US3065441A - Means for connecting multi-conductor cables - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 20, 1962 G. H, LEONARD MEANS FOR CONNECTING MULTI-CONDUCTOR CABLES Filed Feb. 9, 1959 1962 G. H. LEONARD 7 3,065,441

MEANS FOR CONNECTING MULTI,CONDUCTOR CABLES Filed Feb. 9, 1959 5 SheetsSheet 2 Nov. 20, 1962 G. H. LEONARD MEANS FOR CONNECTING MULTI-CONDUCTOR CABLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 9, 1959 Nov. 20, 1962 MEANS FOR CONNECTING MULTI-CONDUCTOR CABLES Filed Feb. 9, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 G. H. LEONARD 3,065,441

Nov. 20, 1962 G. H. LEONARD MEANS FOR CONNECTING MULTI-CONDUCTOR CABLES 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Feb. 9, 1959 United States Patent 1 3,065,441 MEANS FOR CONNECTING MULTI-CONDUCTOR CABLES George H. Leonard, Darien, Conn, assignor to AMP Incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. Filed Feb. R, 1959, Ser. No. 791,966 27 Claims. (Cl. 339-49) This invention relates in general to a separable electrical connector for multi-conductor cables, and more particularly to a contact assembly for such connectors which includes a pair of panels for carrying the connecting elements, one of the panels typically being the outlet for an 3,05,44l Patented Nov. 20, 1962 ice FIGURE 3 illustrates in perspective a stand-off element carried within the housing shell;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional side view of the connector taken substantially along the center line of FIGURES 1a electrical device, such as a computer, and the other being secured in a portable housing adapted to be coupled by actuation of a connecting mechanism to the device outlet.

As design desiderata, the contact assembly of such a connector electrically should provide a stable and absolutely reliable contact over a wide temperature range for high and low voltage level circuits with a negligible noise introduction factor, and mechanically should have a long life under hard usage while being simple, inexpensive, easy to disassemble and reassemble without the use of tooling, with the component parts for the mating sections being reversible and interchangeable to reduce the number of different parts to a minimum. Overall, the connector should have no critical tolerances, but the parts should interfit with precision while being simple and foolproof in operation.

A wide variety of connectors are available in the art, but all in more or less respects fail to provide the desired characteristics.

The principal advantage of the present invention is the provision of components by which the aforesaid design desiderata may be united in one construction of a multicontact connector.

The embodiment to be described as illustrative of the present invention is also advantageous in that the operating mechanism and associated panel are housed in a portable unit adapted to be mechanically coupled, with or without the contact elements being engaged, to a similar panel mounted on a stationary electrical device, the contact coupling action smoothly bringing the contact elements in the sets into engagement simultaneously.

Other advantages and attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon an examination of the drawings and the following detailed specification which show and describe a preferred embodiment; it is to be'understo'od; however, that this embodiment is not intended to be exhaustive nor limiting on the invention but, on the contrary, is given for purposes of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify and adapt it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1a and FIGURE 1b are perspective views of an'embodiment of a separable connector assembly according to the present-invention, the pair of units constituting the assembly being separated but in alignment ready to be connected;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view illustrating the housing shell for the connector unit of FIGURE 1b;

and 1b, but with the units being in closed interconnected position and certain parts being shown in elevation for purposes of illustration;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4, but with the connector units operatively partly disconnected;

FIGURE 6 is a view similar to FIGURE 4, but with the connector units operatively fully disconnected and ready for separation, parts being broken away for the sake of clarity;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view along lines 77 of FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 8 is an exploded view of the actuating lever and cam arrangement of the connector unit of FIG- URE lb;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale of the contact elements and supporting panels when the connector units are closed as in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 10 is a view similar to FIGURE 9, but taken when the connector units are disposed as in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 11 is a sectional view taken along lines 1111 of FIGURE 9;

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged perspective view of a contact element attached to a wire connector;

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged fragmentary view of a panel element carried by either one of the units of the connector assembly to illustrate the details of an aperture in which a contact element may be inserted;

FIGURE 14 is an enlarged, perspective view of the panel element;

FIGURE 15 is an enlarged, perspective view showing the opposite side of a panel element similar to that of FIGURE 1.4;

FIGURE 16 is a perspective 'view of a bracket for mounting a panel element in the connector unit of FIG- URE In;

FIGURE 17 is a plan view of the strain relief assembly for introducing a cable into the connector unit of FIG- URE 1b;

FIGURE 18 is a side view, partly in section and partly broken away for clarity, of the strain relief assembly; and

FIGURE 19 is a perspective view of a grommet or packing element carried within the strain relief assembly.

In the drawings the illustrative embodiment of the separable connector assembly of the present invention in general includes a pair of units A and B adapted to be brought operatively together to complete a multiplicity of circuit paths through the assembly, unit A being set for example in the control board or some convenient portion in the housing 2, fragmentarily shown in FIGURE la, of a computing, printing or accounting machine or similar device, and constituting the electrical coupling into the internal electrical circuitry of the device. Unit B comprises a portable coupling mechanism serving to support and connect selectively the various wires of an external cable 4 to the appropriate wires brought to unit A.

