Multi-meter with locking clamp

• US 6,456,060 B1
• Filed: 08/29/2000
• Issued: 09/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Power Products, LLC (Brunswick Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Actuant Corporation
• Inventors: Wiesemann, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): KERVEROS, DEMETRIOS C
• Application Number:
  US09/650,249
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 324/127, 324/115, 324/116, 324/121.R, 324/72.5, 324/117, 324/133, 324/156
• US Class Current: 324/127
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 1/22 Tong testers acting as secondary windings of current transformers

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a hand-held clamp-type multi-meter capable of measuring current and other electrical characteristics. The clamp includes a hinged jaw which is openable in the current detecting mode of the multi-meter, but not in other modes.

Claims

1. In a multi-meter for detecting current and at least one other electrical characteristic of an electrical circuit, said multi-meter including openable inductive pick-up jaws for detecting current in a current detecting mode of said multi-meter, and a locking mechanism such that said jaws can be opened in said current detecting mode but not in any other mode of said multi-meter.

2. The multi-meter of claim 1, further comprising a measurement selector for switching the sensing circuitry between current detecting and other modes of said multi-meter wherein said selector activates said locking mechanism to prevent said jaws from being opened in modes other than the current detecting mode and permits said jaws to open in said current detecting mode.