Hooded gas distribution valve for underground use

Claim 1

A VALVE FOR UNDERGROUND USE COMPRISING A CASING HAVING A PASSAGE THERETHROUGH, A VALVE ELEMENT MOVABLE BETWEEN AN OPERATIVE POSITION CLOSING SAID PASSAGE AND AN INOPERATIVE POSITION IN WHICH SAID PASSAGE IS OPEN, A STEM TURNABLY MOUNTED IN THE CASING WITH AN END OF THE STEM PROJECTING OUT OF THE CASING WITH AN END OF THE THE STEM AND THE VALVE ELEMENT FOR MOVING THE VALVE ELEMENT BETWEEN SAID POSITIONS UPON TURNING OF THE STEM, MEANS FOR TURNING THE STEM THROUGH APPLICATION OF TURNING FORCE TO THE END OF THE STEM PROJECTING OUT THE OF CASING, THE CASING HAVING FASTENED THERETO IN FIXED POSITION RELATIVELY THERETO A SEPARATE MEMBER THROUGH WHICH THE END OF THE STEM PROJECTING OUT THE CASING EXTENDS, MEANS REMOVABLY FASTENING SAID MEMBER TO THE CASING, SAID MEMBER BEING SEALED TO THE CASING, SAID MEANS BEING PROTECTED AGAINST INGRESS OF MOISTURE FROM THE OUTSIDE BETWEEN SAID MEMBER AND THE CASING BY THE MEANS SEALING SAID MEMBER TO THE CASING, SAID MEMBER BEING POVIDED WITH MEANS FOR ATTACHED TO SAID MEMBER THROUGH SAID MEANS, THE MEANS WHEREBY WHEN THE HOOD IS IN OPERATIVE POSITION IT IS ATTACHMENT TO SAID MEMBER THROUGH SAID MEANS, THE HOOD ALSO HAVING MEANS WHEREBY WHEN IT IS IN OPERATIVE POSITION IT IS SEALED TO SAID MEMBER WHEREBY THE HOOD IS MOUNTED ON THE CASING AND PROTECTIVELY COVERS THE END OF THE STEM PROJECTING OUT OF THE CASING, THE HOOD BEING REMOVABLE FROM SAID POSITION TO PERMIT ACCESS TO THE END OF THE STEM PROJECTING OUT THE CASING FOR OPERATION OF THE VALVE.