Hub cap plug valve and assembly

Claim 1

A HUB CAP COMPRISING A FILLER OPENING HAVING REMOVABLY RECEIVED THEREIN A PLUG, SAID PLUG INCLUDING AN AXIAL BORE EXTENDING FROM THE INNER END THEREOF AND TERMINATING SHORT OF THE OUTER END THEREOF, A VENT PASSAGE EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID BORE AND THE OUTER END OF SAID PLUG, AND VALVE MEANS INCLUDING AN ELONGATED PLUG-TYPE BODY PORTION MOUNTED IN SAID BORE, SAID BODY PORTION BEING PROVIDED WITH A LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE OPEN AT ONE END AND CLOSED AT THE OTHER END BY A TRANSVERSE MEMBRANE, SAID MEMBRANE BEING FORMED FROM RESILIENT READILY FLEXIBLE MATERIAL AND PROVIDED WITH A SLIT CENTRALLY THEREOF WITHIN THE CONFINES OF SAID PASSAGE, SAID SLIT BEING DIRECTED TO DEFINE A VALVE FLAP OPERATIVE INTO SAID PASSAGE INTO THE OPEN POSITION THEREOF, SAID FLAP IN THE CLOSED POSITION BEING OPERATIVE TO SEAL OFF SAID OTHER END OF SAID PASSAGE, SAID FLAP AND MEMBRANE HAVING ENGAGING EDGES WHICH ARE COOPERATIVELY CONE-SHAPED TO PROVIDE FOR ONE-WAY OPERATION OF SAID VALVE MEANS, AND CUP-SHAPED SHIELDING MEANS HAVING A BASE PORTION FORMED INTEGRALLY WITH SAID BODY PORTION INWARDLY OF SAID OTHER END AND EXTENDING RADIALLY AND AXIALLY OUTWARDLY OF AND SURROUNDING SAID OTHER END, SAID OTHER END OF SAID BODY PORTION INCLUDING SAID MEMBRANE PROJECTING SUBSTANTIALLY OUTWARDLY FROM THE BASE PORTION OF SAID SHIELDING MEANS WHILE REMAINING PROTECTIVELY CONFINED THEREIN, SAID SHIELDING MEANS BEING LOCATED OUTWARDLY OF SAID BORE.