Automatic irrigation valve with damping device

Claim 1

IN AN IRRIGATION VALVE ADAPTED TO BE ACTUATED BY A DROP IN PRESSURE OF WATER SUPPLIED THERETO, A VALVE CASING MEMBER HAVING AN INLET AND AN OUTLET, A VALVE MEMBER BIASED TOWARD A CLOSED POSITION CLOSING THE OUTLET FROM THE INLET AND URGED BY WATER PRESSURE AT THE INLET TOWARD AN OPEN POSITION IN WHICH THE WATER MAY FLOW FROM THE INLET TO THE OUTLET, BLOCKING MEANS HAVING A BLOCKING POSITION IN WHICH THE VALVE MEMBER IS URGED AGAINST THE BLOCKING MEANS, THE BLOCKING MEANS ALSO BEING MOVABLE FROM THE BLOCKING POSITION THEREOF TO A SECOND POSITION PERMITTING MOVEMENT OF THE VALVE MEMBER TO THE OPEN POSITION THEREOF, AND MEANS RESPONSIVE TO A DROP IN WATER PRESSURE AT THE INLET TO MOVE THE BLOCKING MEANS FROM ITS BLOCKING POSITION TO ITS SECOND POSITION SO THAT FORCE ON THE BLOCKING MEANS FROM THE VALVE MEMBER IS RELIEVED AS THE BLOCKING MEANS IS SO MOVED.