US1367084A - Dust-cap for inflating valve-stems - Google Patents

Description

E1 M. OVERBEY.

nus CAP FOR |NFLAT|NG VALVE STEMS.4

APPLICATION FILHED FEB.16, 11920. 1,367,084. Patented Feb. 1,1921.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

"E. M. UVEHBEY.

DUST CAP FOR INFLATING VALVE STEMS.

v APPLICATION FILED FEB. i6. i920. 1,367,084. Patented Feb. 1,

2 SHEETS-SHEE lill narran stares Partnr OFFICE.

EDDIE M. CIVERBEY, OF CREIGHTON, MISSOURI.

DUST-CAP FR I'NlLilJll'NG VALVE-STEMS.

Application filed February 16, 1920.

To all 'w hom t may concern:

lle it known that l, Ronin M. Ovsnnnr, a citizen ot' the llnited States, residing at Qreighton, in the county of Cass and State ot Missouri, have invented certain new and useiul improvements in Dust-Caps for Intlating Valve-@tement which the 'following isa specication, reference being had to Athe accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to wheels with pneumatic tires, and particularly to a combined valve and dust cap to he normally disposed over the inflating valve stern.

The general object ot my invention `is to provide a valve cap et this character which .may be easily applied to the valve stern or readily removed therei't'roin and which, when in place, will absolutely prevent the access el dust to the valve steun and in this position will also prevent any possible lealtage oi" air :troni the valve stein due to a leaky or lworn valve within the valve stem or the presence ol dust or other foreign matter in the valve which will prevent the 'full closing oi the stern.

il. ilurther object is to provide a valve cap oiE this character having within it a cover or stop adapted to close against the upper end et the valve stem. the cap being so formed that when in locked position the cover will be clamped resiliently against the end of the valve stein, while the base of the cap will he urged resiliently and tightly against the :telly ot a wheel.

further object is to provide a cap of this character which is adapted to be quickly engaged with the ordinary screw-threads Found on the ordinary inliating valve or iilisengaged therefrom without the necessity ol screwing a dust cap onto the valve stem or unscrewing it theretrom, or tightening or releasing any nuts or other like parts.

il further object is to provide a valve cap ot this character which may be easily applied1 readily removed, and which is thoroughly etliective in practice, and which. eliminates the necessity of screwing on or unscrenfing the valve cap, which is a more or less tedious operation, and which. further eliminates any chance ot the valve cap being accidentally unscrewed and lost.

Other objects `will appear in the course oli the following description.

lily invention is illustrated in the accompar ring drawings, wherein Figure l is a 'vertical longitudinal sec- .epeclcaticn of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 1,` 1921.

Serial No. 358,993.

tional view at a tire intlating valve stem and cap constructed in accordance with my invention;

ANnliig. 2 is a section on the line 2 2 of l* 1g. 1 i y y Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the base section of the cap;` A

Fig. a is a top plan view of the member 2d;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view diametrically through the valve stem and the inner sleeve;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary elevation of the means `tor releasing the clamping member trom its engagement with the stem;

Fig is a cross section through one of the handles showing the latches therein, this view also showing the adjacent portion oi? the outer casing.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the stem of the ordinary inflating valve commonly used on bicycles, automobiles, etc., for the purpose of inl'lating the pneumatic tire, B designating the telly of the wheel through which this intlating stem normally projects. The interior oi the stem provided with the usual valve for preventing the outward passage of air from the tire, this valve being adapted to be forced inward and opened by the application of an intlating pump thereto in the usual manner. The interior construction of this valve stem and the valves therein form no part of my present invention` my present invention relating entirely to the cap for inclosing the upper portion ot the intlating and, preventing the access of dust thereto or the enit oi air theretrorn.`

The valve cap comprises essentially three inain sections l0, ll and l2. The section 10, as illustrated in Fig. l, is annular in form and provided with an upwardly extending wall and a downwardly and outwardly liaring base 1?. rl`he upwardly extendiingwall at opposite points in its circumference is provided with the slots 14h while the upper edge ot this wall is channeled tor a portion ol? its e'ircuu'iterence7 as at l5.` and this channel terminates in a bore 16 in which a coil spring. hereina'lfter referred to. is engaffed. rlfhe end ot this spring is disposed within this bore 16 and then entends outward and around the shalt in the hase. and then extends upward, as will be later described. The section ll is larger than the upwardly extending wall ot' the section l0 and tits lli) thereover and is provided with inwardly extending pins 17 extending through the slots 14 and engaging an inner sleeve, as will be later stated. This section 11 is vertically slotted downwardly fromits upper edge for a portion of its length, as at 18 and the outer face of the section on each side of this slot 18 being reduced in thickness, as at 19, and the opposite walls of the slot being channeled, as at 20. The upper end of the portion 11a of section 11 is exteriorly screw-threaded and the section 12, which is annular in cross section at its lower end, is interiorly screw-threaded to engage and move with the section 11. The section 11 is made in two parts.

