Electronic card cage interfacing assembly

An electrical lead terminating device for use with electrical back plane boards having printed circuit card edge connections mounted therein to provide interface connections between termination leads from points external to the back plane and the connector pins of the card edge connectors, said device comprising:

• (a) an electrical non-conductive member;
• and
• (b) a plurality of electrical connection pins extending through and secured by said member, said pins appropriately positioned in said member for mounting on said back plane board such that when said pins are mounted in said board, a portion of said member cooperates with said board to define a supporting channel for supporting the weight of the termination leads, and for distributing the termination leads to said connection pins, said non-conductive member having,
• (i) a substantially planar base containing said connection pins,
• (ii) standoff means connected to said base for holding off said base from said board when said pins are mounted in said board, and
• (iii) a flange located to one end of said base and extending outwardly therefrom, said flange having a supportive surface such that when said pins are mounted in said board, the surface and said board define the supporting channel.

In a printed-circuit card cage assembly having,

• (a) a plurality of card cage connectors, said connectors containing input-output signal pins,
• (b) support means for supporting and guiding printed circuit cards into contact with said edge connectors,
• (c) means for mounting said support means in a cabinet;
• and
• (d) means for connecting customer termination signal leads from points external to the card cage to said input-output signal pins,
• the improvement in the card cage assembly includes an improved connecting means comprising:
• (A) a mounting frame positionable in said cabinet to the rear of said support means, said frame rotatable in respect to said support means;
• (B) at least one interface board mounted to said frame for rotation therewith, said board having electrical circuits thereon;
• (C) at least one termination block mounted on each interface board, for electrically connecting the customer termination signal leads to the electrical circuits on said board;
• (D) connector means mounted on each said interface board, for providing a disconnectable input-output connection port between the circuits on said board and the input-output signal pins of said card edge connectors;
• and
• (E) at least one electrical cable, for providing electrical connections between said connector means and the card edge connector pins to thereby complete the electrical connection between the termination signal leads and the input-output signal pins.