Trigger mechanism for gas valving apparatus

Claim 2

A trigger mechanism of the type described comprising: a housing for said mechanism having a passage extending thereinto through which a shaft, the axial position of which is to be controlled by said mechanism, may be passed; pivotally movable lever means for engaging the end of the shaft extended through said passage; arming cam means for causing said lever means to be rotated into engagement with said shaft to obtain a displacement of said shaft to a predetermined position; a trigger cam means for engaging said lever means, after said lever means is rotated by said arming cam means, to thereby lock said lever means in engagement with the shaft and maintain the shaft in the predetermined position; actuating means coupled to said trigger cam means for causing said trigger cam means to disengage the end of said lever means in response to a force applied thereto; and means operatively coupled to the lever means for becoming constrained upon the rotation of the lever means into engagement with the shaft and for providing a rotation of the lever means out of engagement with the shaft when the actuating means is operated.

Claim 3

A trigger mechanism as recited in claim 1 wherein said arming cam means includes a roller means for engaging said lever means and providing a substantially frictionless contact therebetween.

Claim 4

A trigger mechanism as recited in claim 2 wherein said trigger cam means includes a roller means for engaging said lever means to produce a substantially frictionless engagement between said trigger cam means and said lever means.

Claim 5

A trigger mechanism as recited in claim 3 wherein said actuator means is a cable means having one end thereof in engagement with said trigger cam means, when the trigger cam means engages the lever means, for causing said trigger cam means to be moved out of engagement with said lever means in response to a predetermined pull force applied to the other end of said cable means.

Claim 6

The trigger mechanism set forth in claim 3 wherein the trigger cam means is rotatable on a pivot pin and wherein the pivot pin is disposed relative to the roller means on the trigger cam means to maintain the trigger cam means in engagement with the lever means.

Claim 7

A trigger mechanism as recited in claim 4 wherein said arming cam means includes means for attaching a removable force applying lever thereto.

Claim 8

A trigger mechanism as recited in claim 6 wherein said housing includes a circular base portion and wherein the circular base portion is rotatable to any position to provide for an engagement of the shaft by the lever means and an engagement of the lever means by the trigger cam means and to provide for a disengagement of the lever means by the trigger cam means when the actuating meaNs is operated.

Claim 9

A trigger cam mechanism as recited in claim 1 wherein said housing includes a circular base portion mounted for rotation through at least a full revolution and wherein the lever means, the arming cam means, the trigger cam means and the actuating means are disposed in the housing relative to the circular base portion to provide for an engagement of the shaft by the lever means and an engagement of the lever means by the trigger cam means and to provide for a disengagement of the lever means by the trigger cam means when the actuating means is operated.

Claim 10

In combination in a trigger mechanism for controlling the positioning of an actuatable member, a housing having an aperture for receiving the actuatable member, the housing being rotatable relative to the member on a particular axis to any rotary position, a member disposed within the housing and pivotable between first and second positions in any rotary position of the housing, the pivotable member being disposed in the first position, in any rotary position of the housing, in engaging relationship with the actuatable member to restrain the actuatable member against actuation in the first position and being movable to the second position, in any rotary position of the housing, to provide for an actuation of the actuatable member, first means within the housing, the first means being operatively coupled to the pivotable member in any rotary position of the housing for normally restraining the pivotable member in the first position and being actuatable to a second position away from the pivotable member to provide for a pivotal movement of the pivotable member to the second position, second means within the housing, the second means being operatively coupled to the first means in any rotary position of the housing for actuating the first means to the position away from the pivotable member to provide for the pivotable movement of the pivotable member to the second position, and third means responsive to the actuation of the first means to the position away from the pivotable member for providing for a movement of the pivotable member from the first position to the second position.

Claim 11

In combination in a trigger mechanism for controlling the positioning of an actuatable member, a housing having an aperture for receiving the actuatable member, the housing being rotatable relative to the member on a particular axis to any rotary position, a member disposed within the housing and pivotable between first and second positions in any rotary position of the housing, the pivotable member being disposed in the first position, in any rotary position of the housing, in engaging relationship with the actuatable member to restrain the actuatable member against actuation in the first position and being movable to the second position, in any rotary position of the housing, to provide for an actuation of the actuatable member, first means within the housing, the first means being operatively coupled to the pivotable member in any rotary position of the housing for normally restraining the pivotable member in the first position and being actuatable to a second position away from the pivotable member to provide for a pivotal movement of the pivotable member to the second position, second means within the housing, the second means being operatively coupled to the first means in any rotary position of the housing for actuating the first means to the position away from the pivotable member to provide for the pivotable movement of the pivotable member to the second position, and third means responsive to the actuation of the first means to the position away from the pivotable member for providing for a movement of the pivotable member from the first position to the second position.

