Shake or vibration activated valve operating mechanism

Claim 1

A vibration or shake activated mechanism for operating a valve having a body with inlet and outlet ports and a valve disk rotatably mounted in the valve body for movement between open and closed position, the mechanism comprising: spring means connected between the valve body and the valve disk to exert biasing force to rotatably urge the valve disk toward its said closed position, trigger arm means pivotally mounted at a pivot point for pivotal movement relative to the valve body, catch means comprising a catch tongue on an inner end portion of the trigger arm means and spaced from said pivot point for engagement with the valve disk to retain the valve disk in its said open position against the urging of said spring, the trigger arm means and the pivot point providing for vertical and horizontal pivoting of the trigger arm means, the valve disk having an arm portion defining a corner having mutually perpendicular generally vertical surfaces, the catch tongue comprising two portions at right angles to each other, one extending generally transversely of the trigger arm means and the other extending longitudinally of the arm, and an inertial mass mounted on an end portion of the trigger arm means opposite from the catch tongue and spaced from the pivot means in the direction opposite from the catch tongue, the mass providing inertial resistance to such shake or vibration for relative movement between the mass means and the valve body to disengage the catch means from the valve disk to release the valve disk to rotate to its closed position under the urging of said spring.