PYROTECHNIC CIRCUIT BREAKER

The invention relates to a pyrotechnic current breaker (1) for severing a bus bar (2), comprising a first detonator (7) for passive tripping and a second detonator (14) for active tripping. Both act on a severing piston (9), which severs the bus bar (2) at at least one severing point (5a, 5b) in the event of tripping. The first detonator (7) is connected, by means of two conductors (8a, 8b), to the two sides of a fuse, through which the current through the bus bar (2) flows, while the second detonator (14) has contacts (15a, 15b) for the connecting of an external tripping device. According to the invention, one of the Iwo detonators, preferably the first detonator (7), is disposed in the severing piston (9). The fuse is preferably formed integrally with the bus bar (2), the fuse being formed either by the severing point(s) (5a, 5b) or by a weakened region between two severing points (5a, 5b). It can easily be provided that, in the event of tripping, at least one conductor (8a, 8b) is interrupted in order to prevent an arc in the first detonator (7), e.g. by virtue of the fact that at least one conductor (8a, 8b) is disposed in the path of motion of the severing piston (9).