Feeder distribution interface for rural areas

Claim 2

Apparatus for making conductor pairs of a feeder cable available for interconnections with conductor pairs of distribution cables at a plurality of locations while limiting the actual establishment of a said interconnection between any said conductor pair of said feeder cable and any said conductor pair of said distribution cable to one of said locations at any specific time comprising in combination: a first group of input connectors adapted to have said conductor pairs of said feeder cable terminated thereon, each of said input connectors being further adapted to receive therein either a pair of jumper wires or a pair of plug terminals at said specific time for establishing contact with a respective one of said conductor pairs of said feeder cable; a second group of output connectors adapted to have conductor pairs of an interconnection cable connecting two of said locations terminated thereon, said output connectors being further adapted to receive therein a pair of said plug terminals at said specific time for establishing contact with a respective one of said pairs of said interconnection cable, whereby a said respective pair of said feeder cable can be interconnected with a said respective pair of said interconnection cable for continuation to another of said locations by the insertion of connector means having said pairs of plug terminals thereon between respective ones of said input and output connectors; and a third group of distribution connectors adapted to have said conductor pairs of said distribution cables terminated thereon, each of said distribution connectors being further adapted to receive therein a pair of said jumper wires for establishing contact with a respective one of said pairs from said distribution cables, whereby a said respective pair from said feeder cable can be interconnected by said pair of jumper wires with a said respective pair from said distribution cables only when said respective pair from said feeder cable is not interconnected with said respective pair from said interconnection cable.

Claim 3

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first group of input connectors and said second group of output connectors are arranged in alternating rows on a mounting panel with each of said input connectors being aligned in opposing relationship to an associated one of said output connectors in an adjacent one of said rows, and said third group of distribution connectors are mounted on a separate portion of said panel.

Claim 4

Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 including wire guides on said panel adapted to receive said jumper wires therein for guiding said jumper wires between said input connectors and said distribution connectors.

Claim 5

An interface for making conductor pairs of a feeder cable available for interconnections with conductor pairs of distribution cables at a plurality of locations while limiting the actual establishment of a said interconnection between any Said conductor pair of said feeder cable and any said conductor pair of said distribution cables to one of said locations at any specific time comprising in combination: a first group of input connectors adapted to have said conductor pairs of said feeder cable terminated thereon, each of said input connectors being further adapted to receive either a pair of jumper wires or a pair of plug terminals therein at said specific time for establishing contact with a respective one of said conductor pairs of said feeder cable; a second group of output connectors adapted to have conductor pairs of an interconnection cable connecting two of said locations terminated thereon, said output connectors being further adapted to receive a pair of said plug terminals therein at said specific time for establishing contact with a respective one of said pairs of said interconnection cable; a third group of distribution connectors adapted to have said conductor pairs of said distribution cables terminated thereon, each of said distribution connectors being further adapted to receive a pair of said jumper wires therein for establishing contact with a respective one of said pairs of said distribution cables, whereby a respective said pair from said feeder cable can be interconnected to a respective said pair from said distribution cables by said pair of jumper wires; and a patch plug including pairs of said plug terminals adapted for insertion into said input and output connectors, whereby said respective pair from said feeder cable can be interconnected with said respective pair from said interconnection cable by said patch plug when said respective pair from said feeder cable is not interconnected with said respective pair from said distribution cables to provide continuity of said pair from said feeder cable to another of said locations.

Claim 6

An interface for making conductor pairs of a feeder cable available for interconnections with conductor pairs of distribution cables at a plurality of locations while limiting the actual establishment of a said interconnection between any Said conductor pair of said feeder cable and any said conductor pair of said distribution cables to one of said locations at any specific time comprising in combination: a first group of input connectors adapted to have said conductor pairs of said feeder cable terminated thereon, each of said input connectors being further adapted to receive either a pair of jumper wires or a pair of plug terminals therein at said specific time for establishing contact with a respective one of said conductor pairs of said feeder cable; a second group of output connectors adapted to have conductor pairs of an interconnection cable connecting two of said locations terminated thereon, said output connectors being further adapted to receive a pair of said plug terminals therein at said specific time for establishing contact with a respective one of said pairs of said interconnection cable; a third group of distribution connectors adapted to have said conductor pairs of said distribution cables terminated thereon, each of said distribution connectors being further adapted to receive a pair of said jumper wires therein for establishing contact with a respective one of said pairs of said distribution cables, whereby a respective said pair from said feeder cable can be interconnected to a respective said pair from said distribution cables by said pair of jumper wires; and a patch plug including pairs of said plug terminals adapted for insertion into said input and output connectors, whereby said respective pair from said feeder cable can be interconnected with said respective pair from said interconnection cable by said patch plug when said respective pair from said feeder cable is not interconnected with said respective pair from said distribution cables to provide continuity of said pair from said feeder cable to another of said locations.

Claim 7

Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said patch plug comprises an insulative body having first and second conductive strips therein, each of said strips including first and second plug terminals extending therefrom and adapted for insertion in said input connector and said output connector, respectively, to make contact with one conductor of said pair from said feeder cable and one conductor of said pair from said interconnection cable, respectively, whereby said patch plug interconnects a conductor pair from said feeder cable with a conductor pair from said interconnection cable.

Claim 8

Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said first group of input connectors and said second group of output connectors are arranged in alternating rows on a mounting panel with each said input connector being aligned in opposing relationship to an associated one of said output connectors in an adjacent one of said rows, and said third group of distribution connectors are mounted on a separate portion of said panel; and said plug terminals of said patch plug and said input and output connectors have configurations and spacings which allow said patch plug to be mounted only between said associated ones of said input and output connectors.

Claim 9

Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 wherein said patch plug is symmetrical so that said patch plug can be mounted between said associated input and output connectors in either of two orientations.

Claim 10

Apparatus in accordance with claim 5 wherein said first and second conductive strips have test tabs extending therefrom to be accessible on the exterior of said insulative body whereby test access to said pairs can be obtained.

Claim 11

A distribution interface for telephone cables comprising: a field of input feeder connectors for terminating the conductors of an input feeder cable; a field of output feeder connectors for terminating the conductors of an output feeder cable; the connectors of said output feeder connector field corresponding on a one-for-one basis with the connectors of said input feeder connector field; a field of distribution connectors for terminAting distribution conductors; first connection means for connecting any connector of said input feeder connector field to any connector of said distribution connector field, said first connection means being incapable of connection to any connector of said output feeder connector field; and second connection means for connecting any connector of said input feeder connector field only to the corresponding connector of said output feeder connector field; said first and second connection means having structurally interfering elements preventing their simultaneous connection to the same connector of said input feeder connection field.

Claim 12

A distribution interface for telephone cables comprising: a field of input feeder connectors for terminating the conductors of an input feeder cable; a field of output feeder connectors for terminating the conductors of an output feeder cable; the connectors of said output feeder connector field corresponding on a one-for-one basis with the connectors of said input feeder connector field; a field of distribution connectors for terminAting distribution conductors; first connection means for connecting any connector of said input feeder connector field to any connector of said distribution connector field, said first connection means being incapable of connection to any connector of said output feeder connector field; and second connection means for connecting any connector of said input feeder connector field only to the corresponding connector of said output feeder connector field; said first and second connection means having structurally interfering elements preventing their simultaneous connection to the same connector of said input feeder connection field.