Patent ID: 7216667

Claim:
A valve opening/closing handle lock mechanism engaged on a valve which opens and closes a flow passage ( 2 ), said valve having an opening/closing valve handle ( 1 ) rotatably engaged on a handle installation portion ( 3 ) fixed on the flow passage ( 2 ) to open and close the flow passage ( 2 ), said valve opening/closing handle lock mechanism comprising: a cap ( 4 ) having, a horizontal top wall, an annular side wall perpendicular to the top wall and an open bottom, wherein the side wall extends over the valve handle ( 1 ) down to and over the handle installation portion ( 3 ), wherein the top wall has a hole ( 5 ) therethrough from which a portion of the valve handle ( 1 ) projects through; and wherein when the side wall is fixed to the handle installation portion ( 3 ) with the valve handle ( 1 ) projecting through the hole ( 5 ), the valve handle ( 1 ) cannot be rotated relative to the handle installation portion ( 3 ).