Patent ID: 8727306
Filing Date: 2014-05-20
Classification: B60P,F16K,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A valve handle for operating a valve having a projecting valve stem and a valve lock plate that extends transversely to such valve stem and includes one or more valve lock position notches along a portion of the outer periphery thereof, wherein the valve is installed in a construction that has associated therewith obstructions that extend parallel to the valve stem, the valve handle comprising: a longitudinal handle bar member having proximate and distal ends and end portions and an inner side, and including a socket opening extending into said distal end portion from said inner side thereof, said socket opening sized to be complementarily engageable with the valve stem of the valve; a longitudinal lock lever member extending adjacent to said handle bar member along said inner side thereof from near said proximate end of said handle bar member to a distance spaced below said socket opening in said distal end portion of said handle bar member, said lock lever member having proximate and distal ends and end portions, the distal end portion having an opening extending through the lock lever member; said handle bar member pivotally connected to said lock lever member at midpoints along the lengths of said handle bar and lock lever members; a biasing mechanism disposed along the lengths of said handle bar and lock lever members to normally bias said proximate end portion of said handle bar member away from said proximate end portion of said lock lever member and said distal end portion of said handle bar member towards said distal end portion of said lock lever member; said handle bar and lock lever members having intermediate corresponding offset bends formed therein along the lengths of said handle bar and lock lever members to define corresponding intermediate steps in said handle bar and lock lever members, with said distal end portions of said handle bar and lock lever members forming upper risers for said steps and said proximate end portions of said handle bar and lock lever members forming lower risers for said steps; said distal end portion of said lock lever member including an associated lever tip extending to below said socket opening in said handle bar member to be complementarily engageable with at least one of said valve lock position notches when said handle bar is in a desired position with said socket opening in said handle bar engaged with the valve stem, the lever tip having a pair of openings for alignment with the opening in the distal end of the lock lever member and the pair of openings and the opening in the distal end of the lock lever member for receiving a bolt for connecting the lever tip to the lock lever member; said proximate end portions of said handle bar and lock lever members configured and adapted to be grippable by a user and squeezable to overcome the biasing of said biasing mechanism to move said proximate end portion of said handle bar member towards said proximate end portion of said lock lever member and said distal end portion of said handle bar member away from said distal end portion of said lock lever member, said movement of said distal end portion of said handle bar member away from said distal end portion of said lock lever member being sufficient to move said lever tip associated with said lock lever member away from engagement with said valve lock position notches of the valve lock plate and permitting rotation of said handle bar member and the valve stem engaged by said socket opening of said handle bar member to a desired position to operate the valve; said proximate end portions of said handle bar and lock lever members being releasable by the user when said handle bar member and the valve stem engaged by said socket opening of said handle bar have been rotated to a desired position to operate the valve and said biasing mechanism operating upon such release to bias said proximate end portion of said handle bar member away from said proximate end portion of said lock lever member and said distal end portion of said handle bar member towards said distal end portion of said lock lever member to effect engagement of said lever tip associated with said lock lever member with a valve lock position notch; said offset bends sized and positioned along said handle bar and lock lever members to permit said valve handle to clear the obstructions associated with the construction in which the valve is installed when the valve handle is rotated to operate the valve.