Patent ID: 7764781

Claim:
A telecommunications apparatus comprising: a chassis sized to fit within a telecommunications rack, the chassis having a front side and a back side; a plurality of IN cross-connect connectors and a plurality of OUT cross-connect connectors; a plurality of IN jacks mounted in the chassis, the IN jacks including tip and ring springs and normal springs corresponding to the tip and ring springs; a plurality of OUT jacks mounted in the chassis, the OUT jacks including tip and ring springs and normal springs corresponding to the tip and ring springs; a plurality of IN co-axial cable connectors; a plurality of OUT co-axial cable connectors; IN signal paths that extend from the IN cross-connect connectors, through the IN jacks to the IN co-axial cable connectors; OUT signal paths that extend from the OUT cross-connect connectors, through the OUT jacks to the OUT co-axial cable connectors; MONITOR OUT co-axial cable connectors electrically connected to the OUT signal paths for providing monitor access to signals being transmitted through the OUT co-axial cable connectors; and MONITOR IN co-axial cable connectors electrically connected to the IN signal paths for providing monitor access to signals being transmitted through the IN co-axial cable connectors; wherein the OUT co-axial cable connectors, the IN co-axial cable connectors, the MONITOR IN co-axial cable connectors and the MONITOR OUT co-axial cable connectors are mounted on a plurality of rear connector mounts, each rear connector mount including a first side plate and a second side plate, the first and second side plates including rear end notches that provide clearance for preventing the OUT co-axial cable connectors, the IN co-axial cable connectors, the MONITOR IN co-axial cable connectors and the MONITOR OUT co-axial cable connectors from contacting the first and second side plates.