Method and Apparatus for Securing a Watthour Meter Box
AssigneeDeWalch Technologies, Inc.
InventorJohn Edward Stachowiak, Jr.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A locking bracket and a lock housing wherein the locking bracket generally comprises a clamping member and a fastening lever that attaches to a wall of a meter box base. The lock housing generally comprises a unitary member with a perpendicular flange. The meter box lid is secured to the meter box base when the locking bracket is secured to the side wall and used in combination with the lock housing and a locking shaft.
Claims22
An apparatus for securing a box cover to a meter box, said meter box being defined by a plurality of side walls, said apparatus comprising:
- a clamping member attachable to one of said plurality of side walls;
- a fastening lever;
- a pivotal connection between said clamping member and said fastening lever, said pivotal connection comprising an axis of rotation extending through said pivotal connection, said axis of rotation extending into at least one of said box cover or said one of said plurality of side walls when said box cover is secured to said meter box.
(canceled)
An apparatus for securing a box cover to a meter box, said meter box being defined by a plurality of side walls, said apparatus comprising:
- a clamping member attachable to one of said plurality of side walls;
- a fastening lever with a planar engagement surface adapted to bear against said one of said plurality of side walls of said meter box;
- and
- a pivotal connection between said clamping member and said fastening lever whereby said planar engagement surface rotates with respect to said one of said plurality of side walls.
20-27. (canceled)
A method for manufacturing an apparatus for securing a box cover to a meter box, said meter box being defined by a plurality of side walls, said apparatus comprising:
- providing a clamping member attachable to one of said plurality of side walls;
- selectively securing a fastening lever to said clamping member in at least one of two different design configurations, said first design configuration requiring that said fastening lever is mounted for rotation in a first rotational direction to fasten said clamping member to said one of said plurality of side walls, and said second design configuration requiring that said fastening lever is mounted for rotation in a second rotational direction to fasten said clamping member to said one of said plurality of side walls.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.