Bridge rectifier, which has a number of AC voltage connections (u - y), two DC voltage connections (B+, B-), and a number of half bridges (U - Y) that corresponds to the number of AC voltage connections (u - y), wherein • each half bridge (U - Y) has two driveable switching elements (S1 - S10) connected in series between the two DC voltage connections (B+, B-), one of the AC voltage connections (u - y) in each case being connected between said switching elements, and • each half bridge (U - Y) comprises a drive circuit (4U - 4Y), which is configured to detect an output voltage applied between the two DC voltage connections (B+, B-) and - to switch on a first switching element (S1 - S10) of the two switching elements of the respective half bridge (U - Y) by driving using a first drive signal until the output voltage falls below a lower threshold value (31U - 31W), after said output voltage previously exceeded an upper threshold value (30U - 30W), and - to drive, in a clocked manner, a first switching element (S1 - S10) of the two switching elements of the respective half bridge (U - Y) by driving using a second drive signal until the output voltage exceeds the upper threshold value (30U - 30W), after said output voltage previously fell below the lower threshold value (31U - 31W), characterized in that each drive circuit (4U - 4Y) has threshold value means, which are configured to effect a change in the lower and/or upper threshold value (30U - 30W, 31U - 31W) in such a way that the output voltage can reach the threshold value, after the output voltage previously exceeded the upper threshold value (30U - 30W). • each half bridge (U - Y) has two driveable switching elements (S1 - S10) connected in series between the two DC voltage connections (B+, B-), one of the AC voltage connections (u - y) in each case being connected between said switching elements, and • each half bridge (U - Y) comprises a drive circuit (4U - 4Y), which is configured to detect an output voltage applied between the two DC voltage connections (B+, B-) and - to switch on a first switching element (S1 - S10) of the two switching elements of the respective half bridge (U - Y) by driving using a first drive signal until the output voltage falls below a lower threshold value (31U - 31W), after said output voltage previously exceeded an upper threshold value (30U - 30W), and - to drive, in a clocked manner, a first switching element (S1 - S10) of the two switching elements of the respective half bridge (U - Y) by driving using a second drive signal until the output voltage exceeds the upper threshold value (30U - 30W), after said output voltage previously fell below the lower threshold value (31U - 31W), - to switch on a first switching element (S1 - S10) of the two switching elements of the respective half bridge (U - Y) by driving using a first drive signal until the output voltage falls below a lower threshold value (31U - 31W), after said output voltage previously exceeded an upper threshold value (30U - 30W), and - to drive, in a clocked manner, a first switching element (S1 - S10) of the two switching elements of the respective half bridge (U - Y) by driving using a second drive signal until the output voltage exceeds the upper threshold value (30U - 30W), after said output voltage previously fell below the lower threshold value (31U - 31W),