Patent ID: 6880797

Claim:
A safety tap comprising: a valve body having a longitudinal axis and a transverse outer body portion; the valve body having an inlet, an outlet and a valve seat located therebetween in communication therewith; a valve element slidably extending through the outer body portion along the longitudinal axis for axial movement to block the valve seat in a tap closed position and unblock the valve seat in a tap open position; bias means for urging the valve element toward the closed position; a handle pivotally connected to the valve element outside the valve body, the handle having a distal portion and a fulcrum portion transversely spaced from the valve element, so that pivoting of the handle toward the fulcrum portion causes the fulcrum portion to engage the outer body portion and lever the valve element toward the tap open position; a safety lever pivotally mounted on the handle, the safety lever having a locking arm located outwardly of the handle fulcrum portion and extending generally parallel to the valve element to engage the outer body portion, the locking arm being spaced sufficiently outwardly of the handle fulcrum portion generally to prevent tap opening pivotal movement of the handle distal portion; the safety lever also having an actuator arm spaced from the handle distal portion, so that squeezing together the handle distal portion and the safety lever actuator arm causes the safety lever locking arm to pivot out of engagement with the outer body portion allowing the handle to be pivoted to open the safety tap; and means for biasing the safety lever locking arm into engagement with the outer body portion.