Units A and B each include a panel 6a and 6b carrying, preferably by a releasable snap-fit arrangement in aper tures 8a and 8b, cooperating sets of contact elements ltla and Nb which terminate the respective sets of conductor wires 12a and 12b to be electrically coupled when the units are operatively brought together. It will be appreciated that each assembly of an A and B unit may accommodate as many connections as desired, a typical embodiment providing 200 circuit connections, while there additionally may be incorporated in a particular electrical installation several A units to which any one or more of several B units may be joined. Further, it is contemplated that the pair of panel and contact connector elements may alone comprise the units of the assembly according to the requirements of a particular use, all as will become apparent from the followingdetailed description.

Certain of the parts comprising units A and B of the illustrated embodiment are advantageously of identical construction and character. In the description and drawings such parts are designated by a given reference numeral when referred to in general, an a or b being appended to the numeral to indicate their incorporation in either unit A or unit B respectively.

For achieving simplicity in fabrication and assembly panels 6a and 6b advantageously are identical and of relatively hard, molded insulation material, and of generally square configuration. The contact receiving apertures 8, FIGURES 14 and 15, usually in rows and columns, extend through the flat main body portionlil of the panels each aperture preferably having locator indicia, such as a number not shown, formed during molding of the panel. As best shown in FIGURES 9 to 11 and 13, the passageway defined by each aperture is generally rectangular and extends straight through the panel body. From the top wall of the aperture, however, an integral projection defines inclined wall portions 13 and 14 which symmetrically converge inwardly from both faces of the panel to a flat central portion 15 where the aperture is essentially reduced in cross-section. A pair of stops I6 and 18 extending inwardly from the sidewalls centrally of the aperture each provide stop shoulders symmetrically facing opposite ends of the aperture. Extending along the bottom wall is a groove 19 all for purposes to be explained. A flange or hood 20 projects outwardly from one face of the panel brim. A channel 22 extending around body 11. within flange 20 is congruous with a head 24 raised outwardly from the other face of the panel whereby when two panels are properly brought together the bead 24a of one is guided by flange 2% in loose interfitting relation into groove 22b of the other, FIGURES 4 to 7, for assuring aligned and substantially parallel planar relative movement of the panels. For axially polarizing the panels, on each inside wall of flange 20 is a pair of bosses 26 which are in alignment with a pair of recesses 28 on the outside wall of bead 24, the spacing of the various pairs of bosses being different so that they will interfere with the admission of head 24 into groove 22 unless the panels are oriented to bring the desired pair of apertures 8a and 8b into opposition.

Centrally of body 11 is a generally square aperture 36 from the corners of which inwardly project integral lugs 32 inset from both faces of the panel for flush mounting on either panel side a keeper plate 34, as by threaded bolts 36 inserted through bolt holes 38 in lugs 32 and cooperating with suitably threaded bolt holes 49 in plate 34, FIG- URES la and 7. Lugs 32 and bolt holes 38 and 40 are symmetrically arranged so that keeper plate 34 may be clamped to the desired panel face in any one of four possible axial orientations for polarization purposes to be made apparent. A slot 42, centrally extends inwardly from an edge of keeper plate 34a, provides at its bottom lip a seat for a notch 46 in end 4-8 of latch 50 pivotally mounted in housing 52 of unit B. Latch 50, preferably stamped from suitable flat sheet metal stock, at its end 48 projects through relatively longer slot 44 of keeper plate 34b and is adapted to be inserted in slot 4-2 of keeper plate 34a, FIGURES 4 to 7, upon coupling of the assembly units, the longer length of slot 44 permitting suflicient travel of latch end 48 therein to seat notch 46 fully over the bottom edge of shorter slot 42, FIGURE 4.

For mounting the panels in assembly units A and B, a rib 54 extends around the panel periphery from substantially the mid-point of the panel thickness, except for discontinuities at each of the panel corners. Flange 2G is reduced in thickness at the panel corners to define with rib 54 shoulders 56, FIGURES 14 and 15. In unit A rib 54a is received in groove 58 of a frame or bracket 60 adapted to be afiixed to machine housing 2, as by bolts 62 in FIGURE 1a, which frame for convenience in assembly preferably is segmented, for example, in four similar corner segments, one segment 64 being shown in FIGURE 16 and in phantom in position on panelo in FIGURE 15 Each segment 64 carries a semi-cylindrical guide block 66 curved to fit between shoulder 56 around the panel corners and of a length to upstand well beyond the panel face.

Housing 52, which may be a shell cast of a suitable metal such as a zinc or a lightweight aluminum alloy, of unit B is open at one side to receive panel 611, FIGURES 4 to 7. The ends of a series of integral ribs 68 provide stops against which the sides of rib 54b abut for positioning the outside panel face substantially flush with the edges 70 defining the housing opening. Approximately centrally of housing 52 is a reentrant hollow standard 72 terminating in an internally threaded spindle 74 in alignment with bolt hole 763 of keeper plate 34b so that bolt 78 passed therethrough into spindle 74 serves to clamp panel 6b rigidly in the housing. If desired a cylindrical spacer 80 may be interposed between spindle 74 and keeper plate 34b.

From the foregoing it should be observed that a panel 6 may be set in either of units A or B with either panel face exposed. Thus, a particular setting of panel 6a in unit A, such as is shown in FIGURE la with bead 24a facing outwardly of the associated machine housing 2 and keeper plate 34a set in one of its four possible orientations relative to polarizing recesses 28, fixes the setting of panel 6b in unit B in one of eight possible positions for the units to engage. Otherwise, for the setting shown, either bead 24b will abut bead 24a or the axial orientation of unit B and panel 61) required to mate polarizing bosses 26 in recesses 24 will find slot 42a misaligned with latch end 48, thereby interfering with and preventing coupling of the assembly. Accordingly, in an installation requiring several separable connectors it has been made possible to assure to at least eight combinations that no other than the desired unit B will be coupled to a given unit A.

