Handle lock device for a switch

Claim 1

A handle lock device for use with a switch device, the switch device including a case having an elongated opening with two extreme ends, and a rod-shaped handle extending through and movable within said opening and which is capable of being moved between the two extreme positions and when said handle is at one extreme, a space is formed between said handle and the other end of the opening, said handle lock device comprising: a single-piece cover member detachably fitted over said handle when said handle is in either of said two extreme positions, said cover member having: (a) a cover portion which closely covers only the portion of the handle which extends outside the opening of the case; (b) an elongated portion integral with said cover portion and extending generally laterally of said portion and having a size for substantially filling said space which is between the handle and the other end of the opening when the handle is in one of the two extreme positions, thereby preventing the handle from substantially deviating from said one position; (c) a projection extending from the end of said cover portion at the free end of the handle and having an aperture therethrough transversely of the handle; and (d) an aperture in said cover portion at a position intermediate the length of the cover portion and extending in a direction generally perpendicular to the direction of said aperture in said projection; and a separate detent member removably mounted on said cover member and having a tongue portion through said aperture in said cover portion and being sufficiently long for engaging in a hole in the handle when said cover member is on the handle for holding said cover member on the handle, and a cover engaging portion connected to said tongue portion and engaging the end of said cover portion from which said projection extends and having a slot extending inwardly from the free end of said cover engaging portion with the parts on the opposite sides of the slot lying on opposite sides of said projection, the ends of said parts on opposite sides of said slot being bent outwardly away from the end of said cover portion and extending past said aperture in said projection, whereby when a lock hasp is passed through said aperture in said projection, the hasp blocks movement of said outwardly bent ends of said parts from being moved past said projection, thereby preventing movement of said tongue out of said cover portion and thus locking the detent member to the cover member and the cover member to the handle.