GB2487536A

GB2487536A - Locking device for the cover of an enclosure

Info

Publication number: GB2487536A
Application number: GB1101206.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Howard Ritherdon; Robert John Wright; Brian Hastings Derbyshire; Benjamin Ritherdon
Original assignee: Ritherdon & Co Ltd
Current assignee: Ritherdon & Co Ltd
Priority date: 2011-01-25
Filing date: 2011-01-25
Publication date: 2012-08-01
Also published as: GB201101206D0

Abstract

A locking device for a meter enclosure 9 having a hinged cover 17; the locking device comprising a retaining cover 5 for securing the hinged cover 17 in the closed position. The retaining cover 5 at least partially covers the hinged enclosure door and may also cover the existing enclosure locking device 16. The cover 5 is secured by at least two brackets 11 secured to the inside of the enclosure such that the mounting portion of the brackets is concealed and inaccessible from the exterior. Preferably the device is constructed from sheet metal and the retaining cover may be an elongate plate which extends through apertures in mounting brackets 11; the mounting brackets having lips 20 which mount around inner surfaces of the frame of the enclosure and project through the gap between the frame 11 and the hinged door 17. The locking plate 5 may have an aperture in one end for a padlock, the other end being bent to prevent withdrawal through the brackets.

Description

Meter Enclosure Locking Plate Assembly

Description

Background

This invention relates to the area of electricity and gas meter housings or boxes and the opportunity and requirement for more secure locking of meter boxes when the properties they serve are unoccupied (sometimes termed void).

When a property is occupied, it is necessary for the utility companies or occupier to have regular access to the gas and electricity meter boxes, where fitted. This means that the lock must be of a relatively low security standard, usually operated with a simple key with a triangular hole in the end.

However, when a property is unoccupied, regular access by the utility company or occupier is not required and there is often a greater need for security of the meter box.

Statement of Invention

The present invention proposes a locking plate being fastened over a meter enclosure door, to prevent it being opened, by at least two retaining brackets which project from the gap between door and frame and fasten -for example by hooking -onto the frame itself in a way that is inaccessible from outside the meter box whenever the door is closed.

The retaining brackets are fastened to the meter enclosure with the enclosure door open and then trapped by the door when it is closed over them. The locking plate slides into an aperture in each bracket, and an aperture in the locking plate itself provides a means of fastening a lock such as a padlock to the plate to prevent its withdrawal from the retaining brackets and to secure the meter box door.

Advantages This method of locking the door of the meter box adds two extra fixing points to the door over the existing lock, or locks, (access to which is also covered by the locking plate) as well as providing the opportunity to fit a more secure lock, such as a padlock, to the meter box.

Preferably, the locking plate and brackets are fabricated from metal (such as steel) for greater strength than, for example, glass reinforced plastic.

Detailed description

An example of the invention will now be described by referring to the accompanying drawings (on two sheets): Figure 1 shows the locking plate.

Figure 2 shows an example of one of the retaining brackets.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal section of the complete locking plate assembly, fitted to an example meter enclosure frame and secured with a padlock according to the invention.

Figure 4 is a view of the external face of an example meter enclosure, fitted with the locking plate assembly according to the invention.

Referring to Figures 1 to 4, there is shown a locking plate 5, comprising a plate with one right angled, corner notch, in posisitions 6 and 7, on the edge of the plate furthest away from the hinge 8 of the meter enclosure 9, at either end of the plate. This means that the locking plate is wider in the middle and thus limits the travel of the plate through the apertures 10 of the retaining brackets 11.

The ends and corners of the locking plate may be rounded to remove sharp corners and to facilitate the sliding of the plate into the retaining brackets.

One end of the locking plate includes an aperture 12, positioned such that, when the locking plate is installed correctly, one of the retaining brackets will be positioned between the right angle corner, where the locking plate widens 8, and the aperture 12. With the locking plate assembly installed on a meter enclosure and a locking device, for example a padlock 13, fitted through the aperture, the movement of the locking plate through the retaining brackets is limited further, such that it cannot be removed with the locking device 13 in place.

A further means of preventing the removal of the locking plate assembly, without first removing the locking device 13, is a bend to form a tab 14 in the end of the locking plate 5, opposite the end with the aperture 12, preferably perpendicular to the first plane of the locking plate and directed away from the meter enclosure. It is possible to insert this tab 14 through the aperture 10 in one retaining bracket 11 while the opposite end of the locking plate is still free. However, once both ends of the locking plate have been inserted into the restraining brackets, it is not possible for the tab 14 to slide through the aperture 10 in the bracket 11, as illustrated in Figure 3.

The shorter side of the plate, between the two notches 6 and 7, is bent to form a second tab 15 towards the meter enclosure 9, preferably perpendicular to the first plane of the locking plate 5.

This prevents the locking plate assembly from sliding towards the hinge 8 of the meter enclosure 9; which would uncover the original enclosure lock 16 and also provide more leverage to prize open the enclosure door 17.

