Connector for electrically coupling two current contact line segments in end-to end relationship

A connector for coupling two contact line segments positioned in end-to-end alignment and made of elongate plastic profiles for accommodating current conductor rails which cooperate with a current collector vehicle traveling inside the contact line segments, said connector including a coupling sleeve made of plastic material for positively enveloping the contact line segments in an area of their confronting ends, with the ends of the contact line segments being freely shiftable in a longitudinal direction within a predetermined range, said coupling sleeve being split in a direction transversely to the longitudinal direction so as to define two sleeve members, and including a locking means for detachably connecting the sleeve members to one another, with one of the sleeve members being adapted for placement on one of the confronting ends of the contact line segments and the other one of the sleeve members being adapted for placement on the other one of the confronting ends of the contact line segments, before the contact line segments are joined, wherein the elongate plastic profiles define an interior space which is formed in the longitudinal direction with a running surface for operation of the current collector vehicle, said running surface being formed with a slot extending in the longitudinal direction toward an end face of the elongate plastic profiles and at least partially filled by a bar formed on the coupling sleeve, said elongate plastic profiles being longitudinally displaceable with respect to the bar, said bar exhibiting a top side facing the current collector vehicle and extending flush with the plane of the running surface.