Sliding in the guides formed by the channels 2O are slides 21 which are longer than the slots 18, and which at their upper ends are deflected inward, as at 22, and then extend upward in the form of rods 23, each rod having a nut at its upper end. Disposed within the upper section .12 is a closure or interior cap 24 having a circular body, somewhat concavo-convex, and provided with a rubber or like yielding gasket 25 on its inside face which is adapted to it'against and close the upper end of the inflating valve stem. The interior cap 24: is radially extended at opposite points, as at 26, to `form arms, these arms being pierced for the passage of the rods 23. Disposed between the nuts or heads on the upper ends of these rods and the arms 26 are the compression springs 27. Thus, when there is a downward pull on the rods 23, it is obvious that the cap 24C will be forced with its gasket firmly against the upper end of the inflating valve stem.

Disposed within the sections 10, 11 and 12 and having a diameter slightly larger than the stein A, is an inner sleeve 28, this inner sleeve being slotted, as at 29, at one point in its diameter, the slot extending vertically and being in alinement with one of the slots 18 in the section 11. This inner sleeve 28 at its lower end is engaged by the screwkthreaded inner ends of the pins 17 which pass through the upper end of the section 10 and through the lower end of the section 11. At its upper end this inner sleeve is provided with sockets 30, these sockets 8O having screw-threaded engagement with the lower ends of bolts 81 which extend up through the upper section 12 and have heads bearing against the top of this upper seetion. lt will thus be seen that the inner sleeve 28 and the sections 11 and 12 move together and relatively to the base section 10 by reason of the pins 17 extending through the vertical slots in said base section. Disposed in the bore 16 of the base section and in the groove at the upper edge of this base section and then extending upward around the inner sleeve 28 is a spiral compression spring 32 which, at its upper end, extends upward and around and bears upon the cap or closure 21 so that when the upper portion of this spring is under tension, it assists the spring 2? the cap 24 to its closed position against the upper end of the valve stem A.

For the purpose oi" engaging the dust. cap with the screw-threads a ol the valve stein A, T form the inner sleeve 'for a portion et its diameter with six or more interrupted screw-threads 33. as shown in Fig. these screw-threats having a pitch the same as the pitch of the screv.'-tlneads u. The diametrically opposite portion otI the inner sleeve is formed with a relatively large slot or opening 84- which has practically the same area as the area of the. screw-threads 88, and in this opening;l is mounted a curved. plate 35, the interior iaee oi" which is formed with .interrupted screw-threads cor responding to the screw-tlueads 88. This plate at one .nd is mounted upon a spring 8G which acts to urge the plate inward and thus carry the scrt"\\'tlnea.ds into engagement with the screw-tlneads on the valve stem. This spring 8G, as illustrated in Fig. 2, is attached at one end to the circular or arcuate, screw-threaded plate 85. and then extends through an opening in the exterior of the sleeve 28 and is attached thereto b v a pin 87. The opposite end oi the section 85 is reduced in thickness, as at 38. so as to extend on the inner Face of the inner sleeve beyond the slot 34 but in spaced relation to the inner sleeve. so that the screw-threaded clamp formed by plate 85 may he shifted outward by means which will he now described, the spring acting to shilft it inward. It will he obvious that when this clamp section 85 is shifted out relative to the screw-threaded portion 88, that the inner sleeve will be. free from en gageinent with the initiating valve stem A., and that when the spring urges this clamp 85 inward. it will. be in engagement with the screw-tlnem'ls oi the stem A. and. therefore. the cap as a whole will be held irmly in place upon the inlating valve stem.

