Tilt alarm for tractor vehicle or the like

Claim 1

In a tractor like vehicle, suitable for use on lawns, gardens and the like, and including motive means for driving the tractor like vehicle by a person operating same, the improvement comprising a special tilt alarm means for warning the operator when the vehicle is tilted in any direction beyond a predetermined desired angle of warning, said tilt alarm means including, mounting and housing means for supporting the tilt alarm on the vehicle, a swinging pendulum magnet means operative in generally any direction, upon swinging a predetermined amount away from its normal disposition, to cause actuation of the tilt alarm, viscous damping fluid means, around said swinging means, for damping the movement of the swinging means to guard against premature actuation, said fluid means being non-mercury, warning indicator means for providing a warning to said operator upon said actuation caused by the swinging means, electrical circuit means for operatively interconnecting the swinging means and the warning indicator means to enable actuation of said indicator means when said swinging means swings said predetermined amount away from its normal disposition, said circuit means including a reed switch means generally oriented vertically such that the longitudinal axis of the reed switch and the swinging means are generally in line with one another, said reed switch means being activated when said swinging means swings said predetermined amount away from its normal disposition to thereby actuate said indicator means.