Abstract: A modular contact assembly including first and second members at opposed ends such as a wire barrel member (20) or a contact member (50,100) having either a socket contact section (62) or a pin contact section (108) at a mating end, and optionally an intermediate member (80) interposable between the first and second members. Assembly faces (30,84) of one of the members (20) and intermediate member (80) each may include a small diameter bore (28,82) thereinto, and mounting faces (54,88) of the other of the members and intermediate member each may include a cylindrical embossment (56,86) extending therefrom having a diameter slightly larger than that of the small diameter bores, enabling force fittable insertion thereinto during contact assembly. The wire barrel member (20) is usable with either a pin contact member (100) or a socket contact member (50), and the intermediate member (80) enables fabrication of an elongate socket contact assembly (10) or pin contact assembly if desired.

Abstract: A modular connector includes a housing (18, 181, 191, 518) having an interior surface adapted to engage a mating external surface of one or more contact-receiving and -carrying modules (20, 210, 520, 521) supported within the housing. The wire contacts (64, 65, 66, 600) are removably supported within the module to permit one or more contacts to be removed and replaced without destruction of the entire module. Mating structures of the housing and the module and the contacts repeatably position the housing portions with respect to one another and precisely position the module within the housing laterally, longitudinally, and vertically and precisely position the contacts within the module. The invention also includes a module (520, 521) having an integral sealing boot (578) formed thereon to provide strain relief and effective sealing around the conductor wires (536, 537) entering into the module and between the module and the housing portions.

Abstract: A tool for connecting a tap assembly to a tap body for making an electrical connection to an electrical cable having a conducting core and an insulator sheath and an outer conductor is adapted for hand rotation. A first end of the tool is adapted with an internal configuration to rotate a threaded tap assembly into a recess in a threaded aperture in the floor of a cable-engaging member. The second end includes a drill and a depth stop geometry to drill into the insulator sheath through the threaded aperture in the floor.

Abstract: A simplified structure for a right-angle modular connector includes a self-aligning arrangement for the connector cover and an L-shaped receiving portion thereof. Appropriately positioned flanges and a tongue and groove arrangement are provided and an abutting relationship prevents longitudinal movement between the two components of the housing. An L-shaped module is locked in position by a segmented rib structure cooperating with a plurality of channels on internal surfaces of the housing. The channels engage the rib segments and lock the module from movement relative to the housing.