Referring now to FIGURES 9 to 12, contact elements 10 are shown in detail. To admit of panel reversibility while retaining the wiring flexibility of snap-in inserts, contact elements 10 are constructed to be insertable or released from either face of the panels advantageously without the use of tools. Again, for simplicity in fabrication and assembly the contact inserts are of single, hermaphrodite design and of suitable resilient metal, preferably of sheet stock so as to be capable of fabrication by progressive die-stamping techniques well known in the art. After formation a series of completed, preformed blanks conveniently may be left and thus adapted to be connected by a conventional integral carrier strip so handled in reels for feeding to automatic or semiautomatic terminal applying machines, typified by Handel Patent No. 2,705,797, issued April 12, 1955, which detaches the individual contact inserts from the strip and affixes them to conductor wires 12 presented to the machine, preferably by solderless cold-forging or crimping methods well known in the art, see Macy Patent No. 2,600,012.

To these purposes contact inserts 10 of each include a shank or base portion 84 from the rear end of which longitudinally extends a wire barrel portion 86 for crimping on the metal core of wire 12 and, if desi ed, 8J1 insulation support barrel portion 88 for gripping the insulation of wire 12, the barrel portions being formed from laterally extending pairs of ears defining wire receiving troughs conventional in the art. Upstanding from the sides of base 84 to a greater height than the height of reduced section 15 of the apertures, FIGURE 11, are a pair of resiliently supported wings 9t and 92, the free ends thereof being bent away from one another to provide plates 94- and 96 which cooperate in width and height with the walls of the aperture to seat the contact element in a snug fit. From the forward edge of plate 96 extends an elongated spring arm. 98 inclined downwardly toward the plane base 84- to bias downwardly toward the base plane a contact finger 166 which is generally parallel to but offset from the longitudinal axis of the insert. Contact finger 100 provides the means for electrically engaging under spring pressure the opposed contact insert in the opposite panel, the spring arm being of a length to project the contact finger outwardly of the panel carrying it. Plate 94 has a side extension which is bent downwardly and then inwardly toward and in a plane parallel to the base to provide a plate 101 from the forward end of which extends a contact plate 102 in oifset relation to the longitudinal axis of the insert and in opposition to contact finger 100. Contact plate 1%?2 is thus disposed so as to be engaged by the opposed contact finger of the mating insert when the panels are brought together. The free end of plate 162 is turned down to provide a latching detent 1% arranged to snap over the edge of the aperture for retaining the insert in the panel. A lateral shoulder 1415 of plate 96 together with the forward edge of plate 94 define stop shoulders for engaging stops 16 and 18 as best shown in FIGURES 9 and 10.

It will be observed that in the symmetry of the aperture passageway, two pairs of symmetrically related stop shoulders are provided, i.e. either face of stops 16 and 18 taken with the face of the panel at the remote end of the aperture, whereby the contact elements may be inserted from either side of the panel. Accordingly, on introducing the contact insert into a panel aperture, plate 96 will first engage sloping wall portion 13 or 14, as the case may be, as base portion 84 and ferrules 86 and 38 ride in groove 1 and plate 101 on the aperture bottom wall. As the insertion force is increased, plate 96 will be resiliently cammed downwardly into face-to-face engagement with wall portion 15 at the reduced portion of the aperture, increasing the downward bias of spring arm 98 and acting to press plate 101 and detent 104 firmly against the aperture bottom wall until detent 104 snaps in place over the aperture edge as shoulder 105 and the forward edge of plate 94 engage stops 16 and 18. The contact insert may easily be released when desired by raising detent 194 above the aperture edge, and withdrawing the insert by wire 12.

With each contact ltla seated in one direction in apertures 8a in panel 6a and each contact b seated in reverse direction in apertures 8b of panel 6b, alignment of the apertures brings contact fingers 199a and ltltlb respectively into alignment with contact plates 1021) and 102a, FIGURE 10, whereupon direct axial movement of the panels toward one another causes the projecting contact fingers to enter into the opposed apertures and to engage and slide on the contact plates under the spring pressure of spring arms 98a and 98b, FIGURES 9 and 11, the tips 196a and 1496b of the contact fingers being curved inwardly to provide a ramp for camming the fingers onto the surface of the contact plates. In this connection for protecting the exposed, projecting contact fingers 1% when the assembly units are separated, flange 20 and bead 241 preferably are raised farther, relative to the panel faces, than the projection of the contact fingers.

The dual path of contact and frictional engagement thus provided each pair of wires 12a and 12b by the terminal contact inserts obviously enhances the connection reliability therebetween, for example, when one path corrodes, or becomes pitted, etc. the other may yet function. Contact reliability may be further enhanced by plating the base metal of the inserts with gold, silver, or the like, especially when low voltage signals are to be transmitted.