At least one linear swage or rib 18 is preferably formed close to the edge of the locking plate nearest the meter enclosure hinge 8. This imparts extra rigidity to that edge of the plate. An alternative means of adding rigidity would be to fold a third, long tab along this edge.

An essential feature of the retaining brackets 11 is a face, perpendicular to the meter enclosure door once installed, and containing an aperture 10, positioned and of the correct size to permit passage of the narrowed ends of the Jocking plate 5, but not the wider part of the plate, and also to prevent opening of the meter enclosure door to any significant degree (that is, not wide enough to provide access to the enclosure).

Another essential feature of the retaining brackets 11 is that the thickness of that part of the bracket which passes through the gap between the meter enclosure door and the meter enclosure body or frame is less than the said gap, without modification to the door or enclosure. In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, this part of the retaining bracket is preferably fabricated from sheet material. An alternative means of connecting the external part of the bracket (and therefore the locking plate) to the inner body of the meter enclosure, could be via wire or another thin material of sufficient strength.

In the example embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, the means of fixing the retaining bracket 11 to the meter enclosure 9 is by way of a bend in the bracket to form a second plane 19, perpendicular to the first plane (containing the apertures 10), and a second bend to form a tab 20, at an angle less than 900 to that second plane 19, which hooks onto the meter enclosure body during installation. This embodiment provides a means of fastening the retaining brackets to the body or frame of the meter enclosure 9.

In the example embodiment of the present invention, illustrated in Figures 1 to 4, the tab 20 does not continue to the full length of the retaining bracket, leaving a straight tab 21, extending from the second plane, which locates into the side of the meter enclosure frame opposite the enclosure door hinge and perpendicular to that side onto which the tab 20 fixes. This is a preferable feature included as an extra means of preventing the locking plate assembly sliding towards the meter enclosure door hinge 8, following its installation, in addition to those features of the locking plate described above.

Apart from the essential embodiments of the retaining brackets -namely their apertures 10 and their fitting into the gap between the meter enclosure door 17 and meter enclosure body or frame 9 -factors such as size, shape, configuration and means of retention may be varied so that the retaining brackets may fit other types and shapes of meter enclosure.

In the example embodiment of the present invention illustrated in Figures ito 4 the locking plate assembly (including the brackets) is fabricated from sheet material -preferably sheet metal.

Preferably, the locking plate and brackets are painted for an improved appearance and to reduce marking the meter box door during fitting and removal of the invention.

Claims

Claims 1. A locking device comprising a partial or total cover for the hinged access cover (door) on a meter enclosure, which is fixed, by means of at least two retaining brackets, to the inside of the main body (or frame) of the meter enclosure and which, when installed, prevents the opening of the said hinged access cover.
2. A locking device, according to Claim 1, wherein the said retaining brackets are shaped to fit between the edge of the said meter enclosure cover and the frame or main body of the enclosure.
3. A locking device, according to Claim 2, wherein the said retaining brackets are fixed to the main body or frame of the said meter enclosure -for example by means of hooking onto an internal edge of the meter enclosure or frame -so that, when the said access cover is closed, access to the means of fixing of the brackets to the meter enclosure body or frame is prevented.
4. A locking device, according to Claims 1 to 3, wherein the said partial or total cover is preferably a plate.
5. A locking device, according to Claims 1 to 4, wherein the means of attachment of the said plate to the said retaining brackets is first to insert one end of the plate through an aperture in one bracket, then to insert the other end through an aperture in the other bracket(s), such that the apertures are essentially large enough to admit the ends of the plate, but not sufficiently large to permit significant opening of the hinged enclosure cover (that is not permitting access to the enclosure) with the locking device installed.
6. A locking device according to Claim 5, incorporating a bend -parallel to and at the opposite side of the said plate to the hinge of the meter enclosure cover -making a second plane or tab, adjacent to the side of the meter enclosure body or frame and essentially preventing the said plate from sliding towards the hinge once installed.
7. A locking device according to Claim 6, preferably incorporating at least one swage or rib, close to its longest edge to impart greater rigidity to the said plate.
8. A locking device according to Claims 1 to 7, wherein the means by which the said plate is retained between the said retaining brackets, thus preventing the opening of the meter enclosure cover, preferably includes all of the following: -the width of the plate (i.e. in the plane of the meter enclosure cover) being greater than the apertures in the brackets as described in Claim 6; -a locking mechanism such as a padlock being attached to a suitable aperture in one end of the plate; -a bend (preferably right-angled) in the opposite end of the plate to the above-mentioned aperture for a locking mechanism, such that this end (including the right angle bend) can be passed through the aperture in one bracket only during the installation of the locking device.
9. A locking device, according to Claim 8, preferably fabricated from sheet metal.
10. A locking device, according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein any components of the said device are adapted to fit and/or fix to meter enclosures of varying size, shape, configuration etc.
11. A locking assembly substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings.