fig1 shows a section through an encapsulating housing 1 . in the present case , the encapsulating housing 1 is in the form of a cast aluminum housing , wherein the encapsulating housing 1 has a first flange 2 , a second flange 3 , a third flange 4 and a fourth flange 5 . the flanges 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 are each in the form of annular flanges , wherein in each case two flanges are aligned coaxially with respect to one another and are arranged at opposite ends of the encapsulating housing 1 . thus , the first and second flanges 2 , 3 are aligned coaxially with respect to one another and the third and fourth flanges 4 , 5 are aligned coaxially with respect to one another . coaxial axes of the first and second and third and fourth flanges 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 are in this case aligned with respect to one another in such a way that they intersect one another . preferably , the coaxial axes should in this case intersect one another at a right angle , with the result that the encapsulating housing is in the form of a so - called cross module . connecting tubes which adjoin the flanges 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 and merge with one another extend in the direction of the point of intersection of the coaxial axes . the encapsulating housing 1 thus forms an accommodating area in its interior . the flanges 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 can be closed by fluid - tight disk insulators , for example , with the result that the interior of the encapsulating housing 1 can be filled with an electrically insulating fluid . such a fluid is , for example , an electrically insulating gas , such as sulfur hexafluoride , nitrogen or another electrically insulating gas . preferably , the fluid should be arranged in the interior of the encapsulating housing 1 under an elevated pressure . a first active conductor run 6 and a second active conductor run 7 pass through the encapsulating housing 1 . the first active conductor run 6 extends in the direction of the coaxial axis of the first and second flange 2 , 3 . the second active conductor run 7 extends in the direction of the coaxial axis of the third and fourth flange 4 , 5 . the first and second active conductor runs 6 , 7 are in electrically conductive contact with one another , with the result that all of the conductor runs 6 , 7 passing through the respective flanges 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 can have the same electrical potential . the active conductor runs 6 , 7 are mounted in such a way as to be electrically insulated with respect to the encapsulating housing 1 ( for example via disk insulators closing the flanges 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 ). a first movable active conductor 8 is arranged in the first active conductor run 6 . the first active conductor 8 is part of the first active conductor run 6 and makes it possible to form an isolating point over the course of the first active conductor run 6 . the first active conductor run can be divided in a first section 6 a and a second section 6 b via the isolating distance which can be produced by the first movable active conductor 8 . for this purpose , the first active conductor 8 is capable of moving relative to the second active conductor run 7 and to the first and second sections 6 a , 6 b . furthermore , a second movable active conductor 9 is provided . the second movable active conductor 9 is connected in dc - isolated fashion to the first active conductor run 6 and is capable of moving relative to the first active conductor run 6 . in addition to the first and second active conductor runs 6 , 7 and first active conductors and second active conductors 8 , 9 shown in fig1 , further active conductor runs and further movable active conductors can also be positioned within the encapsulating housing 1 . these can have a configuration similar to that of the active conductor runs and active conductors shown in the figure , for example , and can be arranged one behind the other with respect to the plane of the drawing , for example . the encapsulating housing 1 with the active conductor runs 6 , 7 and the active conductors 8 , 9 represents a switching device arrangement . the second active conductor run 7 is permanently connected in dc - isolated fashion and therefore electrically conductively to the second section 6 b of the first active conductor run 6 . a deflecting housing 10 acting as a dielectric barrier is arranged on the first section 6 a of the first active conductor run 6 . the deflecting housing 10 is manufactured from an electrically conductive material , for example , and is configured so as to be connected in dc - isolated fashion to the first active conductor run 6 . an accommodating area is provided in the interior of the deflecting housing in order to be able to accommodate , at least partially , the first and second active conductors 8 , 9 . a movement of the two active conductors 8 , 9 can in this case be provided in such a way that it is only possible for the second active conductor 9 to move out of the deflecting housing 10 when the first active conductor 8 has been withdrawn into the deflecting housing 10 or , conversely , a movement of the first active conductor 8 out of the deflecting housing 10 is only possible when the second active conductor 9 has been withdrawn into the deflecting housing 10 . in order to couple in a movement , an electrically insulating shaft 11 is mounted on the deflecting housing 10 . the shaft 11 is mounted rotatably and is used for coupling in a rotary movement in the interior of the deflecting housing 10 onto the movable active conductors 8 , 9 . a deflecting gear mechanism is arranged within the accommodating area of the deflecting housing 10 . the first movable active conductor 8 serves to produce an isolating distance between the first and second sections 6 a , 6 b of the first active conductor run 6 . the second movable active conductor 9 serves to make electrical contact between the first section 6 a of the first active conductor run 6 and the potential of the encapsulating housing 1 . the encapsulating housing 1 generally conducts ground potential . a mating contact 12 is integrally formed on encapsulating housing 1 , with it being possible for the second movable active conductor 9 to be moved into said mating contact . in order to make electrical contact between the two sections 6 a , 6 b of the first active conductor run 6 , a mating contact 13 for the first active conductor 8 is arranged in the second section 6 b of the first active conductor run 6 . the mating contacts 12 , 13 are each in the form of bushes , whereas the movable active conductors 8 , 9 are in the form of pins . the shaft 11 is dimensioned such that it passes through the encapsulating housing 1 at least at one point . fig2 shows a perspective illustration of the