Patent ID: 6109287
Filing Date: 2000-08-29
Classification: F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
A resettable earthquake valve installed in a gas supply line to close in response to movements resulting from an earthquake, said valve including a valve body having a hollow internal area, a plurality of selectively usable gas inlets in said body, a gas outlet in a lower portion of said body, said inlets and outlet communicating with said hollow internal area, an upwardly facing valve seat in said outlet, a ball valve in said hollow internal area, a laterally extending ball valve supporting and retaining ramp in said hollow internal area, said ramp being downwardly inclined towards said valve seat and including a terminal end adjacent the valve seat for gravitational movement of the ball valve from the ramp onto the valve seat to close said outlet in response to movements resulting from an earthquake of predetermined magnitude, said ball valve being magnetically attracted to said seat to retain the ball valve on the seat when subjected to subsequent earthquake movements, and a manually operated reset device mounted on the valve body to move the ball valve back onto the ramp after termination of earthquake movements.