GB2244561A - Anti-tamper arrangements for electricity meters - Google Patents

Abstract

An anti-tamper arrangement comprises a body (5) interposed between a supply motor (1) and a cutout (3) so as to surround an electrical connection (7) between the cutout and the meter. thereby to inhibit interference with the connection. The body (5) has first (65) and second (67) faces adjacent faces (24, 13) of the meter (1) and the cutout (3); a passage (71) for accommodating the electrical connection (7); and first (75) and second (77) ring-shaped protrusions respectively surrounding the openings of the passage (71) in the first face (65) and in the second face (67). The protrusions extend respectively into an aperture (17a) in the motor (1) and an aperture (31a) in the cutout (3). <IMAGE>

Description

Arrangements incorporating an Electricity Supply Meter This invention relates to arrangements incorporating an electricity supply meter.

More particularly the invention relates to such arrangements also incorporating a house service cutout disposed adjacent the meter and a body interposed between the meter and the cutout so as to surround an electrical connection between the cutout and the meter thereby to inhibit interference with the electrical connection.

In such an arrangement the incoming electricity supply cable up to and including its termination in the cutout is normally secure against interference therewith for the purpose of the taking of unmetered electricity, and the wiring from the meter to the consumer of the electricity, carrying metered electricity, offers no opportunity for such fraudulent interference. However, the electrical connection between the cutout and the meter, although being secure over most of its length due to being surrounded by the interposed body, is vulnerable where it enters the meter and where it enters the cutout via the interfaces between the meter and the body and the cutout and the body respectively.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an arrangement incorporating an electricity supply meter wherein the above problem is alleviated.

According to the present invention there is provided an arrangement incorporating: an electricity supply meter; a house service cutout disposed adjacent the meter; and a body interposed between the meter and the cutout so as to surround an electrical connection between the cutout and the meter thereby to inhibit interference with said electrical connection, said body having: first and second faces respectively closely adjacent faces of said meter and said cutout; a passage extending between said first and second faces for accommodating said electrical connection; and a protrusion extending from said first or second face adjacent the opening of said passage in said first or second face so as to extend into an aperture for the receipt of said electrical connection in the said closely adjacent face.

One arrangement in accordance with the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the arrangement; Figure 2 is a front elevation of a body of the arrangement; Figure 3 is a cross-section on the line III-III in Figure 2; and Figure 4 is an underneath elevation of the body of Figure 2.

Referring to Figure 1, the arrangement comprises an electricity supply meter 1, a house service cutout 3 disposed immediately beneath the meter 1, and a thermoset moulded body 5 interposed between the meter 1 and cutout 3 so as to surround a live 7 and a neutral 9 connection between the cutout 3 and meter 1 thereby to inhibit interference with these connections 7, 9.

The top of the cutout 3 is staggered at a wall 11 so as to define upper 13 and lower 15 faces directed towards the meter 1.

The meter 1 has an in 17 and an out 19 live terminal and an in 21 and an out 23 neutral terminal, all disposed just behind the bottom face 24 of the meter 1 in respective apertures 17a, 19a, 21a, 23a for the receipt of electrical connections thereto.

The cutout 3 has a pair of in 25, 27 and a pair of out 29, 31 live terminals, a pair of in 33, 35 and a pair of out 37, 39 neutral terminals, and an in 41 and an out 43 earth terminal. The terminals 29, 31 are disposed just behind the face 13 of the cutout 3, the terminals 37, 39, 43 just behind the face 15 of the cutout 3, and the terminals 25, 27, 33, 35, 41 just behind the bottom face 45 of the cutout 3. All terminals 25, 27, 29, 31, 33, 35, 37, 39, 41, 43 of the cutout 3 are disposed in respective apertures 25a, 27a, 29a, 31a, 33a, 35a, 37a, 39a, 41a, 43a for the receipt of electrical connections thereto. The cutout 3 includes a fuse 47 connected between the in 25, 27 and out 29, 31 live terminals such that each in live terminal 25, 27 is connected to both out live terminals 29, 31.

The live connection 7 mentioned above is between terminal 31 of the cutout 3 and terminal 17 of the meter 1 and the neutral connection 9 mentioned above is between terminal 37 of the cutout 3 and terminal 21 of the meter 1.

Conductors 49, 51, 53 of an electricity supply cable 55 are respectively connected to the in live 27, neutral 33 and earth 41 terminals of the cutout 3, the conductors 49, 51 being secured against interference therewith up to and including their termination in the cutout 3. Wires 57 for the supply of metered electricity to a consumer are connected to the live 19 and neutral 23 terminals of the meter 1 and the earth terminal 43 of the cutout 3. The live 25, 29 and neutral 35, 39 terminals of the cutout 3 are not utilised and are provided with baffles (not shown) in their respective apertures 25a, 29a, 35a, 39a to inhibit interference therewith.

Referring also to Figures 2 to 4, the body 5 comprises a middle part 59, a horizontally extending part 61 and a downwardly extending part 63 having first 65, second 67, third 69 and fourth 70 faces which are respectively closely adjacent the bottom face 24 of the meter 1, face 13 of the cutout 3, wall 11 of the cutout 3 and face 15 of the cutout 3. In the middle part 59 a passage 71 extends vertically between faces 65 and 67 and accommodates the live connection 7. In the downwardly extending part 63 a passage 73 extends vertically between faces 65 and 70 and accommodates the neutral connection 9. The horizontally extending part 61 extends so as to cover, and thus further inhibit interference with, the out live terminal 29 of the cutout 3.

The body 5 further comprises first and second ring-shaped protrusions 75, 77, the first 75 extending from face 65 and surrounding the opening of the passage 71 in the face 65 and the second 77 extending from face 67 and surrounding the opening of the passage 71 in the face 67. The protrusions 75, 77 extend respectively into aperture 17a of the meter 1 and aperture 31a of the cutout 3. Thus, protrusions 75, 77 respectively surround the live connection 7 where it passes from the body 5 to the meter 1 and from the body 5 to the cutout 3 and therefore inhibit interference with the live connection 7 via either the interface between the body 5 and meter 1 or the interface between the body 5 and the cutout 3.

The body 5 also comprises a solid circular cross-section protrusion 85 which extends from the face 67 beneath the horizontally extending part 61 into aperture 29a of the cutout 3 and thus inhibits interference with the out live terminal 29 of the cutout 3 via the interface between the body 5 and the cutout 3.

Skirt lengths 87 project from the long sides of the face 67 of the body 5 over the front and rear sides of the cutout 3.

It is to be appreciated that the description herein of the relationship between the faces of the body and the faces of the meter and cutout as closely adjcent includes the case where the faces of the body and the faces of the meter and cutout contact one another.

It is also to be appreciated that in the embodiment described above one of the ring-shaped protrusions 75, 77 could be dispensed with. For example, if protrusion 77 were dispensed with, the body 5 could be secured tightly up against cutout 3, so as to inhibit interference with the live connection 7 via the interface between the cutout 3 and body 5, without risk of exposing the live connection 7 to interference via the interface between the body 5 and meter 1 due to the protection afforded by a protrusion 75 of appropriate height. The solid circular cross-section protrusion 85 could also be dispensed with for the same reason or because the protection provided by the baffle in the aperture 29a is to be solely relied upon.

It is further to be appreciated that protrusions 75, 77 need not completely surround live connection 7, but need only surround connection 7 to the extent required to give the necessary protection. For example, if the arrangement were mounted on a wall that side of the live connection 7 facing the wall need not necessarily be protected by protrusions 75, 77.

Claims (10)

1. An arrangement incorporating: an electricity supply meter; a house service cutout disposed adjacent the meter; and a body interposed between the meter and the cutout so as to surround an electrical connection between the cutout and the meter thereby to inhibit interference with said electrical connection, said body having: first and second faces respectively closely adjacent faces of said meter and said cutout; a passage extending between said first and second faces for accommodating said electrical connection; and a protrusion adjacent the opening of said passage in said first or second face so as to extend into an aperture for the receipt of said electrical connection in the said closely adjacent face.

2. An arrangement according to Claim 1 wherein there are two said protrusions, one extending into a said aperture of the meter and the other into a said aperture of the cutout.

3. An arrangement according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the or each said protrusion is ring-shaped and surrounds the opening of said passage in the face from which it extends.

4. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said electrical connection is a live electrical connection.

5. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said cutout has an aperture for the receipt of a second electrical connection between the cutout and the meter and said body has an extension which covers said aperture for the receipt of the second electrical connection, said extension having a further protrusion which extends into the aperture for the receipt of the second electrical connection thereby to inhibit interference with an electrical terminal of the cutout located in said aperture for the receipt of the second electrical connection.

6. An arrangement according to Claim 5 wherein said second electrical connection is a live electrical connection.

7. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein: said closely adjacent face of the cutout comprises parallel spaced first and second parts and a wall therebetween perpendicular thereto; said second face comprises parallel spaced first and second parts and a wall therebetween perpendicular thereto; said first and second parts and said wall of said closely adjacent face of the cutout are respectively closely adjacent said first and second parts and said wall of said second face; said passage extends between said first face and one of said first and second parts of said second face; and said body has a further passage which extends between said first face and the other of said first and second parts of said second face for accommodating a further electrical connection between the cutout and the meter.

8. An arrangement according to Claim 7 wherein said further electrical connection is a neutral electrical connection.

9. An arrangement according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said cutout is disposed immediately beneath said meter.

10. An arrangement incorporating an electricity supply meter substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.