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US 4,225,165 AGranted
Tamper-resistant fastener for utility meters
OwnerDavid A. Kesselmaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tamper-resistant fastener for use on utility meter collars. The fastener is used with standard utility meter equipment and prevents significant rotation of a collar takeup ring screw in either the threading or unthreading direction. Once one form of the tamper-resistant fastener is in place, the meter collar can only be removed by authorized personnel. In another form of the fastener, removal is apparent.
Claims15
A tamper-resistant device for use on a utility meter comprising:
- a ring screw having an elongate threaded shank, a slotted tongue on one end of said shank, and a head on another end of said shank, said head having a bore defined therethrough, said bore being oriented transversely with respect to the longitudinal centerline of said shank;
- a tamper-resistant fastener mounted in said bore, said fastener including a stud received within said bore, a stud engaging means engaged on said stud, a gripping means engaging portion connected to said stud engaging means for transmitting torque to said stud engaging means from a gripping means;
- a frangible neck connecting said gripping means engaging portion to said stud engaging means, said frangible neck being adapted to fracture when a predetermined torque is applied to said gripping means engaging portion to separate said gripping means engaging portion from said stud engaging means;
- and
- a cylindrical slip ring for preventing a gripping instrument from applying a gripping force to said stud engaging means for turning said stud engaging means to remove the fastener, said slip ring surrounding said stud engaging means and slidably connected thereto to freely rotate about said stud engaging means when said gripping means engaging portion is separated from said stud engaging means.
2 more elements
A tamper-resistant device for use on a utility meter comprising:
- a ring screw having an elongate threaded shank on one end thereof, a head on another end thereof and a trunk portion interposed between said threaded shank and said head portion, said trunk portion having a thread bore defined therein, said bore being oriented tansversely with respect to the longitudinal centerline of said trunk;
- a tamper-resistant fastener mounted in said bore, said fastener including a stud received within said bore, a stud engaging means engaged on said stud, a gripping means engaging portion connected to said stud engaging means for transmitting torque to said stud engaging means from a gripping means;
- a frangible neck connecting said gripping means engaging portion to said stud engaging means, said frangible neck being adapted to fracture when a predetermined torque is applied to said gripping means engaging portion to separate said gripping means engaging portion from said stud engaging means;
- and
- a cylindrical slip ring for preventing a gripping instrument from applying a gripping force to said stud engaging means for turning said stud engaging means to remove the fastener, said slip ring surrounding said stud engaging means and slidably connected thereto to freely rotate about said stud engaging means when said gripping means engaging portion is seaprated from said stud engaging means.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.