Patent ID: 8061380

Claim:
A tripper unit for actuating a device upon contact with water, said tripping unit comprising: a housing adapted to be positioned substantially on a surface susceptible to a water leak, said housing being positioned to allow the flow of water from said surface to said housing; a hollow, cartridge mounted in said housing; a water reactive material across at least one end of said hollow cartridge, the integrity and strength of said material weakening when contacted by water; and a plunger positioned so that the lower end of said plunger rests on and is supported by said water reactive material across said at least one end of said cartridge when said material is dry, said plunger being free to move into said cartridge when said water reactive material comes into contact with water; and a compression spring positioned in said housing to normally bias said plunge downward onto said water reactive material when is a non-actuated position and to force said plunger downward into said hollow cartridge to actuate said unit when said water reactive material comes into contact with water.