Earthquake-responsive fuel shut-off device
OwnerJoseph F. Poff, Jerry W. Poffinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A master valve adapted for insertion in a fuel line to be controlled and a fluid-pressure-responsive actuator responsive to fuel line pressure for maintaining the valve in open position against the resistance of a valve-closing spring; and a normally closed earth-movement-responsive auxiliary valve connected to the fuel line and the aforesaid actuator and functioning in response to a predetermined minimum severity earthquake to open the auxiliary valve and equalize the pressure in the actuator to effect closing of the master valve by its closing spring.
Claims6
An earthquake-responsive fuel shut-off device adapted for insertion in a fuel line connected to a fuel source under pressure comprising:
- a main valve and a fluid-pressure-responsive actuator therefor maintaining said valve in fluid flow open position in response to a fuel-line-imposed pressure differential and including means biasing said valve to flow shut-off position in the absence of said differential;
- means providing a fluid-line-connected passage to said actuator for placing said line pressure in opposition to and equalizing said pressure differential to effect closing of said valve by said biasing means;
- a second valve in said passage movable between open and closed positions therein;
- a spring urging said valve to open position;
- a member having a position engaged with and supporting said valve in closed position against the urge of said spring;
- and
- an earth-movement-responsive actuator connected to and displacing said member from its said position in response to a predetermined minimum severity earthquake, thus permitting opening of said valve.
An earthquake-responsive fuel shut-off device adapted for insertion in a fuel line connected to a fuel source under pressure comprising:
- a main valve and a fluid-pressure-responsive actuator therefor maintaining said valve in fluid flow open position in response to a fuel-line-imposed pressure differential and including means biasing said valve to flow shut-off position in the absence of said differential;
- means providing a fluid-line-connected passage to said actuator for placing said line pressure in opposition to and equalizing said pressure differential to effect closing of said valve by said biasing means;
- a second valve in said passage movable between open and closed positions and biased for movement to open position;
- a pendulum mounted to swing in response to a predetermined severity earthquake;
- and
- means connecting said pendulum and second valve and holding the latter in closed position against its bias in an undisturbed pendant position of said pendulum and releasing said second valve upon predetermined displacement of said pendulum to permit movement of said second valve to open position under its bias and consequent closing of said main valve.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.