable to test equipment remote from the terminal board, said gang connector having a relatively narrow rigid hollow main body of a length corresponding generally to the width of the front face of a terminal board, said connector assembly having a foremost face forward of all other portions of said main body, a separate spring biased pin for each of 50 pairs of contactor pins protruding from the foremost face of said main body and which contactor pins are positioned to contact a respective one of said contactors when pressed theretoward, an elongated clamping jaw extending closely beside each end of said main body spaced apart a distance corresponding generally to the width of a terminal board and journalled thereto on an axis extending crosswise of said ends, said clamping jaws having hookshaped ends extending toward one another and adapted for insertion between the lateral edges of closely spaced rows of terminal boards into embracing engagement behind the lateral edges at one end of a selected terminal board, and said clamping jaws having separate manually operable adjustable means accessible from the rearmost face of said main body for tightening said clamping jaws to clamp said gang connector assembly rigid crosswise of one end of a terminal board with said spring biased contactor pins pressed in firm contact with respective contactors of all telephone lines connected crosswise of one end of the terminal board.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
75 words
That improvement defined in claim 1 characterized in that said clamping jaws are generally J-shaped with the shank end thereof pivotally supported in slot means extending lengthwise of either end of said main body, and adjustable means connected to the outer shank end of said jaws operable to force said pins forcibly against a respective one of said contactors as an incident to tightening said jaws against the rear lateral edges of said terminal board.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
That improvement defined in claim 2 characterized in that the opposite ends of said main body are bifurcated, the sidewalls of said bifurcations having said slot means therein in the form of grooves facing toward one another from the inner sidewalls of said bifurcations on trunnion means having their ends extending into said grooves.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
47 words
That improvement defined in claim 3 characterized in the provision of thumb nut means seated in threaded bores opening axially of the shank portions of said clamping jaws and having a flange engageable with the main body of said gang connector as the thumb nut is tightened.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
48 words
That improvement defined in claim 4 characterized in that said clamping jaws are pivotable away from one another and from the adjacent lateral edge of the terminal board when said thumb nuts are loosened, thereby permitting said jaws to be assembled to and disassembled from a terminal board.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
222 words
That improvement in a gAng connector for coupling 50 pairs of telephone lines each connected to individual contactors arranged in rows crosswise of one end of a central station terminal board, said gang connector comprising a relatively long narrow hollow housing having a length corresponding generally to the width of a central station terminal board and a width somewhat greater than the width of the area occupied by said rows of 100 contactors, 50 pairs of spring biased pins projecting from the foremost face of said housing and adapted to engage a respective one of 50 pairs of contactors at one end of a terminal board, flexible cable means extending from a sidewall of said housing and including a separate conductor connected to a separate one of said pins, J-shaped clamping jaw means having the stem portion of each pivotally coupled closely beside a respective end of said housing and including adjustable means therefor manipulatable from the rearmost face of said housing, the forward hooked ends of said jaws facing toward one another and being engageable behind the rear corners of the lateral edges of a terminal board and operable when said clamps are tightened to press said 50 pairs of pins into pressure contact with a respective one of said 50 pairs of contactors at one end of a terminal board.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
222 words
That improvement in a gAng connector for coupling 50 pairs of telephone lines each connected to individual contactors arranged in rows crosswise of one end of a central station terminal board, said gang connector comprising a relatively long narrow hollow housing having a length corresponding generally to the width of a central station terminal board and a width somewhat greater than the width of the area occupied by said rows of 100 contactors, 50 pairs of spring biased pins projecting from the foremost face of said housing and adapted to engage a respective one of 50 pairs of contactors at one end of a terminal board, flexible cable means extending from a sidewall of said housing and including a separate conductor connected to a separate one of said pins, J-shaped clamping jaw means having the stem portion of each pivotally coupled closely beside a respective end of said housing and including adjustable means therefor manipulatable from the rearmost face of said housing, the forward hooked ends of said jaws facing toward one another and being engageable behind the rear corners of the lateral edges of a terminal board and operable when said clamps are tightened to press said 50 pairs of pins into pressure contact with a respective one of said 50 pairs of contactors at one end of a terminal board.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-05-28 | 1976-11-27 | 1977-05-29 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-05-28 | 1980-11-27 | 1981-05-29 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-05-28 | 1984-11-27 | 1985-05-29 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |