GB1581211A

GB1581211A - Sealing devices

Info

Publication number: GB1581211A
Application number: GB39278A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: G Kromschroeder AG
Current assignee: Elster Kromschroeder GmbH
Priority date: 1978-01-05
Filing date: 1978-01-05
Publication date: 1980-12-10

Description

(54) IMPROVEMENTS IN OR RELATING TO SEALING DEVICES (71) We, G. KROMSCHRODER AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT, a German corporate body of 6, Jahnplatz, D 45 Osnabruck, Federal Republic of Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement: This invention is concerned with sealing devices and, more particularly, with a sealing device for securing a counting mechanism cap to a gas meter and providing a seal therefor. The counting mechanism of a gas meter is conventionally covered by a counting mechanism cap and after the counting mechansm has been calibrated, it is necessary to secure the cap to the gas meter and provide a seal for the cap, the breaking of which, whether authorised or unauthorised, is clearly visible.

An arrangement is described in German OLS 2309417 in which the counting mechanism cap is fixed to the housing of the gas meter by two screws. These screws are secured by sealing so that they can only be removed after damage to the seal. To this end, the counting mechanism cap is drawn inwards in the region of each of the screws so that a depression is produced and the base of the depression is provided with apertures for the screws and two further apertures on both sides of the screw apertures. The seal includes an oval, disc-like sealing member provided on its inner surface with two resilient arms provided with abutment hooks.

After tightening the screws, the seal member is forced into the depression in the counting mechanism cap so that the resilient arms pass through the said further apertures with deflection and then non-releasably engage the inner surface of the counting mechanism cap by means of the abutment hooks. A predetermined breaking location is provided between each of the two arms and the sealing member. To release the counting mechanism cap, the sealing member is broken away from the arms and removed so that the screws can then be loosened.

We have now developed a sealing device which serves to secure a counting mechanism cap to a gas meter as well as providing a seal for the cap.

According to the present invention, there is provided a sealing device for securing a counting mechanism cap to a gas meter and providing a seal therefor, which comprises a sealing plate adapted to fit within a correspondingly shaped depression in a counting mechanism cap, and which is joined by a frangible neck providing a predetermined breaking location to a disc provided with a plurality of resilient arms which extend away from and substantially perpendicular to the plane of the sealing plate, the end of each arm being provided with an abutment hook, the arms being adapted to pass through aligned bores in the counting mechanism cap and baseplate forming part of a gas meter casing and the abutment hooks to engage the inside surface of the baseplate whereby the counting mechanism cap is secured to the gas meter.

In order that the invention may be more fully understood two preferred embodiments thereof will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front view of a first embodiment of a sealing device, Figure 2 is a side view, partly in section of the sealing device of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a front view of a second embodiment of a sealing device, Figure 4 is a side view, partly in section, of the sealing device of Figure 3, Figure 5 is a side view, partly in section, showing the sealing device of Figures 1 and 2 mounted on a baseplate forming part of the housing of a gas meter, and Figure 6 is a side elevation of a gas meter showing the location of a sealing device according to the invention thereon.

The sealing device shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a generally oval sealing plate 10 made of plastics material. The outline of the sealing plate 10 is determined by two semicircles 12,14 at the ends which are joined by straight side edges 16, 18 whose length corresponds substantially to the diameter of the semi-circles 12, 14. Areas 20,22 on one side, the outside, of the sealing plate 20 and on each side of the centre of the latter are raised and carry embosed symbols 24, 26. At the centre of the outside surface of the sealing plate 10 there is rectangular depression 28.

A circular disc 30 is connected to the centre of the other side, the inside, of the sealing plates 10 by a neck 32 which provides a predetermined breaking location. The disc 30 is provided with two or more resilient arms 34 which extend substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the disc and the sealing plate 10 and which are provided with abutment hooks 36. The outer surfaces 38 of the resilient arms 34 lies on an imaginary cylindrical surface formed by the disc 30. The abutment hooks 36 comprise radial flat surface 40 which extend from the cylindrical outer surfaces 38 and also surfaces 42 which taper conically inwardly towards the ends of the arms 34.

The embodiment shown in Figure 3 and 4 is similar to that shown in Figures 1 and 2 and corresponding parts therein are provided with the same reference numerals. In the embodiment of Figures 3 and 4, the sealing plate 10 is provided with bores 44, 46 for receiving lead seals 48, 50 instead of the raised surfaces 20, 22.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, ths sealing plate 10 is mounted in an oval depression 52 in the counting mechanism cap 54 of a gas meter 56. The arms 34 project through aligned bores 58, 60 in the cap 54 and in a base plate 62 formed on the housing of the gas meter 56. The radial flat surfaces 40 of the abutment hooks 36 engage the inner surface 64 of the base plate 62. The depression 52 includes a step 66 at its periphery against which the edge of the sealing plate 10 engages. The neck 32 forming the predeter mined breaking location is thus situated within a chamber 68 formed between the sealing plate 10 and the base of the depres sion 52, and the circular disc 30 bearing the resilient arms 34 and the cylindrical outer surfaces 38 of the arms 34 are centred in the counting mechanism cap 54 and the base plate 62 respectively.

