US3636498A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Adapter assembly for mounting a watthour meter and locking means therefor
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1970-07-30
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Granted: 1972-01-18
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Expires: 1990-07-30
Abstract
Abstract A unique locking means is provided for a watthour meter adapter assembly to prevent a three-wire meter from being removed from the assembly and inadvertently replaced with a two-wire meter which would not perform the desired metering function.
Inventors
- 👤 Alexander M Mcquarrie
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-02 04:24
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R11/00; G01R11/02; G01R11/04; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T292/00; Y10T292/31
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 11
Claim 1
Independent Claim
352 words
An adapter assembly for mounting a watthour meter having; a meter base member, a metering mechanism mounted on said base member, a protective housing mounted in sealed relationship on said base member and around said metering mechanism, and a plurality of bayonet contacts electrically connected in operating relationship to said metering mechanism, each of said contacts being mounted through said base member to project outward therefrom, said assembly comprising; a housing having a plurality of flexible jawlike contacts mounted thereon, each of said jawlike contacts being adapted to receive one of said bayonet contacts therein in electrically conducting relationship when a meter is mounted in operating position on said adapter assembly, a plurality of electrical terminals mounted on said adapter assembly for connecting an electric circuit thereto, circuit means electrically connected to form a conductive circuit between selected terminals and at least two of said jawlike contacts, a generally annular member for securing a meter base member in a fixed position adjacent said adapter assembly thereby to hold said bayonet contacts in engagement with the jawlike contacts of the assembly, a cover member removably mounted on said adapter assembly over at least a portion of said terminals thereby to obstruct manual access to the terminals when the cover member is so mounted, locking means mounted on said adapter assembly for preventing removal of said generally annular member thereby to lock said meter base member in a fixed operating position adjacent the adapter assembly, a latch mechanism mounted adjacent said locking means, said latch mechanism being manually operable to selectively retain the locking means in its locking mode and to release it from said locking mode, saId latch mechanism being mounted adjacent said cover member and rendered inoperative by it to release the locking means when the cover member is mounted in its obstructing position over said terminals, whereby said meter base member can be released from the generally annular member and removed from the adapter assembly only after the cover member is first removed from its operating position thereby to allow said latch mechanism to be operated to release the locking means.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
352 words
An adapter assembly for mounting a watthour meter having; a meter base member, a metering mechanism mounted on said base member, a protective housing mounted in sealed relationship on said base member and around said metering mechanism, and a plurality of bayonet contacts electrically connected in operating relationship to said metering mechanism, each of said contacts being mounted through said base member to project outward therefrom, said assembly comprising; a housing having a plurality of flexible jawlike contacts mounted thereon, each of said jawlike contacts being adapted to receive one of said bayonet contacts therein in electrically conducting relationship when a meter is mounted in operating position on said adapter assembly, a plurality of electrical terminals mounted on said adapter assembly for connecting an electric circuit thereto, circuit means electrically connected to form a conductive circuit between selected terminals and at least two of said jawlike contacts, a generally annular member for securing a meter base member in a fixed position adjacent said adapter assembly thereby to hold said bayonet contacts in engagement with the jawlike contacts of the assembly, a cover member removably mounted on said adapter assembly over at least a portion of said terminals thereby to obstruct manual access to the terminals when the cover member is so mounted, locking means mounted on said adapter assembly for preventing removal of said generally annular member thereby to lock said meter base member in a fixed operating position adjacent the adapter assembly, a latch mechanism mounted adjacent said locking means, said latch mechanism being manually operable to selectively retain the locking means in its locking mode and to release it from said locking mode, saId latch mechanism being mounted adjacent said cover member and rendered inoperative by it to release the locking means when the cover member is mounted in its obstructing position over said terminals, whereby said meter base member can be released from the generally annular member and removed from the adapter assembly only after the cover member is first removed from its operating position thereby to allow said latch mechanism to be operated to release the locking means.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
146 words
An invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said generally annular member is U-shaped in cross section and adapted to have the respective legs of its U-shaped sides surround the peripheral edges of both said meter base member and said adapter assembly when the annular member is locked in its operating position, means defining an aperture in said annular member adjacent one end thereof, a projecting member mounted on said annular member adjacent the other end thereof, said projecting member being adapted to be slidably inserted through said aperture when the annular member is in its operating position thereby to prevent it from being removed from said operating position, and wherein said locking means comprises a relatively rigid shaft portion that is mounted to engage said projecting member thereby to lock it in said operating position when the locking means is latched in its locking mode.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
