Abstract: An electrical to fiber optic conversion unit for use in a fiber optic transmission link includes a ferrous metal chassis with an open front end for receiving a plurality of conversion modules and power supply or test modules. The conversion module includes circuitry for converting electrical signals to fiber optic signals and is constructed of a multi-layer printed circuit board having top and bottom layers substantially covered with a non-current conducting chassis ground. The several internal layers of the conversion PC board include two signal layers for interconnecting components on the board, with the signal layers being separated by a power distribution layer and an interconnect layer for connecting components on opposite ends of the board. The multi-layer PC construction suppresses RF noise from the conversion module providing that the front panel of the module may be left uncovered while still achieving very low levels of RF emission.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a coaxial jack having a make before break switch in a first conductive path between signal-in mechanism and first signal-out mechanism. The switch is functioned on insertion of a plug is second signal-out mechanism which forms a second conductive path between said signal-in mechanism and said second signal-out mechanism. The jack not only matches impedances with the coaxial cables, but does so by equalizing inductive and capacitive reactances and by maintaining an impedance match at each structural support between a conductor in the jack and the housing of the jack. The housing of the jack is modular thereby providing superior versatility with respect to various configurations and applications.

Abstract: A wire distribution apparatus is disclosed having a frame member with walls defining a vertical open face chamber. A plurality of termination modules are secured to the frame in side-by-side relation. Each of the modules includes a pair of opposing panels having one end pivotally mounted to the frame on opposite sides of the vertical chamber opening and pivotable between a first position with panels joined to form prismatically shaped termination modules. The panels are also pivotable to a second position with opposing panels pivoted away from one another to expose the openings in the frame to provide access to cables and wiring within the frame. Tie bar mechanisms are provided for rigidly securing panels in open positions.

Abstract: A modular distribution frame is disclosed which includes a module block having first and second parallel opposing rows of wire connectors. Apertures in the block provide access to the connectors. The wire connectors have a wire terminating end and a spring contact finger end. The spring contact finger end of opposing connectors extend into the apertures in releasable electrical contact. An overload protector element is provided adaptable for insertion into the aperture and extending between opposing spring fingers to electrically separate the fingers. The overload protector element includes circuitry to provide electrical connection between the opposing wire connectors through the element.

Abstract: A distribution frame comprising interconnect block modules for use in telecommunications is disclosed. The frame is front accessible for both wiring and test access. The structure incorporates a reversible wire guide to facilitate wiring of a module from either the right or left hand side of a particular mounting bracket. The individual modules incorporate an overload protector element which utilizes a printed circuit board as a primary contact structure. The individual modules also use split cylinder insulation displacement connectors which are readily accessible from the front of the module and terminate in spring fingers which make contact to the overload protector elements.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to apparatus for maintaining good conductivity characteristics over time between a spring connector in contact with a connector housing having a plated substrate material. An insert is fitted into an appropriate space in the cast housing. The insert forms a gas tight seal with the housing at appropriate edges. The seal prevents oxidation of plating materials along the edges thereby maintaining good conductivity characteristics over time between the cast housing and the insert. The spring conductor and the insert are made from or plated with materials which do not form an oxide layer and thus maintain low contact resistance over time, thereby preserving good conductivity characteristics of the entire electrical path over time.

Abstract: A fiber optic coupler easily molded as an optically transparent body and adapted to provide bidirectional transmission, multiplexing, demultiplexing, fail safe relaying, or other functions from a single coupler. The body may be molded without side actions for simplicity and accuracy of placement of critical surfaces. The body includes first and second cavities for positioning light sources, such as a solid state emitter or fiber termination, and third and fourth cavities for positioning a light receiver, such as a solid state detector or fiber in a fiber connector. Opposite each source and receiver cavity is located a reflector cavity terminating in a reflecting face formed by the air-coupler body interface and operating by total internal reflection. A slot extends into the body to position a filter such as a dichroic mirror or beam splitter between the cavities.