In order to fix and seal the counting mechanism cap 54, the latter is positioned so that the bores 58 and 60 are aligned. The sealing plate 10 is forced into the depression 52, the arms 34, during passage through the bores 58, 60, being forced inwards resiliently by the inclined surfaces 42 and then latch non-releasably with the surfaces 40 behind the inner surface 64 of the base plate 62. The counting mechanism cap 54 can then only be released, by destroying the predetermined breaking location 32.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A sealing device for securing a counting mechanism cap to a gas meter and providing a seal therefor, which comprises a sealing plate adapted to fit within a correspondingly shaped depression in a counting mechanism cap, and which is joined by a frangible neck providing a predetermined breaking location to a disc provided with a plurality of resilient arms which extend away from and substantially perpendicular to the plane of the sealing plate, the end of each arm being provided with an abutment hook, the arms being adapted to pass through aligned bores in the counting mechanism cap and a baseplate forming part of a gas meter casing and the abutment hooks to engage the inside surface of the baseplate whereby the counting mechanism cap is secured to the gas meter.

2. A sealing device according to claim 1, in which the surface of the sealing plate remote from the neck is provided with raised areas for the reception of embossed symbols.

3. A sealing device according to claim 1, in which the sealing plate is provided with bores spaced from the point of attachment of the neck and in which are located lead seals.

4. A sealing device according to any of claims 1 to 3, in which the surface of the sealing plate remote from the neck is provided with a rectangular depression.

5. A sealing device according to any of claims 1 to 4, in which the outer surfaces of the resilient arms lie on an imaginary cylindrical surface having the diameter of the disc and the abutment hooks have radial flat surfaces adjoining the arms and inwardly tapering surfaces at their ends remote from the disc.

6. A sealing device substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 5 and 6 or Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **.

Figure 6 is a side elevation of a gas meter showing the location of a sealing device according to the invention thereon.

The sealing device shown in Figures 1 and 2 comprises a generally oval sealing plate 10 made of plastics material. The outline of the sealing plate 10 is determined by two semicircles 12,14 at the ends which are joined by straight side edges 16, 18 whose length corresponds substantially to the diameter of the semi-circles 12, 14. Areas 20,22 on one side, the outside, of the sealing plate 20 and on each side of the centre of the latter are raised and carry embosed symbols 24, 26. At the centre of the outside surface of the sealing plate 10 there is rectangular depression 28.

A circular disc 30 is connected to the centre of the other side, the inside, of the sealing plates 10 by a neck 32 which provides a predetermined breaking location. The disc 30 is provided with two or more resilient arms 34 which extend substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the disc and the sealing plate 10 and which are provided with abutment hooks 36. The outer surfaces 38 of the resilient arms 34 lies on an imaginary cylindrical surface formed by the disc 30. The abutment hooks 36 comprise radial flat surface 40 which extend from the cylindrical outer surfaces 38 and also surfaces 42 which taper conically inwardly towards the ends of the arms 34.

The embodiment shown in Figure 3 and 4 is similar to that shown in Figures 1 and 2 and corresponding parts therein are provided with the same reference numerals. In the embodiment of Figures 3 and 4, the sealing plate 10 is provided with bores 44, 46 for receiving lead seals 48, 50 instead of the raised surfaces 20, 22.

As shown in Figures 5 and 6, ths sealing plate 10 is mounted in an oval depression 52 in the counting mechanism cap 54 of a gas meter 56. The arms 34 project through aligned bores 58, 60 in the cap 54 and in a base plate 62 formed on the housing of the gas meter 56. The radial flat surfaces 40 of the abutment hooks 36 engage the inner surface 64 of the base plate 62. The depression

52 includes a step 66 at its periphery against which the edge of the sealing plate 10 engages. The neck 32 forming the predeter mined breaking location is thus situated within a chamber 68 formed between the sealing plate 10 and the base of the depres sion 52, and the circular disc 30 bearing the resilient arms 34 and the cylindrical outer surfaces 38 of the arms 34 are centred in the counting mechanism cap 54 and the base plate 62 respectively.

In order to fix and seal the counting mechanism cap 54, the latter is positioned so that the bores 58 and 60 are aligned. The sealing plate 10 is forced into the depression 52, the arms 34, during passage through the bores 58, 60, being forced inwards resiliently by the inclined surfaces 42 and then latch non-releasably with the surfaces 40 behind the inner surface 64 of the base plate 62. The counting mechanism cap 54 can then only be released, by destroying the predetermined breaking location 32.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS: 1. A sealing device for securing a counting mechanism cap to a gas meter and providing a seal therefor, which comprises a sealing plate adapted to fit within a correspondingly shaped depression in a counting mechanism cap, and which is joined by a frangible neck providing a predetermined breaking location to a disc provided with a plurality of resilient arms which extend away from and substantially perpendicular to the plane of the sealing plate, the end of each arm being provided with an abutment hook, the arms being adapted to pass through aligned bores in the counting mechanism cap and a baseplate forming part of a gas meter casing and the abutment hooks to engage the inside surface of the baseplate whereby the counting mechanism cap is secured to the gas meter.
2. A sealing device according to claim 1, in which the surface of the sealing plate remote from the neck is provided with raised areas for the reception of embossed symbols.
3. A sealing device according to claim 1, in which the sealing plate is provided with bores spaced from the point of attachment of the neck and in which are located lead seals.
4. A sealing device according to any of claims 1 to 3, in which the surface of the sealing plate remote from the neck is provided with a rectangular depression.
5. A sealing device according to any of claims 1 to 4, in which the outer surfaces of the resilient arms lie on an imaginary cylindrical surface having the diameter of the disc and the abutment hooks have radial flat surfaces adjoining the arms and inwardly tapering surfaces at their ends remote from the disc.
6. A sealing device substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1, 2, 5 and 6 or Figures 3 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.