U.S. patent number 3,832,498 [Application Number 05/404,647] was granted by the patent office on 1974-08-27 for adapter enabling telephone switching equipment terminals to be wire wrapped.
Invention is credited to Edward L. Lawson.
United States Patent |
3,832,498 |
Lawson |
August 27, 1974 |
ADAPTER ENABLING TELEPHONE SWITCHING EQUIPMENT TERMINALS TO BE WIRE
WRAPPED
Abstract
One end of an adapter structured in accordance with the
invention is soldered to a terminal strip of a main distributing
frame located in the central office of a telephone exchange. When
so soldered, the adapter provides a shank having a square cross
section that projects at a preferred angle so as to enable the
shank to be wire wrapped by means of an appropriate tool, thereby
obviating the need for any hand soldering of wires to the terminal
strip as heretofore done. Inasmuch as main frames, even those of
the same manufacturer, differ in construction, and obviously the
terminal strips incorporated therein do too, several ways are
herein disclosed for enabling my adapter to be soldered to the
various terminal strips encountered in present installations.
Inventors: |
Lawson; Edward L. (Bayport,
MN) |
Family
ID: |
23600460 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/404,647 |
Filed: |
October 9, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
379/327; 174/94R;
174/88R; 439/722 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H04Q
1/141 (20130101); H04Q 1/142 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
H04Q
1/14 (20060101); H04Q 1/02 (20060101); H04q
001/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;174/84R,88R,94R,72R
;339/198R,198G,198GA,198J,276A,156A ;179/98,178
;317/118,119,122 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Clay; Darrell L.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Peterson; Stuart R.
Claims
I claim:
1. In combination with a flat terminal having a generally
rectangular cross section embodied in a main distributing frame
installed in a central office of a telephone exchange, an adapter
comprising an elongated straight shank having a generally square
cross section, and means adjacent one end of said shank connecting
said one end to said flat terminal, whereby said shank can be wire
wrapped.
2. The combination of claim 1 in which said means extends at least
partially around the terminal to which it is connected.
3. The combination of claim 2 in which said means is integrally
connected with said shank.
4. The combination of claim 3 in which said means has a generally
square cross section corresponding to that of said shank.
5. The combination of claim 3 in which said means is
hook-shaped.
6. The combination of claim 3 in which said means has a generally
rectangular cross section.
7. The combination of claim 6 in which said means is generally
U-shaped.
8. The combination of claim 2 in which said means includes a sleeve
embracing said one end of said shank and said terminal.
9. In combination with a flat terminal constituting part of a main
distributing frame within a telephone exchange, an adapter
comprising a generally straight portion projecting at a given angle
from said terminal, said straight portion having a cross section
dimensioned substantially equally in two perpendicular directions
so that a wire can be wrapped therearound, and means connecting
said adapter to said terminal for supporting said straight portion
at a said given angle, whereby a second wire can be substituted for
said first wire and wrapped around said straight portion without
disconnecting said supporting means from said terminal.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to main distributing frames
commonly utilized in the central offices of telephone exchanges,
and pertains more particularly to an adapter which enables a wire
wrapping operation to be performed in situations where hand
soldering must now be employed.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Those familiar with telephony will know what constitutes a main
distributing frame, and also will understand the role played by
these frames as far as central office switching equipment is
concerned. A number of patents have been issued which deal with the
subject matter generally, and also with specific arrangements for
effecting desired interconnections between the conductors of an
incoming cable from subscriber phones to the central office
equipment, this being via the so-called main distributing frame
composed of protectors and terminal blocks. The various jumper
wires or conductors have been in the past soldered to the terminal
strips of both the protectors and terminal blocks of the older
style main distributing frames.
In recent years, though, the telephone industry has been changing
to terminals which will permit the employment of a solderless Wire
Wrap connection. However, there are many, many main frames still in
existence that can accommodate only the solder-type connection,
such frames representing large capital investments. Any change in
connections necessitates the detaching or unsoldering of the
present wire, and then soldering a substitute wire in its place.
While this is time consuming, it is still less costly than
replacing all of the main frames currently in existence.
