Device for closing or interrupting an electric alternating current arising on a line

A device for the closing or interrupting of an alternating current (I) arising on a line (1,2) at its zero passage, in which the current (I) is utilized for the supply of energy to a load (3), which closing or interrupting of the current (I) is provided by the activation of an electronic switching means (5) characterized in that the electronic switching means (5) is switched parallel to a mechanical contact (4a), a separate current source (11) connected to the switching means (5);

• the mechanical contact (4a) having a closed position to short circuit the switching means (5), a semiconductor element (5e) connected to the switching means (5) being electrically actuated by the current source (11) when the contact (4a) is in the closed position, said switching means (5) arranged to bring about a switching on or off of current to the load (3) at the zero passage (t.sub.2, t.sub.7) of the current, the mechanical contact (4a) being in the closed position during the switch-on time of the load, at the beginning (t.sub.3) of a short persistance time (t.sub.2 -t.sub.3), after the switching on of electronic switching means (t.sub.2), and for a short persistance time (t.sub.6 -t.sub.7) before the interruption (t.sub.8) of the electronic switching means, an electronic control device (14) connected to a pulse separating circuit (10) which in turn controls the element (5e), said device (14) activated by the pulse separating circuit (10) to actuate the current source (11) as well as a control device (12) for a relay (4) which operates the mechanical contact (4a), and wherein the current source (11) is a direct current.