UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE
3,417,369
MULTIPLE CIRCUIT CONNECTOR OF THE
PLUG TYPE
Hans P. Luhn, Armonk, N. Y., assignor to Inter-
national Business Machines Corporation, New
York, N. Y., a corporation of New York
Application March 29, 1944, Serial No. 528,656
5 Claims. (01.173—328)
This invention relates to circuit connectors and generally to the detachable plug type for making multiple circuit connections at will. More specifically the invention relates to multiple circuit connectors of the plug type wherein circuit connections can be made by the attachment of associated connector units and conversely circuit connections can be broken by detachment of the associated connector units.
The main object of the invention is to provide an improved construction of circuit connector wherein a plug connector of a limited area can provide for a larger number of circuit connections than generally possible heretofore, and a more specific object in this connection is to devise a circuit connector which will not only provide for an increased number of circuit connections but enable efficient circuit connections as well.
Another object of the invention is to provide a circuit connector which consists of three interconnecting units, an intermediate connector unit, and a pair of connector units joined at each side of said intermediate connector unit.
An advantage following from the preceding construction and which fulfills another object is that each of the outside connectors can be provided with means to receive plug connections which can be altered at will without changing the plug connections made to the other outside connector. This flexibility is of a decided advantage for circuit connections in some electrical systems.
Another object of the invention is to provide means to assemble a plurality of such associated units whereby circuit connections can be multiplied to the required number and nevertheless retain the principal advantages of the elementary system.
This object may be carried out by providing an intermediate frame to which is assembled a plurality of intermediate connector units and other frames for carrying a plurality of the plug connector units of the other type, that is, the type which provides for the desired- plug connections.
The assembly of plug connectors provides a panel or plugboard which can be detached from the intermediate connectors and allows another plugboard having different plug connections to be substituted. The same advantages are in this multiple arrangement as in the elementary system, namely, that the plug connections oh the plug connectors can be varied at will without altering the plug connections of the other plug connectors.
Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the following description and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, which disclose, by way Of example, the principle of the 6 invention and the best mode, which has been contemplated, of applying that principle. In said drawings:
Pig.. 1 is an end view of each of the three connector units showing the association of the 10 three units of the elementary system.
Pig. 2 is a fragmentary view in side elevation of the intermediate connector.
Pig. 3 is an end view of the intermediate connector.
15 Pig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4—4 of Fig. 2.
Fig. 5 is a plan view of the intermediate connector.
Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view in side elevation 20 of, one of the outside plug connectors.
Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of: the plug connector shown in Pig. 6.
Fig. 8 is an end view of the plug connector shown in Pigs. 6 and 7. 25 Pig. 9 is a sectional view taken oh the line 9—9 of Fig. 6.
Pig. 10 is a view taken on the line 10—iff of Fig. 6.
Pig. 11 shows the preferred construction of 30 the multiple jack.
Pig. 12 is a fragmentary plain view showing the supporting frames which carry the assembly of the different connector units to multiply the circuit connections to make up a plugboard. 35 Pig- 13 is a fragmentary plan view of one of the outside frames.
Pig. 14 is1 a view showing the three connector units joined together in contact relationship, and when mounted in the frames of Fig. 12 show how 40 the frames are closed upon each other to secure a contact relationship between the connector units.
The three principal elements of the improved connector are shown associated in Fig. 1 and
45 shown joined in interlocking contact relationship in Fig. 14. The improved plug consists of" an intermediate connector unit 10 and cooperating outside plug connector units (1 and 12. The plug. connector unit II has wire connections 13
50 and the plug connector unit !2 has wire connections 14. When the units ID, II and 12 are joined in contact relationship as in Fig. 14 the wires !8 are electrically connected through the units to" the wires 14 for desired circuit coh
65 nections.
