Abstract: A dry pipe valve accelerator is operative for quickening the operation of a dry pipe valve in a dry sprinkler system in order to hasten the delivery of water throughout the system in response to the operation of one or more sprinkler heads of the system. The accelerator is automatically actuated in response to a slight but significant rate of decay in system gas pressure, such as is caused by the operation of a sprinkler head of the system; and when the accelerator is actuated, an exhaust valve element thereof is moved from a closed position to an open position wherein the accelerator provides an interconnection between the pressurized portion of the system and the intermediate chamber of the dry pipe valve to effect the opening of the latter.