Patent ID: 8006874

Claim:
A tap assembly comprising: a valve body having a first wall and a second wall, the first wall defining a valve chamber, the first wall having a generally cylindrical shape, a pair of opposed tracks extending axially along an inner surface of the first wall, a fluid exit, a platform extending outward from an outer surface of the first wall and having a pocket for engaging a portion of a tap handle, to resist rotation of the tap handle with respect to the valve body, the second wall being concentrically disposed with respect to the first wall and spaced axially inwardly therefrom to define an annular groove therebetween; the tap handle being mounted to the valve body for rotational movement of the tap handle with respect to the first wall, the tap handle having a third wall defining an annular chamber and supporting a set of threads; and a generally tubular stem having a first end and an opposed second end, the first end having a pair of lugs circumferentially spaced from one another, the lugs being positioned within the set of threads, the second end of the valve stem extending into the valve chamber, the valve stem is responsive to movement of the tap handle to move from a first position where the fluid exit is sealed by the second end of the valve stem to a second position where the fluid exit is not sealed by the second end of the valve stem and fluid is allowed to flow through the fluid exit.