Claim 12

In the combination set forth in claim 9, the first means including a cam positionable on the pivotable member, in any rotary position of the housing, to restrain the member in the first position and the second means including a ball engaging the cam, in any rotary position of the housing, in a relationship to pivot the cam away from the pivotable member upon actuation of the ball and further including a cable extending from the ball to provide for a pivoting of the cam from the pivotable member upon an actuation of the cable.

Claim 13

In combination in a triggering mechanism for controlling the positioning of an actuatable member, a housing, rotatable on a particular axis to any rotary position there being an opening in the housing for receiving the actuatable member in any rotary position of the housing, an actuation member disposed in the housing and movable between first and second positions and disposed in the first position, in any rotary position of the housing, in engagement with the actuatable member to restrain the actuatable member from actuation and movable to the second position, in any rotary position of the housing, for releasing the actuatable member for actuation, cam means disposed within the housing and pivotable between first and second positions and operative in the first position, in any rotary position of the housing, to restrain the actuation member in the first position and pivotable to the second position to release the actuation member for movement to the second position, means disposed within the housing and extending from the housing and actuatable, in any rotary position of the housing, to pivot the cam means from the first position to the second position, and means disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the actuaTion member, in any rotary position of the housing, for obtaining the movement of the actuation member from the first position to the second position when the cam means becomes pivoted from the first position to the second position.

Claim 14

In combination in a triggering mechanism for controlling the positioning of an actuatable member, a housing, rotatable on a particular axis to any rotary position there being an opening in the housing for receiving the actuatable member in any rotary position of the housing, an actuation member disposed in the housing and movable between first and second positions and disposed in the first position, in any rotary position of the housing, in engagement with the actuatable member to restrain the actuatable member from actuation and movable to the second position, in any rotary position of the housing, for releasing the actuatable member for actuation, cam means disposed within the housing and pivotable between first and second positions and operative in the first position, in any rotary position of the housing, to restrain the actuation member in the first position and pivotable to the second position to release the actuation member for movement to the second position, means disposed within the housing and extending from the housing and actuatable, in any rotary position of the housing, to pivot the cam means from the first position to the second position, and means disposed within the housing and operatively coupled to the actuaTion member, in any rotary position of the housing, for obtaining the movement of the actuation member from the first position to the second position when the cam means becomes pivoted from the first position to the second position.

Claim 15

In combination in a trigger mechanism for controlling the positioning of an actuatable member, a housing, there being an aperture in the housing for receiving the actuatable member, an actuation member extending across the aperture in the housing in engagement with the actuatable member and movable between the first and second positions, the actuation member being operative in the first position to restrain the actuatable member against actuation and being operative in the second position to release the actuatable member for actuation, cam means disposed in the housing and movable between first and second positions and operative in the first position to retain the actuation member in the first position and operative in the second position to release the actuation member for movement to the second position, means disposed in the housing and having properties of being operatively coupled to the actuation member for setting the actuation member to the first position and for retaining the member in the first position, after such setting, independently of the operation of the cam means, and control means extending into the housing and operatively coupled to the cam means in the first position of the cam means for obtaining, upon actuation, a movement of the cam means to the second position, the control means being removable from the housing and being replaceable with the cam means in the second position and with the setting means retaining the actuation member in the first position such that the actuatable member cannot be actuated during such replacement of the control means.

Claim 16

In combination in a trigger mechanism for controlling the positioning of an actuatable member, a housing, there being an aperture in the housing for receiving the actuatable member, an actuation member extending across the aperture in the housing in engagement with the actuatable member and movable between the first and second positions, the actuation member being operative in the first position to restrain the actuatable member against actuation and being operative in the second position to release the actuatable member for actuation, cam means disposed in the housing and movable between first and second positions and operative in the first position to retain the actuation member in the first position and operative in the second position to release the actuation member for movement to the second position, means disposed in the housing and having properties of being operatively coupled to the actuation member for setting the actuation member to the first position and for retaining the member in the first position, after such setting, independently of the operation of the cam means, and control means extending into the housing and operatively coupled to the cam means in the first position of the cam means for obtaining, upon actuation, a movement of the cam means to the second position, the control means being removable from the housing and being replaceable with the cam means in the second position and with the setting means retaining the actuation member in the first position such that the actuatable member cannot be actuated during such replacement of the control means.

Claim 17

The combination set forth in claim 12 wherein the setting means is movable to a position displaced from the actuation member in either the first position or the second position of the actuation member after the actuation member has been set to the first position.

Claim 18

The combination set forth in claim 13 wherein the housing is rotatable on a particular axis to any rotary position and wherein the actuation member, the setting means, the cam means and the control means rotate with the housing on the particular axis and the actuation member engages the actuatable member in the first position in any rotary disposition of the housing.

