Back-up air gaps

Claim 1

A miniature back-up overvoltage protection apparatus for use on a overvoltage protection device having a first terminal, a second terminal and a third terminal, said first and said second terminals being disposed proximate the distal ends of said overvoltage protection device, with said first terminal being connected to the tip terminal, said second terminal being connected to the ring terminal and said third terminal being connected to the ground terminal of a telephone line system, comprising in combination: a) housing means adapted to be removably mounted on said first and said second terminals of said overvoltage protection device, said housing means being provided with an internal circumscribing ledge and a centrally disposed through aperture; b) dielectric means disposed within said housing means; c) first and second conducting means sandwiching said dielectric means therebetween, said first conducting means making electrical conducting contact with said overvoltage protection device first or second terminal; and d) unitary clip means adapted to removably retain said overvoltage protection device and to urge one back-up overvoltage protection apparatus against the first terminal of said overvoltage protection device and a second back-up overvoltage protection against the second terminal of said overvoltage protection device, said clip means making electrical conducting contact with said third terminal of said overvoltage protection device, said second conducting means and to said ground terminal of said telephone line system.