Fire extinguisher

Claim 1

For use in a fire extinguisher, a valve assembly adapted to be mounted on one end of said container, said valve assembly comprising a valve body, said valve body having an axially extending opening, one end of said opening communicating with the interior of the container, said body having a laterally extending outlet opening communicating with said axial extending opening, a plunger positioned in said axially extending opening, said plunger having a head at one end, sealing means on said head engaging one end of said body for providing a seal, the other end of said plunger extending outwardly and externally of said body, and spring means externally of said body acting on said plunger and yieldingly urging said plunger head and said seal against said valve body to close communication between the interior of the container and the outlet opening, and a lever movably mounted on said valve body and adapted to engage said spring means for moving said plunger axially inwardly and thereby providing communication between the interior of the container and the outlet opening, spring means comprising a leaf spring having one end thereof fixed with respect to said body and the other end thereof engaging said plunger, said leaf spring being generally J-shaped including a short leg and a long leg, the short leg thereof being fixed to said body and the long leg thereof extending toward and engaging said plunger, said lever being pivoted to said body and has a portion thereof engaging said leaf spring intermediate its ends along the long leg of said spring spaced from the end thereof which engages said plunger, the pivotal mounting of said lever being such that said portion of said lever engaging said spring moves along said spring as the lever pivots with respect to said body.