To increase the quality of the electrical contact between.

the contact inserts further, it is desired that in the coupling of the assembly the ultimate areas of engagement of fingers 160 on plates 162 be automatically prewiped to cleanse the contact areas of any foreign matter. To this end the assembly includes a rotary-to-reciprocating motion transmitting mechanism which, in the coupling or connecting throw of an operating lever, first moves the panels axially toward one another to cause contact fingers 1th] to engage I and traverse under pressure defined paths of contact longitudinally along the associated contact plates 162, thus prewiping or scrubbing the contact plates, and then axially separates the panels to a predetermined distance causing the contact fingers to be partly withdrawn along the paths of contact on plates 162 to place the ultimate areas of engagement at an intermediate point of the contact paths.

In the illustrated embodiment the rotary-to-reciprocating motion transmitting and coupling mechanism is mounted in unit B, as best shown in FIGURES b, 2 and 4 t0 8, and includes latch 50, a circular opening 188 therein remote from end 48 receiving in pivotal relation a cylindrical cam block which is eccentrically supported for rotation between opposed external walls 112 of housing 52 on a pin 114 force fitted in transversely aligned holes 116 in the rear portion of the housing. Latch 50 is admitted into the interior of housing 52 through a slot 118 in standard 72 for projection through keeper plate 34b and ultimate engagement with keeper plate 3%, and is biased, clockwise in FIGURES 4 through 6, by a tension spring 126 fixed at one end to housing 52 and at the other end to the latch, to urge its end 48 downwardly to seat notch 46 on the lower edge of slot 42. Eccentric cam 110 is rotated by operating lever 122 which is provided with a bracket 124 having a cylindrical bore 126 for receiving the cam block and bifurcated to form a clevis for receiving between the arms thereof and stabilizing the pivotal end of latch 58. Flat pins 128 inserted in appropriate slots serve to key earn 110 for rotation with lever 122, the end of which may be enlarged to provide an operating handle 139.

As indicated in FIGURES 4 and 6, lever 122 is rotatable over approximately 180 between housing stop 132 defining the closed position of the assembly, FIGURE 4, and stop 134 in the decoupling of the assembly, FIGURE 6. In moving between these stops lever 122 is arranged to rotate the high point of cam 110 from a position between but below the center line of pin 114 and the bottom edge of slot 42, FIGURE 6, clockwise to a position above and beyond the center line, FIGURE 4, thereby relatively reciprocating latch 54 from a maximum extended position, to the right in FIGURE 6, through a maximum retracted position where the high point of the cam passes the center line, to an intermediate forward position.

In operation unit B is manually brought in alignment with unit A, FIGURES la and 1b, except that handle is down adjacent stop 134, and then is moved forwardly causing guide blocks 66 relatively to enter housing 52 between shoulders 56b of panel 6b, guide blocks 66 preterably being beveled for easy entry. Should the panels be properly polarized, unit B may then be slid on guide blocks edge of the slot. As now disposed, generally as indicated in FIGURE 5, bead 24a has partly entered channel 22b assuring precise opposition of apertures 8a and 8b, but

the panels are separated sufiiciently far that the contactelements are not yet interengaged, see FIGURE 10. Rotating handle 130 and cam block 116 now tends to shift latch 50 rearwardly, to the left in FIGURES and 6, however the latch is relatively fixed in position by virtue of its coupling to keeper plate 34a of panel 6a. The reaction of rotating the cam block first forces housing 52 and panel 6b through pin 114 toward panel 6a, simultaneously engaging the contact elements, until the cam high point arrives at the center line as described. Thereafter, until stop 132 is reached, continued rotation of handle 1341 effects the desired partial separation of the panels and the resultant partial retracing of the paths of contact between the contact elements, FIGURE 9.

In the arrangement illustrated, the point of engagement of latch 50 with keeper plate 34a is as close as practical to the dynamic center of the spring system represented by the contact elements as a Whole so that application of the connecting force produces no tendency to disalign the units from the desired axial approach toward one another.

Under certain conditions it will be desirable to have the units electrically disconnected but mechanically coupled. In this event the units are left, either in the coupling or decoupling stroke of the operating lever, approximately in the position as shown in FIGURE 5 Where latch 50 re-' tains the units together, the weight of unit B being borne by guide blocks 66, while the contact elements are disengaged, see FIGURE 10.

To decouple the contacts and separate the assembly units it is necessary only to rotate handle 13d counterclockwise, thereby reversing the coupling action except that, in the final few degrees of throw, the end 136 of lever 122 is arranged to engage and kick latch St} upwardly, FIG- URE 6, to unseat notch 46 from keeper plate 34a whereupon unit B may be detached. In this connection in order to assure that the contact elements remain disengaged in those circumstances where the units are desired to remain mechanically coupled, and further to balance the applied connecting and retractile forces and assure axial movement of the panels, auxiliary stabilization means are preferably provided. For this purpose in the illustrative embodiment a pair of stand ofi plates 138 are slidably mounted in either side of housing 52, each plate having an internal end forming a bearing 14%} slidably guided on a pin 142 which may be integrally cast with the housing and extends forwardly therein adjacent the base of standard 72. Bearings 140 are admitted through the side of standard 72 by openings 144 and are disposed immediately forward in parallel overlapping relation to bracket 124 which has a cylindrical surface eccentrically disposed relative to pin 114 for camming the bearings forwardly in the decoupling throw of lever 122 similar to the action of cam block 110 and latch 50.