For the purpose ot increasing or decreasing the tension on spring` 82 and shitting the clamp member l or locking member out oi its engagement with the screw-tln'eads fr.. T provide between the inner sleeve and the section 11 a ring.r designated generallyv 39. rThis ring at opposite points in its diameter is provided with screw-threads apertures 4:0. and passing through the slots I8 ol the :f'hell or section 11 are handles` designated gen erally l11. There are two ot these handles. each provided with a handle portion proper and squared portion 4:2 adapted to move up and down in the slot 18, and a shank 453. each shank intermediate of its length being screw-threaded, as at il, and one ot in urging till this wedge is disposed normally just below the extremity 33a of the portion 38 of the locking member 35 so that when the handles `are moved up, this wedge will be forced against the free end of the member 35 and will force this member 35 outward, thus releasing it when the wedge is forced downward. The spring 36 acts to force the member. 35 inward and into screw-threaded en gagement with the screw-threads of the stem.

In order to hold the handles and the ring 39 in any desired adjusted position, both of the handles are formed outward of the squared portion 42, as illustrated in section in Fig. 7, that is with the upper and lower triangular recesses 47 and 48. In the upper recess there is pivoted a catch `49 which, when it is turned into a horizontal position, bears against the bottom of the recess 47 'and projects laterally outward beyond the handle and is adapted to engage any one of a series of notches 50 formed in the lower end of the countersunk margin 19 of the slot 18. When the catch 49 is in its horizontal posi-- tion and bearing against the bottom ofthe recess 47, it is obvious that the ring 39 and the handles attached thereto cannot move upward, but that the handles and ring can move downward. When, however, the handles are moved upward and it is desired to hold these handles in their upwardly moved position, then the catch 49 is allowed to turn to a vertical position so as not to en gage a series ofnotches 50 formed in the upper end of the countersink 19, and the catch lwhich is pivotally mounted within the recess 48 is shifted outward to a horizontal position and bearing against the top of the recess 48 and any one of the notches 50 will prevent any downward movement of the handles and of the ring 39. It is to be understood that there are two seriesof these notches, one series 50 being adjacent the upper end of the countersink 1 9, while the other series 50a is adjacent the lower end oi the countersinlr. This ring 39 is engaged with the spring 32 so that a downward movement of the ring 39 will compress the lower portion of the spring below the ring 39 and increase the pull and, therefore, increase the tension on the upper portion of the spring, and when this ring 39 is moved upward by the handles 41, the tension on the upper portion of the spring and the lower portion of the spring as well will be reduced. Therefore, it will be seen that when the ring 39 is forced downward, the lower portion of the spring 32 will exert a relatively strong pressure upon the upper end' ofthe base section 10, forcing this base section against the fellyof the` wheel,A while the upper portionof the spring 32 will be; placedunder tension so that it acts as a retractile spring to urge downward upon the cap 24. At the same time, theupward movement of these handles will cause the wedge to releasethe engagement of the locking clamp 35 with the screw-threads a of the valve stem, 4while a downward move* ment of the handles will cause the wedge to release its engagement with the member 35 and permit the spring 36 to force this mem ber 35 into engagement with the screwthreads a.. Preferably one of the handles is formed at its extremity, as at52, to engage the valve-within the stem A so as to unserew this valve and permit its removal or screw it up. In other words, the p art 52 is a small, two-pronged' wrench "for this purpose.

The operation of this device is as follows: When it is desired to apply thecap to the valve stem, the cap is disposed over the valve stem with its base 10 engaging against the inner faceof the felly. Then the handles 41 are depressed, thus carrying the slides 21 downward, pulling downward on the rods 23 andcausing tliespring 27 to be compressed to thereby force the cap 24' against the top of the valvestem. The downward movement of the ring 39 relative to the outercasing releases the locking member 35, which, by means of the-spring, is urged inward into engagement with the screw threads a, while the further downward movement of thering 39 and of the handles causing the compression of the lower portion of the spring 32, thusurging the base 10 lirmly agains t` the felly wheel. The upper portion of the spring drawn downward, thus increasing the tension upon the cap 24 and urging the cap into dust`-tight .engagement with the upper end ofthe nip ple or valve stem A. In this position, the upper catches or catch 49 is shifted laterally and into engagement with the notches 50 and this locks the parts into closed position, and the cap is locked upon the nipple or ,valve stem.