Eventually, though, the main frames will be replaced, but until
such time arrives there is a serious disadvantage in having to
resort to soldering operations, particularly where there are such a
multiplicity of terminal strips involving frequent wire
changes.
Two exemplary patents illustrating main frame constructions are
U.S. Pat. No. 2,098,321, granted Nov. 9, 1937, and U.S. Pat. No.
2,233,107, granted Feb. 25, 1941.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A general object of the present invention is to convert both
protectors and terminal blocks of conventional main distributing
frames to solderless Wire Wrap connections. In this regard, the
so-called Wire Wrap connection is much faster than soldering. Also,
it does not necessitate the cleaning of the terminal strips. More
importantly, however, is the avoidance of trouble encountered in
making soldered connections where very little space is available
for the worker to operate. Still further, cold solder joints can
result. Also, solder flashes can cause problems, the instant
invention doing away with any hot soldering of jumper wires.
Additionally, the use of a hot soldering iron, especially in
cramped quarters that prevail in main frame environments, can cause
injury to personnel working there. Even the long power cords
required for such irons pose problems because of the entanglement
difficulties that can arise. Consequently, an aim of the invention
is to provide an adapter and method that will be much safer and far
less tedious than procedures heretofore utilized.
Another object is to provide an adapter that will accommodate the
various configurations of terminal strips that are found in already
installed main distributing frames. More specifically, the present
invention permits the attachment of my adapter by means of solder,
it being only necessary to make one soldered connection per
adapter. Thereafter, the newer and superior Wire Wrap technique can
be employed for attaching the first wire and all subsequent wires
that will be needed to effect subscriber changes. Consequently, my
present invention permits the retention of old equipment that might
otherwise be considered obsolete by reason of the much greater
soldering costs.
Yet another object is to facilitate the attachment of wires by
means of a conventional wire wrapping tool, the shank about which
the wire is wrapped being disposed at an optimum angle for a given
terminal board. In other words, my invention is quite versatile,
for the shank about which the wire is to be wrapped can be mounted
at any preferred angle which will enable the wire wrapping
operation to be performed most expeditiously and concomitantly to
avoid undue interference with attached wires.
Still another object of the invention is to provide an adapter,
together with various modifications as to its manner of attachment,
that can be inexpensively fabricated, thereby encouraging its
widespread use on the many main frames still utilizing soldered
jumper connections. Of considerable advantage is the fact that, for
the small cost of the adapter, tremendous savings of time can be
realized over the life of a main frame. Also, the telephone company
is not tempted to replace its main frames as soon as it otherwise
might. Considerable savings can, therefore, be realized on capital
investments which makes my invention particularly appealing.
In summary, the telephone industry could realize a financial
savings in at least three ways by using smaller gauge wire, cheaper
plastic insulation, and the reduction in maintenance of soldering
irons, as well as savings in the solder itself. These savings are
all in addition to the manpower economies effected when practicing
the invention and also the capital investment savings that have
been alluded to above.
Briefly, my invention envisages an adapter with a straight shank
having a square cross section which will enable the shank to be
wire wrapped. Inasmuch as the shank, depending upon the
circumstances at hand, must assume various preferred angles, and
also coupled with the fact that terminal strips very considerably
as far as their configuration is concerned, the attaching end of
the shank is designed so that the shank can be used with the
various types of terminal strips that are encountered in actual
practice. Therefore, various modifications of the attaching means,
which is soldered to whatever old style terminal strip is
encountered, are set forth herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an end elevational view of a terminal block, a main
distributing frame having a large number of such blocks (or similar
ones), showing one type of terminal strip which lends itself to
depicting my adapter with various modified attaching means which
enable the adapter to be soldered to most of the various types of
terminal strips found in main distributing frames already installed
in the central telephone offices; 9
FIG. 2 is a view taken in the direction of line 2--2 of FIG. 1
which shows one configuration that the connecting or attaching
means may assume;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the adapter utilizing the attaching
configuration of FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 is a view taken in the direction of line 4--4 of FIG. 2
showing my adapter with a different type of attaching means;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the adapter having the attachment
means of FIG. 4 thereon;
FIG. 6 is a view taken in the direction of line 6--6 of FIG. 1,
this view depicting still another attaching arrangement;
FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the adapter shown in FIG. 6 with the
shank separated from the sleeve that is soldered to the terminal
strip to effect attachment of the adapter;
FIG. 8 is a view taken in the direction of line 8--8 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 9 is a view corresponding generally to FIG. 7 but illustrating
the connecting or attaching means of FIG. 8;
FIG. 10 is a view taken in the direction of line 10--10 of FIG. 1
showing a still different manner in which the adapter is
attached;
FIG. 11 is a perspective view in exploded form showing the
arrangement utilized in FIG. 10;
FIG. 12 is an end view of a protector, a device also embodied in a
main distributing frame, utilizing still another form of adapter
attachment that my invention may assume;
FIG. 13 is a side elevational view of the terminal strip shown in
FIG. 12;
FIG. 14 is a front elevational view of the strip appearing in FIG.
