Elektrisk bryter, sµrlig lastbryter eller elektrisk effektbryter

Electric circuit breaker or load switch, comprising a housing (21), at least one pair of contacts consisting of a fixed contact (23) and a movable contact (24) which can assume a first and second position relative to the fixed contact (23). A spring system, made up of a rigid arm (33) and a leaf spring (30), which leaf spring (30) is hinged by one end (32) to the arm (33), such that an arm-leaf spring assembly in the form of a toggle mechanism with a first (31) and second end (34) is formed. The first end (31) of this toggle mechanism is hinged to a movably supported element (25) having the movable contact (24), and the second end (34) is disposed hingedly supported at a distance from and opposite the fixed contact (23). Control means (37, 40) act upon the arm-leaf spring assembly for taking the contacts (23, 24) into the first and/or second position, in which the leaf spring (30) is released or tensioned, and latching means (45) are provided for locking the contacts (23, 24) in the first and/or second position. The rotatably disposed second end (34) of the arm-leaf spring assembly, the fixed contact (23) and the movable element (25) are positioned in such a manner relative to each other that the arm-leaf spring assembly both in the first and in the second position of the contacts (23, 24) assumes a relatively deflected position with respect to the situation in which the arm (33) and leaf spring (30) lie virtually in line with each other, with the result that the connection length of the switch is effectively reduced.