Watthour meter socket adapter

• US 6,059,605 A
• Filed: 10/29/1998
• Issued: 05/09/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: E J Brooks Company
• Original Assignee: Ekstrom Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Robinson, Darrell, Loehr, Karl R., Pruehs, Allen V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Khiem
• Assistant Examiner(s): DUVERNE, JEAN F
• Application Number:
  US09/182,167
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 439/167, 439/146, 439/508, 439/517, 439/733.1
• US Class Current: 439/517
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 11/04 Housings; Supporting racks; Arrangements of terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 4/36 Conductive members located under tip of screw
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 9/2491 Terminal blocks structurally associated with plugs or sockets

Abstract

A watthour meter socket adapter has front and rear housings which encompassingly surround jaw contacts, electrical conductors and terminals. Apertures in the front housing allow insertion of a meter blade terminal into the jaw contacts. The jaw contacts include a spring clip having a recess sized for slidably receiving one side of a conductor to dispose the conductor for direct contact with a meter blade terminal. At least two conductors overlay each other and are separated by an insulating pad. The terminals include a collar having a recess for partially receiving one side of a circular conductor or in the case of a rectangular bus bar conductor, a bore is offset to one side edge of the terminal collar for receiving a lower portion of the bus bar. The upper portion of the end of the conductor is folded over to form a flange overlaying a bottom portion of a first bore in the terminal collar and engages an external conductor. A surge ground frame includes a unitary terminal portion overlaying a terminal portion of the housing. A communication connector is mounted in the sidewall of the housing for external communications to the adapter. A lockable cover is provided for the communications connector.

Claims

1. A watthour meter socket adapter for use with a watthour meter having a plurality of blade terminals, the watthour meter socket adapter comprising:

a housing;

plurality of jaw contacts disposed in the housing for receiving blade terminals of a watthour meter;

a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing;

a plurality of electrical conductors, at least one conductor extending between and coupled to one jaw contact and one terminal; and

the jaw contacts including spring clip means, mounted on one conductor, for biasing a blade terminal of a watthour meter inserted therein into direct electrical connection with the one conductor.

2. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 1 wherein the spring clip means comprises:

a one piece resilient member; and

means, carried on the member, for receiving one end of one conductor therein.

3. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 2 wherein:

at least one conductor has a circular cross-section;

the one piece member having an integrally connected base and opposed side legs extending from the base.

4. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 2 wherein the means for receiving one end of one conductor comprises;

an outer end of one of the side legs having a recess receiving one end of the one conductor.

5. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 4 wherein the one conductor is slidably received in the recess.

6. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 1 further comprising:

means, carried on the spring clip means, for movably receiving one end of one conductor in the spring clip means.

7. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 1 wherein:

the one conductor has a polygonal cross-section;

an open ended slot formed in one end of the conductor and extending axially along the one conductor from the one end; and

the spring clip means mounted in the slot.

8. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 7 wherein the spring clip means comprises:

the member having a base and a pair of opposed side legs projecting from the base, one of the side legs engageable with the conductor when the one piece member is mounted in the slot in the conductor, the opposed side leg spaced from the conductor to define a slot for receiving a blade terminal, the one piece member urging the conductor and an inserted blade terminal into electrical contact.

9. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 8 wherein the spring clip means further comprises:

a slot formed in each of the side legs defining first and second contact fingers in each of the side legs;

each of the first and second contact fingers having a contact surface engageable with one of the conductor and an inserted blade terminal; and

a height of the opposed contact surfaces of the first contact fingers of the pair of side legs with respect to the base disposed at a different height from the base than a height of the opposed contact surfaces of the second contact fingers of the pair of side legs.

10. A watthour meter socket adapter for use with a watthour meter having a plurality of blade terminals, the watthour meter socket adapter comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of jaw contacts disposed in the housing for receiving blade terminals of a watthour meter;

a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing;

a plurality of electrical conductors, at least one conductor extending between and coupled to one jaw contact and one terminal, the conductors being bare conductors;

at least one of the conductors overlaying at least one of the other conductors between the respective jaw contacts and terminals; and

separate insulation means, disposed between the one conductor and the other overlapped conductor, for electrically insulating the one conductor from the over lapped other conductor.

11. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 10 further comprising:

means, mounted in the housing, for positioning the insulation means in the housing.

12. A watthour meter socket adapter for use with a watthour meter having a plurality of blade terminals, the watthour meter socket adapter comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of jaw contacts disposed in the housing for receiving blade terminals of a watthour meter;

a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing; and

a plurality of electrical conductors, at least one conductor extending between and coupled to one jaw contact and one terminal;

the terminals including;

a terminal collar having first and second bores extending therethrough, the first and second bores disposed in communication;

means for securing an external electrical conductor in the first bore; and

the second bore having a circular cross-section for receiving a circular cross-section conductor, a portion of the conductor projecting from the second bore into the first bore for electrical contact with an external electrical conductor disposed in the first bore.

13. A watthour meter socket adapter for use with a watthour meter having a plurality of blade terminals, the watthour meter socket adapter comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of jaw contacts disposed in the housing for receiving blade terminals of a watthour meter;

a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing; and

a plurality of electrical conductors, at least one conductor extending between and coupled to one jaw contact and one terminal, at least one conductor having a polygonal shape;

the terminals including;

a terminal collar having first and second bores extending therethrough, the first and second bores disposed in communication;

means for securing an external electrical conductor in the first bore; and

the second bore having a polygonal cross-section for receiving one polygonal shaped conductor;

one end of the polygonal shaped conductor having a flange disposed angularly from a plane of an axial extent of the polygonal shaped conductor; and

the flange overlaying a bottom portion of the terminal collar in the first bore and disposed for direct electrical contact with an external conductor disposed in the first bore.

14. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 13 wherein the flange extends angularly from a lower end portion of the polygonal shaped conductor, the lower end portion extending substantially axially from the polygonal shaped conductor.

15. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 14 wherein the flange is substantially perpendicular to the lower end portion.

16. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 13 wherein:

the second bore in the terminal collar is laterally offset from a center of a width of the terminal collar.

17. A watthour meter socket adapter for use with a watthour meter having a plurality of blade terminals, the watthour meter socket adapter comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of jaw contacts disposed in the housing for receiving blade terminals of a watthour meter;

a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing; and

a plurality of electrical conductors, at least one conductor extending between and coupled to one jaw contact and one terminal;

the terminal including;

a terminal collar;

means for securing an external electrical conductor in the terminal collar;

means for disposing one end of one of the plurality of conductors in the housing in the terminal collar;

dividers carried in the housing defining a plurality of channels, each receiving one terminal collar therein;

the channels opening through one end of the housing for receiving the external electrical conductor therein; and

the terminal collars being equally spaced across the end of the housing.

18. A watthour meter socket adapter for use with a watthour meter having a plurality of blade terminals, the watthour meter socket adapter comprising:

a housing, the housing including;

a base having a central wall, an annular side wall projecting from central wall and terminating in a watthour meter mounting flange;

the annular wall and the base defining a watthour meter receiving portion;

the base having a terminal portion extending from the watthour meter receiving portion; and

a surge ground frame mounted in the housing and connectable to electrical ground, the surge ground frame including;

an annular ring mounted within the annular side wall of the housing; and

a terminal frame extending from the ring and mountable over the terminal portion of the base;

a plurality of jaw contacts disposed in the housing for receiving blade terminals of a watthour meter;

a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing; and

a plurality of electrical conductors, at least one conductor extending between and coupled to one jaw contact and one terminal.

19. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 18 wherein:

the housing is formed of front and rear housings, each including a watthour meter receiving portion and a terminal portion;

the terminal portion of the surge ground frame overlaying the terminal portion of the front housing; and

means for joining the terminal portion of the surge ground frame to the front housing and the rear housing.

20. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 18 wherein the surge ground frame further comprises:

an apertured flange extending from the terminal frame of the surge ground frame;

the flange extendible through an aperture in a terminal cover when the terminal cover is mounted over the terminal portion of the housing; and

seal means insertable through the apertured flange to sealingly couple the terminal cover to the housing; and

means for electrically grounding the wire seal and the surge ground flange.

21. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 18 further comprising:

the annular side wall of the housing having a discontinuity between the watthour meter receiving portion and the terminal portion;

the annular ring of the surge ground frame having a discontinuity formed by first and second spaced ends, first and second spaced ends disposed in the discontinuity in the annular side wall of the housing; and

rim filler means, carried on the housing between the watthour meter receiving portion and the terminal portion of the housing, for substantially filling the discontinuity between a first and second spaced ends of the annular ring and the surge ground frame.

22. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 21 wherein:

the rim filler is frangibly connected to the housing for forming an opening into the housing when separated from the housing.

23. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 18 further comprising:

an aperture formed in the housing;

fastener means, extendible through the aperture into engagement with a mount, for mounting the housing to a support surface; and

hanger means, carried by the surge ground frame, for connecting the surge ground frame to the fastener means extendible through the aperture in the housing.

24. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 23 wherein the hanger means comprises:

a mounting pad having an aperture alignable with the aperture in the housing, the pad carried by the annular ring of the surge ground frame.

25. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 22 wherein the surge ground frame further comprises:

at least one rib extending from the ring to the terminal portion to connect the ring to the terminal portion.

26. A watthour meter socket adapter for use with a watthour meter having a plurality of blade terminals, the watthour meter socket adapter comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of jaw contacts disposed in the housing for receiving blade terminals of a watthour meter;

a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing; and

a plurality of electrical conductors, at least one conductor extending between and coupled to one jaw contact and one terminal;

the housing including;

a rear housing having a central wall and an annular side wall extending from the central wall;

a front housing having a substantially planar wall with a peripheral edge, a plurality of apertures formed in the planar wall;

the front housing mounted in the rear housing with the peripheral edge of the front housing supported on the annular side wall of the rear housing and spaced from the central wall of the rear housing to define an interior cavity, the plurality of jaw contacts, the plurality of terminals and the plurality of conductors disposed within the interior cavity; and

each of the apertures in the planar wall of the front housing alignable with one of the jaw contacts disposed within the interior cavity of the housing.

27. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 26 further comprising:

means, formed on at least one of the front housing and rear housing, for positioning one jaw contact.

28. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 27 wherein:

one end of one electrical conductor is supported on the positioning means.

29. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 27 further comprising:

support means, carried on the central wall of the rear housing, for supporting a jaw contact within the positioning means.

30. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 26 further comprising:

means, formed on the planar wall of the front housing, for mounting a switch on the planar wall of the front housing.

31. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 30 wherein the means for mounting the switch on the planar wall of the front housing comprises:

a peripheral frame extending from the peripheral edge of the front housing; and

an aperture formed in the peripheral frame for receiving the switch therein.

32. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 26 further comprising:

a plurality of recesses formed on an inside surface of the planar wall of the front housing facing the rear housing;

each recess receiving one jaw contact therein;

the jaw contact having a planar base with first and second spaced legs extending therefrom;

a third leg disposed intermediate the first and second legs and projecting from the base, the third leg extending angularly oppositely from the first and second legs to define a slot between the first, second and third legs for receiving a blade terminal therein;

pockets formed in the recess on the inside surface of the front housing for receiving outer ends of the first and second fingers in a fixed relationship; and

a pocket formed on the inside surface of the front housing and spaced from the third finger for enabling movement of the third finger relative to the first and second fingers.

33. A watthour meter socket adapter for use with a watthour meter having a plurality of blade terminals, the watthour meter socket adapter comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of jaw contacts disposed in the housing for receiving blade terminals of a watthour meter;

a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing; and

a plurality of electrical conductors at least one conductor extending between and coupled to one jaw contact and one terminal;

the housing having;

a watthour meter receiving portion;

a terminal portion carried on the housing and having a front wall including a plurality of hollow bosses allowing access to terminals disposed in the terminal portion;

a first aperture formed in the front wall of the terminal portion for allowing access to an additional terminal disposed the terminal portion; and

means, adjacent to the first aperture, for allowing visual access to an external electrical conductor extending through the housing to the additional terminal.

34. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 33 wherein:

the visual access allowing means comprising an additional aperture formed in the front wall adjacent to the first aperture.

35. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 34 further comprises:

an aperture formed in an end of the terminal portion of the housing for insertion of an external conductor to the additional terminal, the additional aperture aligned with the aperture in the end of the housing and the another terminal.

36. A watthour meter socket adapter for use with a watthour meter having a plurality of blade terminals, the watthour meter socket adapter comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of jaw contacts disposed in the housing for receiving blade terminals of a watthour meter;

a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing;

a plurality of electrical conductors at least one conductor extending between and coupled to one jaw contact and one terminal; and

means, carried on the housing, for receiving an external communications conductor.

37. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 36 wherein the receiving means further comprises:

means for mounting a communications connector in the receiving means.

38. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 37 further comprising:

means for lockably covering the communications conductor receiving means.

39. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 38 wherein the covering means comprises:

a cover closably mountable on the housing and covering all external portions of the communications conductor receiving means.

40. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 39 further comprising:

means for releasibly fixing the covering means to the housing.

41. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 40 wherein the fixing means comprises:

a aperture formed in the housing adjacent the communications conductor receiving means;

an aperture formed in the cover alignable with the aperture in the housing when the cover is mounted on the housing; and

fastener means, extendable through the aligned apertures in the housing and the cover for releasibly fastening the cover to the housing.

42. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 41 further comprising:

the housing including a base having a central wall, an annular sidewall projecting from the central wall;

a surge ground frame mounted in the housing and connectable to electrical ground, the surge ground frame including;

an annular ring mounted within the annular sidewall of the housing;

at least one aperture formed in the annular ring; and

the at least aperture alignable with the aperture in the housing adjacent the communications conductor receiving means for receiving the fastener means therethrough to fixedly interconnect and electrically ground the surge ground frame and the cover.

43. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 42 wherein:

a pair of tabs project from diametrically opposed portions of the annular ring;

the apertures in the annular ring being formed in the tabs.

44. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 36 wherein the receiving means comprises:

means for mounting a telephone jack in the housing to receive an external communications conductor.

45. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 44 wherein the mounting means comprises:

an aperture formed in the side wall of the housing, the aperture receiving the telephone jack therein.

46. A watthour meter socket adapter for use with a watthour meter having a plurality of blade terminals, the watthour meter socket adapter comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of jaw contacts disposed in the housing for receiving blade terminals of a watthour meter;

a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing; and

a plurality of electrical conductors, at least one conductor extending between and coupled to one jaw contact and one terminal;

the housing including;

a rear housing having a central wall and an annular side wall extending from the central wall;

a front housing having a substantially planar wall with a peripheral edge, a plurality of apertures formed in the planar wall;

the front housing mounted in the rear housing with the peripheral edge of the front wall supported on the annular side wall of the rear housing and spaced from the central wall of the rear housing to define an interior cavity, the plurality of jaw contacts, the plurality of terminals and the plurality of conductors disposed within the interior cavity; and

one aperture in the planar wall of the front housing alignable with one of the jaw contacts disposed within the interior cavity of the housing;

the jaw contacts including spring clip means, movably mounted on one conductor, for biasing a blade terminal of a watthour meter inserted therein into direct electrical connection with the one conductor.

47. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 46 wherein spring clip means comprises:

a one piece resilient member; and

means, carried on the member, for receiving one end of one conductor therein.

48. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 47 wherein:

at least one conductor has a circular cross-section;

the one piece member having an integrally connected base and opposed side legs extending from the base.

49. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 48 wherein the means for receiving one end of one conductor comprises;

an outer end of one of the side legs having a recess receiving one end of the one conductor.

50. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 49 wherein the one conductor is slidably received in the recess.

51. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 46 wherein:

the spring clip means comprises;

means, carried on the spring clip means, for movably receiving one end of one conductor therein.

52. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 46 further comprising:

means, formed on at least one of the front housing and rear housing, for positioning one jaw contacts.

53. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 52 wherein one end of one electrical conductor is supported on the positioning means.

54. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 46 further comprising:

conductor support means, carried on the rear housing adjacent one terminal, for supporting at least one conductor on the rear housing.

55. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 46 wherein:

the at least one conductor has a polygonal cross-section;

an open ended slot formed in an end of the at least one conductor and extending axially along the at least one conductor from the end; and

the spring clip means disposed in the slot.

56. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 55 wherein the spring clip means comprises:

the member having a base and a pair of opposed side legs projecting from the base, one of the side legs engageable with the conductor when the one piece member is mounted in the slot in the conductor, the opposed side leg spaced from the conductor to define a slot for receiving a blade terminal, the one piece member urging the conductor and an inserted blade terminal into electrical contact.

57. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 56 wherein the spring clip means further comprises:

a slot formed in each of the side legs defining first and second contact fingers in each of the side legs;

each of the first and second contact fingers having a contact surface engageable with one of the conductor and an inserted blade terminal; and

a height of the opposed contact surfaces of the first contact fingers of the pair of side legs with respect to the base disposed at a different height from the base than a height of the opposed contact surfaces of the second contact fingers of the pair of side legs.

58. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 55 wherein the terminals comprise:

a terminal collar having first and second bores extending therethrough, the first and second bores disposed in communication;

means for securing an external electrical conductor in the first bore;

the second bore having a polygonal cross-section for receiving a polygonal shaped conductor;

one end of the polygonal shaped conductor having a flange disposed angularly from a plane of an axial extent of the polygonal shaped conductor; and

the flange overlaying a bottom portion of the terminal collar in the first bore and disposed for direct electrical contact with an external conductor disposed in the first bore.

59. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 58 wherein the flange extends angularly from a lower end portion of the polygonal shaped conductor, the lower end portion extending substantially axially from the polygonal shaped conductor.

60. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 59 wherein the flange is substantially perpendicular to the lower end portion.

61. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 59 wherein:

the second bore in the terminal collar is laterally offset from a center of a width of the terminal collar.

62. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 58 further comprising:

dividers carried in the housing defining channels for receiving one terminal collar therein;

the channels opening through one end of the housing for receiving the external electrical conductor therein; and

the terminal collars being equally spaced across the end of the housing.

64. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 54 further comprising:

means, formed on at least one of the front housing and the rear housing, for positioning one jaw contact.

63. A watthour meter socket adapter for use with a watthour meter having a plurality of blade terminals, the watthour meter socket adapter comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of jaw contacts disposed in the housing for receiving blade terminals of a watthour meter;

a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing; and

a plurality of electrical conductors, at least one conductor extending between and coupled to one jaw contact and one terminal;

the housing including;

a rear housing having a central wall and an annular side wall extending from the central wall;

a front housing having a substantially planar wall with a peripheral edge, a plurality of apertures formed in the planar wall;

the front housing mounted in the rear housing with the peripheral edge of the front wall supported on the annular side wall of the rear housing and spaced from the central wall of the rear housing to define an interior cavity, the plurality of jaw contacts, the plurality of terminals and the plurality of conductors disposed within the interior cavity; and

one of the apertures in the planar wall of the front housing alignable with one of the jaw contacts disposed within the interior cavity of the housing; and

conductor support means, carried on the rear housing adjacent one terminal, for supporting at least one conductor on the rear housing.

65. A watthour meter socket adapter for use with a watthour meter having a plurality of blade terminals, the watthour meter socket adapter comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of jaw contacts disposed in the housing for receiving blade terminals of a watthour meter;

a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing; and

a plurality of electrical conductors, at least one conductor extending between and coupled to one jaw contact and one terminal;

the housing including;

a rear housing having a central wall and an annular side wall extending from the central wall;

a front housing having a substantially planar wall with a peripheral edge, a plurality of apertures formed in the planar wall;

the front housing mounted in the rear housing with the peripheral edge of the front wall supported on the annular side wall of the rear housing and spaced from the central wall of the rear housing to define an interior cavity, the plurality of jaw contacts, the plurality of terminals and the plurality of conductors disposed within the interior cavity; and

one of the apertures in the planar wall of the front housing alignable with one of the jaw contacts disposed within the interior cavity of the housing; and

the at least one conductor has a polygonal cross-section;

an open ended slot formed in an end of the at least one conductor and extending axially along the at least one conductor from the end; and

spring clip means, movably disposed in the slot, for biasing a blade terminal of a watthour meter inserted therein and into direct electrical connection with the at least one conductor.