13, and
FIG. 15 is a perspective view of the adapter utilized in FIGS.
12-14.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
It has already been explained that the usual main distributing
frame includes a number of protectors and a number of terminal
blocks. While my invention is useful in association with either the
protector or terminal block, the invention will first be described
with respect to a terminal block. Accordingly, attention is
directed at this time to FIG. 1 in which a typical terminal block
has been depicted, having been denoted in its entirety by the
reference numeral 10. Such blocks 10 can be mounted vertically or
horizontally. The vertical orientation shown in FIG. 1 illustrates
the block 10 as having a base 12 with a plurality of holes 14 at
one side and a plurality of holes 16 at the other side.
Centrally disposed with respect to the base 12 is an upstanding
panel 18 having molded therein an array of terminal strips 20, each
having notches at 21. In the illustrated situation, the terminal
strips 20 extend completely through the vertical panel 18 and thus
project from each side. The lowermost tier or row of strips 20 (20
per row) project farther from the sides of the panel 18 than do the
upper strips 20, there being a progressive shortening of the strips
as the level of tiers or rows increases in height, thereby
facilitating the soldering of wires thereto as has been
conventional for years.
It will be recognized that the strips 20 are only exemplary, a
number of strips currently found in installed terminal blocks of
main distributing frames differing as far as their configuration is
concerned. All with which I am acquainted, however, do have a
generally rectangular cross section. The rectangular cross section,
together with the notches 21, permits the soldering of a conductor
22 having a bared wire end 24 as shown at the left in FIG. 1. The
conductor 22 represents one of many incoming conductors, more
specifically a conductor that in this instance extends from the
protector, such as that shown in FIG. 12, to the terminal block 10.
For the sake of discussion, it will be assumed that the wire end 24
has been soldered to the terminal strip 20 at the left in FIG. 1,
as has been done for years. Although not yet readily apparent, a
corresponding conductor 22 at the right has a bared end 24a that is
wire wrapped as can be done when following the teachings of the
present invention. More will be said hereinafter concerning the
ability to Wire Wrap when employing an adapter now to be
described.
At the right in FIG. 1, it will be seen that one embodiment my
adapter may assume has been indicated generally by the reference
numeral 30, the adapter in this instance being connected to the
lowermost terminal strip 20. The adapter 30, which is of any
suitable metal, comprises a straight shank 32 having a square cross
section. The adapter 30 has a hook portion in the form of an
inverted U-shaped connecting or attaching end 34 composed of two
parallel legs 34a and 34b, the leg 34a being integrally connected
to the shank 32. By means of a bight portion 34c, the leg 34b is
maintained in a generally parallel relationship with the leg 34a to
form a downwardly facing notch 36. The notch 36 receives therein a
portion of the terminal strip 20.