Stand oif plates 138 each terminate forwardly in a pair of spaced fingers 146 disposed in the corners of housing 52 so as to be in alignment with the end faces of guide blocks 66 when the units are assembled. By virtue of bearings 140 being driven by cam block 110, the axial space relation between fingers 146 and notch 46 of latch 50 remains essentially constant. Fingers 146 are arranged to be positioned immediately adjacent the end faces of guide blocks 66, as best shown in FIGURE 6, as latch end 48 comes into engagement with keeper plate 34a. Thus, regardless of the axial relation of the main body of unit B relative to unit A, fingers 146 are forcibly maintained by cam block 110 at least immediately adjacent guide blocks 66 so long as latch end 48 engages keeper plate 34a, thereby resisting any action tending to disalign the axes of the units. Stand off plates 138 are guided for movement with latch 56 by ribs 148, FIG- URE 2, providing channels in the housing in which the side edges of the plates adjacent fingers 146 are adapted individual wires from the stress imposed by the cable weight. With particular reference to FIGURES 17 to 19 in conjunction with FIGURES 2 and 4 to 7, heads define a segmented channel 152 adjacent a generally U- shaped opening in the bottom wall of housing 52. Flanges 154 of bottom cover plate 156 are slidable in channels 152 for locating the cover plate substantially flush in the bottom opening of the housing. Rib 157 on the inner side of plate 156 is disposed so as to be engaged by rib 54b when panel 6b is clamped in place for securing plate 156 and the strain relief assembly in position in the housing. Integral with plate 156 is an apertured Well 158 through which cable 4- is passed into housing 52, the conical bottom 160 of the well providing a seat for annular packing 162 of rubber or similar resilient material. A gland 164 slidably received in Well 153 is adapted to be driven against packing 162 by bolts 166 extending through the well and threaded into the gland thereby to squeeze and extrude the packing inwardly against cable 4 for strain relief support, the bearing surfaces 168 of the gland being conical in mirror image of well bottom 160.

FIGURE 19 illustrates in detail packing 162 which is generally triangular or trapezoidal in cross-section. A series of equally spaced radial slots 1'70 terminating just short of the cylindrical inside surface render the packing more flexible in use, and essentially divide the packing into spaced, preferably equal sections, more or less of which may be removed by severing through the thin inside wall according to the size of cable 4.

'For convenience a series of numerals of descending magnitude may be molded integrally on the outer walls respectively of the set of the packing sections, the numerals corresponding to the various cable sizes contemplated to be used whereby the person who assembles the connector may cut off those packing sections indicating a larger cable size than the one being installed. On so doing, the inner diameter of the packing is thus conveniently matched with the cable diameter.

In the event, on matching the inside packing diameter to a relatively small diameter cable in use, so many of the packing sections are removed that the conical bearing surfaces of gland 164 and well 158 do not adequately grip therebetween the sloping outside surfaces of the packing, conical adapter or take-up rings 172 may be positioned on either side of the packing as shown in FIGURE 18.

The flexibility imparted to the packing by virtue of slots 170 reduces considerably the forces with which gland 164 must be driven to expand the packing radially inwardly. In addition where the angle of inclination to the cable axis of conical surfaces 164} and 168 are steep, a self-constricting characteristics is advantageously imparted to the packing. That is, the frictional drag between the cable and the packing, on any axial movement of the cable, will cause the packing to become more tighlty wedged between the cable and bearing surface 164) or It will now be apparent that the present invention provides a separable electrical coupling device which is compact, of inexpensive construction while being simple and fool-proof in operation, yet capable of accommodating a large number of wires to be joined in a manner whereby the circuit paths are easy and convenient to establish or revise. Furthermore, the assembly components are highly versatile in use, for example, under certain conditions only the pair of panels with the associated contact inserts may be employed, relying on the frictional loading of the inserts to hang the panels together.

It will also be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the duplicate nature of many of the assembly components achieves a noncriticality in the overall tolerances hitherto impossible with previous devices of the type to which this invention relates. For example, panels 6 may be the product of a single mold assuring precise alignment of apertures 8a and 8b regardless of any irregularity in the spacing of apertures in any one panel.

I claim:

1. A separable electrical connector comprising a pair of interengageable units each including a panel carrying a set of contacts, the contacts of one set being adapted for engagement with the respective contacts of the other set on coaxial movement of the panels face-to-face, operating means including a latch member reciprocably mounted in one unit relative to the panel thereof and engageable with complementary means in the other unit for coupling the units together, guide means arranged in said units to define a coaxial path of relative movement of said panels and align said panels in opposed parallel relation with the sets of contacts in aligned disengaged position on engagement of said latch means, said operating means further including a driving member operative to reciprocate said latch member for relatively reciprocating said panels along said guide means for engaging and disengaging the contact sets.

2. A separable connector according to claim 1 wherein the end portion of said latch member provides a hook projecting through a central opening in the panel of said one unit for engagement with a keeper plate centrally mounted in the panel of the other unit.

3. Aseparable electrical connector comprising a pair of interengageable units each including a panel carrying a set of contacts, the contacts of one set being adapted for engagement with the respective contacts of the other set on coaxial movement of the panels face-to-face, operating means including a latch member reciprocably mounted in one unit relative to the panel thereof, the end portion of said latch. member projecting through a central opening in the panel of said one unit for engaging a keeper plate centrally mounted in the panel of the other unit to couple the units together, said operating means further including a driving member operative to reciprocate said latch member for relatively reciprocating said panels coaxially for engaging and disengaging the contact sets, said latch member engaging said keeper plate to couple the units mechanically before the contact sets. engage electrically in the coaxial engaging movement of the connector units, and supporting means on one unit cooperative with the other unit on mechanical coupling of the latch member and keeper plate to retain the units in mechanically engaged, electrically disengaged position.