encapsulating housing 1 . the shaft 11 passes through a wall of the encapsulating housing 1 . for this purpose , the shaft 11 is inserted into a fluid - tight bearing and sealed . the point at which the shaft 11 passes through the encapsulating housing 1 is surrounded by a sealing face 14 . the sealing face 14 runs peripherally in intrinsically closed fashion and , in the present case , has a substantially rectangular contour , with the corners of the rectangular contour being rounded off . the sealing face 14 is arranged , for example , on an elevation on an outer surface of the encapsulating housing 1 . in the present case , this elevation is shaped so as to drop away in the form of a wedge , wherein the shaft 11 is completely surrounded by the sealing face 14 . the elevation has different heights in radial directions . bearing points 15 a , 15 b , 15 c , 15 d are arranged within the region surrounded by the sealing face 14 . the bearing points 15 a , 15 b , 15 c , 15 d are configured , for example , as cast - on portions on the encapsulating housing 1 , in which blindhole - like cutouts are introduced which are provided with threads , with the result that an adaptor plate can be fixed to these bearing points 15 a , 15 b , 15 c , 15 d by means of threaded bolts , for example . a turning axis 16 is arranged in such a way as to be aligned radially with respect to the axis of the shaft 11 . the turning axis 16 acts as axis of symmetry which runs through the axis of the shaft 11 at right angles . a first abutment point 17 a and a second abutment point 17 b are arranged in mirror - symmetrical fashion with respect to the turning axis 16 . an accommodating shaft into which a drive device can be inserted is delimited by the peripheral sealing face 14 . fig3 and 4 now show two installation variants of a drive device in the drive shaft shown in fig2 . fig3 and 4 illustrate a plan view of the axis 11 , with the axis of the shaft 11 protruding from the respective plane of the drawing perpendicularly . a first adaptor plate 18 a is placed on the bearing points 15 a , 15 b , 15 c , 15 d . a gear mechanism 19 is attached to the first adaptor plate 18 a . the gear mechanism 19 can be moved via an electric motor drive 20 . the electric motor drive 20 acts , via a large number of toothed gears which step down a rotary movement of the electric motor drive 20 , on a shaft which is connected , via journals , to a laterally movable toothed rack 21 . the toothed rack 21 is guided in the manner of a carriage on a mount which is held in a bracket 22 , which is connected at a fixed angle to a chassis of the gear mechanism 19 . the toothed gears of the gear mechanism 19 and the toothed rack 21 are moving parts of the gear mechanism 19 . the shaft 11 is provided with a toothed portion , with which a toothed gear 23 mounted on the encapsulating housing 1 independently of the gear mechanism 19 engages . in addition to the toothed gear 23 being coupled to the toothed portion of the shaft 11 , the toothed gear 23 is in engagement with the toothed portion of the toothed rack 21 , with the result that , in the event of a lateral movement of the toothed rack 21 over the toothed gear 23 , the lateral movement is converted into a rotary movement of the shaft 11 , i . e . the movable toothed rack 21 provides the output movement of the gear mechanism 19 , with this movement being coupled into the shaft 11 indirectly via the toothed gear 23 . in a corresponding design configuration , it is also possible to dispense with the use of a toothed gear 23 and for the toothed rack 21 to be coupled directly to the shaft 11 . switching position indicator devices 24 a , 24 b are arranged on both sides of the turning axis 16 . the switching position indicator devices 24 a , 24 b indicate the switching positions of the movable active conductors 8 , 9 outside the encapsulating housing 1 . in this case , one of the switching position indicator devices 24 a is associated with the first active conductor 8 and the other switching position indicator device 24 b is associated with the second active conductor 9 . the switching position indicator devices 24 a , 24 b operate mechanically , with movements being coupled out of the gear mechanism 19 and being transferred to movable indicator elements of the switching position indicator devices 24 a , 24 b . furthermore , the switching position indicator devices 24 a , 24 b can be provided with imaging contacts , with the result that an electrical evaluation of information from the switching position indicator devices 24 a , 24 b is also possible . fig4 now shows a gear mechanism 19 which has been rotated about the turning axis 16 through 180 °, wherein a second adaptor plate 18 b is used for positioning the gear mechanism 19 , said second adaptor plate being connected to the bearing points 15 a , 15 b , 15 c , 15 d , and the gear mechanism 19 being coupled to said adaptor plate . owing to the position of the turning axis 16 radially with respect to the axis of the shaft 11 , fig4 now shows that part of the gear mechanism 19 which is remote from the viewer in fig3 . conversely , fig3 shows that part of the gear mechanism which is remote from the viewer in fig4 . owing to the asymmetrical position of the laterally movable toothed rack 21 with respect to the turning axis 16 in the neutral position , the toothed gear 23 has been transferred from abutment point 17 b to abutment point 17 a , with the result that central contact of the meshing toothed gear 23 in relation to the lateral extent of the toothed rack 21 is provided now in the neutral position of the gear mechanism 19 and therefore the neutral position of the active conductors 8 , 9 , as shown in fig1 . by virtue of the gear mechanism 19 turning about the turning axis 16 , a change in the sense of direction with respect to the first direction and the second direction is provided , which can be picked off at the movable toothed rack 21 . it is thus possible to provide a reversal of the sense of direction at the shaft 11 whilst maintaining the same structural design and maintaining the same electrical configuration for the driving of the electric motor drive 20 . the position of the gear mechanism 19 with respect to the turning axis 16 can be reversed repeatedly . by turning the gear mechanism 19 through 180 ° about the turning axis 16 , the sense of direction of the movement output at the shaft 11 is reversed , with the structural design of the gear mechanism being maintained . as a result , a dual design of different gear mechanisms for reversing the direction of rotation is avoided . a covering hood provided with a mirror - inverted sealing face can be placed onto the sealing face 14 , with the result that assemblies such as the transmission 19 , the gearwheel 23 etc . which are arranged within the accommodating shaft of the encapsulating housing 1 are protected from external influences .