Abstract: Communications cable is routed within horizontal pathways between the structural ceiling and drop ceiling to a fire-resistant cabinet mounted between the ceilings. Communication cable switching and termination equipment is carried by the cabinet for providing a consolidation point and cross-connect location for both copper wire and optical fiber cables serving work stations within an open office architecture. The cabinet includes an access door opening into a room below the drop ceiling for providing user access to the equipment. The door lies within the drop ceiling plane when in the closed position. A removable equipment mounting plate is carried by the cabinet for lowering the equipment below the drop ceiling when the door is in the open position. Cabinet fire-resistant side wall penetrations permits the communications cable routed between the ceilings to enter and exit the cabinet for connection with the communications cable switching and termination equipment.

Abstract: A zone cabling termination cabinet of fire-resistant metal, provides a non-plenum enclosed space, close to the work station it serves, recessed into the plenum above a suspended ceiling, for housing communications cable connections and switching, without the need to use high-cost plenum fire-rated materials. The cabinet has an equipment mounting plate removably mounted on the interior surface of an access door, which when closed is flush with the bottom wall of the cabinet, which in turn is flush with the suspended false ceiling. The exposed lower surface of the door is clad with fire resistant ceiling tile material, the utility thereof being two-fold: the cladding makes the cabinet more fire resistant, and visually it blends with the rest of the ceiling, is inconspicuous and not readily detected by the unsuspecting eye, thus providing some measure of security from unauthorized meddling.

Abstract: Communications cable is routed within horizontal pathways between the structural ceiling and drop ceiling to a fire-resistant cabinet mounted between the ceilings. Communication cable switching and termination equipment is carried by the cabinet for providing a consolidation point and cross-connect location for both copper wire and optical fiber cables serving work stations within an open office architecture. The cabinet includes an access door opening into a room below the drop ceiling for providing user access to the equipment. The door lies within the drop ceiling plane when in the closed position. A removable equipment mounting plate is carried by the cabinet for lowering the equipment below the drop ceiling when the door is in the open position. Cabinet fire-resistant side wall penetrations permits the communications cable routed between the ceilings to enter and exit the cabinet for connection with the communications cable switching and termination equipment.