4. A separable electrical connector comprising a pair of interengageable units each including a panel carrying a. set of contacts, the contacts of one set being adapted for linear sliding engagement with the respective contacts of the other set on coaxial movement of the panels faceto-face, operating means including latch means in one unit engageable with complementary means in the other unit for coupling the units together, guide means arranged in said units to define a coaxial path of relative move- .ent of said panels and align said panels in opposed parallel relation on engagement of said latch means, said operating means further including rotary-to-reciprocating motion transmitting means having a driving member rotatable in one direction to reciprocate said panels along said guide means to cause the contact sets relatively to slide linearly first in. one direction and then in the reverse direction, and means for stopping rotation of said driving member before the contact sets completely retrace the path of sliding contact, said driving member being rotatable in a reverse direction to disengage the contact sets.

5. A separable electrical connector comprising a pair of interengageable units each including a panel carrying a set of contacts, the contacts of one set being adapted for engagement with the respective contacts of the other set on coaxial movement of the panels face-to-face, operating means including latch means in one unit engageable with complementary means in the other unit for coupling the units together, guide means arranged in said units to define a coaxial path of relative movement of said panels and align said panels in opposed parallel relation with the sets of contacts in aligned disengaged position on engagement of said latch means, said operating means further including rotary-to-reciprocating motion transmitting means having a driving member rotatable in one direction to reciprocate said panels along said guide means to cause the contact sets to engage and slide linearly first in one direction and then in the reverse direction, and means for stopping rotation of said driving member before the contact sets completely retrace the path of sliding contact, said driving member being rotatable in a reverse direction to disengage the contact sets.

6. A separable electrical connector comprising a pair of interengageable units each including a panel carrying a set of contacts, the contacts of one set being adapted for linear sliding. engagement with the respective contacts of the other set on coaxial movement of the panels face-toface, operating means including a latch member reciprocably mounted in one unit relative to the panel thereof and engageable with complementary means in the other unit for coupling the units together, guide means arranged in said units to define a coaxial path of relative movement of said panels and align said panels in opposed parallel relation with the sets of contacts in aligned disengaged position on engagement of said latch member,

said operating means further including rotary-to-recip rocating motion transmitting means coupled to said latch member and having a driving member forwardly rotatable to reciprocate said latch member, the axis of rotation of said driving member being fixed relative to the panel of said one unit whereby forward rotation of said driving member moves said panels relatively along said guide means to cause the contact sets relatively to engage andslide linearly first in one direction and then in the reverse direction, and means for stopping rotation of said driving member before the contact sets completely retrace the path of sliding contact, said driving member being reversely rotatable to disengage the contact sets.

7. A separable connector according to claim 6 wherein said driving member comprises an eccentrically mounted cylinder rotatable in a circular opening in said latch member, and a rotatable lever keyed to said cylinder.

8. A reversible contact assembly for a separable connector comprising a pair of engageable units each including a like panel of insulating material having therein a plurality of apertures, a like set of hermaphroditic contacts received in said apertures, co-operating means for releasably securing the contacts in the apertures on insertion thereof from either face of said panel, and nesting means defined by aligned complementary elements on.

opposite faces of said panel for polarizing and guiding the contacts in one unit to reverse opposed relation with the contacts of the other unit.

9. A reversible contact assembly for a separable multicontact connector comprising a pair of interengageable units; one of said units including a set of contact elements, each having contact means and resiliently supported detent means, and a panel having aperture means for cooperating with said detent means to secure the contact elements on insertion from either face of the panel andto support said contact means in a coaxial array; the other unit including an identical panel and contact set inserted therein in reverse and opposed relation to said first unit whereby the contact means of one unit engage the contact means of the other on axially moving the panels thereof face-to-face; the panels each including nesting means having axially aligned complementary elements on the opposite faces thereof for aligning the respective aperture means in opposition on bringing the panels face-to-face; and means for reversibly mounting each panel in its incorporating unit.

10. A reversible contact assembly for a separate multi-contact connector comprising a pair of interengageable units; one of said units including a panel having a plurality of apertures and a set of contact elements inserted therein, a pair of shoulder means positioned symmetrically in each aperture relative to the opposite faces of the panel, each contact element having a shoulder for engaging the shoulder means facing the insertion end of the aperture and a pair of longitudinally extending laterally oifset spring arms, one of said spring arms defining a contact plate having a lateral end portion adapted to latch over the aperture edge to maintain said shoulder in position, the other of said spring arms terminating in a contact finger projecting outwardly of the panel face; the other unit including a similar panel and contact set inserted therein in reverse and opposed relation to said first unit whereby the contact fingers of one unit slidably frictionally engage the contact plates of the other on axially moving the panels thereof face-to-face; the panels each including nesting means having complementary elements on the opposite faces thereof for aligning the respective apertures in opposition on bringing the panels face-to-face; and means in said units for reversibly mounting the panels therein.

