Abstract: A patchcord connector for use in terminating a plurality of insulated conductors and interconnecting the conductors to a modular terminal board includes a housing having first and second interlockable molded body members. A plurality of contact elements are disposed within the housing and include terminal contact portions having insulation-piercing members for terminating the insulated conductors as the body members are assembled and interlocked. To afford simple and rapid field assembly of the connector, the connector includes gripping members integral with each contact element for securely maintaining each insulated conductor in a terminating position within the connector prior to and during interlocking of the body members and termination of the conductors. Strain relief means are also provided for retaining each conductor within the connector housing when the first and second body members are in a finally assembled and interlocked position.

Abstract: An electrical contact member formed from an axially extended tube is provided intermediate its ends with an axially extending insulation-opening slot. The slot is terminated at one end in an entry opening through the tube. The entry opening and an inwardly tapered entry ramp are formed by a free-ended piece of the tube wall bent into the inner opening of the tube. An insulated conductor may be inserted into the contact member in either of two ways: by insertion through the appropriate end of the tube and deflection by the entry ramp through the entry opening; or, by insertion through the entry opening and deflection by the entry ramp through the end of the tube. After insertion by either method, the ends of the insulated conductor may be pulled to force the conductor into a narrowed engagement portion of the slot where the insulation around the conductor is opened by spreading or cutting and electrical contact is made between the tube and the metallic conductor.

Abstract: A connector assembly suitable for connecting a leadless integrated circuit device to a circuit board. The circuit device typically has a plurality of flat conductive pads spaced along parallel edges thereof. The circuit board similarly typically has a plurality of flat conductive pads spaced along parallel first and second rows. The connector assembly includes a pair of anchor plates bonded to the circuit board and spaced by a distance just sufficient to accommodate said integrated circuit device therebetween. First and second banks of elongated essentially parallel contacts are fixedly connected, as by solder, to the circuit board pads. When the removable circuit device is placed on the circuit board between the anchor plates, connection from the fixedly connected contact banks to the circuit device pads is made by first and second banks of flexible parallel bridging contacts.

Abstract: A multiple contact filter connector capable of accommodating high RF currents and a method of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The connector includes an outer metallic shell, a dielectric body within the shell and at least one network filter contact assembly. The inner body has at least one through channel and a transverse cavity which communicates with the shell and the channel. The network filter contact assembly has a ground electrode and a pin electrode and is disposed within the portion of the channel bridging the cavity. Conductive curable filler material is charged into the cavity around and in contact with the ground electrode to efficiently and inexpensively establish a ground plate for the connector. A retention means disposed within the channel and a locking means carried by the contact cooperate to provide axial strain relief, thereby protecting the bond between the conductive filler material and the ground electrode.

Abstract: This invention relates to an electrical assembly, such as an electrical cable assembly, to electrical elements such as electrical connector elements for terminating the assembly, and to housings for electrical elements. The housings for the electrical elements are formed of first and second housing members of insulating material, the housing members having mating sides which are fitted together to form the members into a housing. The first member has a plurality of pins projecting from the mating side thereof and the second member has a hole therethrough for each of the pins. The length of the pins and the relative position of the pins and holes are such that each pin passes through the corresponding hole and is exposed on the side of the second member opposite the mating side. The exposed portion of each pin is cold-flow expanded to hold the members together.

Abstract: A linear sensor array is deployed horizontally on the ocean floor by first deploying a vertical array, between an anchor and a float from which the array is suspended, and then decreasing the buoyancy of the float gradually as the float is carried away from the anchor by ocean currents. The float is comprised of a suitably large volume of buoyant material such as hollow glass microspheres freely floating inside a liquid filled plastic container. To gradually reduce buoyancy, the microspheres are allowed to flow out through a neck near the top of the container while water is allowed to enter the bottom of the container through a liquid permeable membrane. The diameter of the neck is selected for optimum sinking rate of the float.

Abstract: An improved connector pin assembly and method for concentrically aligning and terminating an optical fiber of a fiber optic cable with respect to the outer dimension of the pin negates the heretofore required epoxy or other adhesive for providing secure termination of an optical fiber within a terminal pin. The assembly includes a terminal pin having a fiber optic cable receiving bore extending into the pin from its rear end and a terminal end bore of smaller dimension extending into the terminal pin from the terminal pin forward terminating end. The terminal end bore communicates with the cable receiving bore and is concentric to the outer dimension of the terminating pin terminal end. A resilient insert member having a central aperture dimensioned for receiving the optical fiber and an outer portion which is greater in dimension than the terminal end bore when the insert member is in its free uncompressed state is forced into the terminal end bore.

Abstract: A system for deploying a vertical linear sensor array from a transiting vessel comprising a tubular deployment case closed at the bottom by a descent weight that is connected to a plurality of sensors packed in the case and connected in sequence by a cable of signal wires to a unit for creating drag in the descent of the deployment case and sensors, such as a collapsed parasol-type drogue or a buoyant body. Stacked over the telemetering unit is a cable dispenser open at the bottom and closed at the top by a nose weight. A substantial length of signal cable is coiled in the cable dispenser to pay out from the center with one end connected to the nose weight and the other connected to transmit sensor signals. A toroid core around the signal cable where it is being payed out inductively couples sensor signals to a signal line connected to an inner conductor of an armored cable.

Abstract: An improved connector for terminating flexible parallel conductors in which a male part has a length of distal surface about which an end of a flexible group of parallel conductors is bent. The male part, with the group of parallel conductors bent thereabout is inserted into a female part having a closed slot therein and a plurality of contacts along one of the walls thereof. Upon mating of the two connector parts, the contacts of the female part electrically engages respective ones of the parallel conductors. Various means are provided for keeping the conductors aligned during the mating action and latch members on both male and female parts cooperate to releasably secure the two parts together.

