Hand-operated valve with locking mechanism

Abstract

A hand-operated valve with a locking mechanism is disclosed. This valve includes: a valve main body including a valve body, a valve seat, and a screw mechanism which is actuated to bring the valve body into contact/noncontact with the valve seat; a locking mechanism for preventing actuation of the screw mechanism during a time when the valve body is in contact with the valve seat to close the valve; an operating member connected to the valve main body, for actuating the screw mechanism for contact/noncontact operation of the valve body with respect to the valve seat to thereby close/open the valve; and a play providing mechanism interposed in a connection between the operating member and the valve main body, for preventing the actuation of the screw mechanism during a predetermined stage of operation of the operating member.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.