Patent ID: 7968809

Claim:
A switching device for an electrical switchgear assembly for power distribution, the switching device comprising: a grounding function unit including a first moving control element selectably moveable to a first manual operation position; an isolation function unit including a second moving control element selectably moveable to a second manual operation position; and at least one electrically operated blocking element moveable between a nonblocking position and a blocking position as a function of safety information, wherein the blocking element in the blocking position blocks at least one of the first and second control elements from moving to the respective manual operation position, wherein the grounding function unit is selectable to a manual operation state by moving the first moving control element to the first manual operation position, wherein the isolation function unit function unit is selectable to a manual operation state by moving the second moving control element to the second manual operation position, and wherein when the manual operation state is selected for one of the grounding and isolation function units, selection of the other of the grounding and isolation functional units to the manual operation state is blocked by a respective one of the first and second moving control elements.