Electric meter cover

• US 5,861,742 A
• Filed: 11/30/1995
• Issued: 01/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Miller, David J., Katwala, Rajiv D., Fearnley, Raymond E., Germer, Warren R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOLAND, THOMAS
• Application Number:
  US08/565,506
• Time in Patent Office: 1,146 Days
• Field of Search: 324/156, 324/155, 73/431
• US Class Current: 324/156
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 22/065 related to mechanical aspects

Abstract

An electric meter cover of an integrally molded construction which reduces cost of manufacture and increases performance by reducing number of seals required. The cover of the invention includes provision for an optic probe, a viewing window and a reset arrangement allowing the meter to be reset without removing the cover and in a one movement operation, which simplifies the reset operation.

Claims

1. An electric meter cover comprising:

a) an integrally molded housing including a viewing window, a light pipe arrangement and a resetting arrangement receptacle; and

b) a resetting arrangement engageable with said receptacle.

2. An electric meter cover as in claim 1 wherein said arrangement includes a plunger having a frustoconical end portion and body portion;

said frustoconical end portion being matable with said housing in a chamfer defined by said housing.

3. An electric meter cover as claimed in claim 2 wherein said arrangement further includes a latch attached to said plunger.

4. An electric meter cover as claimed in claim 3 wherein said latch is pivotally attached to said plunger.

5. An electric meter cover as claimed in claim 4 wherein said housing further includes a fulcrum contactable by said latch to bias said plunger into said chamfer.

6. An electric meter cover as claimed in claim 3 wherein said housing further includes an integrally molded lock tab having an opening therein which opening is alignable with a similarly dimensioned opening in said latch.

7. An electric meter cover as claimed in claim 3 wherein said latch is metal.

8. An electric meter cover as claimed in claim 3 wherein said latch is plastic.

9. An electric meter cover as claimed in claim 2 wherein said plunger is plastic.

10. An electric meter cover as claimed in claim 9 wherein said plastic is a thermoplastic.

11. An electric meter cover as claimed in claim 9 wherein said plastic is elastomeric.

12. An electric meter cover as claimed in claim 1 wherein said light pipe arrangement includes means for mounting a metallic plate thereon having through holes for passage of at least one light pipe.

13. An electric meter cover as claimed in claim 12 wherein said means for mounting is at least one plastic stake deformable at a distal end to secure said plate to said light pipe arrangement.

14. An electric meter cover as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cover further includes an integrally molded lock tab.

15. An electric meter cover comprising an integrally molded housing and light pipe arrangement.

16. An electric meter cover comprising an integrally molded housing, viewing window and light pipe arrangement.

17. An electric meter cover as claimed in claim 16 wherein said cover further includes an integrally molded lock tab.