Locking mechanism for a meter box
AssigneeInner-Tite Corp.
InventorsStephen Spinney, John Mahaney
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A locking mechanism includes a bracket configured for mounting on a wall of a securable box and receiving a lock body to selectively secure a cover to the securable box preventing access to an interior of the box. The mechanism further includes a blade that is movable relative to the bracket between a locked position and an unlocked position to secure or remove the blade and bracket to or from a securable box wall respectively. The blade and bracket can be secured to and removed from the securable box without an operator's hand extending into the interior of the box.
Claims21
A locking mechanism comprising:
- a bracket configured for mounting on a wall of a securable box and receiving a lock body to selectively secure a cover to the securable box preventing access to an interior of the box;
- a blade that is movable relative to the bracket between a locked position and an unlocked position to secure or remove the blade and bracket to or from a securable box wall respectively;
- and
- wherein the blade and bracket can be secured to and removed from the securable box without an operator's hand extending into the interior of the box.
A lock assembly comprising:
- a lock;
- a lock body configured to receive the lock.
- a bracket configured for mounting on a wall of a securable box and receiving the lock body and lock to selectively secure a cover to the securable box preventing access to an interior of the box;
- a blade that is movable relative to the bracket between a locked position and an unlocked position to secure or remove the blade and bracket to or from a securable box wall respectively;
- a pin that is secured to the blade and travels in a slot in the bracket to move the blade between the locked and unlocked positions;
- and
- wherein the blade and bracket can be secured to and removed from the securable box without an operator's hand extending into the interior of the box.
A method of preventing access to an interior of a securable box comprising:
- placing a bracket on a wall of a securable box;
- moving a blade located relative to the bracket into a locked position to secure the blade and bracket to the securable box wall;
- placing a cover on the securable box;
- securing a lock body to the bracket;
- wherein the method of preventing access does not require an operator to reach into the interior of the securable box.
A method of removing a lock assembly from a securable box comprising:
- removing a lock body from a bracket that is secured to a wall of a securable box;
- removing a cover from the securable box;
- moving a blade located relative to the bracket into a unlocked position to remove blade and bracket to the securable box wall;
- wherein the method of removing the lock assembly does not require an operator to reach into an interior of the securable box.
A locking mechanism comprising:
- a bracket configured for mounting on a surface of a securable box and configured to receive a lock body to secure the box;
- a blade that is movable in conjunction with the bracket;
- wherein the blade can be moved between a secured position, in which the bracket and blade are secured to the box, and an unsecured position, in which the bracket and blade may be removed from the surface through the use of an industry standard barrel lock or similarly shaped object.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.