Abstract: An improved relay for increasing the service life of contacts and the breaking capacity. Each fixed contact is mounted on a solid parallelepipedal block having a hollowed-out portion for receiving the end of the corresponding connection rod and providing a high-quality connection by brazing. The relay is further provided with means for extinguishing the electric arc by lengthening the arc, a permanent magnet being accordingly employed for each pair of associated contacts, one contact being fixed and the other being movable. The magnet is preferably housed within a spark trap.