Reversible ball valve handle

A valve, comprising:

• a valve body defining an inlet and an outlet, said valve body defining a first threaded opening and a second threaded opening;
• a valve member disposed within said valve body and rotatably movable between a closed position and an open position;
• a valve handle comprising an upper portion, an intermediate portion, and a lower portion including an inwardly bent portion that extends toward said valve body, said lower portion being secured to a valve stem of said valve member and being operable to rotate said valve member, said upper and lower portions being generally parallel to one another and said intermediate portion being at an angle to said upper and lower portions and interconnecting said upper and lower portions so as to space said upper portion laterally from said valve body, said valve handle being movable between a first position corresponding to the closed position of said valve member and a second position corresponding to the open position of said valve member;
• and
• wherein each of said first and second openings is adapted to receive a stop member which is a threaded fastener and that, when installed in one of said first and second openings, is adapted to engage said inwardly bent portion of said lower portion of said valve handle to limit rotation of said valve handle and wherein, when said stop member is installed in said first opening, said valve handle is moved in a first direction between said first and second positions and wherein, when said stop member is installed in said second opening, said valve handle is moved in a second direction between said first and second positions, and wherein, when said stop member is not installed in either of said first and second openings, said valve handle is movable in either of said first and second directions.

A method for changing a direction of operation of a ball valve, said ball valve comprising a valve body, a valve member, and a valve handle, said valve member being rotatably disposed within said valve body and being rotatably movable between a full closed position and a full open position, said valve handle being secured to said valve member and being movable in a first direction and an opposite, second direction to move said valve handle from a first orientation, corresponding to the full open position of the valve member, and a second orientation, corresponding to the full closed position of said valve member, said valve body defining first and second threaded openings disposed on opposite sides of a lower end of said valve handle when said valve handle is in the first orientation, each of said openings being adapted to receive a stop member that is a threaded fastener and that limits rotation of said valve handle to one of said first and second directions, the method comprising the steps of:

• moving said handle into the first orientation such that said handle lower portion is in engagement with said stop member received in one of said first and second openings;
• removing said threaded fastener by rotating said threaded fastener in a first direction to unthread said threaded fastener from said one of said first and second threaded openings;
• and
• installing said threaded fastener by rotating said threaded fastener in a second direction to thread said threaded fastener into said other of said first and second openings.