Abstract: An apparatus for simultaneously terminating a plurality of insulated conductors in the insulation piercing contacts of a multiple contact electrical connector is disclosed. The apparatus includes means for mounting a connector in conductor receiving position, means for aligning the conductors adjacent individual contacts of the connector, means for positioning an insertion member adjacent the contacts, and resilient means forcibly engaged by the insertion member during the termination process. The apparatus allows sufficient displacement of the resilient means by the insertion member so as to accommodate various transverse dimensions of electrical connectors without the necessity of any adjustment.

Abstract: A flexible connector cable for providing high density and reliable electrical interconnections between printed circuit boards or any other surfaces having conductive paths that need connection to conductive paths on adjacent surfaces. The connector cable comprises a flat flexible laminar structure including an electrically-insulative layer and an electrically-conductive layer. The insulative layer is typically formed on a bonded plastic such as Polyimide and the conductive layer is typically formed of copper. Openings are formed in the insulative layer to expose the conductive layer and raised contacts or buttons are deposited on the conductive layer on both surfaces of the cable. The raised contacts are formed of ductile conductive material which exhibits plastic deformation under pressure to form good electrical connections.

Abstract: A contact assembly is disclosed including an inner liner and outer shell. The liner has a transverse slot dimensioned to always align with at least one of two inspection apertures on opposite sides of the shell regardless of the rotational orientation of the liner with respect to the shell. Thus, the liner need not be rotationally indexed with the shell during assembly of the contact in order to insure an unobstructed view into the crimp barrel.

Abstract: A connector pin assembly for concentrically aligning and terminating a fiber optical cable with respect to the outer dimension of the pin includes a tubular body having two ends, a longitudinal bore extending into one end of the body and a counter bore extending into the other end of the body. The counter bore has inner walls concentric with the outer dimension of the body and communicates with the longitudinal bore. A plurality of pin members of equal dimension are within the counter bore arranged in side-by-side relation for tangential contact with the inner walls of the counter bore, tangential contact with each other, and tangential contact with an optical fiber inserted into the central passageway defined by the pin members. As a result, the optical fiber is held by the pin members concentrically with respect to the outer dimension of the tubular body.

Abstract: A simple and compact disk brake mechanism which includes a housing having a pair of slightly separated flat guide walls, a plate-like brake member in the housing which is slideable against the disk brake, and a plate-like camming member slideable in the housing and moveable transverse to the braking member to advance the braking member against the disk brake. The housing also includes a spacer plate with a portion that reaches around the disk brake and against an area of the disk brake opposite the plate-like braking member.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for simultaneously terminating a plurality of insulated metallic conductors in the insulation-piercing contact members of a multi-contact connector. The apparatus includes a base which supports the connector in conductor-receiving position and a carriage which carries a reciprocating insertion tool. The carriage is pivotally attached to the base and moves between an open position and an operating position wherein the insertion tool is aligned with the connector. Locating means are mounted on the carriage in fixed spatial relation to the insertion tool to align the connector for the termination operation as the carriage moves to the operating position. Self-actuated latch means retains the carriage in the operating position and includes a release means which may be actuated while returning the carriage to the open position, all in a single operation.

Abstract: A field termination tool for electrical connectors includes a connector support which is positioned between a pair of rotatably mounted insertion arms. Each of the insertion arms includes a multiblade insertion rod for engaging and pressing insulated conductors into respective insulation-piercing contact portions carried by a supported electrical connector. The connector support is constructed as a one-piece comb structure, preferably molded from glass-filled thermoplastic material with metal conductor cutting strips molded in, which is releasably engageable with the frame of the termination tool, and likewise releasably engageable with a bench-mounted support so that electrical connectors can be positioned in the comb structure and have the insulated conductors aligned with respective insulation-piercing contact portions at a point remote from the insertion tool. An insertion control mechanism takes two forms.

Abstract: A connector for joining ends of a pair of cables is disclosed. The connector includes first and second connector members each having a mating end with the mating end of the first connector member having an opening to receive the mating end of the second connector member. Means associated with the mating ends of the first and second connector members are provided for orienting the connector members for mating engagement. The orientation means permits the mating end of the first connector member to receive the mating end of the second connector member only in a preselected position of relative rotation. Means associated with the mating ends of the first and second connector members are also provided for securing the connector members in locked engagement. The orientation means provides an entryway leading to the securing means to permit locked engagement of the connector members with the securing means following mating engagement with the orientation means.

Abstract: Three fixed optical sensing devices are positioned to sense the left and right margins as well as the center location of high speed printer carriage travel. Signals from the sensing devices are fed to programmed carriage logic control circuits which effect rapid carriage movements relative to the center location as well as the traditional left and right margin locations. Printing time of certain forms is greatly reduced by minimizing unnecessary carriage return to the left margin location.

Abstract: A simplified, mechanical analog to digital converter mechanism useful in clocks or the like includes an impulse wheel periodically actuated by the continuous rotation of a conversion wheel coupled to a drive means such as a synchronous motor. The conversion wheel has a single tangential tang struck from its planar surface which functions on each wheel revolution to engage and advance a tooth of the impulse wheel one step. A uniform shaft rotation is thereby converted to a succession of digital steps, for example, a sweep seconds hand is converted to a jump seconds indicator.

Abstract: A high frequency coaxial cable exhibiting a low insertion loss and a low reflection coefficient, and incorporating an improved construction providing for convenient adjustment of impedance.