Modular contact system for telephone cable head

Claim 1

A modular contact arrangement to enable the connection of selected protective and/or monitoring devices to desired phase lines (6,6',7,7') at a cable head in a telephone distributor frame, comprising: (a) a plurality of adjacent pairs (51, 52; 53, 54) of elongate phase line contactors (3,3',3") disposed in parallel and in a row, (b) each contactor comprising two flexible metal blades (5a,5b) resiliently self-biased towards each other at their one ends and defining a V-shaped mouth at their other, opposite ends, (c) a plurality of resilient, elongate, ground contact blades (61,62,63) individually disposed between each pair of contactors and aligned therewith in a generally planar manner, (d) a planar card (4) of non-conductive material insertable in a tongue-like manner into the mouths of a selected pair of contactors, and (e) three parallel strips of conductive material (410,420,430) disposed on at least one face of the card and laterally spaced apart to correspond to spacings between a pair of contactors (53, 54) and an interposed ground contact blade (62) such that said strips establish electrical contact with two contactor blades and a ground contact blade upon the insertion of the card, said strips extending outwardly from said mouths and being connectable to protective and/or monitoring devices.