11. A reversible contact assembly for a separable multi-contact connector comprising a pair of interengageable units; one of said units including a panel having a plurality of apertures and a set of contact elements inserted therein, a pair ofshoulder means positioned symmetrically in each aperture relative to the opposite faces of the panel, each contact element having a shoulder for engaging one of said shoulder means and a pair of lngitudinally extending laterally offset spring arms, one of said spring arms defining a contact plate having a lateral end portion adapted to latch over the aperture edge to maintain said shoulder in position, the other of said spring arms terminating in a contact finger projecting outwardly of the panel face; the other unit including a similar panel and contact set inserted therein in reverse and opposed relation to said first unit whereby the contact fingers of one unit slidably frictionally engage the contact plates of the other on axially moving the panels thereof face-to-face; and aligning means for guiding the axial movement of said panels including an axially aligned recess and projection means on the faces of the panels.

12. A reversible contact assembly for a separable multi-contact connector comprising a pair of interengageable units; one of said units including a set of contact elements each having a contact means and resiliently supported detent means, and a panel having aperture means for cooperating with said detent means to secure the contact elements in a snap fit on insertion from either face of the panel and to support said contact means in a predetermined coaxial array; the other unit including an identical panel and contact set inserted therein in reverse and opposed relation to said first unit whereby the contact means of one unit engage the contact means of the other on axially moving the panels thereof face-to-face; means for reversibly mounting the panels in said units; and a polarized couplingmechanisrn for axially moving said units together, the axial orientation of the panels in said units being variable relative to said coupling mechanism.

13. A separable connector comprising a pair of units having complementary sets ofcontacts interengageable upon coupling the units, each contact set being carried by an insulating panel, a polarized coupling mechanism for said units including an operating arm in one of said units engageable upon alignment in a given axial orientation with a complementary element in the other unit, the axial orientation of said operating arm and complementary element being variable relative to the respective panels of said units, and polarizing means operative upon actuation of said operating arm to stop movement of said units short of engagement of said contact sets on misorientation of said panels from a predetermined relative axial orientation.

14. A separable connector comprising a pair of units having complementary sets of contacts interengageable upon coupling the units, each contact set being carried by an insulating panel, a plate having a slot, a central open ing, in the panel of one of said units and means adjacent said opening for mounting said plate on the face of said panel, the relative axial orientation of said plate and said panel being variable, and means including a flat member complementary with said slot supported in said other unit, said flat member centrally projecting from the face of the panel of said unit for insertion in said slot on coupling the units, the relative axial orientation of said fiat member and the associated panel being variable.

15. A separable connector comprising a pair of units having complementary sets of contacts interengageable upon coupling the units, each contact set being carried by an insulating panel, a plate having a slot, a central opening in the panel of one of said units and means adjacent said opening for mounting said plate on the face of said panel, the relative axial orientation of said plate and said panel being variable, and means including a flat member complementary with said slot supported in said other unit, said flat member centrally projecting from the face of the panel of said unit for insertion in said slot on coupling the units, the relative axial orientation of said flat member and the associated panel being variable, and polarizing means having complementary elements in the respective units for stopping coupling movement of said units short of engagement of said contact sets for relative axial orientations of the panels other than a predetermined orientation.

16. A sheet metal hermaphrodite contact element adapted to be inserted in an apertured panel of an electrical connector, said contact element comprising a supporting section adapted to be received in an aperture in a snug fit, a contact plate extending forwardly of said supporting section, the end portion of said contact plate being turned downwardly to provide a detent arranged to snap over the forward edge of said aperture on insertion of the contact element,'a spring arm extending forwardly of said supporting section and terminating in a contact finger biased thereby toward the plane of said contact plate, said contact finger being in opposed offset relation from said contact plate relative to the axis of the contact element and extending longitudinally beyond said contact plate for sliding frictional engagement with the contact plate of a similar contact element supported in reverse and opposed relation.

17. A sheet metal contact element adapted to be inserted in an apertured panel of an electrical connector, each aperture having an inclined wall leading to a reduced section, said contact element comprising a supporting section adapted to be received in an aperture in a snug fit, a spring arm inclined to the axis of the contact element and terminating in a contact finger engageable with a c0- operating contact element of the connector, and a pressure plate connecting said spring arm and supporting section and resiliently supported by said supporting section, said pressure plate being arranged to be cammed by the inclined aperture Wall into the reduced aperture section on insertion of the contact element to provide support and lateral bias for said spring arm.

, 18. A sheet metal hermaphrodite contact element,

adapted tobe inserted in an apertured panel of an elec trical connector, each aperture having an inclined wall leading to a reduced section, said contact element comprising a supporting section adapted to be received in an aperture in a snug fit, a contact plate extending forwardly of said supporting section, a pressure plate resiliently supported by said supporting section and arranged to be cammed by the inclined aperture wall into the reduced aperture section on insertion of the contact element, a spring arm extending from said pressure plate and terminating in a contact finger biased thereby toward the plane of said contact plate, said contact finger being in opposed ofiset relation from said contact 13 plate relative to the axis of the contact element for sliding frictional engagement with the contact plate of a similar contact element supported in reverse opposed relation.

19. A sheet metal hermaphrodite contact element adapted to be inserted in an apertured panel of an electrical connector, each aperture having an inclined wall leading to a reduced section, said contact element comprising a base portion, wire attaching means at the rear end of said base portion, means resiliently supporting a pressure plate generally parallel to but spaced from the plane of said base portion a distance greater than the corresponding dimension of said reduced section, a spring arm extending from the forward edge of said pressure plate and projecting downwardly toward the plane of and laterally offset from the longitudinal axis of said base portion, said spring arm terminating in a contact finger biased thereby below said plane, a contact plate extending forwardly of said base portion in opposed offset relation from said spring arm relative to said axis, and detent means for securing the contact element in the aperture and arranged to engage complementary means of the panel as said pressure plate enters the reduced section.

