Balanced heat coil protector

Abstract

A balanced heat coil protector protects telecommunications equipment from excessive sneak currents through a telecommunications circuit having a ring conductor and a tip conductor. An electrically conductive grounding pin is supported within and extends through the base for providing a path to ground potential. A first electrically conductive line pin and a first electrically conductive central office pin are supported in the base and extend therethrough, the first line pin and first central office pin being electrically connected to each other by a first conductive wire to provide a normal circuit current path from the first line pin to the first central office pin. A second electrically conductive line pin and a second electrically conductive central office pin are also supported in the base and extend therethrough, the second line pin and second central office pin being electrically connected to each other by a second conductive wire to provide a normal circuit current path from the second line pin to the second central office pin. A sleeve having electrically conductive flanged end portions is supported in an initial position within the housing on the grounding pin by a fusible material and is disposed above at least one of the first line and central office pins and at least one of the second line and central office pins, and the first and second conductive wires are wound about an outer surface of the sleeve. The fusible material melts in response to an excessive sneak current in either the ring or tip conductors causing the sleeve to move from the initial position to a grounding position in contact with at least one of the first line and central office pins and at least one of the second line and central office pins to simultaneously ground the ring and tip conductors.