Gas-insulated high-voltage switch for interruption of large currents

1. A gas-insulated high-voltage switch for the interruption of large currents, the switch comprising:

a housing filled with insulating gas;

a contact arrangement which is arranged in the housing and has two switching pieces which are configured to be moved relative to one another along an axis, each of the switching pieces having a rated current contact and an arcing contact, respectively;

a drive configured to act on a first of the two switching pieces; and

a device configured to detect and indicate a contact wear of the two arcing contacts of the two switching pieces caused by an action of an arc, the device including an indicator arranged outside the housing,

wherein, when the contact arrangement is closed, the two arcing contacts butt against one another head-to-head at a free end while forming an abutment point,

wherein the arcing contact of a second one of the switching pieces is mounted to be moved axially against the action of a pre-loaded spring and carry an axially aligned operating element at the end thereof facing away from the abutment point, and

wherein the device includes a transmission mechanism which is fed through the housing in a gas-tight manner and a drive member which is coupled to the operating element.

2. The switch as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the transmission mechanism includes a shaft which is fed through a wall of the housing in a gas-tight manner, theshaft having a first end which lies within the housing and is connected to the drive member, and a second end which lies outside the housing and is connected to an indicating element of the indicator.

3. The switch as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the drive member is subjected to a reset force and is supported on the operating element against the reset force when the contact arrangement is closed.

4. The switch as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the drive member comprises a two-arm lever rigidly connected to the shaft,

wherein a first arm of the lever is subjected to the reset force, and

wherein a second arm of the lever is supported on the operating element when the contact arrangement is closed and on a fixed stop when the contact arrangement is open.

5. The switch as claimed in claim 4 , wherein the transmission mechanism includes a bearing block arranged in the housing, the bearing block having mounted therein the operating element and a sliding body which transmits the reset force so that the operating element and the sliding body are configured to be moved axially,

wherein the shaft is pivotably mounted in the bearing block.

6. The switch as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the drive member comprises a single-arm lever which is subjected to the reset force, the arm of lever being supported on the operating element when the contact arrangement is closed and on a fixed stop when the contact arrangement is open.

7. The switch as claimed in claim 6 , comprising:

a yoke spring retained on the housing, the yoke spring being supported on the shaft and configured to produce the reset force.

8. The switch as claimed in claim 6 , wherein the transmission mechanism includes a bearing block arranged in the housing, the bearing block having the operating element mounted therein so that the operating element is configured to be moved axially, and

wherein the shaft is pivotably mounted in the bearing block.

9. The switch as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the arcing contact of the second one of the switching pieces is mounted to be moved in the housing in an opposite direction to fix rated current contact of the second switching piece.