Meter locking system

Claim 1

A meter locking device for a watt-hour meter installation which comprises firstly a watt-hour meter having a transparent front cover, a base, operative components of the meter supported by the base within the cover, electrical contact blades protruding rearwardly through the base from the operative components, and means on the rear of the base for releasably locking the cover to the base, and secondly a socket for the watt-hour meter for receiving, and together with the transparent front cover, enclosing the meter base, said socket having receptacles therein receiving the contact blades protruding rearwardly through the base, said locking device being independent of any means associated with the installation and external of the socket for retaining the watt-hour meter in the socket, and comprising a locking member secured to one of the rear of the base and the interior of the socket so as to be enclosed within the socket, a releasable latch member normally in locking engagement with the locking member and secured to a second of the rear of the base and the interior of the socket so as to be enclosed within the socket, electrically operated actuator means housed within the socket, and mounted to one of the meter base and the socket, for releasing said latch member from locking engagement with the locking member, receiver means within the socket capable of receiving coded signals impressed on a carrier propagated from outside the meter installation, and means responsive to receipt of a specified coded signal by the receiver means for energizing said actuator means, whereby to release said latch member from said locking memeber to permit withdrawal of the meter from the socket after release of any means external of the socket for retaining the watt-hour meter in the socket.