66. A watthour meter socket adapter for use with a watthour meter having a plurality of blade terminals, the watthour meter socket adapter comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of jaw contacts disposed in the housing for receiving blade terminals of a watthour meter;

a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing; and

a plurality of electrical conductors, at least one conductor extending between and coupled to one jaw contact and one terminal;

the housing including;

a rear housing having a central wall and an annular side wall extending from the central wall;

a front housing having a substantially planar wall with a peripheral edge, a plurality of apertures formed in the planar wall; and

the front housing mounted in the rear housing with the peripheral edge of the front wall supported on the annular side wall of the rear housing and spaced from the central wall of the rear housing to define an interior cavity, the plurality of jaw contacts, the plurality of terminals and the plurality of conductors disposed within the interior cavity;

at least one conductor having a polygonal cross-section;

the terminals including;

a terminal collar having first and second bores extending therethrough, the first and second bores disposed in communication;

means for securing an external electrical conductor in the first bore; and

the second bore having a polygonal cross-section for receiving a polygonal shaped conductor;

one end of the polygonal shaped conductor having a flange disposed angularly from a plane of an axial extent of the polygonal shaped conductor; and

the flange overlaying a bottom portion of the terminal collar in the first bore and disposed for direct electrical contact with an external conductor disposed in the first bore.

67. A watthour socket adapter for use with a watthour meter having a plurality of blade terminals, the watthour meter socket adapter comprising:

a housing;

a plurality of jaw contacts disposed in the housing for receiving blade terminals of a watthour meter;

a plurality of terminals disposed in the housing;

a plurality of electrical conductors at least one conductor extending between and coupled to one jaw contact and one terminal;

a plurality of electrical conductors, at least one conductor extending between and coupled to one jaw contact and one terminal;

the one conductor having a polygonal cross section; and

means, unitarily carried on at one of the spring clip and the one conductor, for couplingly mounting the spring clip on the one conductor for receiving a watthour blade terminal therebetween.

68. The watthour socket adapter of claim 67 wherein the couplingly means comprises:

the spring clip having opposed side legs extending from a central base, one of the side legs having an end flange projecting from the side leg and forming a cavity in conjunction with the one side leg and the base, the cavity sized for receiving the one conductor therein.

69. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 67 wherein the couplingly mounting means comprises:

the spring clip having opposed side legs extending from a central base, one of the side legs having at least one projection extending therefrom toward the opposite side leg; and

a mating aperture formed in the one electrical conductor releasibly receiving the projection to mount the spring clip on the conductor.

70. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 69 wherein the aperture in the one conductor comprises a pair of spaced recesses formed along one side edge of the one conductor;

a flange formed on the one conductor between the pair of spaced recesses;

the at least one projection on the one side leg of the spring clip comprises a pair of spaced projections each releasibly engagable with one of the pair of recesses on the one conductor.

71. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 70 wherein:

the pair of projections on the spring clip form a recess therebetween which receives the flange on the one conductor.

72. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 71 wherein the flange is disposed at an angle from a plane of the one conductor.

73. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 70 wherein:

the recess is an aperture formed in the conductor; and

the at least one projection being releasibly engagable with the aperture.

74. The watthour meter socket adapter of claim 70 wherein the couplingly mounted means comprises:

a pair of recesses formed along one side edge of the one conductor;

the spring clip being a wire frame having a first pair of side legs, each terminating in an angularly extending end releasibly mountable in one of the pair of recesses on the side edge of the one conductor;

a pair of cross members extending from a opposite end of each of the first and second legs;

a pair of third and fourth legs joined to the connecting members and extending from the connecting members in spaced relationship from the pair of first and second legs; and

a longitudinal cross member connecting one end of the pair of third and fourth legs.