Abstract: A vacuum breaker operator in which a breaker closing drive spring is charged by a charging mechanism including a drive lever mounted on a drive shaft coupled to compress the spring as the lever is rotated. A drive gear is rotatively mounted on the drive shaft. Coupling means couple the drive gear to rotate the drive shaft to rotate the lever and charge the spring during a charging operation and decouple the driven gear during a spring discharging operation. A drive linkage is coupled to said spring and serves to close the breaker when the spring is discharged. An opening spring is coupled to said drive lever linkage and adapted to be charged by the drive spring and provides the energy for opening the breaker. A reciprocating pawl drives the driven gear from a power source and means are provided for disengaging the pawl when the drive spring is charged allowing the pawl to engage the gear when the spring is discharged whereby the gear can be rotated to recharge the drive spring after a discharging operation.