Cap shoes for cable connector

A cap shoe system for making electrical connections between a plurality of conductors in one cable and a corresponding plurality of conductors in a connector module of a connector which includes an index strip, the connector module, and a cap. The cap has access holes for contact pins carried by the cap shoe which has a slide member that is retractable to provide for entry of the contact pins through the access holes in the cap into electrical contact with the respective conductors in the connector module. The cap shoe body is formed of two molded shell sections with projecting bosses for locating the contact pin housings. The slide member is a unitary molding and carries corresponding adjustable shims and locking clips for engaging the connector module.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION 
The present invention relates in general to devices, commonly referred to 
as cap shoes, for making electrical connections between pluralities of 
conductors in cables and corresponding pluralities of conductors in 
various conductor-system components, and particularly telephone 
conductor-system components, such as terminals, connectors, and the like. 
More particularly, the present invention relates to shoes for making 
electrical connections between plurlities of conductors in cables and 
corresponding pluralities of conductors in connector and/or bridge modules 
of a connector, commonly known in the telephone industry as a 710 
connector, having substantially the structure disclosed in Frey et al, 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,772,635, granted Nov. 13, 1973. Basically, such a 
connector includes an index strip, a connector module and a 
connector-module cap, and may also include a bridge module having a 
bridge-module cap, each such module being adapted to accommodate, for 
example, 50 telephone conductors, or the like. As will become apparent, 
the shoes of the present invention make electrical connections between the 
respective cable conductors and the corresponding connector-module and 
bridge-module conductors through the connector-module and bridge-module 
caps, and, therefore, are referred to herein as cap shoes. 
A cap shoe design is shown in the copending application, Ser. No. 060,997, 
filed July 26, 1979, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,285,563, and assigned to the same 
assignee as the present application. It is an object of the present 
invention to provide a new and improved cap shoe which will provide for a 
simplified production, reduction in cost, and improved operation. 
A further object of the invention is to provide such a cap shoe which is 
particularly adapted for plastic molding manufacturing. An additional 
object is to provide such a cap shoe wherein the body is formed of two 
molded shell sections which provide for carrying the contact pins within 
one of the sections and also provides for removable end arms permitting 
use of the cap shoe with the connector module and with the bridge module 
as desired. An additional object is to provide such a new and improved cap 
shoe design incorporating adjustable shims and permitting use of the cap 
shoes with various sizes of connectors, and also incorporating a new and 
improved gripping element for retaining a connector component within a cap 
shoe. 
These and other objects, advantages, features and results will more fully 
appear in the course of the following description. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The cap shoe of the invention includes a cap shoe body with an elongate 
central section having arms projecting from opposite ends forming a 
U-shaped receptacle for the connector, with the body having front and rear 
molded shell sections joined together at their ends. The cap shoe also 
includes a plurality of spring loaded contact pin units carried in a line 
in the central section of the body between the front and rear sections, 
with pins insertable through access holes in the cap of the connector. The 
cap shoe further includes a U-shaped slide member in the form of a unitary 
molding and mounted on the cap shoe body with the arms of the slide member 
embracing the body and including an integral elongate spacer berween the 
arms with openings in a line for the contact pins. 
In the preferred embodiment, each of the contact pin units includes an 
elongate housing with an annular groove, and at least one of the body 
shell sections includes inwardly projecting spaced bosses defining 
channels for receiving and positioning the pin unit housings. 
Additionally, the shell sections of the body provide grooves there between 
at opposite ends for slidingly receiving pairs of arms adapted for 
operation with various components of the connector, permitting interchange 
of arm pairs. 
Also in the preferred embodiment, means are provided for gripping a 
connector component in the cap shoe, comprising a resilient locking clip 
carried in the slide member and moved into engagement with a connector 
component when the slide member is moved on the body. Further, an 
adjustable shim is incorporated in the slide member to permit adjustment 
of the size of space for receiving the connector component, permitting 
operation of the cap shoe with various connectors.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Connector-Module Cap Shoe, FIGS. 1-11 
Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings in particular, 
illustrated fragmentarily therein is a connector 30 having substantially 
the structure fully disclosed in the aforementioned Frey et al patent, 
thereby making it unnecessary to describe the connector 30 in detail 
herein. Briefly, the connector 30 includes an index strip 32, a connector 
module 34 and a connector-module cap 36. The connector module 34 carries 
plural contacts 38 capable of receiving conductors 40 extending into the 
index strip 32 and conductors 42 extending into the connector module 34. 
The index strip 32 is provided with access holes 44 for access to the 
conductors 40, and the connector-module cap 36 is provided with access 
holes 46 for access to the conductors 42. 
Completing the aforementioned brief description of the connector 30, it may 
also include, as best shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, a bridge module 48 having 
a bridge-module cap 50 and adapted to accommodate a plurality of 
conductors. As fully disclosed in the aforementioned Frey et al. patent, 
the bridge-module conductors engage contacts in the bridge module 48 
similar to the contacts 38 hereinbefore mentioned, and, as also shown in 
the Frey et al patent, the bridge module 48 and bridge-module cap 50 may 
be assembled with the index strip 32, the connector module 34 and the 
connector-module cap 36 of the connector 30 to establish electrical 
interconnection between the bridge-module conductors and the conductors 40 
and/or 42. Consequently, a detailed description herein is not necessary. 
The bridge-module cap 50 is also provided with access holes for access to 
the bridge-module conductors. 
Considering the present invention generally now, it includes a 
connector-module cap shoe 60, FIGS. 3-11, for making electrical 
connections between conductors in a cable 62 and the respective conductors 
40 through the access holes 44, or the respective conductors 42 through 
the access holes 46, depending on the position of the connector 30 
relative to the connector-module cap shoe 60. For convenience hereinafter, 
the connector-module cap shoe 60 will be considered only in conjunction 
with access to the conductors 42 through the access holes 46 in the 
connector-module cap 36. 
Completing a general description of the invention, it also includes a 
bridge-module cap shoe 70, FIG. 12, for making electrical connections 
between conductors in a cable 72 and the bridge-module conductors through 
the corresponding access holes. The bridge module cap shoe 70 will be 
described in detail in a subsequent section of this specification. 
Referring now to the connector-module cap shoe 60, as shown in FIGS. 3-11, 
the cap shoe has a body 80 formed of front and rear molded shell sections 
81, 82, respectively. The shell sections 81, 82 are joined by screws 83 
and nuts 84 positioned at each end of the sections. Grooves 85 are 
provided at each end of the assembled sections, for sliding the receiving 
arms 86, with the arms being held in place by screws 87 and corresponding 
nuts (not shown). 
The molded shell sections 81, 82 of the cap shoe body 80 provide a 
generally cylindrical cavity 90 along the upper edge of the body for 
receiving the cable 62 and the conductors of the cable which are connected 
to housings 92 which carry contact pins 93. The contact pin units may be 
conventional in design, and typically each comprises a tubular housing 92 
with an annular groove 94, with a spring within the housing acting on the 
pin 93, urging the pin outward. (See FIGS. 7 and 8). 
Means are provided within the rear body shell section 82 for retaining and 
positioning the contact pin units. A horizontal rib 95 has a plurality of 
notches 96 for receiving the conductors 91. A plurality of bosses 97 
project inward from the wall of the section 82. Another plurality of 
bosses 98 project inwardly from the wall of the section 82. Another rib 99 
with notches 100 projects inward from the wall of the section 82. The 
bosses, ribs, and notches are dimensioned so that the contact pin housings 
92 may be pressed into the spaces or channels between the bosses, with the 
bosses 97 engaging the housings 92 at the annular grooves 94. With this 
configuration, the cable 62 may have the contact pin units connected to 
its conductors 91, after which the cable is laid into the rear shell 
section 82 and the contact pin units are positioned side by side in the 
spaces. Then the front shell section is laid over the rear shell section 
and the two are joined together, completing the assembly of the body. Ribs 
102, 103 may be provided on the interior of the front shell section 81 for 
maintaining the contact pin units in the channel provided by the rear 
shell section. 
The arms 86 are then installed as previously described. In the embodiment 
shown in FIGS. 3-11, each of the arms 86 carries a retainer pin 106 which 
slides laterally in the arm and which includes a knob 107 providing for 
ease of manipulation. 
The cap shoe includes a slide member 110 having arms 111 and 112 joined by 
a spacer 113, which spacer has openings 114 for the pins 93 of the contact 
pin units. The slide member 110 also is a plastic molding, and slides on 
the cap shoe body 80 between the extended position shown in FIG. 3 and the 
retracted position shown in FIG. 4. The slide member is held in place by 
screws 116 which threadedly engage opposing ends of a pin 117, with the 
pin sliding in slots 118, 119 in the body shell sections 82, 81, 
respectively (See FIG. 10). A spring 120 is positioned within a cavity 121 
between the two body shell sections and engages the pin 117, urging the 
slide member downward toward the extended position of FIG. 3. Such a 
spring and connection assembly is provided at each end of the cap shoe, as 
shown in FIG. 3. 
In operation, a connector 30 is positioned between the arms 86 of the body 
80, and between the arms 111, 112 of the slide member 110. The pins 93 are 
positioned in the openings 46 of the connector and the connector is pushed 
into the body, compressing the springs 120 and moving the slide member 110 
from the position of FIG. 3 to the position of FIG. 4. The retainer pins 
106 may then be pushed inward to hold the unit in the compressed or 
retracted position, with the pins 93 making electrical connection with the 
corresponding conductors 38 of the connector. 
