Importance

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Abstract

A vertical shock responsive fluid valve assembly capable of automatically closing a fluid valve in response to earthquake forces or other shock forces of a predetermined magnitude. The vertical shock responsive valve assembly has a flow control mechanism having a cradle that holds a movable ball in a recess at a point perpendicular in relation to a horizontal base plate, where the ball can be rotated 360.degree. in any direction during seismic actions or other shock forces and rolls out of its recess at a predetermined force such that it ricochets off a housing cover covering the cradle and pushes a trip fork mechanism having elongated walls to provide additional leverage when the force strikes the trip fork mechanism that is mounted on a pivoting mechanism, thereby releasing a swing arm which has a disc on the end that functions as a plug for the hole in the valve body to interrupt gas or fluid flow therein. A normally open magnetic switch is mounted to the mechanism at a location where its magnetic field is adjacent the valve seat. The disc contains a magnet which causes the normally open magnetic switch to close when the mechanism is tripped and the disc comes in contact with the valve seat to shut off the flow of fluid. The closed magnetic switch sends a signal to the detecting means to provide an alert that the valve has been closed.

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First Claim