Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~L2~59134
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This invention relates to a telecommunications
interface with protector modules, and in particular is concerned with
an interface mounted at a subscribers premises for interconnection
between the incoming telephone lines and the customers equipment.
It is becoming desirable, and in some instances a
requirement, that there be demarcation between the telephone lines of
the telephone company and the wiring for telephones at a customers
premises. Also, the telephone company at least prefers access to all
of its l~nes, up to the demarcation position, at all times. The
present invention provides an interface, which can be mounted
externally at a customers premises, or at a readily accessible
position, and which provides for ready interconnection by providing
modular jacks into which modular plugs at the end of the customers
wiring can be plugged. The customers wiring can be connected by
directly plugging in if modular pl~gs are attached to the wiring, or
if spade terminals are on the ends of the conductors of the wiring,
an intermediate connection to a short length of cab7e with a plug can
be made. The interface is normally in sections, whereby only an
outer cover need be removed by the customer for connection~
The invention broadly provides an interface having a
base for mounting on a support surface and having terminals for
connection of incoming telephone lines, plug-in modules connecting to
the terminals, the modules having modular jacks, protector means in
the modules, an intermediate cover attached to the base and having
apertures for access to the modular jacks and an outer cover
extending over the intermediate cover and any plugs entered in the
jacks.
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The invention will be readily understood by the
following description of certain embodiments, by way of example, in
conjunction with the accompanyiny drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of one form ofinterface;
Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of another
form of interface;
Figure 3 is a view on the back surface of the base top,`
with contact members removed, of the interface of Figure 2;
Figure 4 is a cross-section on the line IV-IV of Figure
3, with contact members in place;
Figure 5 is a cross-section on the line V-V o~ Figure
3, illustrating a seal;
Figure 6 is a perspective view of the interface of
Figure 2 with the intermediate cover on the base; and
Figure 7 is a perspective view of the interface of
Figure 2 with the outer cover in place.
Figure l illustrates an interface assembly composed of
a base 10, an intermediate cover 11 and an outer cover 12. The base
is mounted on a support surface, for example a wall, and comprises a
back wall 13 with a forward projeoting web 14 along the bottom edge
and a further forward projecting web 15 at an intermediate position
between the top and bottom of the back wall. The intermediate web 1
has two three-pin plug-in positions at 16 and 17. Each position has
two line terminals 18 and a ground terminal 1~. Only one line
terminal is shown for clarity, but a line terminal is positioned in
each line terminal aperture 20. The ground terminals 19 are formed
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at the ends of a continuous strip 21, with the terminals 19
pos~tioned in ground terminal apertures 22. The strip 21 is
positioned in a slot or groove 23 joining the apertures 22.
Line studs 25 are inserted into the back wall 13 being
connected to the line terminals 18 by means of holes 26 in the
terminals. A ground stud 27 is inserted in the intermediate wall 15,
making contact with the ground terminal strip 21 via a hole 28 in the
strip~ The studs 25 and 27 are threaded, having nu~s and washers
indicated generally at 29 for attachment of incoming telephone
company lines.
Plugging-in to the positions 16 and 17 on the
intermediate web 15 are two modules 35. The modules have forward
facing jacks 36 and contain line protection devices. Typical modules
are described in co-pending application Serial No. 463,814, entitled
"INTERFACE MODULE WITH MODULAR JACK FOR TELECOMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS",
Case PM-1l5, filed 21 September 1984, in the name of the present
assignee. The incoming telephone lines are hrought in through holes
37 in the bottom web 14, and then attached to the studs 25, with a
ground connection to stud 27. Two sets of telephone lines can be
brought in, one set connected to one plug position 16 and the other
set connected to plug position 17. However only one set of lines
need be brought in and only one plug position used. It is also
possible to bring in one set of lines, connected to one plug
position, and interconnect conductors positioned to connect in ~he
other plug position.
The intermediate cover 11 fits over the base 10. The
intermediate cover has a front wall which is in two parts, the lower
part 40 being further forward than the upper part 41, In the upper
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part two apertures 42 are provided, through which project very
slightly the jacks 36. The front face of the jacks can be flush with
the front face of the part 41, or even recessed, provided easy
plugging-in if a modular plug is available.
The studs 25 do not extend through the intermediate
cover but are contained within the lower part of the intermediate
cover. In the example, stud 2-/ extends through the intermediate
cover, via hole 43 at the upper edge of the lower part 401 Nut 44
holds the intermediate cover in place. A web 45 extends forward at
the bottom edge of the intermediate cover and slots 46 provide for
entry of customers wiring.
Normally, the base is mounted on the support surface,
the telephone companies lines connected to the studs 25 and 27 and
the intermediate cover placed in position and fastened. The customer
does not need access behird the intermediate cover as the customers
connection is by plugging in to the jacks 36 accessible through the
apertures 42. If the customers wiring ends in modular plugs then
these are inserted directly into the jacks 36. If the customers
wiring ends with spade terminals, studs can be inserted into bosses
47 on the front of portion 40. The spade terminals are first
connected to the studs and then a short length of interconnect oable
also attached at one end to the studs, with the other end of the
cable having a plug. This is illustrated in Figure 6.
Once the customers wiring has been connected, to one or
both jacks 36, the front cover 12 is put over the intermediate cover.
The front cover is held in position by a hollow screw 48 which screws
on to the end of the stud 27.
