Crash and rollover cutoff switch

A switching device comprising:

• a housing, an inertial member including a movable weight and guide means normally supporting the weight in the housing, the weight being freely movable relative to the guide means along a linear axis when the inertial member is inverted;
• means pivotally mounting the guide means in the housing with said linear axis normally extending vertically through the center of gravity of said weight, the guide means pivoting about a point offset from the center of gravity of the weight, whereby an accelerating force acting in a direction transverse to said linear axis causes the guide means and the weight to tilt as a unit about the pivot point and a force acting parallel to the linear axis moves the weight relative to the guide means along said axis;
• spring means urging the guide means into a predetermined angular position relative to the housing, the tilting of the guide means in any direction about the pivot point being resisted by the spring means;
• and means activating the switch means in response to movement of the weight with tilting of the guide means or movement of the weight along said axis.