A vacuum switching device has in line contacts (10, 11) coupled to contact pins (12, 13). Both contacts are enlcosed by a screening element (14) that is in the form of a sintered, porous material. The assembly is located within a vacuum chamber. In the instance when an arc occurs between the contacts, a metal vapour is produced (19-21) and condenses on the surface of the screen pores. This provides an absorbing action.