As with the bared end 24, which as already explained, is soldered
to the lowermost terminal strip 20 at the left, it is difficult to
show the soldering of the U-shaped end 34 to the terminal strip 20
at the right. It will be appreciated, though, that the inverted
U-shaped end 34 is placed over the upper edge of the terminal strip
20 so that the leg 34a extends downwardly at the right as viewed in
FIG. 2 and the leg 34b downwardly at the left, the bight 34c
extending over the upper edge. The solder can join the entire
U-shaped end 34, that is all of the portions 34a, 34b and 34c, or
just one or two of the portions can be soldered to the strip 20 in
making the attachment. The soldering of the U-shaped end 34, or any
portion thereof, provides support for the adapter 30, and effects
an electrical juncture with the terminal strip 20, resulting in
shank 32 projecting horizontally in this instance. The shank 32
provides the means by which the wire 22 at the right can be
attached.
It has already been mentioned that the wire 22 has a bared end 24a;
more specifically, the bared end 24a is attached by means of a
solderless connection, being wire wrapped with a tool such as that
sold by Allied Electronics, 2400 West Washington Boulevard,
Chicago, Ill. 60612 under the name Okay Speed Wrap, Type G-100 and
described on page 191 of Catalogue No. 730, 1973 edition. Although
tools are now well known, if additional written material of a more
basic character is needed, reference may be made to U.S. Pat. No.
2,585,010 issued on FEB. 12, 1952 to C. N. Kirkman et al. This
particular patent is mentioned in U.S. Pat. No. 2,759,166 granted
on Aug. 14, 1956 to Rudolph F. Mallina which relates to wrapped
electrical connections. Even though filed on June 20, 1952 this
patent recognizes that many means of that early date had then
already been devised for making a so-called wrapped connection.
Since the wire 22 at the right constitutes a jumper and
necessitates frequent changing, or at least such wires on the
average require frequent changing, the elimination of any soldering
of the bared end 24a to the shank 32 permits a ready changing or
substitution of one wire 22 for another when circumstances so
dictate. In the past, the bared end 24a would have been soldered
directly to the terminal strip 20 at the right, in the same fashion
as the bared end 24 is soldered at the left in FIG. 1.
Whereas the adapter 30 results in a horizontally projecting shank
32, it is sometimes desired that the shank project angularly
upwardly, preferably at approximately a 45.degree. angle. With this
in mind, the embodiment appearing in FIGS. 4 and 5 is used. In this
instance, the adapter has been labeled generally by the reference
numeral 130, having a straight shank 132 that projects angularly
from a hook portion in the form of a U-shaped end 134, the end 134
being integral with the shank 132. Unlike the U-shaped end 34 on
the shank 32 of the adapter 30, the U-shaped end 134 is in the form
of a strip, there being a first panel 134a and a second panel 134b
held in a parallel relationship by means of an interconnecting
bight portion 134c. This arrangement forms an upwardly facing notch
136.
In attaching the adapter 130, the U-shaped end 134 is brought
upwardly from beneath the particular terminal strip 20 to which it
is to be soldered. When the bight portion 134c abuts the lower
edge, the U-shaped end 134 is soldered to the strip 20. As with the
adapter 30, only a section of the U-shaped end 134 need be actually
soldered. In any event, the U-shaped end 134 is thus fixedly
anchored to the particular strip 20 and the shank, as is evident
from FIG. 1, projects upwardly at an angle of approximately
45.degree..
While the adapter 30 is somewhat less costly to fabricate than the
adapter 130, a still additional modification of the invention
permits an adapter initially comprising two pieces or parts. Such
an adapter has been denoted generally by the reference numeral 230
in FIGS. 6 and 7. In this instance, the adapter 230 is composed of
a straight shank 232. Instead of an integral U-shaped end, however,
a separate sleeve 234 is contemplated, the sleeve 234 having a
portion 234a, a portion 234b and a connecting portion 234c. In this
way a passage 236 is provided, this passage 236 accommodating not
only a portion of the terminal strip 20 to which the adapter 230 is
to be attached, but also receives therein one end portion of the
shank 232. When the sleeve 234 is soldered to the terminal strip 20
and also to the shank 232, the shank 232 is then held in a
horizontally projecting direction as can be seen from FIG. 1 with
respect to this particular embodiment.
