Importance

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Abstract

An inflator according to the present invention comprises a valve body having a replaceable pressure cartridge that is pierced by a piercing pin is operated by an actuating lever to inflate an attached object. The valve body is mounted in a protective housing, and a lanyard carried by the actuating lever extends through an opening in the housing. The lanyard carries an indicia member that emerges from the housing when the handle is pulled to actuate the valve to provide a visible reminder that the cartridge has been discharged and needs replacing. The piercing pin slides in a sleeve slidable in a piercing pin chamber. A spring biases the piercing pin into engagement with the actuating lever. The lever is pivotable from stored to actuated positions to force the pin to pierce the pressure cartridge. An interlock comprising interengageable locking surfaces of the actuator lever and on the pin prevent movement of the lever from actuated position unless the discharged cartridge has been removed. Once the cartridge has been removed, a lockout pin projects into the cartridge chamber to obstruct the insertion of a fresh cartridge until the actuator lever retracts the pin upon return to its stored position. The actuator lever is retained in its stored position by a spring mounted to the actuator lever which releasably engages the housing, and the lanyard is looped through the spring.

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First Claim