The invention relates to hedge shears which are driven by an electric motor and in the case of which the shaft for the drive of the shear blade is driven by a gear wheel which is in engagement with a pinion attached on the driving shaft of the drive motor, and between the driving shaft of the drive motor and the shear-blade drive there is provided a mechanical separating point which is designed as a coupling and is formed by the gear wheel, which is provided with coupling claws on its shear-blade-side surface, can be displaced axially on the shear-blade shaft counter to the force of a restoring spring and can rotate freely on said shaft, and by a driving plate which has counter-coupling claws and is firmly attached on the shear-blade shaft. Said hedge shears are to be improved to the effect that the coupling and uncoupling procedure between the driving shaft of the drive motor and the shear-blade drive is to take place so rapidly that danger of injury to the operator when the shear blades are coasting is virtually exluded. This is achieved in that the restoring spring is supported on the hub of the driving plate and the gear wheel driving the shear-blade shaft is provided with helical gearing which effects an axial force component which overcomes the force of the restoring spring when the drive motor is switched on and is smaller than the restoring force of said spring when the drive motor is switched off.
