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A closure for an opening extending through a tubular member, the opening having a first cylindrical surface of a first internal diameter and a second cylindrical surface of an enlarged internal diameter providing a circumferential ledge, and, in the second cylindrical surface an increased internal d

A closure for an opening extending through a tubular member, the opening having a first cylindrical surface of a first internal diameter and a second cylindrical surface of an enlarged internal diameter providing a circumferential ledge, and, in the second cylindrical surface an increased internal diameter circumferential slot, the closure being formed of a cylindrical plug removably positioned within the tubular member and in engagement with the circumferential ledge and including an expandable snap ring having a collapsed and an expanded condition and receivable when in the expanded condition within the circumferential slot to capture the plug between the circumferential ledge and the snap ring. In one embodiment the snap ring is a unitary circumferential member having opposed, spaced apart first and second ends and wherein the snap ring is radially inwardly collapsed by moving the first and second ends towards each other. In another embodiment the snap ring is formed of first and a second leaf portions, each portion having a first end and a second end, each leaf portion being hinged to the plug body adjacent the first end thereof, the leaf portions being radially positioned by moving the second ends thereof towards or away from each other.

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[ What is claimed:] [1.]1. A removable closure comprising:a tubular member having an inner end and an outer end, and an internal cylindrical surface defined by a first surface adjacent said inner end of a first internal diameter and a second surface adjacent the first surface of an enlarged internal

[ What is claimed:] [1.]1. A removable closure comprising:a tubular member having an inner end and an outer end, and an internal cylindrical surface defined by a first surface adjacent said inner end of a first internal diameter and a second surface adjacent the first surface of an enlarged internal diameter providing a circumferential ledge, and, in the second surface an increased internal diameter circumferential slot;a cylindrical plug of external diameter greater than the internal diameter of said tubular member first cylindrical surface and slightly less than said second cylindrical surface, the cylindrical plug being telescopically positionable within said tubular member second internal cylindrical surface and in engagement with said tubular member circumferential ledge;an expandable snap ring having a collapsed and an expanded condition and when in the collapsed condition having an external diameter less than said tubular member second internal diameter and in the expanded condition of diameter greater than said tubular member second internal diameter, the snap ring having a cross-section configuration dimensioned so that it is removably receivable in said expanded condition within said tubular member circumferential slot, and when in said circumferential slot having an internal diameter that is, at least in part, less than said tubular member second internal diameter whereby when the snap ring is in expanded position within said slot said plug is captured between said circumferential ledge and the snap ring; andlinkage mechanism engaged with said snap ring and moveable between a first position and a second position, in the linkage mechanism first position said snap ring is radially inwardly collapsed and of external diameter less than said tubular member second cylindrical surface and in the linkage mechanism second position said snap ring is radially outwardly expanded and partially received in said tubular member circumferential groove.