20. A sheet metal hermaphrodite contact element adapted to be inserted in an apertured panel of an electrical connector, said contact element comprising a base portion, wire attaching means at the rear end of said base portion, a spring arm extending forwardly of said base portion and terminating in a contact finger biased downwardly by said spring arm, shoulder means for engaging complementary means in the aperture to stop forward movement of said contact element therein, a contact plate extending forwardly of said base portion in opposed offset relation from said spring arm relative to the axis of contact element, the end portion of said contact plate being turned downward ly to provide a detent for stopping reverse movement of the contact element in the aperture and arranged to snap over the forward edge of said aperture as said shoulder means engage the complementary means.

21. For use in a unit in a contact assembly of a connector, a panel of insulating material including a generally rectangular main body portion having therein a plurality of apertures for receiving a set of contacts, nesting means for guiding the relative movement of said panel toward a similar panel to align the respective apertures thereof including a recess in one face of said panel extending around said main body portion and a bead on the other face of said panel in axial alignment and congruous with said recess, and means symmetrical with the panel faces for reversibly mounting each panel in its incorporating unit so that either face may cooperate with a similar panel in a mating unit of the connector assembly.

22. For use in a unit in a contact assembly of an electrical connector, a panel of insulating material having a generally rectangular main body portion a plurality of apertures extending through said body portion for receiving a set of contacts having contact fingers adapted to project outwardly of a face of the panel, nesting means for guiding the relative movement of said panel toward a similar panel to align the respective apertures thereof including a recess in one face of said panel extending around said body portion and a peripheral head on the other face of said panel in axial alignment and congruous with said recess, a flange coextensive with and projecting outwardly of said one face from the outer edge of said recess, said flange and bead projecting farther than the contact fingers relative to the faces of the panel, and means for reversibly mounting the panel in said unit.

23. or use in a unit in a contact assembly of an electrical connector, a panel of insulating material including a generally rectangular main body portion, a plurality of apertures extending through said body portion for receiving a set of contacts, nesting means for guiding the relative movement of said panel toward a similar panel to align the respective apertures thereof including a recess in one face of the panel extending around said body portion and a peripheral bead on the other face of the panel in axial alignment and congruous with said recess, a flange coextensive with and projecting outwardly of said one face from the outer edge of said recess, and polarizing means for interfering with nesting of said panel with a similar panel for axial orientations thereof other than a given orientation, said polarizing means including at least one bead on the inside sidewall of said flange and an aligned complementary groove in the outside sidewall of said peripheral bead.

24. For use in a unit in a contact assembly of a connector, a panel of insulation material including a main body portion having therein a plurality of apertures for receiving and supporting a set of contact elements, guide means for aligning said apertures with corresponding apertures of a similar panel including a recess in one face of the panel and means projecting from the other face of the panel in axial alignment and congruous with said recess for nesting in the recess of a like panel, polarizing means having complementary portions on the recess and projecting means for stopping nesting of the projecting means for axial orientations other than a given orienta tion of said panel relative to a like panel, and means for reversibly mounting each panel in its incorporating unit so that either face may cooperate with a similar panel in a mating unit of the connector assembly.

25. For use in a unit in a contact assembly of a connector, a panel of insulation material having a main body portion, a central opening in said body portion, integral lug members projecting laterally into said opening and inset from both faces of the panel for supporting a keeper plate flush with either panel face, a plurality of apertures extending through said body portion for receiving a set of contacts, stop shoulders means symmetrically arranged in said apertures to engage complementary parts of a contact on insertion from either face of the panel, and means symmetrical relative to the panel faces for reversibly mounting the panel in said unit.

26. A contact assembly for a separable multicontact connector comprising a pair of engageable units, each unit including a body member having a plurality of contact-receiving apertures and a set of contacts inserted therein, each contact having a detent shoulder for abutment with a cooperative shoulder of the aperture and a pair of longitudinally extending laterally offset spring arms, one of said spring arms defining a contact plate having a lateral end portion latched over the aperture edge to maintain said detent shoulder in position, the other of said spring arms terminating in a contact finger projecting outwardly from the body member face, the contact set of one unit being positioned in reverse and opposed relation to the contact set of the other unit s that the contact fingers of one set slidably engage the contact plates of the other set on moving the body members axially face-to-face.

27. For use in a unit in a contact assembly of a connector, a panel of insulating material including a generally rectangular main body portion having therein a plurality of apertures for receiving a set of contacts, stop shoulder means including portions laterally extending inwardly in said apertures and disposed to engage and retain contacts inserted into either end of the apertures respectively, nesting means for guiding the relative movement of said panel toward a similar panel to align the respective apertures thereof, including recess means in one face of the panel and complementary projection means on the other face of the panel in axial alignment with the recess means, and means symmetrical with the panel faces for reversibly mounting each panel in its incorporating unit so that either face may cooperate With a similar panel in a mating unit of the connector assembly.

(References on following page) References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES 5 PATENTS Anthony Apr. 23, 1940 Walker Oct. 7, 1941 Grohsgal Oct. 21, 1941 Penfold May 11, 1943 Andersen Oct. 9, 1945v Piatt et a1. Sept. 3, 1946 Munsey Oct. 25, 1949 Earl Apr. 29, 1952 Burtt et a1. Sept.' 14, 1954

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