GAS BOTTLE VALVE STEM PROTECTIVE DEVICE
A protective device for use in connection with a four-sided valve stem for gas bottles and having a gas port, comprised of a unitary molded tubular body comprising four sides and having opposing open ends; one or more projections extending from an interior surface of said protective device and adapted to physically engage with a portion of an opposing side of said valve stem, a tear strip provided within at least a portion of a side surface of the protective device, whereby at least a portion of the side surface of the protective device may be removed by tearing the tear strip to permit disengagement and removal of the protective device from the valve stem; and a housing for storage of a washer seal extending laterally outwardly along a plane transverse to a longitudinal axis of the unitary molded tubular body.
1 . A protective device for use in connection with a four-sided valve stem for gas bottles, said valve stem having a gas port,
said protective device comprised of a unitary molded tubular body comprising four sides and having opposing open ends;
one or more projections extending from an interior surface of said protective device and adapted to physically engage with a portion of an opposing side of said valve stem, whereby said protective device is prevented from being easily removed from said valve stem upon being placed over an end of said valve stem and moved into sliding engagement therewith due to engagement of said at least one projection with said portion of said opposing side of said valve stem;
said body being of such length as to extend along at least a portion of the length of said valve stem, said tubular body having such size and configuration such that sides of said tubular body are adjacent to opposing sides of said valve stem in protective relationship thereto and covering said gas port in said valve stem when said protective device is placed over said valve stem in sliding engagement therewith;
a tear strip provided within at least a portion of a side surface of said protective device, whereby at least a portion of said side surface of said protective device may be removed by tearing said tear strip so as to permit disengagement and removal of said protective device from said valve stem; and
further including a housing for storage of a washer seal, said housing extending laterally outwardly along a plane transverse to a longitudinal axis of said unitary molded tubular body.
2 . The protective device of claim 1 , wherein said tear strip extends longitudinally along at least a portion of a side of said protective device, and is defined laterally by parallel tear lines formed in said side of said protective device.
3 . The protective device of claim 1 , comprised of a plastic resin material.
4 . The protective device of claim 1 , wherein said housing for storage of said washer has a portion adapted to physically engage with an interior hole of said washer to hold said washer in place within said housing.
5 . The protective device of claim 1 , wherein said housing for storage of said washer includes a removable cover to close said washer within said housing.
6 . The protective device of claim 1 , comprising multiple projections.
7 . The protective device of claim 1 , wherein said housing is attached to a portion of said tear strip and serves as a grip member to facilitate tearing of said tear strip.
8 . The protective device of claim 7 , wherein said tear strip extends longitudinally along at least a portion of a side of said protective device, and is defined laterally by parallel tear lines formed in said side of said protective device.
9 . The protective device of claim 7 , comprised of a plastic resin material.
10 . The protective device of claim 7 , wherein said housing for storage of said washer has a portion adapted to physically engage with an interior hole of said washer to hold said washer in place within said housing.
11 . The protective device of claim 7 , wherein said housing for storage of said washer includes a removable cover to close said washer within said housing.
12 . The protective device of claim 7 , comprising multiple projections.
13 . A protective device for use in connection with a four-sided valve stem for gas bottles, said valve stem having a gas port;
said protective device comprised of a unitary molded tubular body comprising four sides and having opposing open ends;
one or more projections extending from an interior surface of said protective device and adapted to physically engage with a portion of an opposing side of said valve stem, whereby said protective device is prevented from being easily removed from said valve stem upon being placed over an end of said valve stem and moved into sliding engagement therewith due to engagement of said at least one projection with said portion of said opposing side of said valve stem;
said body being of such length as to extend along at least a portion of the length of said valve stem, said tubular body having such size and dimension such that sides of said tubular body are adjacent to opposing sides of said valve stem in protective relationship thereto and covering said gas port in said valve stem when said protective device is placed over said valve stem in sliding engagement therewith;
a tear strip provided within at least a portion of a side surface of said protective device, whereby at least a portion of said side surface of said protective device may be removed by tearing said tear strip so as to permit disengagement and removal of said protective device from said valve stem;
said device further including at least one flange surface extending laterally outwardly from said device along a plane transverse to a longitudinal axis of said unitary molded tubular body; and
further including a housing for storage of a washer seal, said housing extending laterally outwardly along a plane transverse to a longitudinal axis of said unitary molded tubular body.
14 . The protective device of claim 13 , wherein said at least one flange surface extends extend laterally outwardly from an end of said protective device.
15 . The protective device of claim 13 , including multiple flange surfaces extending laterally outwardly from said device.
16 . The protective device of claim 13 , wherein said at least one flange surface is arcuate in configuration.
17 . The protective device of claim 15 , wherein said flange surfaces are arcuate in configuration.
18 . The protective device of claim 13 , including opposing arcuate flange surfaces extending from opposite sides of said device.
19 . The protective device of claim 13 , wherein said tear strip extends longitudinally along at least a portion of a side of said protective device, and is defined laterally by parallel tear lines formed in said side of said protective device.
20 . The protective device of claim 13 , comprised of a plastic resin material.
21 . The protective device of claim 13 , wherein said housing for storage of said washer has a portion adapted to physically engage with an interior hole of said washer to hold said washer in place within said housing.
22 . The protective device of claim 13 , wherein said housing for storage of said washer includes a removable cover to close said washer within said housing.
23 . The protective device of claim 13 , wherein said housing is attached to a portion of said tear strip and serves as a grip member to facilitate tearing of said tear strip.
24 . The protective device of claim 23 , wherein said tear strip extends longitudinally along at least a portion of a side of said protective device, and is defined laterally by parallel tear lines formed in said side of said protective device.
25 . The protective device of claim 23 , comprised of a plastic resin material.
26 . The protective device of claim 23 , wherein said housing for storage of said washer has a portion adapted to physically engage with an interior hole of said washer to hold said washer in place within said housing.
27 . The protective device of claim 23 , wherein said housing for storage of said washer includes a removable cover to close said washer within said housing.
28 . The protective device of claim 23 , wherein said at least one flange surface extends extend laterally outwardly from an end of said protective device.
29 . The protective device of claim 23 , including multiple flange surfaces extending laterally outwardly from said device.
30 . The protective device of claim 23 , wherein said at least one flange surface is arcuate in configuration.
31 . The protective device of claim 29 , wherein said flange surfaces are arcuate in configuration.
32 . The protective device of claim 31 , including opposing arcuate flange surfaces extending from opposite sides of said device.
33 . The protective device of claim 23 , comprising multiple projections.