Now if it be desired to remove the cap, each handle is depressed a trie. This causes the upper catches 49 to move upward to a vertical position, or these* catches may be shifted bythe fingers to a vertical position, and then the handles are released and permitted to moveupward to a position a trifle above theA uppermost notches 50. The bottom handle catches 50L are then pushed outward and upward so thatjthey enter the notches 51 and the handle let down a trifleand the handles and the ring are secured against further movement. The clamp release wedge 46 hasmoved into position` against the free end of the locking member 35 and pushed it outward, thus re-` leasing the cover `or cap fromthe-valve stem.

o o l The cap can now be lifted oil of the valve stem and the valve removed or air pumped into the tire as desired. It will be thus seen that the removal of the dust cap is very quickly secured, whereas to take oil' or put on the common dust cap, valve end cap and base nut requires several minutes.

The cap may be applied as quickly as it is removed. The cover is slipped over the valve stem, the tire being inflated so that the valve stem is pushed firmly against the wheel telly. The handles are raised a trifle and the lower catches will drop by their own weight, which releases the handles and the handles are forced downward. This lets the clamp member 35 engage the threads on the valve stem, fastening the cover lirmly to the valve stem.' rlhe lowering of the catches also lowers the tension ring 39, and as the handles are lowered, the part of the spring 32 below the tension ring 39 is compressed,y as before stated, giving ai strong downward pressure on the base member l() which takes up any looseness between the cover and the felly. Above the tension ring 39 the spring 32 is drawn downward, and as the top ot the spring is fast to the valve'sealing cap 24, it follows that the cap will be force-:l firmly against'the upper end of the valve stem. lf the end of the valve stem is somewhat above the top of the inner sleeve 28, there will be suiiicient downward pull on the cap 24 'if the handles are left at the top notch of the lower set of notches 50, It the valve stem is shorter, the handle should be set with the upper catches in the second ot this set of notches 50a. This will, of course, urge the cap 24 more strongly to its seat as well as forcing the base l0 more firmly against the wheel felly. To set the upper catches, the handles.are rotated slightly below the notches in .which the catches are supposed to engage and the top catches will drop into the notches. Then upon a release of the handle, the handle and ring will tend to move upward, thus locking the catches in the notches.

It will be seen that, as before explained, this dust cap may be very quickly applied and as quickly removed, and that when it is in. position on the valve stem, it is firmly locked thereto against any accidental dis placement, and that it cannot come unthreaded from the valve stem because ot the frictional engagement between the base member l() and the telly of the wheel. Further it will be seen that the device compensates for different lengths of valve stem and that if there is any leakage oit' air at the upper end of the valve stem it is an easy matter to increase the pressures of the springs which force the closure 24 down upon the upper end of the valve stem. Again it will be noticed that the slots 18 are at all times closed by the slides 21 so that no dust can get in through these slots into the interior of the dust cap and so into the valve stem while the dust cap is in place.

lVhile l have illustrated a particular .iorm of my invention which I believe to be thoroughly effective in practice, yet l do not wish to be limited thereto, as .it is obvious that many changes might be made therein without departing .trom the spirit of the invention.

l claim l.. A dust cap for iniiating valve stems formed to inclose the stem, a valve stem elo sure disposed within the cap and adapted to bear against the upper end of the valve stem when the cap is in place, resilient means urging the said closure to its seat on the valve stem, and longitudinally adjustable means carried by the cap operative v connected to said resilient means to increase or decrease the tension on said resilient means to thereby ilorce the closure into tight engagement with the valve stem or reduce pressure on the closure against the valve stem.

2. A dust cap for intlating ialve stems formed to inclose the stem, means on the cap for engaging the stein, a valve stem closure disposed within the cap and adapted to bear against the upper end of the valve stem, a coiled spring engaging said closure and extending` downward therefrom and within the cap7 and means connected to the lower portion ot said spring whereby the lower portion of the spring may be pulled downward to thereby increase the resiliency of the spring, said means being vertically adjustable in a plurality ot positions.

3. A dust cap for inllating valve stems comprising a body formed to inclose the stem, a base section lfnigitndinally slidable on the lower end ot the body. means carried by the body for detachably engaging the body with the valve stem, a spring yieldingly urging the base section away from the body to thereby yieldingly urge it against a telly, and means for increasing or decrees -ing the tension of said spring.

