2 HANDLES LEAD STOP COCK

[hoodie786]

hello all
can some one please tell me why old lead stopcocks have 2 handles one on either side


thanks

like in this pic
http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?hl=e...&ndsp=19&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:73&tx=148&ty=87

 

[JimCrow]

The smaller of the two, the flat handled one is a needle valve and when closed it allows the stopcock on the right to be rewashered without turning the water off in the road/ pavement.



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[hoodie786]

cheers for the info mate, the thin handle on the one in my house dont spin, so does that mean you can use either to turn the water off in a emergency?