Patent US651983A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US3893584A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3893584A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Utility meter container
Assignee: Lee Raymond Organization Inc
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Filing: 1973-06-26
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Granted: 1975-07-08
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Expires: 1993-06-26
Abstract
Abstract A utility meter container for the accommodation of electric, gas, water and telephone meters and mains installation with provision to temporarily remove the container cover for the reading of the meters contained therein. The container is of simple lightweight and economical construction consisting of three shell formed plastic parts that in the unassembled mode nest into each other for storage and shipment. The top and the bottom half of the container body are permanently fastened together in place by means of blind rivets or bolts in the adjoining flanges of the two parts. A removable cover fits into the top of the unit, the cover being latched to the unit so that it may be temporarily removed when a specially shaped key is inserted into the cover. During such temporary removal, the cover remains fastened to the key.
Inventors
- 👤 Jonathan Ledford
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-08 00:57
CPC Classifications
E; E05; E05C; E05C19/00; E05C19/06; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T292/00; Y10T292/08; Y10T292/0894; Y10T292/0895; Y10T292/0898; Y10T292/0901
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 2
Claim 1
Independent Claim
422 words
A container for the installation of a utility meter, with provisions to remove the cover of said unit by a key for the reading of the meter installed therein, said container being formed of a molded plastic composition with a hollow top section and a hollow bottom section, both of which are formed with sloping tapered walls so as to be able to nest into each other and into similar units in the stored unassembled condition, with the edges of the top and thee bottom sections formed with flanges adaptable for joining together by means of blind rivets or bolts, and with a central opening in the top section of a shape to hold a cover plate fabricated of similar material, with said cover plate being held fast to the said top section so as to enclose the opening in said top section by means of a flat latch plate, slidably fastened to the underside of the latch plate, the ends of said latch plate normally engaging projections fitted to the underside of the said top section and of a spring construction so that pressure applied to the latch plate, perpendicular to the plane of the latch plate acts to bend the latch plate into an arcuate shape, thus foreshortening its extended length and withdrawing the latch plate ends from engagement with the projection of the top section, said cover plate having an opening to admit a key, said opening located in alignment with the mid-section of the latch plate, said key formed of a shank faced on one end with a plane surface oriented at an inclined angle to the axis of the shank and fitted with projections on the shank adjacent to the said inclined plane surface, with the opening of the cover plate shaped to admit the shank of the key and the projections, such that manual pressure on the key in the axial direction of the shank, after the inclined plane surface of the key contacts the latch plate, serves to both disengage the latch plate from engagement with the top section and to also slide the key laterally in relation to the opening and to the latch plate so as to cause the projections on the shank of the key to slide past the opening in the top cover and thus engage the underside of the cover when the manual pressure on the key is relaxed, thus freeing the cover from the top section and latching the key to the latch section, without rotation of the key.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
422 words
A container for the installation of a utility meter, with provisions to remove the cover of said unit by a key for the reading of the meter installed therein, said container being formed of a molded plastic composition with a hollow top section and a hollow bottom section, both of which are formed with sloping tapered walls so as to be able to nest into each other and into similar units in the stored unassembled condition, with the edges of the top and thee bottom sections formed with flanges adaptable for joining together by means of blind rivets or bolts, and with a central opening in the top section of a shape to hold a cover plate fabricated of similar material, with said cover plate being held fast to the said top section so as to enclose the opening in said top section by means of a flat latch plate, slidably fastened to the underside of the latch plate, the ends of said latch plate normally engaging projections fitted to the underside of the said top section and of a spring construction so that pressure applied to the latch plate, perpendicular to the plane of the latch plate acts to bend the latch plate into an arcuate shape, thus foreshortening its extended length and withdrawing the latch plate ends from engagement with the projection of the top section, said cover plate having an opening to admit a key, said opening located in alignment with the mid-section of the latch plate, said key formed of a shank faced on one end with a plane surface oriented at an inclined angle to the axis of the shank and fitted with projections on the shank adjacent to the said inclined plane surface, with the opening of the cover plate shaped to admit the shank of the key and the projections, such that manual pressure on the key in the axial direction of the shank, after the inclined plane surface of the key contacts the latch plate, serves to both disengage the latch plate from engagement with the top section and to also slide the key laterally in relation to the opening and to the latch plate so as to cause the projections on the shank of the key to slide past the opening in the top cover and thus engage the underside of the cover when the manual pressure on the key is relaxed, thus freeing the cover from the top section and latching the key to the latch section, without rotation of the key.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-07-07 | 1979-01-06 | 1979-07-08 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-07-07 | 1983-01-06 | 1983-07-08 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-07-07 | 1987-01-06 | 1987-07-08 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |