US 4,542,337 AGranted

Electro-mechanical anti-tampering device for electric meters

AssigneeHoneywell Inc.

InventorRoger A. Rausch

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Abstract

An apparatus for indicating electric meter tamper is disclosed having a switch provided with normally closed contacts in the nature of an enclosed race having a central inner contact and a plurality of spaced outer contacts operating in conjunction with a conductive, magnetic ball disposed in the race such that when the ball is in a stable position one of the outer contacts is electrically connected to the center contact and when the ball is disturbed from a stable position the circuit is temporarily opened. The system further includes an actuator device responsive to the opening of the normally closed contacts and an indicator device responsive to the actuator device to indicate the opening of contacts which marks the meter or otherwise signals a tampering incident. Thus, the system is sensitive to changes in position of the meter, vibration and/or magnetic fields, which are sufficient to cause said contacts to temporarily open.

Claims9

Dependent claims

An apparatus for indicating electric meter tampering comprising:

switch means positioned in said meter, said switch means including normally closed contact means, the closed status of which is sensitive to external disturbances to said meter, said disturbances causing said contact means to temporarily open, and wherein said contact means further comprises,
an enclosed race having a central inner contact and a plurality of spaced outer contacts;
and
an electrically conductive, follower element disposed in and free to move around said race and which comes to rest in any stable position as dictated by gravity such that in any such stable position one of said outer contacts is electrically connected to said center contact via said follower element and when said element is disturbed from any such stable position the circuit is temporarily opened;
actuator means responsive to the opening of said normally closed contact means;
indicator means responsive to said actuator means to indicate the opening of said contact means.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.