Abstract: A power adapter is disclosed for use in connecting electrical power to a telephone station via a cross-connect jack. The power adapter has a plug-end for mating with the cross-connect field and a jack-end for receiving a cross-connect patch cord. The power adapter includes a two-conductor permanently attached power cord. Bent wire technology is used to connect the contacts of the receiving jack with the contacts of the plug while blade insertion technology is used for making contact with the ends of the power conductors.

Abstract: A tool (20) is provided for terminating an end of a telephone cord or inside wiring with a modular plug (21). The tool includes a housing (81) having a cord or inside wiring-receiving opening at one of its ends and a plug-receiving nest (122) at an opposite end. The tool also includes a rocker (82) which is mounted pivotally in the housing and which has a first end adjacent to the cord-receiving end of the housing and a second end adjacent to the nest. After and end portion of a cord, for example, is inserted into the cord-receiving end of the housing, a user depresses the adjacent first end of the rocker to cause jacket-stripping facilities of the rocker to cut the cord jacket. When the cord is withdrawn, the jacket is removed from the end portion to expose individually insulated conductors. Then the end portion of the cord is inserted into a modular plug body which has been armed with blade-like terminals (30-30) and the plug inserted into the nest at the other end of the housing.

Abstract: A connector system of this invention is used to splice conductors of at least two groups. The system includes a base (60) having a plurality of tubular, rigid metallic contact elements (62--62) positioned in apertures (110--110) that are formed in two rows along the base. Each aperture falls in an associated groove of a plurality of parallel grooves formed transversely of the rows of the apertures. Conductors (51--51) of a first group are positioned in the grooves of the base. Then, the base is provided with a cover and the contact elements are moved in their apertures to cause the conductors to be moved into slots in the contact elements, to penetrate the cover and to sever excess end portions of the conductors. The walls of the slots are adapted to establish electrical engagement with the conductors that are moved thereinto. The cover is removed, and a carrier having a plurality of grooves in which are positioned conductors of a second group that are to be spliced to the first is assembled to the base.

Abstract: A wall outlet (20), which facilitates the interconnection of lengths of inside wiring to a network interface device, includes provisions for receiving a modular plug (31) which terminates a cord (32) that is connected to customer station equipment. The wall outlet includes a tricoupler (30) and a cover (25). The tricoupler includes a housing (80) having first and second generally opposed plug-receiving cavities (82, 83) and a third cavity (87). A plurality of metallic wire-like contact elements (90-90) are disposed in the housing of the tricoupler and are engaged by blade-like terminals (60-60) of modular plugs which are inserted into the cavities. The cover includes latching tabs (164-164) which are adapted to be received in grooves (163-163) of the tricoupler housing to secure the tricoupler to the cover.

Abstract: A modular tricoupler (30) is provided for interconnecting lengths of inside wiring in series within walls, for example, of customer premises and to a network interface device (42, see FIG. 3B). The tricoupler also includes provisions for receiving a modular plug (31) which terminates a cord (36) that is connected to customer station equipment. The tricoupler includes a housing (80) having first and second generally opposed plug-receiving cavities (82, 83) and a third cavity (87). A plurality of metallic wire-like contact elements (90-90) are disposed in the housing of the tricoupler and maintained spaced apart by partitions (96-96). One end portion of each contact element extends into the second cavity and the other end portion into the third cavity. Blade-like terminals (60-60) of a modular plug which is inserted into the first cavity engage loop portions (131-131) of the contact elements. The loop portion of each is designed and is supported so that the entire loop shifts when engaged by the terminal.

Abstract: A contact element for establishing an electrical connection between two insulated conductors includes a tubular member having at least one open end and being made of an electrically conductive material. The tubular member includes surfaces that define a slot which extends from the open end and which has a width that is less than the diameter of the conductive elements of the insulated conductors. The tubular member has sufficient stiffness and the slot is configured to cause at least portions of the surfaces that define the slot to nick the conductive element of each of one or more conductors that are moved into and along the slot. Any deflection of the slot surfaces which accompanies the movement of one or more insulated conductors into the slot is substantially negligible.

Abstract: A telephone cord includes a length of cordage having each end terminated with a modular plug with the plug at one end disposed within a specially designed, easily identifiable cavity of a unipartite housing of a coupler jack of this invention. The coupler jack also includes a conventional plug-receiving cavity and a plurality of wire-like contact elements having retroflexed end portions which are positioned in the cavities to engage terminals of inserted plugs. The plug that is disposed within the specially designed cavity is held in such a manner that its disconnection from the coupler jack is encumbered to prevent withdrawal without the use of a mechanical expedient. Forces must be applied to a tab of the plug in a particular manner to cause the tab to assume an essentially linear rather than a conventional arched configuration which occurs when the free end of the tab is depressed.

Abstract: A coupler (30) for electrically connecting ends of telephone cords which have been terminated with modular plugs (24--24) includes a first portion (31) made of a dielectric material and having a plurality of compartments (45--45) which extend from end to end and which are formed between partitions (41--41), each of which has a centrally disposed bifurcated stem (46). A contact element (42) in the form of a wire having a linear portion (51) and two retroflexed end portions (52--52) is mounted in each compartment with each retroflexed end portion extending between adjacent furcations of the stems. A second portion (32) made of a dielectric material is joined to the first portion and includes an abutment (71) which extends between the furcations (47--47) of the first portion to stabilize the partitions. The second portion cooperates with the first portion to form a pair of back-to-back externally communicating cavities (60--60).

Abstract: An adapter (11) for connecting each of two telephone cords (12) to a wall terminal (14) includes a housing (16) having two stacked cavities (54-54') at one end, with each cavity being capable of receiving a modular plug (13) that terminates one of the cords and each communicating with a plug portion (17) that extends from an opposite end of the housing and that is insertable into the wall terminal. The adapter includes a plurality of wire-like contact elements (20) with each having a retroflexed portion for electrically engaging a contact (34) of the wall terminal when the plug portion is inserted thereinto, and each having free ends that extend into the cavities at the one end of the housing to engage blade-like terminals (21) of the modular plugs which are inserted into the cavities.

Abstract: A modular plug for terminating a multiconductor cord and adapted to be inserted into a jack to establish electrical connections between cord conductors and contact wires in the jack possesses superior dielectric strength. The plug includes a plastic housing having conductor-receiving cells extending between a closed end of the plug and a chamber common to all the conductors with the spacing of the cells differing from that of the jack wires. Terminal-receiving slots extend between the chamber and an exterior surface of the housing with the length of each slot being parallel to the associated cell and communicating with an exterior surface of the housing through an opening defined by at least one camming surface. The openings are spaced the same as the jack wires and the same as terminals being fed by automatic machinery for insertion.