38 words
An invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said projecting member includes means defining an aperture therein, said aperture being positioned to receive the rigid shaft member therein, thereby to lock the projecting member in said operating position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
53 words
An invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said locking means comprises a generally L-shaped member one leg of which comprises said relatively rigid shaft member and the other leg of which is retained in position by said latch mechanism when it is operated to retain the locking means in its locking mode.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
133 words
An invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said other leg of the L-shaped member includes means defining an aperture through it, and said latch mechanism comprises means defining an aperture in said adapter assembly and a first screw member adapted to be rotatably inserted into threaded engagement with said aperture thereby to be secured in operating position on the adapter assembly, said screw member having a threaded shank portion and a head portion, said shank portion being adapted to pass through the aperture in said L-shaped member and said head portion being larger than said aperture, whereby the head portion of said screw member is operable to latch the locking means in its locking mode when the screw member is mounted in operating position in the threaded aperture in the adapter assembly.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
141 words
An invention as defined in claim 5 including a second L-shaped member having substantially the same configuration as the first L-shaped member and having the aperture through its leg threaded, and including a second screw member having a threaded shank portion that is adapted to be threaded into the aperture in said second L-shaped member, said second screw member also comprising a head portion that is larger in cross section than the aperture through said adapter assembly, whereby the second screw member can be inserted through the aperture in said assembly into threaded engagement with the aperture in said second L-shaped member thereby to secure it in its locking mode when the first L-shaped member and the first screw member are removed from the adapter assembly and the second L-shaped member and second screw member are mounted, respectively, in their places.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
51 words
An invention as defined in claim 6 wherein the shank portion of said second screw member is smaller in diameter than the inner diameter of the aperture in said adapter assembly, whereby the second screw member can be rotated in the said aperture through said assembly without engaging the walls thereof.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
51 words
An invention as defined in claim 6 wherein said adapter assembly inclUdes means defining an access passageway having its innermost end adjacent said second L-shaped member and having its outermost end on the side of said adapter assembly opposite to the side thereof on which said meter base member is mounted.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
216 words
An adapter assembly for mounting a watthour meter comprising a housing having a plurality of jawlike contacts mounted thereon and adapted to receive bayonet contacts therein to form an electrical connection with a watthour meter provided with such bayonet contacts, a generally annular member for securing a watthour meter base member in a predetermined fixed operating position adjacent said adapter assembly thereby to hold a plurality of bayonet contacts mounted on the base member in engagement with the jawlike contacts of the assembly, locking means mounted on said adapter assembly for preventing movement of said generally annular member thereby to lock said meter base member in said fixed position, a latch mechanism mounted adjacent said locking means, said latch mechanism being manually operable to selectively retain the locking means in its locking mode and to release it from said locking mode, said latch mechanism being mounted on said assembly in an arrangement that restricts access to the latch means thereby to prevent the latch means from being operated while the assembly is in its normal operating position, whereby a meter base member can be released from the generally annular member only after the adapter assembly is first moved from its normal operating position to allow said latch mechanism to be operated to release the locking means.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
216 words
An adapter assembly for mounting a watthour meter comprising a housing having a plurality of jawlike contacts mounted thereon and adapted to receive bayonet contacts therein to form an electrical connection with a watthour meter provided with such bayonet contacts, a generally annular member for securing a watthour meter base member in a predetermined fixed operating position adjacent said adapter assembly thereby to hold a plurality of bayonet contacts mounted on the base member in engagement with the jawlike contacts of the assembly, locking means mounted on said adapter assembly for preventing movement of said generally annular member thereby to lock said meter base member in said fixed position, a latch mechanism mounted adjacent said locking means, said latch mechanism being manually operable to selectively retain the locking means in its locking mode and to release it from said locking mode, said latch mechanism being mounted on said assembly in an arrangement that restricts access to the latch means thereby to prevent the latch means from being operated while the assembly is in its normal operating position, whereby a meter base member can be released from the generally annular member only after the adapter assembly is first moved from its normal operating position to allow said latch mechanism to be operated to release the locking means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-01-17 | 1975-07-19 | 1976-01-18 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-01-17 | 1979-07-19 | 1980-01-18 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-01-17 | 1983-07-19 | 1984-01-18 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |