Abstract: In response to spurious signals in a circuit connecting telecommunications equipment with a serving central office, the signals will pass through terminals of a protector module and through a protector unit inserted in the circuit causing a lead pellet to melt or the air gap between carbon blocks to short and establish a path to ground so that the spurious signals may be grounded. When the protector unit is removed from the protector module, the circuit remains grounded until the protector unit is replaced. Alternatively, when the protector unit is removed, the electrical path of the circuit is opened by introducing an insulator in the path of signals between the terminals. In one embodiment, in the open circuit condition, unusually high voltages arc over from the protector terminals to a metallic pin and then to ground.

Abstract: A sneak current protector module (10) is disclosed. This module is comprised of an insulative base (11), slotted beam electrical contact pairs (31), fuse elements (51) and fuse mounting members (71). The insulative base includes a plurality of apertures (13) for holding the contact pairs. Slidably affixed to oppositely disposed edges of the insulative base are the fuse mounting members. These mounting members contain a plurality of well-like cavities (73), for holding the fuse elements. Opposite ends (55,56) of the fuse elements are electrically coupled to electrically isolated contacts (33) in different ones of the contact pairs.