A SWITCHING APPARATUS FOR ELECTRIC GRIDS

A switching apparatus for low or medium voltage electric grids, which comprises one or more electric poles. Each electric pole comprises:- an outer casing made of electrically insulating material and defining an internal volume of said electric pole;- a fixed contact assembly accommodated in the internal volume of said electric pole and comprising a fixed contact member formed by an electrically conductive tubular element extending along a longitudinal axis of said electric pole;- at least a movable contact assembly accommodated in the internal volume of said electric pole and hanging laterally relative to said fixed contact member;- an actuation member accommodated in the internal volume of said electric pole and formed by an electrically insulating hollow tubular element arranged coaxially and externally relative to said fixed contact member, so that said fixed contact member passes through said actuation member along said longitudinal axis. Said actuation member is slidingly movable along said fixed contact member.In particular, said actuation member is reversibly movable between a first actuation position and a second actuation position by sliding along said fixed contact member.When moving between said first and second actuation positions, said actuation member transiently couples to each trip mechanism to actuate said trip mechanism.