Portable automatic multiple test system for multi-pair cables

Claim 1

A portable multi-pair cable tester for automatically and sequentially testing wires of said cable, said tester comprising: driver means for outputting a controlled sequence of pulses upon receiving electrical power; overide means for effecting continued sequential testing after said tester determines a short or an open circuit condition in any one of said wires connected to said driver means; first display means for displaying a number corresponding to a wire pair under test, said first display means including a BCD counter connected to said driver means, a multi-digit display driven by said BCD counter for indicating which of said wire pairs is under test, and a pair of LEDs connected to said driver means for indicating whether a wire under test is a tip or ring; counting means for counting the controlled sequence of pulses from said driver means, said counting means connected for outputting a plurality of coded signals; decoding means for decoding the plurality of coded signals and connected for outputting of pulses, said decoding means connected to said counting means and outputting a sequential pulse to each of said wires under test of said multi-pair cable, said decoding means upon completing testing of all wires of said cable outputting a clock stop pulse; test means for testing wires of said multi-pair cables having connectors on each end of said cable to said test means, said test means including an input wire test circuit having drivers and inverters therein connected between said decoding means and one end of said cable, and an output wire test circuit having gates connected to the opposite end of said cable and to said input wire test circuit; combining means connected to said output wire test circuit, said combining means includes a first combiner for outputting a pulse in response to a short circuit condition and a second combiner for outputting a pulse in response to an open circuit condition; second display means for displaying open and short circuit condition connected to said combining means; and gate means for receiving the clock stop pulse of said decoding means and said combining means, and outputting a stop pulse to said driver means when said tester has determined an open or short circuit condition and when said testing has been completed.