T-bar Incorporated

Joseph P Magnano

Lewis J Seiden

A patch module assembly consists of a two piece frame structure, which provides three parallel jack receptacles entering the frame through one end for receiving patch cord wand. The sides of the frame are closed by printed circuit boards which are electrically connected through plug connectors through the other end wall. The circuit boards support T-Bar.RTM. type switch wafers whose normally closed switches are in series in the various printed circuits between connectors. The printed circuitry also connects spring contacts at one of the wand support receptacles to one side of one of the switches. Another wand support receptacle has spring contacts connected to the opposite side of the switches. A third wand support receptacle has spring contacts connected to either one side or the other of the switches. The contacts of the respective receptacles mate with contacts on an insertable wand, which enable patch connection to other circuits. Placing the wand in the first or second receptacle causes an actuator to disconnect the series switches after which one side or the other of each series switch is connected to some remote circuit. The third receptacle does not disconnect the series switches but makes a connection to the line through each series switch to serve as a voltage monitoring device, or the like. In the first two receptacles, the nose of the wand engages a different cam surface of the same actuation lever, which moves against an actuation plunger of the series switch wafer opening the normally closed contacts. The wand is a split cylindrical structure of hollow form, internal portions of which provide two oppositely directed contact assemblies. The contact assemblies can be preassembled and prewired before assembling the wands. In the assembly of the two halves of the cylindrical wand, insulator bases opposed to each other urge the contacts outwardly through holes along diametrically opposite sides of the wand positioned to engage the respective spring fingers.

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Norwalk, CT, United States of America

Joseph P Magnano