Telecommunication protector unit with pivotal surge protector

Apparatus for protecting telecommunications equipment from spurious voltages by dispersing a spurious voltage that appears on a telecommunications line to ground potential via grounding means, the apparatus comprising;

• a dielectric enclosure,
• solid state means located within the dielectric enclosure, the solid state means comprising a surge arrester and a plurality of steering diodes, the surge suppressor and the steering diodes being arranged to permit current to flow in a pre-determined direction to the grounding means for conveying the current to ground potential when the spurious voltage exceed a pre-determined threshold, the surge arrester having first and second surfaces,
• first and second electrically conductive plates located within the dielectrical enclosure and making electrical contact respective to the first and second surfaces of the surge suppressor, and
• an electrically conductive clip having first and second arms that respectively clamp a first of the steering diodes into electrical contact with the first plate and a second of the steering diodes into electrical contact with the second plate.

An electrical protector assembly for protecting a circuit against excessive current increases and voltage surges, the protector assembly comprising:

• a grounding structure;
• a dielectric base structure;
• two input and two output conductive elements arranged in pairs and supported in the dielectric base structure;
• first and second current responsive devices which sense excessive current increases and divert the excessive current increases to the grounding structure, the first and second current responsive devices being supported on the dielectric base structure;
• a single surge voltage protection device which conducts voltage surges to the grounding structure, the surge voltage protection device extending between and being supported on the first and second current responsive devices;
• and
• first and second springs respectively urging the surge protection device into electrical contact with the first and second current responsive devices, the surge voltage protection device being configured to be pivoted responsive to the operation of one of the current responsive devices and maintain electrical contact with both current responsive devices in its pivoted position.

An electrical protector assembly comprising:

• a grounding structure;
• first and second current responsive devices which sense excessive current increases and divert the excessive current increases to the grounding structure;
• a single surge voltage protection device which conducts voltage surges to the grounding structure, the surge voltage protection device extending between and being supported on the first and second current responsive devices;
• and
• means for urging the surge voltage protection device into electrical contact with the first and second current responsive devices, the surge voltage protection device being configured to be pivoted responsive to the operation of one of the current responsive devices and maintain electrical contact with both current responsive devices in its pivoted position.