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Water heater fail safe apparatus

  • US 6,543,471 B1
  • Filed: 06/18/2002
  • Issued: 04/08/2003
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/18/2002
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for automatedly shutting off a water supply to a leaking water heater, said apparatus comprising:

  • a) a water-collecting tray having a perimeter sidewall and adapted to be positioned beneath said water heater, b) an elongated rigid base strip attachable to said sidewall, c) a shut-off valve secured to said base strip and equipped with an operating lever, d) float means comprised of a buoyant head positioned within said tray, an elongated extension arm extending from said head to a distal extremity, a transverse arm extending orthogonally from said distal extremity and crossing over said sidewall, means for pivotally supporting said transverse arm, and a downwardly directed arm emergent from said transverse arm and terminating in a trigger extremity, e) an elongated coil spring having a normally contracted state and having a first end attached to said base strip at a site adjacent said buoyant head, and a second end directed toward said trigger extremity, f) holding means for securing the second end of said spring when said spring is forcefully stretched toward said trigger extremity, said holding means being interactive with said trigger extremity in a manner to release said spring when said buoyant head is elevated by virtue of flotation upon water collected in said tray, g) first tether means extending in engagement between the second end of said spring and the operating lever of said shut-off valve, h) guide means secured to said base strip for engaging said first tether in a manner causing said tether to have a sharply angled upward path directed toward said lever, and i) second tether means attached to the second end of said spring and extending to a distal end having means to facilitate manual gripping for exerting pulling force to extend said spring from its contracted to stretched state, whereby j) release of said stretched spring by said trigger extremity produces a pulling force upon said first tether means which moves said lever handle downwardly to a position representing closure of said shut-off valve.

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