US1156530A - Meter-box. - Google Patents

Description

H. H. HOWELL.

METER BOX.

APPLICATION FILED sEPT.23. |913.

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4J Jljy Attorneys.

Witnesses emanare METERBOX.

Application led September 23, 1913.

To all whomit may concern.'

Be it known that l, HARRY HAMMOND HOWELL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hope, in the county of Hempstead and State of Arkansas, have invented a new and usefulv Meter-B0X, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to meter boxes or housings particularly designed for use in connection with water meters.

One of the objects of the invention is to providea simple, durable and eiiicient device of this character which is sutliciently strong not to crush when subjected to the Weight of heavily loaded vehicles; which has a cover provided with a simple lock designed to prevent tampering by unauthorized persons, and which is so shaped and proportioned as to linclose the service cock with the meter, thereby to eliminate entirely the eXtra expense heretofore involved in providing service boXes.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

ln the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

Tn said drawings: Figure 1 is a vertical section through two sections of a meter box and showing a meter and service coclehoused therein, the cover being locked in closed position. Fig. 2 is a section on line -B Fig. 1 looking upward. Fig. 3 is a plan view oi a portion of the cover. section on line C-D Fig. 3, the pivot pin and button being shown in elevation. Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the key.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates the body of the box or housing, the same being formed in a single casting and preferably substantially elliptical in cross section. The upper edge of the housing" is formed with an annular enlarge-v ment 2 provided with arabbet v3 constituting `the seat for the cover i of the meter. This cover, which is formed in a single casting, is provided with reinforcing ribs 5 and a lip 6 is extended inwardly from the Vall 1 close to the rabbet 3 and isadapted to be engaged Specification of Letters Patent.

Fig. 4 is a Patented @et 12, 1915..

Serial No. 791,388.

by an ear 7 formed on the lower surface of the cover t, this ear being so shaped as to entend under or lap the lip 6, as shown in Fig. 1. Formed in the cover d at a point dlametrcally opposed to theear 7 is a circular depression 8 having aweb 9 extending across the center thereon-one end of this web being overhang by a retaining luglO formed integral with the wall of the depression. Segmental outlet openings 11 are formed in the bottom of the depression 8 at opposite sides of the web 9 and constitute outlets through which dirt and other material is free to drift so as not to c'log'the depression 8 and interfere with the rotation of the but` ton hereinafter referred to. f

A. stem 12 is mounted for rotation within the web 9 and is providedat its upper end with an angularhead 13 seated on the web 9. Riveted or otherwise'secured to the lower end of the stem 12 is a button 111, one end ot' which is upturned, as shown at 15 so as to present an inclined end 16 to the inclined surface ot a lip 17 formed on the inner side of the wall of body 1 close to the rabbet 2* at a point diametrically opposite the lip 6. Tn fact the two lips 6 and 17 are duplicates.

F or the purpose of rotating the button 14, a key of novel form is provided. This includes a stem 18 having a handle 719 at one end while its other end is formed Vwith a socket 20 the seat in which is so shaped as to receive the head 13 and to it snugly thereon. This socket is partly surrounded by a flange 21 the ends of which arel spaced apart ay distance slightly greater than the width of the lug 10. Thus it will be seen that by placing the key above the recess 8 and lowering it thereinto so that the lug 10 will be received between the ends of flange 21, the socket 20 will become seated on the head 13 and the key can then be rotated. This will result in rotating the head 13 so as to bring the button 14 out of engagement with lip 17. At the same time flange Q1 moves under lug 10 and thus prevents the removal of the key from the cover until the button has been turned back to its normal position. Stop pins 2Q and 23 are provided upon the bottom face of the cover #t for the purpose of limiting the movement of the button 11i. Stop 23 is adapted to be contacted by the button when said button is brought into engagement with lip 1'? while stop Q2 is contacted by the button after said button has lili lOli

been removed from engagement with the lip. With this arrangement it will be seen that the key can 'be used for lifting the cover after the cover has been unfastened and there is no danger of the cover dropping o" the key. Obviously, the cover can be quickly placed in position on the box or body 1 and p the button 14 can be swung into engagement with either lip 6 or 17, according to the position of the cover on the box. Ear 7 can likewise engage either of the lips which may be :adjacent thereto; With the ear 7 in engagement with one of the lips and button 14 inengagement withA the other lip, it is obviously impossible to remove the cover until the button has been disengaged from its lip.

Importanceis attached to the fact that the meter box isv elliptical for the reason that it is thus possible to house the Water meter E and theservice cock F in the box where they can both be reached conveniently, thus doing away withthenecessity of providing a.special service box for the cock F. Furthermore it Will be noted that the box 1 is vformed, n its bottom, at the ends of its longest diameter, with deep recesses or notches 24. Where only one meter box 1 is used for housing the meter, these Vrecesses 24 receive the pipes leading to and from the meter but it is to be understood that Where two or more of the boxes l are placed upon each other, as shown in Fig. 1, -only the notches or recesses 24 of the lower sec'tion are utilized, these receiving the pipeslead ing to and from the meter, as shown in Fig.

l. Vhere two or more boxes are placed' upon eaclother, the rabbets of the lower boxes receive the lower edges of the next adjoining boxes `thereabove so that lateral or longitudinal displacement of the boxes relative to each other is prevented. By providing this arrangement of boxes, the housing can be made of any depth desired. Importance is attached to the fact that the openings 11 in the recess 8 permit dirt and moisture to sift outY of the recess so that, when the key is .inserted into the recess, there will be no accumulations to interfere with the proper placingand manipulation of the key.

What isclaimed is The combinaton with a cover having a depression therein and a key retaining lug ,integral with the cover and overhanging the depression, of a head mounted for rotation in the depression, a button under the cover and revoluble with the head, means extending from the cover for limiting the rotation of the button, a key having a socket for the reception of the head, said key being insertible into the depression, anda flange extending partly around the key 'adapted to receive the lug between the ends of the flange when the key is inserted into the depression, said flange cooperating with the lug to prevent withdrawal ofthe key when the button is turned out of locking position,

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed `my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

HARRY HAMMOND HOWELL.

lrVitnesses G. S. DOBBINs, H. J. RoEBUoK.

'by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

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