A latching and release button 130 may be utilized if desired (See FIG. 11.) 
The button 130 is positioned in a recess formed by a wall 131 of the body 
shell section 81. The button is urged outward by a spring 132, and is 
retained by a flange 133 of the arm 112 of the slide member 110. The 
flange 133 has a narrow section at 134 and a wide section at 135. When the 
slide member 110 is in the extended position as shown in FIG. 3, the 
button 130 is engaged by the narrow section 134 of the flange 133, holding 
the button in the down or spring compressed position. When the slide 
member 110 is moved to the compressed or retracted position of FIG. 4, the 
narrow portion 134 of the flange 133 is moved off the button 130 and the 
button is moved upward by the spring 132 to the position shown in FIG. 11. 
The narrow section 134 is now above the button, and the projecting button 
prevents downward movement of the slide member. When it is desired to 
release the slide member, the button is pushed downward, compressing the 
spring 132 and releasing the slide member. Then the springs 130 move the 
slide member downward. 
The cap shoe of the present invention is designed for operation with two 
sizes of connectors, which are of different thickness. Two sliding shims 
140 are carried on the slide member 110 and are best seen in FIGS. 7 and 
9. The shim 140 is generally U-shaped, with a free end 141 moving in a 
slot formed at the junction of the slide member spacer 113 and arm 111. 
The other arm 142 of the shim rides in a groove 143 molded in the slide 
member 110 and is held in place by a screw 144 which passes through a slot 
145 in the shim. 
The shim 140 is shown in the extended position in FIGS. 7 and 9 for use 
with the thin version of the connector. When the cap shoe is to be used 
with the thick version of the connector, the screw 144 is loosened and the 
shim is moved upward so that the bight of the shim is at the level of the 
spacer 113 and, hence, not engagable with a connector. 
The cap shoe of the present invention includes an alternative means for 
gripping a connector in the cap shoe, in addition to the pins 106. Locking 
clips 148 are carried in pockets 149 molded in the slide member 110. Each 
of the locking clips 148 is formed of a strip of metal having some 
resilency. The upper end 150 of the clip 148 is S-shaped and is designed 
to be a push fit into the pocket 149. A bar 151 is carried on a bracket 
152 projecting outward from the body shell section 81. The lower end 154 
of the locking clip passes through the space between the bar 151 and the 
main portion of the body section 81. The position of the locking clip when 
the cap shoe is in the extended position is shown in FIG. 7. When a 
connector 30 is positioned in the cap shoe and the slide member is moved 
to the retracted position, compressing the springs 120, the bar 152 is 
moved into the space between the lower end 154 of the clip and the pocket 
149, moving the lower end of the clip to the right as seen in FIG. 9, into 
engagement with the connector 30. The end of the clip which engages the 
connector preferably is serrated or pointed to provide a grip on the 
connector. 
In a cap shoe, the pins 106 may be used for retaining a connector in the 
cap shoe. Alternatively, the push button 130 and the locking clips 148 may 
be utilized. Or, if desired, both the pins and the push button and locking 
clips may be utilized. 
A similar mode of operation applies when electrical connections are to be 
made through the access holes 44 in the index strip 32, except that the 
position of the connector 30 relative to the connector-module cap shoe 60 
is reversed. 
Bridge-Module Cap Shoe, FIG. 12 
Turning now to FIG. 12 of the drawings, the bridge-module cap shoe 70 of 
the invention is identical to the connector-module cap shoe 60, except for 
the arms 86' which are substituted for the arms 86. With the arms 86' the 
cap shoe body will accommodate the bridge module 48 and its cap 50 and 
will permit insertion of the bridge module into a connector module. 
The operation of the bridge-module cap shoe 70 is the same as that of the 
connector-module cap shoe 60, using the push button 130 and locking clips 
148. 
FIG. 13 discloses schematically how the connector-module cap shoe 60 and 
the bridge-module cap shoe 70 may be used simultaneously on a connector 
30, with the connector-module cap shoe 60 applied to the combination of 
the index strip 32, the connector module 34 and the connector-module cap 
36, and the bridge-module cap shoe 70 applied to the bridge module 48 and 
the bridge-module cap 50. 
FIG. 14 shows how the connector-module cap shoe 60 may be used in 
conjunction with the index strip 32, or the connector-module cap 36, of 
one connector, while the bridge-module cap shoe 70 is used in connection 
with the bridge module 48 and the bridge-module cap 50 of another 
connector. 
Although exemplary embodiments of the invention have been disclosed herein 
for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that various changes, 
modifications and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiments 
without departing from the invention as hereinafter claimed.