Patent ID: 6874758

Claim:
In combination with a valve having a stem rotatable about an axis, a handle assembly comprising: a noncircular axially extending formation centered on the axis and fixed on the stem; a retaining element fixed to the stem and formed centered on the axis with an array of axially extending and radially deflectable tongues axially offset from the stem formation and having radially outwardly directed bumps of a predetermined diameter, and a screwthread of predetermined axial length axially offset from the stem formation and from the tongues and of an outside diameter at least equal to the bump diameter; and a handle having a hub formed with a hole fittable axially over the retaining element and formed inside the hole with a screwthread complementary to the retaining-element screwthread, a handle formation complementary to and fittable axially with the stem formation and offset from the handle screwthread by a distance greater than the retaining-element screwthread axial length, and a radially inwardly open groove, the handle fitting with its hole over the element with the formations interengaged, the screwthreads not engaged, and the bumps in the groove.