4. A dust cap for ini'latingvalve stems comprising a body formed to inclose the stem, a base section slidably mounted on the body for longitudinal movement and adapted to engage with the i'elly oi a wheel, means on the body for dctachably engaging it with the valve stem and preventing` longitudinal movement of the body with rela* tion to the valve stem when so engagcih a closure for the valve stem mounted within the body, resilient means urging the closure toward the base section and the base section away from the body, and means for increas- 4 ing or decreasing the tension ot said resilient means to thereby increase or decrease the pressure on the closure and on the base section.

lll() l li 5. A dust cap for infiating valve stems having a body formed to inclose the stem, a base section slidably mounted on one end of the body and adapted to bear against the felly of a Wheel, a cap disposed within the body and adapted to bear against the outer end of the valve stem, a coil spring eonnected at one end to said cap and at its other end bearing against the base section, and manually adjustable inea s on the body and engaging said spring intermediate its ends for increasing or decreasing the `pressure exerted by the spring upon the base section and increasing or decreasing the pressure exerted by the spring upon the cap.

6. A. dust cap for inflati'ng valve stems comprising a body formed to inclose the stem, a base section longitudinally slidable upon the body and having telescopic engagement therewith and adapted to `bear against a folly, a closuiedisposed within the body and adapted to close against the 1outer end 'of the valve stem, means on the body for engaging the valve stem to prevent longitudinal. movement of the cap with relation thereto, a coil spring disposed "Within the body and connected at one end with the clon sure and at its opposite end bearing `against said bise section, and manually operable means for decreasing or increasing the pressure of said spring on `the base portion and the tension of the spring on the cap, said manually operable means `being shiftable to disengage `the locking means from the valve stem or engage ittherewith.

A dust cap for inflating valve stems comprising a body adapted to inclose the stem, means for locking the cap to the valve stein or releasing it therefrom comprising a locking member having screw-threads disposed Within the cap, a spring urging said loclringinember inward to 'engage the screwthreads on the valve stem, and a longitudinally `'movable manually operable member which, when shifted longitudinally in one direction, forces said loz king member out of engagement with said screw-threads, and when shifted in the other direction permits the locking member to engage the screwthreads.

`8. A dust cap for inflating valve stems comprising a body formed `to inclose the stem, and means for locking "saidbody to the stem comprising an interim-ly `screvv-thread ed member, a spring supporting one end of the member and urging it inward toward the axis of the cap and thereby into engagement with the screw-threads of the stem, and a vertically movable manually operable member mounted in the body and having a wedge at one end adapted, when the manually operable member is shifted, to engage said locking member and shift it outward against the force of the spring to thereby release the cap.

9. A dust cap for inflating valve stems comprising a body formed to inclose the stem and means for locking the `body to the stem `comprising an interior sleeve mounted within the body and adapted to closely surround the inllating valve stem, said sleeve being formed with a series of interrupted screw-threads engageable with the screwthreads of the valve stem and with a slot opposite said s reni-threads, a locking member normally disposed in said slot and hav ing interrupted serew-threads, a spring supporting said locking member on said sleeve and urging the locking member inward toward the axis `of the stem, and a manually shiftable wedge mounted in the body and adapted to be shifted to a positionto force the locking member outward or shifted to a position to release the locking member and permit the spring to urge it inward.

l0. A `dust `cap for iniiatin'g valve stems comprising a body formed to inclose thestem and having a longitudinally extending slot, an interior sleeve supported within the `body and adapted to closely lit the valve stem, one portion of the 'sleeve being provided with interrupted screwthreads and the opposite vportion of the sleeve having a slot, alocliing segment disposed in said slot and having interior screw-threads and resili ently supportedat one end and being urged inward toward the 'axis of the sleeve, and means for forcing said member outward comprising a handle extending through said slot and having a wedge at its inner end adapted to engage the free extremity 'of the loY king segment and force it outward when the wedge is shifted in one position.

ll. A dust cap for inflating valve stems comprising a body formed `to inclose the stem, the body being provided with oppo sit-ely 'disposed slots, `a base section telescopically engaging the body for "longitudinal movement, a closure `disposed 'within the body `and adapted to bear against" the upper end of the valve stem, a coil spring bearing at one end against the base section and at `its opposite end operatively connected to `the closure, an inner sleeve adapted `to closely surround the valve stein and formed with longitudinally extending slots, `one portion of the lsleeve having interior rscrew-threads ad'aptedto engage thefscrevv-threads of the valve stem and the 'opposite portion of the sleeve being slotted, lolting segment disposed in said slot and having interior screwthreads, a spring supporting one en'd of the locking; segment and urging the locking segment inward toward the axis of the sleeve, and means for increasing or decreasing the tension on the first named spring and en gagimf;` 'or releasing said `locking segment compi-'sing handles having Shanks extending through said slots in the body and into the slots in the sleeve, one of said handles carryinga wedge adapted, when the handle is shifted, to engage the locking segment and shift it outward, and means for securing unitary movement of the handles, and means for locking the handles in vertically adjusted positions.

