Quarter-turn valve

A quarter-turn valve comprising:

• (a) a frame having a valve bore;
• (b) valve opening and closing means pivotally mounted to said frame within said valve bore;
• (c) a valve stem for pivoting said valve opening and closing means, said valve stem having a substantially square cross-section and a substantially square stem top face and a keyway positioned on one side of said valve stem;
• (d) a valve handle having a substantially square bore for rotating said valve stem and thereby pivoting said valve opening and closing means to open and close said valve bore, said valve handle having a key projecting into said square bore of said valve handle, said key whereby said valve handle may be positions on said valve stem in only one position;
• and
• (e) a line positioned on said valve stem top face whereby the status of said valve bore, whether open or closed, is indicated by the position of said line.

In a quarter-turn valve having a frame, a pivoting valve opening and closing means, and a valve stem for pivoting the valve opening and closing means, an improved a valve stem comprising:

• (a) an elongated valve stem having substantially square sides and a top face;
• (b) a keyway positioned on one of said sides of said valve stem;
• (c) an elongated handle for turning said valve stem, said handle having a substantially square bore conforming substantially to said sides of said valve stem;
• and
• (d) a key protruding into said bore of said handle whereby said handle may be positioned on said valve stem only in a single position whereby the status of said valve, whether opened or closed, may be determined by the position of said handle.

A valve comprising:

• (a) a body forming a valve bore;
• (b) a disc for opening and closing said valve bore pivotally mounted to said body within said valve bore;
• (c) a valve stem extending from said body for pivoting said disc to open and close said valve bore, said valve stem having four substantially square sides of desired predetermined dimensions and a top surface;
• (d) a keyway extending vertically along one of said sides of said valve stem;
• (e) a valve handle for turning said valve stem, said valve handle having a substantially square bore conforming to the sides of said valve stem;
• and
• (f) a key extending into said bore of said valve handle whereby said handle may be attached to said valve stem only in a single position with respect to said disc whereby the position of said disc with respect to said valve bore is indicated by the position of said handle when said valve stem is turned with said valve handle.

A valve comprising:

• (a) a body forming a valve bore;
• (b) a ball having a ball bore for opening and closing said valve bore, said ball being pivotally mounted to said body within said valve bore;
• (c) a valve stem extending from said body for pivoting said ball and said ball bore to open and close said valve bore, said valve stem having four substantially square sides of desired predetermined dimensions and a top surface;
• (d) a keyway extending vertically along one of said sides of said valve stem;
• (e) a valve handle for turning said valve stem, said valve handle having a substantially square bore conforming to the sides of said valve stem;
• and
• (f) a key extending into said bore of said valve handle whereby said handle may be attached to said valve stem only in a single position with respect to the position of said ball bore whereby the position of said ball bore with respect to said valve bore is indicated by the position of said handle when said valve stem is turned with said valve handle.