Patent GB-900632-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in and relating to receptacles for electrical pluggable elements
IPC: H01R12/70
Filed: 1959-07-30
Abstract: 900,632. Two-part couplings; direct connections between conductors; mounting electrical equipment. INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION. July 30, 1959 [July 30, 1958], No. 26135/59. Classes 37 and 38 (1). A receptacle block 16 for receiving pluggable elements 11 is provided with partitioned cavities 17 in which resilient contact elements 14 are secured. Protuberances 14f bite into the base of the receptacle when the contact elements are inserted into channels 24b, Fig. 6. Portions 14c of the contact elements pass through a panel 12 which is located by pins 16g extending into holes 12b. The panel is held to the block 16 by twisting the extending portions 14c and making a solder fillet connection between the portion 14c and a metallic member 12c bonded to the panel. Conductors 12a between the contact elements 14 may be of the printed circuit type Fig. 8, or connections 18, Fig. 11, may be used; the extending portions 14c connected to conductors 12a only may be removed at the soldered fillet connections. Pathways 22 formed between the edges 19a of partitions 19 and walls 23 of the block 16 are adapted to receive the tongue 11d of a pluggable element 11 and are provided with an inclined surface 22a to guide the element 11 into the pathway. A guide and separator element 26 is removably attached to the receptacle and has guideways 27 at right angles to and in register with the pathways 22. The tongues 11d are asymmetrical to the pluggable elements 11, and when an element, which may or may not have electronic components on it is inserted the correct way round into the receptacle, a bevelled surface 11e of the element deflects the contact elements 14 preparatory to terminals 1 1c on the tongue 11d being moved into engagement with the contact elements 14; the terminals and contact elements are preferably plated with a precious metal. In a modification, Fig. 14, the tongue is of greater thickness than the width of the pathway and is grooved between the terminals 11c. The partitions 19 thus form a shield for the terminals. A jumper cable for interconnecting adjacent receptacles comprises flexible flat plastic ribbon 36 having conductors 36a adherent thereto. Panels 36b serve as grips. External connections may be made by an element 11 having leads 37a of an electric cable threaded through apertures 11e and connected to the terminals 11c, Fig. 17. A number of the receptacles may be mounted between parallel T-shaped rails 38 extending between vertical frame members 39 and secured by thumb-screws 40, Fig. 12. To remove a receptacle bounded by adjacent receptacles, the thumbscrews are removed to permit one of the T-rails to be withdrawn longitudinally so that its flanges 38b, 38c disengage from the receptacle being removed and from the laterally adjacent receptacle. After removing the guide and separator element 26 attached to the receptacle to be removed, the latter is shifted laterally so as to disengage from the non-withdrawn T-rail and become free of the supporting structure. Fig. 15 shows a pluggable element 11 with electronic components 11a mounted thereon.