Abstract: An electrical connector apparatus (10) is described having a housing with a first end (12) for releasably receiving a terminal end (200) of a jack and a second end (14) for receiving a twisted pair cable (300) having a pair of conductors (301, 302). The housing includes first and second intermediate electrical connectors (70, 80) having first ends (74, 84) for electrically contacting first and second exposed electrical contacts (206, 208) of the terminal end (200) when the terminal end (200) is secured to the housing in predetermined alignment. The first and second intermediate electrical connectors (70, 80) also include second ends (76, 86) having insulation displacement connectors (110) for providing electrical connection between insulation clad conductors (301, 302) of said twisted pair cable (300).

Abstract: An electrical connector module having flexible sidewall bridges and sidewall shoulders for snap mounting the module in a panel, a tool for inserting wires in the module and a connector panel mount is disclosed. The module is formed from a plurality of subhousings arranged in two rows with each subhousing supporting a split cylinder concentrically therein. The subhousings include diametrically opposed slots with one wire engaging lipped slot aligned with the slot in the split cylinder and the other slot aligned with a cutting blade provided on the split cylinder diametrically opposed to the split cylinder slot. Each of the subhousing slots are aligned transversely to the rows and paralled with one another such that a series of wires may be laid side by side in parallel in the subhousing slots over the split cylinder for insertion by a tool in another series of operations. The housings are snap mounted in a panel member which includes an aperture sized to receive the housing.

Abstract: A terminal assembly is disclosed consisting of a base member and a terminal member which is secured to the base member in one of two releasable positions. The terminal member is one of two releasable positions. The terminal member includes an elongated panel formed of insulative material and has a plurality of chambers which receive a plurality of split cylinder connectors aligned in parallel side by side relation. When in the first position, a first end of the connectors are exposed for receiving a plurality of wires. When in the second position the second end of the connectors are exposed for receiving electrical wires. Guideways are disposed on ends of the assembly for guiding a first plurality of wires to the second ends of the connectors. A second set of guideways are provided on the base member and the panel member intermediate the side ends for guiding a second plurality of wires from an intermediate location through the guideways and to the first ends of the electrical connectors.

Abstract: A wire insertion tool is disclosed including a manually engageable handle having an impact receiver slideably received on said handle. An impactor is carried on the handle and includes an impactor movable between a rest position and a displaced position and also movable between a load position and a fire position. The impactor presents a first surface opposing the impact receiver when in the load position and a second surface opposing the impact receiver when in the fire position. The second surface is spaced away from the first surface. A compression spring is provided for yieldably urging the impactor toward the impact receiver and toward the load position. A pivot mechanism pivots the impactor against the urging of the compression spring to the fire position as the impactor is moved to the displaced position.

Abstract: A strain relief attachment is disclosed for a wire connector assembly where the wire connector assembly has a wire attaching side with a plurality of insulation displacement connectors. The strain relief attachment includes a body member having a common restraining edge and is secured to the wire connector assembly with the common restraining edge disposed in overlying spaced relation to the insulation displacement connectors. A plurality of individual restraining members are secured to the body member and extend therefrom with each of the members extending between individual insulation displacement connectors to provide a passage for an individual wire to extend from the connector through opposing individual restraining members.

Abstract: A test plug is disclosed for alternatively providing releasable electrical connection between a test lead and a first and second electrical contact where the first contact is a female contact and the second contact is a male contact. The plug includes a housing sized to be manually engageable and having a slot formed through a first end of the housing. A plunger is slidably disposed within the housing and slidable between an extended position and a retracted position with the plunger having a contact portion sized to extend through the slot and be received within the female contact when the plunger is in the extended position. The contact portion is further sized to be received within the housing when the plunger is in the retracted position with the slot being unobstructed to the insertion of a male contact. A first electrical contact point is disposed within the slot and yieldably biased into electrical connection with a male contact received within the slot.

Abstract: A fiber optic multiplexer/demultiplexer includes a serial transmitter encoder for encoding an 8-bit parallel byte into a serial data stream applied to a fiber optic coupler. A pair of 4-bit latches are alternately clocked to sample four parallel format digital signals to form a byte for loading into the encoder. The serial receiver decoder receives a serial data stream from another fiber optic coupler and converts the data stream to a parallel 8-bit byte. A 4-bit multiplexer is provided for demultiplexing the byte one nibble at a time down to form parallel format digital signals. An alternate embodiment calls for the omission of the 4-bit latches and multiplexer such that 8 signals may be multiplexed.

