Panel meter construction

Claim 2

A casing for housing a component package comprising: a. an extrusion formed with integral top, bottom and rear walls and open sides, said extrusion having a substantially U-shaped profile in cross section, said extrusion formed with an integral first rail at a forward margin of said top wall and an integral second rail at a forward margin of said bottom wall, said first and second rails extending in a plane in spaced parallel relationship with said rear wall, said first and second rails formed with opposed channels; b. said extrusion adapteD to receive said component package which is confined by said first and second rails and said rear wall; c. a first sidewall mounted to said extrusion at one of said open sides; d. a second sidewall mounted to said extrusion at the other of said sides; e. said extrusion and said first and second sidewalls defining a casing open at a forward portion thereof, each of said first and second sidewalls formed with first and second intersecting slots, said first slot disposed in a substantially horizontal plane, said second slot disposed in a substantially vertical plane, said first and second slots having like, substantially rectangular, profiles and defining a cruciform opening, the intersection of adjacent sides of said first and second slots notched to form an enlarged entrance central of said cruciform opening; and f. a translucent shield seated in said channels formed in said first and second rails, said translucent shield operating to cover said open portion of said casing, said translucent shield composed of a material which is sufficiently rigid to be retained within said channels but sufficiently flexible to be removed readily.

Claim 3

A panel meter comprising: a. a resilient extrusion formed with integral rear, top and bottom walls and open sides, said extrusion having a substantially U-shaped profile in cross section, said extrusion formed with an integral first rail at a forward end of said top wall and an integral second rail at a forward end of said bottom wall, said first and second rails in registration with another and extending along a plane in spaced parallel relationship to said rear wall, said first rail extending below said top wall, said second rail extending above said bottom wall, said first rail formed with a first channel at a forward face thereof and formed with a first stop at a rearward face thereof, said second rail formed with a second channel at a forward face thereof and formed with a second stop at a rearward face thereof, said first and second channels disposed opposite one another; b. component means having a profile larger than the perpendicular distance between said first and second rails and smaller than the perpendicular distance between the interior faces of said top and bottom walls, said component means seated within a cavity defined by said first and second rails, said top and bottom walls and said rear wall, said component means retained within said cavity by said first and second stops; c. a first sidewall mounted to said extrusion at an open side thereof; d. a second sidewall mounted to said extrusion at an opposite open side thereof; e. said extrusion and first and second sidewalls defining a casing opened at a forward end, each of said first and second sidewalls fromed with first and second intersecting slots, said first slot disposed in a substantially horizontal plane, said second slot disposed in a substantially vertical plane, said first and second slots having like, substantially rectangular, profiles and defining a cruciform opening, the intersection of adjacent sides of said first and second slots notched to form an enlarged entrance central of said cruciform opening; and f. a translucent shield seated within said first and second channel means, said shield operating as a cover for said open forward end of said casing.

Claim 4

A panel meter comprising: a. a resilient extrusion formed with integral rear, top and bottom walls and open sides, said extrusion having a substantially U-shaped profile in cross section, said extrusion formed with an integral first rail at a forward end of said top wall and an integral second rail at a forward end of said bottom wall, said first and second rails in registration with another and extending along a plane in spaced parallel relationship to said rear wall, said first rail extending below said top wall, said second rail extending above said bottom wall, said first rail formed with a first channel at a forward face thereof and formed with a first stop at a rearward face thereof, said second rail formed with a second channel at a forward face thereof and formed with a second stop at a rearward face thereof, said first and second channels disposed opposite one another; b. component means having a profile larger than the perpendicular distance between said first and second rails and smaller than the perpendicular distance between the interior faces of said top and bottom walls, said component means seated within a cavity defined by said first and second rails, said top and bottom walls and said rear wall, said component means retained within said cavity by said first and second stops; c. a first sidewall mounted to said extrusion at an open side thereof; d. a second sidewall mounted to said extrusion at an opposite open side thereof; e. said extrusion and first and second sidewalls defining a casing opened at a forward end, each of said first and second sidewalls fromed with first and second intersecting slots, said first slot disposed in a substantially horizontal plane, said second slot disposed in a substantially vertical plane, said first and second slots having like, substantially rectangular, profiles and defining a cruciform opening, the intersection of adjacent sides of said first and second slots notched to form an enlarged entrance central of said cruciform opening; and f. a translucent shield seated within said first and second channel means, said shield operating as a cover for said open forward end of said casing.

Claim 5

A casing comprising: a. an extrusion formed with integral top, bottom and rear walls and open sides, said extrusion having a substantially U-shaped profile in cross section, said top and bottom walls formed with integral rails at the forward margins thereof; b. a first sidewall mounted to said extrusion at one open side thereof; c. a second sidewall mounted to said extrusion at the other open side thereof; d. said extrusion and said first and second sidewalls defining a casing having an opening at a forward portion, each of said first and second sidewalls formed with first and second intersecting slots, said firsT slot disposed in a substantially horizontal plane, said second slot disposed in a substantially vertical plane, said first and second slots having like, substantially rectangular, profiles and defining a cruciform opening, the intersection of adjacent sides of said first and second slots notched to form an enlarged entrance central of said cruciform opening.

Claim 6

A casing comprising: a. an extrusion formed with integral top, bottom and rear walls and open sides, said extrusion having a substantially U-shaped profile in cross section, said top and bottom walls formed with integral rails at the forward margins thereof; b. a first sidewall mounted to said extrusion at one open side thereof; c. a second sidewall mounted to said extrusion at the other open side thereof; d. said extrusion and said first and second sidewalls defining a casing having an opening at a forward portion, each of said first and second sidewalls formed with first and second intersecting slots, said firsT slot disposed in a substantially horizontal plane, said second slot disposed in a substantially vertical plane, said first and second slots having like, substantially rectangular, profiles and defining a cruciform opening, the intersection of adjacent sides of said first and second slots notched to form an enlarged entrance central of said cruciform opening.

Claim 7

The casing as claimed in claim 3 including mounting means having a head portion, a narrowed neck portion and a base portion, said base portion having a cross-sectional profile slightly smaller than said enlarged entrance and slightly larger than said first and second slots, said narrowed neck portion having a cross-sectional profile slightly smaller than said first and second slots, said body portion received in said enlarged entrance, said narrowed neck portion selectively received and retained in said first and second slots.

Claim 8

The casing as claimed in claim 4 wherein said head portion is formed with a reentrant opening.

Claim 9

The casing as claimed in claim 5 including mounting means having a head portion, a narrowed neck portion and a base portion, said base portion having a cross-sectional profile smaller than said enlarged entrance and larger than said first and second slots, said narrowed neck portion having a cross-sectional profile slightly smaller than said first and second slots, said body portion received in said enlarged entrance, said narrowed neck portion selectively received and retained in said first and second slots.

Claim 10

The casing as claimed in claim 3 wherein said extrusion is composed of a metal and each said sidewall is composed of a metal.

Claim 11

The casing as claimed in claim 3 wherein said extrusion is composed of a polymer.