Piping member

A piping member comprising:

• a pipe body having a fluid passage;
• a valve member disposed in the fluid passage;
• and
• a handle mechanism for opening and closing the valve member;
• wherein the handle mechanism comprises:
• a shaft-shaped inner member attached to the pipe body so as to be turnable about a rotation axis traversing the fluid passage, the inner member connected to the valve member in the fluid passage and having a first coupling end portion projecting outside the pipe body;
• an outer member disposed outside the pipe body so as to be turnable about the rotation axis, the outer member having a second coupling end portion and a handle, the second coupling end portion formed with a recess to receive the first coupling end portion;
• and
• a coupling part coupling together the first coupling end portion and the second coupling end portion in a direction of turning of the inner member so that the outer member is pivotable relative to the inner member about a pivot axis perpendicular to the rotation axis and extending through the coupling part;
• wherein the pipe body has a support surface that surrounds the second coupling end portion and the coupling part;
• and
• wherein when a force acts on the outer member in a direction of pivoting the outer member about the pivot axis, the second coupling end portion engages the support surface, thereby allowing the outer member to be supported by the pipe body in the direction of pivoting such that the force is substantially prevented from acting on the inner member.