This invention relates generally to utility meters and in particular with an improved locking assembly of the type employed to prevent unauthorized access to such meters.
The conventional utility meter includes a housing containing the meter mechanism. A circular front port in the housing affords access to the meter mechanism in addition to displaying a meter display. The circular housing port is surrounded by a peripheral flange adapted to mate in face-to-face abutting relationship with a peripheral flange on a glass or composite bowl covering the front housing port. In order to maintain the glass or composite bowl in place and thereby prevent unauthorized access to the meter mechanism, locking ring assemblies are employed to radially and axially confine the mating housing and bowl flanges.
Earlier hinged locking ring assemblies, as disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,611,478 (Carlson et al) were subdivided into two mating semi-circular halves connected together by a hinge. This arrangement was easy to assemble, but the hinge connection between the ring halves offered less than adequate resistance to tampering by unauthorized personnel and would not allow easy installation onto multiple meter housings that were mounted in close proximity to each other.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,300 (Agbay) discloses a further improvement, which retains the advantageous features of the Carlson et al design while eliminating the connecting hinge in favor of a redesigned rear flange having a special tapered configuration allowing the ends of the ring to be more easily spread during mounting and removal. While these rings proved to be effective in their day, they do not work well with the newer composite AMI meter housings, which sometimes may be larger than the industry standard or have other irregularities preventing standard meter locking rings from being employed.
The locking ring of the present invention comprises an integral assembly of multiple ring segments and other components fabricated on standard presses, eliminating the stresses incurred during a typical coiling fabrication process. The ring components are assembled in a tamper proof yet flexible interlocked relationship which relies on press fitting, bending, welding, and swaging. The resulting assembly is thus easy to open and close with minimal effort, is able to be installed in tight locations like pedestals and gang-type installations, is highly resistant to tampering by unauthorized personnel providing a high level of security, is able to be installed on a wider variety of out-of-tolerance or irregular meters, and sockets into a lightweight and extremely strong assembly.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be described hereinafter in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Reference will be made below in detail to exemplary embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, the same reference characters used throughout the drawings refer to the same or like parts, without duplicative description.
As used herein, the terms “substantially,” “generally,” and “about” indicate conditions within reasonably achievable manufacturing and assembly tolerances, relative to ideal desired conditions suitable for achieving the functional purpose of a component or assembly.
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The meter ring 10 is resiliently adjustable between an open or enlarged condition as shown in
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The multi-segment design of the meter ring 10 also reduces distortion of the meter ring 10, the rim of the bowl 102, and/or the rim of the cover 104. The meter ring 10 eliminates the need for rear-flange reliefs or cut-outs because the first and second joints 25, 45 provide easy opening and closing of the meter ring 10 around the utility meter and socket flange. The first meter ring segment 20, the second meter ring segment 30, and the third meter ring segment 40 have solid rear flange segments 23, 33, 43 that provide increased security over relieved rear flanges of the prior art. The multi-segment design of the meter ring 10 also eliminates the need for straightening and rounding operations after heat treating, thereby reducing manufacturing and fabrication costs. Fast and easy operation of the removal and installation of the meter ring 10 gets field workers in and out of the job faster, promotes improved safety, and increases productivity. When in a fully open state, the meter ring 10 can be installed in tighter spaces than meter rings with a single hinge, which is ideal for multi-gang utility meter applications as shown in
It is further to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. Additionally, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope.
Additionally, while the dimensions and types of materials described herein are intended to define the parameters of the invention, they are by no means limiting and are exemplary embodiments. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Moreover, in the following claims, terms such as “first,” “second,” “third,” “upper,” “lower,” “bottom,” “top,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical or positional requirements on their objects. Further, the limitations of the following claims are not written in means-plus-function format are not intended to be interpreted as such, unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase “means for” followed by a statement of function void of further structure.
This written description uses examples to disclose several embodiments of the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to practice the embodiments of invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to one of ordinary skill in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims.
As used herein, an element or step recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural of said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” of the present invention are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments “comprising,” “including,” or “having” an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property may include additional such elements not having that property.
Since certain changes may be made in the above-described invention, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all of the subject matter of the above description shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted merely as examples illustrating the inventive concept herein and shall not be construed as limiting the invention.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/216,077 filed on Jun. 29, 2021, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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63216077 | Jun 2021 | US |