Claim 19

The combination set forth in claim 14 wherein the setting means is movable, in any rotary position of the housing, to a position displaced from the actuation member in either the first position or the second position of the actuation member after the actuation member has been set to the first position and wherein the control means includes a ball retained by the cam means in the first position and operative to move the cam means to the second position upon the actuation of the control means and further includes a cable extending from the ball and through the housing.

Claim 20

The combination set forth in claim 15 wherein the cam means and the setting means are disposed in their second positions to effectively cover the housing.

Claim 21

In the combination set forth in claim 12, the cam means being movable between the first and second positions, with the setting means in the first position, without affecting the disposition of the actuation member in the first position.

Claim 22

In combination in a trigger mechanism for controlling the positioning of an actuatable member, a housing having an aperture for receiving the actuatable member, the housing being rotatable relative to the member, a member disposed within the housing and pivotable between first and second positions, in any rotary position of the housing, the pivotable member being disposed, in any rotary position of the housing, in engaging relation with the actuatable member to restrain the actuatable member against actuAtion in the first position and to provide for an actuation of the actuatable member in the second position of the pivotable member, first means within the housing, the first means being operatively coupled to the pivotable member for normally restraining the pivotable member in the first position and actuatable to a position away from the pivotable member to provide for a pivotal movement of the pivotable member to the second position, and second means within the housing, the second means being operatively coupled to the first means for actuating the first means to the position away from the pivotable member to provide for the pivotal movement of the pivotable member to the second position, and third means for providing for a pivotal movement of the pivotable member from the second position to the first position to set the member for triggering, the third means being positionable in displaced relationship to the first means upon the setting of the member for triggering.

Claim 23

In combination in a trigger mechanism for controlling the positioning of an actuatable member, a housing having an aperture for receiving the actuatable member, the housing being rotatable relative to the member, a member disposed within the housing and pivotable between first and second positions, in any rotary position of the housing, the pivotable member being disposed, in any rotary position of the housing, in engaging relation with the actuatable member to restrain the actuatable member against actuAtion in the first position and to provide for an actuation of the actuatable member in the second position of the pivotable member, first means within the housing, the first means being operatively coupled to the pivotable member for normally restraining the pivotable member in the first position and actuatable to a position away from the pivotable member to provide for a pivotal movement of the pivotable member to the second position, and second means within the housing, the second means being operatively coupled to the first means for actuating the first means to the position away from the pivotable member to provide for the pivotal movement of the pivotable member to the second position, and third means for providing for a pivotal movement of the pivotable member from the second position to the first position to set the member for triggering, the third means being positionable in displaced relationship to the first means upon the setting of the member for triggering.

Claim 24

In the combination set forth in claim 18, the first means and the third means being disposed in their second positions, in any rotary position of the housing, to effectively cover the housing.

Claim 25

In the combination set forth in claim 18, the third means being movable between a first position engaging the movable member and a second position displaced from the movable member and being movable between the first and second positions, with the first means in the position operatively coupled to the first member, without affecting the disposition of the pivotable member in the first position.

Claim 26

In the combination set forth in claim 18, the first means and the third means being disposed in their second positions, in any rotary position of the housing, to effectively cover the housing.

Claim 27

In combination in a triggering mechanism for controlling the positioning of an actuatable member, a rotatable housing, there being an opening in the housing for receiving the actuatable member in any rotary position of the housing, an actuation member disposed in the housing and movable between first and second positions and disposed in the first position, in any rotary position of the housing, in engagement with the actuatable member to restrain the actuatable member from actuation and movable to the second position, in any rotary position of the housing, for releasing the actuatable member for actuation, cam means disposed within the housing and pivotable between first and second positions and operative in the first position to restrain the actuation member in the first position and pivotable to the second position to release the actuation member for movement to the second position, and means disposed within the housing and extending from the housing and actuatable to pivot the cam means from the first position to the second position, and means for setting the actuation member to the first position, such means being movable to engage the actuation member during the setting of the actuation member to the first position, after the setting of the actuation member to the first position, in displaced relationship to the actuation member in either the first or second positions of the actuation member.

Claim 28

In combination in a triggering mechanism for controlling the positioning of an actuatable member, a rotatable housing, there being an opening in the housing for receiving the actuatable member in any rotary position of the housing, an actuation member disposed in the housing and movable between first and second positions and disposed in the first position, in any rotary position of the housing, in engagement with the actuatable member to restrain the actuatable member from actuation and movable to the second position, in any rotary position of the housing, for releasing the actuatable member for actuation, cam means disposed within the housing and pivotable between first and second positions and operative in the first position to restrain the actuation member in the first position and pivotable to the second position to release the actuation member for movement to the second position, and means disposed within the housing and extending from the housing and actuatable to pivot the cam means from the first position to the second position, and means for setting the actuation member to the first position, such means being movable to engage the actuation member during the setting of the actuation member to the first position, after the setting of the actuation member to the first position, in displaced relationship to the actuation member in either the first or second positions of the actuation member.