It is somewhat easier to hold a shank horizontally, still utilizing
the general arrangement suggested by FIGS. 6 and 7, by resort to
the adapter 330 shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. In this situation, the
adapter 330 comprises a straight shank 332 having a flat end 332a
formed with notches 332b. A sleeve 334 which corresponds to the
sleeve 234 is used. In this instance, the sleeve 334 encircles the
strip 20 and also the end 332a. When soldered, the shank 332
projects horizontally, as does the shank 232.
When an angled direction is to be imparted to the shank, the
embodiment appearing in FIGS. 10 and 11 can be employed. Here, the
adapter has been designated generally by the reference numeral 430,
having a shank 432 that projects angularly from a flat end 432a
having notches 432b therein. A sleeve 434 corresponds to the
previously mentioned sleeves 234 and 334, the sleeve 434 simply
embracing the strip 20 and retaining the flattened end 432a in a
side-by-side relationship therewith. When soldered, the shank 432
projects approximately upwardly at a 45.degree. angle.
Passing now to FIG. 12, a protector denoted generally by the
reference numeral 510 has been presented. While the protector 510
is composed of a number of parts, these parts are generally well
known to those familiar with telephony, so only the terminal strip
514 will be described with any degree of particularity. Even this
description is not absolutely necessary, but it will serve to
demonstrate that the basic invention herein described is
susceptible to various adaptations which render it quite versatile.
The terminal strip labeled 514 has a notch 515 at its upper end, a
bowed section 516 just beneath the notch 515, a straight or
vertical section 517, and a lower section 518 having attachment
holes 519 therein. It is really the lower end portion 520 that
functions in the same general fashion as the terminal strips 20
appearing in FIG. 1. As with the strips 20, the strip end 520 has a
notch 521 therein. From FIG. 14, it will be perceived that the
strip portion 520 is narrower than the main or upper portion of the
complete strip 514. However, the strip end 520 resides in a
different plane from that in which the strips 20 reside. Stated
somewhat differently and more specifically, the strip end 520
presents a flat surface when viewed from the front of the
protector. In other words, it resides in a plane generally
perpendicular to the plane in which the strips 20 reside.
To enable a Wire Wrap connection to be made with respect to the
protector 514, namely its strip end 520, an adapter 530 has been
illustrated in FIG. 15. Here again, it includes a straight shank
532, the shank inclining upwardly as in the embodiment of FIGS. 4
and 5 and also as in FIGS. 10 and 11. However, it has a hook
portion in the form of a U-shaped end 534 composed of a first leg
534a and a second leg 534b held in parallel relationship therewith
by a bight 534c. The arrangement just described results in a notch
536 which receives therein the strip portion 520. As can be
discerned from FIGS. 13 and 14, the hook end 534 is simply placed
beneath the strip end 520 and soldered thereto so that the shank
532 extends generally at an upward angle of 45.degree..
In each of the embodiments described above, it should be
appreciated that a straight shank is provided that enables the wire
wrapping of a jumper wire or connector, such as a connector 22
having a bared end 24a. The appropriate tool is utilized to wrap
the bared end 24a around the particular shank that the wire is to
be connected to. As herein pointed out, such tools are commercially
available, so need not be pictured. The finished Wire Wrap
connection has been shown in conjunction with the adapter 30, its
end 34 permanently soldered to the lowermost terminal strip 20 in
FIG. 1. It must be recognized that wires or conductors 22, such as
those we are at this time dealing with, are subject to frequent
change. Thus, when the Wire Wrap connection 24a is to be detached,
it can be unwrapped so as to make available once again the shank 32
of the adapter 30 for the new wire. The substitute wire 22 has its
bared end 24a wrapped with the tool. It is important to appreciate
that the soldered U-shaped end 34 is not unsoldered, being
permanently attached. Consequently, no soldering or resoldering is
needed as far as actually attaching the bared end 24a. Stated
somewhat differently, there is only one soldering operation
required, that being to attach or connect the adapter to the
terminal strip 20, and once this has been done, then additional
soldering operations are not utilized. This simplified situation
prevails with respect to all of the adapters 30, 130, 230, 330, 430
and 530.
* * * * *