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Figures 2 to 7 illustrate an alternative form of
interface having a different type of module. In the example of
Figure 1, assuming the back wall of the interface assembl~ is
vertical, the modules 35 plug in vertically, while the insertion of
plugs into the jac~s 36 is horizontal. That is the insertion
direction for the jacks is normal to the insertion direction of the
module. In the arrangement of Figures 2 to 7 the modules insert in
the same direction as the insertion into the jacks, this usually
being horizontal.
As particularly seen in Figure 29 the interface
assembly comprises a base having two parts, a base bottom 50a and a
base top SOb, referred to generically as the base 50; an intermediate
cover 51; and a front ~r outer cover 52. The base is mounted on a
support surface, normally a wall and has two three-pin plug-in
positions 53 near the top edge. Below the plug-in positions is a row
of bosses 54 having bores 55, into which are mounted threaded studs
56. The rear ends of the studs 56 are connected to suitable contact
members which carry terminal positions posi-tioned behind the terminal
apertures 57. The incoming telephone line conductors, Tip and Ring,
are attached to the front ends of the studs 56, and thus via the
contact members to the terminals in apertures 57. A further stud 58
extends through a boss 59 and is connected to a ground contact member
which has terminal positions behind apertures 60. A plug in module
61 can be positioned at the positions 53 and 54. The modules have
forward facing jacks 62.
Figure 3 is a view on the rear or back surface of the
base top 50b. The terminal apertures 57 are shown, as are also the
ground apertures 60. The studs 56, Figure ~, pass through the base
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top, via holes in the bosses 55. Nuts on the studs sit in hexagonal
portions of the bores 55 and carry contact members which extend up to
the terminal apertures 57. The contact members are positioned in
channels 65 defined on the back surface of the base top. This is
seen clearly in Figure 4 where a contact member 80 is shown
positioned in a channel 65. At its lower end the contact member is
attached to a stud 56 and at its upper end the contact member has a
formed terminal position 81. Somewhat similar is a transverse
channel 82 at the top of the base top. A bare 83 in the boss 59
(Figure 3) communicates with this channel and a contact ~,ember
extends along the channel being attached to a stud 58 extending
through bore 83. At each end the contact member would have a
formation similar to ~hat at 81 for contact member 80. Contact
blades on a module 61 pass through the apertures 57 and 60 and make
contact with the terminal formations on the contact membersD
The telephone company lines can be brought in between
pairs of guide and locating ribs 63 at the bottom of the base. As an
alternative they can be fed through from behind the base through
apertures 64. Only one pair of lines need be connected, or two
pairs. ~f one pair only is brought in only one module may be used9
or both modules used by suitable interconnection~
At the lower edge of the base there is a forwardly
extending rib 85 which has a laterally extending slot 86 therein. In
the slot, on assembly of the interface unit, a strip of elastomeric
material is positioned, as shown at 87 in Figure 5. A similar
arrangement of a rib, this time extending rearwardly, is pravided at
the lower edge of the intermediate cover 51. This rib also has a
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slot therein. On assembly of the intermediate cover to the base, the
elastomeric material 87 extends into the slot in the intermediate
cover. When a telephone line is brought in between a pair of guide
and locating ribs 63, the elastomeric material is deformed at that
position. Small semi-circular grooves are formed in the Front edges
of the ribs on the base and intermediate cover to accommodate
telephone lines. Alternatively, a strip of elastomeric material can
be positioned in each slot and arranged to abut on assembly of the
intermediate cover to the base.
The intermediate cover ~1 is fitted over the base 50,
as seen in Figure 6~ with the jacks 62 projecting into apertures 65
in the intermediate cover. The studs ~6 do not extend through the
intermediate cover, being contained within it. The ground stud 58 is
accessible through the intermediate cover~ a hollow captive screw 66
engaging on the outer end of the stud 58 and holding the intermediate
cover in place.
A row of bosses 67 near the bottom of the intermediate
cover provide for mounting of studs, not shown in Figure 2, for use
when the customers wiring does not end in a modular plug. This is as
in Figure 1. The customers wiring is brought in, via slots 68 in a
b~ttom web 69 of ~he intermediate cover. If the wiring ends in a
plug it is connected directly to the jack by insertion of the plug.
If the wiring has spade terminals, then they are connected to studs
in the bosses 67, and a short cable with spade terminals at one end
and a plug at the other is used as an interconnection. This is
illustrated in Figure 6, the customers wiring indicated at 70 and 71.
The wiring at 70 has spade terminals which are connected to studs 72.
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A short cable 73 is connected at one end to the studs 72 and has a
plùg 74 at the other end inserted into one jack 62~ The wiring 71
has a plug 75 at its end which is inserted directly in the other jack
62. A further stud 76 is mounted in a boss 77 and serves to connect
the ground conductor of the wiring 70 to the ground conductor of -the
cable 73. The incoming telephone company lines are indicated at 78.
A separate ground conductor is shown at 90.
The front or outer cover 52 fits over the intermediate
cover 51, and is held in place by a screw 79 which engages in a boss
80 on the intermediate cover. Normally, the customer only needs to
remove the outer cover to connect his wiring. Access behind the
intermediate cover is normally only by telephone company personnel.
The modules 61 generally contain protectors. The completely
assembled interface, with front or outer cover in place, is
illustrated in Figure 7. Figure 7 illustrates an alternative
arrangement of incoming telephone company lines. In Figure 7 a
single four-conductor line is indicated at 78. The separate ground
conductor is shown at 90.
