A contacting apparatus comprising: a contact element support and fixedly mounted in said contact element support at least one contact element, wherein A) said contact element comprises: a contact cusp portion, a mounting section adapted to be enclosed by said contacting element support, and a contacting portion, said mounting section forming a step adapted to be located within said contact element support; and B) said contact element support being designed such, that it encloses said contact element only in locations where a load is generated by a contacting force exerted onto said contact cusp portion.