Patent ID: 7114698

Claim:
A locking assembly for a valve having a valve member rotatable within a valve body between open and closed positions by a handle, the locking assembly comprising: a shroud adapted to engage the valve body and cover at least a portion of the handle and to inhibit movement of the handle when engaged with the valve body and handle; a hole in the shroud adapted to be aligned with a hole in the handle when the shroud is engaged with the valve body and when the shroud is covering at least a portion of the handle; and a lock having a body and a post releasably engaged with the lock body, the post being adapted to be inserted through the aligned shroud hole and handle hole when the shroud is engaged with the valve body and covering at least a portion of the handle the post being substantially concealed within the aligned holes to inhibit access to the post when inserted into the holes, the lock inhibiting removal of the shroud from the valve when installed thereon.