Abstract:
A forward facing connectorized terminal block is provided which contains an array of wire wrap or insulation displacement terminals in a forward facing terminal field readily accessible for cross connection to the telecommunications wires. Connectorized cables from telecommunications equipment are plugged into mating connectors mounted on the terminal block and which are wired to the rear terminal portions of the terminal field. The terminal block is extremely compact and is easily attached and removed by a snap action mounting bracket.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to connector blocks for telephone and other telecommunications lines and more particularly to a connectorized terminal block for use on central office or PBX distributing frames. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     In a telecommunications central office or PBX (private branch exchange) the wires from telephones and other telecommunications apparatus are usually connected to the telecommunications lines by connector blocks which include a plurality of terminals to which the wires of the telecommunications apparatus are connected, the terminals also being connected to the telecommunications lines. Space is usually a major factor in any telecommunications installation, and it is desirable that the connecting block accommodate the intended number of terminals and connections within the smallest practicable volume. Many different connector blocks configurations are known, but are deficient or not wholly desirable in their construction or performance for many purposes, especially PBX systems and other office telecommunications systems in which relatively little space is available for the centralized telecommunications equipment including the associated connector blocks. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a forward facing connectorized terminal block which contains an array of wire wrap or insulation displacement terminals in a forward facing terminal field readily accessible for cross connection to the telecommunications wires. Connectorized cables from the telecommunications equipment are plugged into mating connectors mounted on the terminal block and which are wired to the rear terminal portions of the terminal field. The connectorized terminal block is extremely compact and is easily attached and removed by a snap action mounting bracket. The housing is constructed to provide access to the internal wiring, from the housing connectors to the terminal field, with no impairment to the cross connecting wiring from the terminal field to the telecommunications wires. The housing also includes fanning strips for routing and retention of the cross connecting wires in orderly fashion. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a pictorial view, partly cutaway, of a connectorized terminal block in accordance with the invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a bottom view of the terminal block; 
     FIG. 3 is a partly cutaway top view of the terminal block; 
     FIG. 4 is a partly cutaway side view of the terminal block; and 
     FIG. 5 is a partly cutaway rear view of the terminal block. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to the drawings, a connectorized terminal block constructed and operative in accordance with the invention is shown, and includes a housing 10 having a first section 12 with mounting plates 14 on the rear wall 29 thereof and a plurality of mating connectors 16 mounted along the bottom wall 13 thereof, and a second housing section 18 hinged to the first section 12 and containing a terminal field 20 having terminal pins with portions 22 wired internally to intended pins 17 of the connectors 16, and outer portions 24 wired to cross connecting wires 54. A cover 26 is provided for the first housing section 12 and includes a rear fanning strip 28 having a plurality of wire channels 30. A cover 32 is provided on the second housing section 18 and is pivotally attached by pins 33 to the front of this section for access to the outer terminal pins, for protection of the wired connections and for label space as required by the user to identify connections. 
     The terminal pins are disposed in a terminal field defined by an insulative sheet 40 having openings in which the respective terminals are disposed and secured. The terminals carried by the terminal field can be single post wire wrapped terminals, bifurcated wire wrapped terminals or insulation displacement bifurcated terminals. The terminal field in the illustrated embodiment provides a capacity for up to 608 single post terminals, with a 19×32 matrix of holes allowing for multiple configuration possiblities with 16×32 single post patterns, 8×32 bifurcated wire wrap terminal patterns and 12×32 insulation displacement bifurcated terminal patterns. Multiple configurations are possible with most pattern requirements due to the multiplicity of holes in comparison to the number of terminals typically required. The terminal field can be silk screened or otherwise marked in a checkboard or other pattern for ease of terminal location and such pattern can be provided in various configurations depending on the intended arrangement of terminals for particular applications. 
     The second housing section 18 includes a fanning strip 34 for the cross connecting wires 54, which contains for the illustrated embodiment 32 slots corresponding to the 32 terminal rows of the terminal field. The fanning strip 34 provides positive wire retention, wire strain relief and easy identification of individual circuits. The second housing section 18 can pivot up to 90° with respect to the first housing section 12 by loosening the screws 42 on the bottom of the second housing to permit ease of access to the connectors 16 for cable removal, to permit terminal replacement as necessary, or to permit field wiring modification or maintenance. The section 18 pivots about an axis defined by fastener 44. 
     The first housing section is typically stamped and fromed from steel, as is the mounting bracket. The second housing section is of molded high quality thermoplastic, as is the top cover of the first housing section, and the front cover of the second housing section. 
     A mounting bracket 46 has a variety of circular and elongated openings 48 therethrough to provide a universal mounting configuration for use on all standard telephone industry distributing frames. The bracket includes a rolled lip 50 along one edge and latch tabs 52 on the opposite edge to permit the connectorized terminal block housing 10 to be snapped onto and retained by the mounting bracket. The mounting bracket is installed on the distributing frame by threaded fasteners or other convenient fastening elements. The terminal block is mounted by inserting an upper edge 27 of the rear wall 29 at the rear of the first housing section under the roller lip 50 of the mounting bracket and snapping the mounting plates 14 of the first housing section 12 of the terminal block over detents 53 of the mounting brackets tabs 52. No auxiliary hardware is needed to attach the terminal block to the mounting bracket 46. The terminal block can be easily removed from the mounting bracket by using a screw driver or other tool in the slots 55 provided on the bottom edges of the mounting plates 14 and employing a prying force to urge the housing out of the mounting tabs 52. The mounting plates 14 include stiffening ribs 15 which prevent bending of the plates and facilitate repeatable snap action attachment of the terminal block the mounting bracket 46. 
     The connectors 16 are telephone industry standard male plug ribbon conenctors which are adapted to mate with cooperative female receptacle ribbon connectors. The connectors are disposed at an angle as shown to minimize the depth of the housing. 
     The terminal block is typically mounted horizontally as illustrated in FIG. 1 with the fanning strips 28 at the top rear edge and the connectors 16 on the bottom. The terminal block can also be mounted vertically with the fanning strips on the side. 
     The manner of cross connecting wires to the terminal block is as illustrated in FIG. 4. The wires 54 are routed through the front and rear fanning strips 34, 28 and are connected to respective terminals 24. The wires are maintained in orderly disposition by the slots of the fanning strips for easy of identification and replacement if necessary. After all cross connectors are made to the terminal field, the front cover 32 is closed over the terminal field to enclose the users wired terminations. 
     In the illustrated embodiment the housing is about 4 inches high by 8 inches wide, with a depth of about 6 inches. The terminal block can also be embodied in a more compact unit with a depth of about 43/4 inches. The terminal blocks can be end-to-end mounted in either vertical or horizontal positons for size efficient installations. 
     The invention is not to be limited by what has been shown and described except as intended in the appended claims.