l2. A dust cap for iniating valve stems comprising a body formed to inclose the stem, the body being provided with oppositely disposed slots, a base section telescopically engaging the body for longitudinal movement, a closure disposed within the body and adapted to bear against the upper end of the valve stem, a coil spring bearing at one end against the base section and at its opposite end operatively connected to the closure, an inner sleeve adapted to closely surround the valve stem and formed with longitudinally extending slots, one portion of the sleeve having interior screw-threads adapted to engage the screw-threads of the valve stem and the opposite portion of the sleeve being slotted, a locking segment disposed in said slot and having interior screwthreads, a-spring supporting one end of the locking segment and urging the locking segment inward vtoward the axis of the sleeve, andmeans for increasing or decreasing the tension on the first named spring and engaging 'or releasing said locking segment comprising handles having shanks extending throughsaid slots in the body and into the slots in the sleeve, one of said handles carrying a wedge adapted, when the handle is shifted, to engage the locking segment and shift it outward, and means for securing unitary vmovement ot' the handles, and means for locking the handles in vertically adjusted positions, said means including catches mounted on the handles, and notches in the bot y adjacent the slots of the handles into which said catches are adapted to engage.

Y13. A dust cap for ini'lating valve stems comprising a body formed to inclose the stem and longitudinally slotted at eppofite points, a valve stem closure mounted within the outer portion of the body and adaptedV to. engage against the end of the valve stem, a base section telescopically engaged Withvthe inner end of the body, a coil spring engaging at one end against said base section and at its opposite end connected to the closure, an inner sleeve mounted on the body and adapted to closely surround the valve stern, this inner sleeve at one point in its length being formed with interior screwthreads and with an oppositely disposed slot, an interiorly screw-threaded segmental locking member mounted in said slot, a spring supporting one end of the member and urging the member inward toward the aXis of the sleeve, said inner sleeve being longitudinally slotted opposite to the slots in the body, a ring disposed exteriorly ol the interior sleeve and interiorly olf the body, handle members having shanhs passing through the slots in the body and engaging said ring, one ol said shanhs extending inward beyond the ring and being provided with a wedge adapted to engage the free end oi the segmental .locking member, and means for locking the handles in vertically adjusted positions inif'luding catches mounted on the handles, the walls ol the slots through which the handles pass being formed with notches with which said handles engage.

14. A dust cap for inllating valve stemscomprising a body formed to inclose the stem and longitudinally slotted at opposite points, a valve stem closure mounted within the outer portion of the body and adapted to engage against the end of the valve stem, a base section telescopically engaged with the inner end of the body, a coil soring engaging at one end against said base section and at its opposite end connected to the closure, an inner sleeve mounted on the` body and adapted to closely surround the valve stem, this inner sleeve at one point in its length being -formed with interior screwthreads and with an oppositely disposed slot, an interiorly scie\vtlii'e:uled segmental locking member mounted in said slot, a spring supporting one end ot the member and urging the mem er inward toward the axis ot' the sleeve, said inner sleeve being longitudinally slotted opposite to the slots in the body, a ring disposed exteriorly of the interior sleeve and intcriorly olf the body, handle members having shanlis passing through the slots in the body and engaging said ring, one ot said shanlrs; extending inward beyond the ring and being pro vided with wedge adapted to engage the free end of the segmental locking member, and means for locking the handles in vertically adjusted positions including cat hes mounted on the handles, the walls el' the slots through which the handles pass being formed with notches with which said handles engage, slides adapted to close the slots in the body and through which the Shanks of the handles pass, the slides being thereby movable with the handles, said sanls extending outward beyond the said closure, and a compression spring carried by said slides and bearing against the closure to urge it against the valve stem, said spring being compressed by a movement ol' the handles in a direi tion away from the closure and relaxed by a movement of the handles in a direction to 'ard the closure.

ln testimony whereof hereunto ailix my signature.

EDDllS M. OVERBEY llt)

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