Abstract

A mass interconnect system connects and disconnects one or more banks of electrical connectors to and from the electrical leads of a plurality of printed circuit cards supported at an opening in a mainframe card cage. The mass interconnect system includes: (a) a frame assembly supported by the mainframe card cage; (b) a plurality of retractable support members carried by the frame assembly; (c) arm means carried by the frame assembly, for moving the support members outwardly from the frame and inwardly toward the frame; and (d) module means for carrying the bank(s) of electrical connectors. The module means is detachably mounted to the support members such that the electrical connectors are aligned with and coupled to the electrical leads on the printed circuit cards in the mainframe card cage when the arm means is moved from a first position to a second position. A terminal block is also provided for housing and supporting the electical connectors. The terminal block includes alignment menas to align the bank of electrical connectors with the electrical leads on the printed circuit card in the mainframe card cage. A plurality of terminal blocks may be detachably mounted in the module means.