Modular terminal block assembly

A protection module assembly for use with a terminal block assembly said protection module comprising:

• a protection module housing;
• a grounding structure coupled to said protection module housing, said grounding structure being a single piece, unitary structure providing biased grounding contact with a corresponding surface of one of a U-shaped frame mounting system and a rod mounting system to which said modular terminal block assembly is attached;
• attachment structures connected to said protection module housing for attaching said protection module assembly to said terminal block assembly;
• protection clips retained in said protection module housing for conductively connecting said protection module to said terminal block assembly;
• protector devices conductively coupled to said protection clips and to said grounding structure for providing electrical protection of said terminal block assembly attached thereto.

A terminal block assembly for connecting a distribution line to a service line, said terminal block assembly including a connector module including service connection assemblies, said service connection assemblies comprising:

• a connection cavity;
• a connection actuator sized and dimensioned for engagement in the connection cavity;
• conductive service clips positioned in the connection cavity for receiving and terminating a conductive line by movement of said connector actuator in said connector cavity;
• and
• means for captivating said actuator in said cavity, said captivating means including retaining recesses and a protrusion, said captivating means including a captivating notch and an engagement notch formed on said actuator and said protrusion formed on an inside surface of said connection cavity for selectively engaging said engagement notch and said captivating notch, said protrusion and said captivating notch being shaped for positively retaining said actuator in said connection cavity, said engagement notch and said captivating notch being shaped for allowing movement of said actuator relative to said connection cavity, whereby said protrusion holds said actuator in said connection cavity when engaged with said captivating notch and releasably retains said actuator in an engaged position when engaged with said engagement notch.

A terminal block assembly for connecting a distribution line to a service line, said terminal block assembly including a connector module including service connection assemblies, said service connection assemblies comprising:

• a connection cavity;
• a connection actuator sized and dimensioned for engagement in the connection cavity;
• conductive service clips positioned in the connection cavity for receiving and terminating a conductive line by movement of said connector actuator in said connector cavity;
• and
• means for captivating said actuator in said cavity, said captivating means including retaining recesses and a protrusion;
• and
• at least one half-tap assembly connected to said connector module, said half-tap assembly including a housing defining a connector cavity and a connection actuator engageable with said connector cavity of said half-tap housing, half-tap clips being retained in said half-tap housing for engagement with conductive elements of said connector module.

A terminal block assembly for connecting a distribution line to a service line, said terminal block assembly including a connector module including service connection assemblies, said service connection assemblies comprising:

• a connection cavity;
• a connection actuator sized and dimensioned for engagement in the connection cavity;
• conductive service clips positioned in the connection cavity for receiving and terminating a conductive line by movement of said connector actuator in said connector cavity;
• and
• means for captivating said actuator in said cavity, said captivating means including retaining recesses and a protrusion;
• isolation ports formed in said connector module positioned relative to conductive elements of said connector module;
• an isolation plug for selective engagement in said isolation port, said isolation plug being formed of a non-conductive material and being sized and dimensioned for insertion between conductive elements of said connector module to isolate a service line connected to said service connection assembly and a distribution line.