Clamp-jaw contact assembly with integral jaw spring and meter socket employing the same

A clamp-jaw contact assembly for a meter socket including a meter socket receptacle, said clamp-jaw contact assembly comprising;

• a stationary contact structured to engage said meter socket receptacle;
• a moveable contact pivotally coupled to said stationary contact by a pivot member, said moveable contact having a closed position and being structured to resist insertion of said meter bayonet between said moveable contact and said stationary contact when said moveable contact is disposed in said closed position;
• a clamping element coupled to said stationary contact and including an integral jaw spring, said integral jaw spring biasing said moveable contact toward said stationary contact in order to secure a meter bayonet therebetween;
• and
• wherein said stationary contact includes an elongated body and a pair of sides which extend from said elongated body;
• wherein said moveable contact includes a body portion and a pair of sides which extend from said body portion;
• wherein said clamping element includes a generally planar body portion and a pair of sides, said pair of sides and said integral jaw spring extending from said generally planar body portion;
• wherein the sides of said stationary contact have a first pair of opposing openings, the sides of said moveable contact have a second pair of opposing openings, and the sides of said clamping element have a third pair of opposing openings;
• and
• wherein said first, second and third pairs of opposing openings are aligned and receive said pivot member therethrough.

A meter socket assembly comprising:

• a meter socket including a socket block having plurality of meter socket receptacles;
• and
• a clamp-jaw contact assembly for each one of said meter socket receptacles, each said clamp-jaw contact assembly comprising:
• a stationary contact structured to engage a corresponding one of said meter socket receptacles,
• a moveable contact pivotally coupled to said stationary contact by a pivot member, said moveable contact having a closed position and being structured to resist insertion of said meter bayonet between said moveable contact and said stationary contact when said moveable contact is disposed in said closed position,
• a clamping element coupled to said stationary contact and including an integral jaw spring, said integral jaw spring biasing said moveable contact toward said stationary contact in order to secure a meter bayonet therebetween, and
• wherein said stationary contact includes an elongated body and a pair of sides which extend from said elongated body;
• wherein said moveable contact includes a body portion and a pair of sides which extend from said body portion;
• wherein said clamping element includes a generally planar body portion and a pair of sides, said pair of sides and said integral jaw spring extending from said generally planar body portion;
• wherein the sides of said stationary contact have a first pair of opposing openings, the sides of said moveable contact have a second pair of opposing openings, and the sides of said clamping element have a third pair of opposing openings;
• and wherein said first, second and third pairs of opposing openings are attached and aligned and receive said pivot member therethrough.