A MEDIUM VOLTAGE SWITCHING APPARATUS

A switching apparatus comprising one or more electric poles.For each electric pole, the switching apparatus comprises a first pole terminal, a second pole terminal and a ground terminal. In operation, the first pole terminal can be electrically coupled to a first conductor of an electric line, the second pole terminal can be electrically coupled to a second conductor of said electric line and the ground terminal can be electrically coupled to a grounding conductor.For each electric pole, the switching apparatus comprises a plurality of fixed contacts spaced apart one from another. Such a plurality of fixed contacts comprises a first fixed contact electrically connected to the first pole terminal, a second fixed contact electrically connected to the second pole terminal, a third fixed contact electrically connected to the ground terminal and a fourth fixed contact electrically connectable with the second fixed contact.For each electric pole, the switching apparatus further comprises a movable contact, which is reversibly movable about a corresponding rotation axis according to opposite first and second rotation directions, so that said movable contact can be coupled to or uncoupled from one or more of the above-mentioned fixed contacts, and a vacuum interrupter comprising a vacuum chamber, in which a fixed arc contact and a movable arc contact are enclosed and can be coupled or decoupled.For each electric pole, the switching apparatus further comprises a motion transmission mechanism operatively coupled to the movable arc contact of said vacuum interrupter. The motion transmission mechanism is actuatable by the movable contact to cause a movement of said movable arc contact along said translation axis, when said movable contact moves about said rotation axis.