Rotatable electrical connector for telephone cord

A low friction rotatable electrical connector for use with telephone cords, said connector comprising:

• a. an insulated pair of rotatably interconnected elongated members, there being a hollow inner cylindrical member telescoped within a hollow outer cylindrical member;
• b. and a pair of widely spaced, low friction bearing means located on the inner cylindrical member adjacent the opposite ends thereof for supporting the outer cylindrical member therefrom for turning movement about a longitudinal central axis of the connector;
• c. the outer end of one rotatable member having a female electrical socket member, while the outer end of the other rotatable member has a male electrical plug member, each of said male and female members being adapted to make electrical connection with a separate set of electrical conductors;
• d. a plurality of continuous conductive rings mounted on the exterior of the inner cylindrical member and spaced along the length thereof, and a set of flexible insulated conductors located within the inner cylindrical member and joining each separate conductive ring to the one of the said male and female members that is on the outer end of the inner member;
• e. a plurality of split conductive rings mounted on the exterior of the outer cylindrical member to be generally aligned and concentric with the said continuous rings of the inner member, the wall of the outer member being provided with at least one aperture in alignment with each of a plurality of split rings, each aperture being provided with a spring-biased contact member that is in constant electrical contact with one of the said continuous rings of the inner member;
• f. the exterior of the outer member having a plurality of longitudinally extending slots, each slot receiving one of a set of flexible insulated conductors, where each conductor is connected at one end to one of the split rings and connected at its other end to the other of said male and female members that is on the outer end of the outer member;
• g. and an insulated sleeve fitted over the outer member and held thereon;
• h. wherein the said inner cylindrical member has a single longitudinal split so that it may be partially collapsed in a transverse direction for mounting the plurality of continuous conductive rings thereon, where the said set of flexible insulated conductors within the inner member are each fed through this longitudinal split for making electrical connection with the said continuous conductive rings.

A low friction rotatable electrical connector for use with a coiled telephone cord to prevent the cord from becoming twisted and knotted-up, said connector comprising:

• a. an insulated pair of rotatably interconnected elongated members, there being a hollow inner cylindrical member telescoped within a hollow outer cylindrical member;
• b. and a pair of widely spaced low friction bearing means located between the inner and outer members so these inner and outer members may freely rotate with respect to each other about their common longitudinal axis;
• c. and electrical terminal means at each end of this rotatable connector for joining this connector to external electrical conductors;
• d. a plurality of continuous conductive rings mounted on the exterior of the inner cylindrical member and spaced along the length thereof, and a first set of flexible insulated conductors located within the inner cylindircal member and joining each conductive ring to the said electrical terminal means at the outer end of the inner member;
• e. a plurality of split conductive rings mounted on the exterior of the outer cylindrical member so as to be generally aligned and concentric with the said continuous conductive rings, the wall of the outer member being provided with aperture means interposed between each split ring and its aligned and concentric continuous ring, each aperture being provided with a spring-biased ball that is in low friction, electrical rolling contact with the related continuous ring of the inner member;
• f. the exterior of the outer member having a plurality of longitudinally extending slots, each slot receiving one of a second set of flexible insulated conductors that are each connected on one end to one of the split rings and connected at its other end to the electrical terminal means at the other end of the connector;
• g. and an insulated sleeve fitted over the outer member and held thereon.