Patent ID: 8461469

Claim:
A drive apparatus for a tensioning shaft of a spring energy drive of an electric switch, the drive apparatus comprising: a kinematic chain for connecting a drive element to the tensioning shaft, and a control element, wherein a first link of the kinematic chain, which first link is capable of being coupled to the tensioning shaft in rotationally fixed fashion, and a second link of the kinematic chain, which second link is arranged coaxially with respect to the first link and is capable of rotating under the force of the drive element, are coupled to one another in at least one of a form-fitting manner and a force-fitting manner by a coupling element, and wherein the coupling element is movable by the control element acting on one of the two links in such a way that the coupling between this link and the other of the two links is released when a predetermined first angular position of the first link is reached and is produced again when a predetermined second angular position of the first link is overshot, wherein the coupling element is capable of moving in the radial direction of the tensioning shaft.