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.
Claims17
A locking mechanism comprising:
- a bracket configured for mounting on a wall of a securable box, the bracket including a slot;
- a lock body received by the bracket 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
- a pin configured to extend through the slot and into an aperture in the blade;
- wherein the slot in the bracket defines a path of travel of the blade relative to the bracket between the locked and unlocked positions;
- and
- wherein the pin may travel within the slot to place the blade in the locked or unlocked position.
A lock assembly comprising:
- a lock body configured to receive a 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 received in and travels in a slot in the bracket to move the blade between the locked and unlocked positions.
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 relative to the bracket into a locked position to secure the blade and bracket to the securable box wall, including sliding a pin that is connected to the blade and housed within a slot in the bracket to move the blade from an unlocked position to a locked position thereby securing the blade and bracket to the securable box wall;
- placing a cover on the securable box;
- securing a lock body to the bracket.
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 relative to the bracket into a unlocked position to remove blade and bracket from the securable box wall, including sliding a pin that is connected to the blade and housed within a slot in the bracket to move the blade from a locked position to an unlocked position thereby allowing the blade and bracket to be removed from the securable box wall.
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 relative to the bracket, the blade being movable between a secured position, in which the bracket and blade are secured to the box, and an unsecured position, allowing the bracket and blade to be removed from the surface;
- and
- a pin that is received in and travels in a slot in the bracket to move the blade between the secured position and the unsecured position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.