Patent ID: 9657865
Date: 2017-05-23
CPC Classifications: F16K,G05G

Claim:
1. An apparatus for actuating a valve assembly, the apparatus comprising: an actuation lever having a first lever portion and a second lever portion, the actuation lever pivotally connected to the valve assembly at the first lever portion, and the second lever portion operated such that the actuation lever pivots between a first lever position and a second lever position, wherein, in the first lever position, the first lever portion disengages the valve assembly to prevent fluid flow through the valve assembly, and wherein, in the second lever position, the first lever portion engages the valve assembly to permit fluid flow through the valve assembly; a safety latch having a first latch portion and a second latch portion, the safety latch pivotally connected to the actuation lever at a pivot point, the pivot point arranged between the first lever portion and the second lever portion, the safety latch configured to pivot between a first latch position and a second latch position, wherein, in the first latch position, the actuation lever is in the first lever position, the second latch portion covers at least a portion of the second lever portion, and the first latch portion is configured to prevent the actuation lever from pivoting from the first lever position to the second lever position, and wherein, in the second latch position, the second latch portion is lifted away from the second lever portion and the actuation lever is in the second lever position; and a biasing member engaged between the actuation lever and the safety latch and configured to bias the actuation lever to the first lever position and the safety latch to the first latch position, wherein the safety latch is configured such that, when the second lever portion of the actuation lever is depressed to the second lever position, the second latch portion is further lifted away from the second lever portion to move to the second latch position.