Abstract: A multigauge-multiwire terminal includes a first split cylinder portion providing a pair of jaws defining a continuous wire receiving slot and a second rib cage portion providing a plurality of opposing resilient ribs aligned to provide a discontinuous slot. In use a wire is inserted laterally of its length into the continuous slot, the jaws of which slice through the insulation on the wire and grippingly engages it. The insertion of another wire displaces the first inserted wire into the discontinuous slot in which it is gripped by the opposing ribs which generally provide for a three point contact with the conductor portion.

Abstract: A wire insertion tool for use with split cylinder terminals includes a shaft having a wire insertion post sized to fit within a split cylinder terminal and a sleeve fixed to the shaft with the tip of the sleeve sized to fit around the outside of the wire insertion terminal. A spring biased sliding sleeve is concentrically disposed between the tip of the shaft and the tip of the fixed sleeve. The sliding sleeve is displaceable by the walls of the split cylinder as a wire is inserted, and is spring biased outwardly to eject wire debris as the tool is extracted. Jamming of the tool by wire insertion debris is thereby avoided. A member is provided for removably interlocking the tool and a handle. A cam follower is secured to the handle and a cam surface is provided on an end of the tool for the tool to be locked into the handle when forced in one direction and released when forced in another.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to connector apparatus comprising a jack (20) usable with either a conventional plug (400) terminating a coaxial cable (410) or a special plug (200) terminating a shielded, twisted pair cable (202). Such versatility was made possible by a full body first conductor (68) having spring contactors (130) which may be separated from grounding contact with barrel (36) of housing (32) by an insulator (216) of plug (200) includes a protruding insulator (216) for separating the contactors (130) and functioning the switching mechanism. Plug (200) also includes first and second conductors (212) and (214) for connection with second and first jack conductors (76) and (68), respectively. In addition, unique structures for pieceparts and assembly details resulting in various interlocking arrangements are disclosed with respect to the structure of jack (20) and plug (200).

Abstract: An electrical connector primarily designed for use in telecommunications and other applications where quick and reliable wire connections in great magnitude are required is disclosed. The connector has a elongated cylindrical shape with an insulation displacement slot running parallel to its longitudinal axis. It is surrounded by and mounted in a sheltering insulating housing. Adjacent the insulation displacement slot on opposite sides of the conductor are V-shaped or other shaped slots which in combination with the insulation displacement slot, form cantilever beams which act independently of the flexing of the cylinder itself. This creates a modified spring rate in the area where connecting wires are held after they are inserted longitudinally into the insulation displacement slot and moved to a final connection position.

Abstract: There is disclosed a hand held labeler apparatus (40) utilizing an X-Y plotter apparatus (71) for printing on label material (60) rotatably supported as a label supply roll (58). The labeler apparatus (40) includes a keyboard (62) for entering label information to be printed on the label, such as alpha/numeric characters and special symbols and operational information for control of the labeler apparatus. Further, a liquid crystal display (66) is provided facing generally toward the user when the labeler apparatus (40) is hand held such that the liquid crystal display (66) is readily observable as the label information is entered at the keyboard (62).

Abstract: The present invention is directed to connector apparatus comprising a jack (20) usable with either a conventional plug (400) terminating a coaxial cable (410) or a special plug (200) terminating a shielded, twisted pair cable (202). Such versatility was made possible by a full body first conductor (68) having spring contactors (130) which may be separated from grounding contact with barrel (36) of housing (32) by an insulator (216) of plug (200) includes a protruding insulator (216) for separating the contactors (130) and functioning the switching mechanism. Plug (200) also includes first and second conductors (212) and (214) for connection with second and first jack conductors (76) and (68), respectively. In addition, unique structures for pieceparts and assembly details resulting in various interlocking arrangements are disclosed with respect to the structure of jack (20) and plug (200).