US2367127A

US2367127A - Meter box and the like

Info

Publication number: US2367127A
Application number: US469817A
Authority: US
Inventors: Ernest G Johansson
Original assignee: Anchor Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Anchor Manufacturing Co
Priority date: 1942-12-22
Filing date: 1942-12-22
Publication date: 1945-01-09
Anticipated expiration: 1962-01-09

Description

Jan. 9, 1945. 4l5; G, JOHANSSON 2,367,27

` METER Box AND THE LiKE v Filed Deo. 22, 1942 Maz-zzp P7655 6. @@5070 M m4# Patented Jan. 9, 1945 #V'UNITJED STATES PATIENT. OFFICE METER BOX AND .THE yLIKE' i lErnest; G.-,Johansson, Belmont, Mass., lassigfnor to Anchor Manufacturing Company, Boston,

Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application December 22, 1942, Serial No. 469,817

I (o1. 22o-55) S-Claims.

I Thisv invention relates to locks for boxes and enclosures of various kinds having closures'which are hinged or otherwise movably mounted over openings in the boxes, particularly to meter boxes such as disclosed in my copendingapplication 'Serial No. 425,771, filed January 6, 1942.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a lock which is simple and economical to construct, which is durableand reliable in use,'wh.ich cannot be tamperedwithV and which .cannot become disassociated with the box or' closure acci* dentally.

According to the present invention the lock comprises a latch and a fastener, the latch having an opening and the fastener extendingnot onlythrough the opening in the' latch but also vthrough an opening in the closure of the box into interengagement with a part of the box. In one aspect of the invention the latch is pivoted or otherwise movably mounted' on the closure and the latch opening extends to one edge of the latch to permit lateral ,movement of the latch away fromthe fastener when the fastener is loosened without detaching the fastener from. the

` the latch opening and the latch has a portion extending into the closure openingbetween the fastener and edge of the closure opening so that the latch is interlocked directly with the closure against lateral movement transversely of the axes of the openings. The latch is preferably in the form of a strap pvotally mounted on the closure of the box to swing edgewise alongthe face of the closure, the pin holding the strap against substantial movement away yfrom the face of the closure. The aforesaid portion fof the latch which extends into the closure opening is preferably formed by upsettingthe edge of the opening in the'latch throughout a substantial portion of the'circumference of the opening to form an' annular Dortion extending into the larger opening of rthe closure around the fastener, the offset edge also providing a countersunk seat lfor the head of the fastener, in which casethe countersunk'seat may constitute ythe aforesaid obstructing means engageable with the head of the fastener.

In the prefenred form ofthe invention the strap is bent to form a loop intermediate the pivot pin and the fastener opening and the cover plate is .mounted on the strap Vby means of a. slot near one 4end to receive the strap, the part of the plate between the slot and the end of the plate forming a p ivot in the aforesaid loop to permit the plate to swing away from the strap, thereby to uncover the fastener so ,that the c-losure may be unlocked. The free ends of the strap and plate preferably have intereng-aging parts for sealing the cover plate against the strap.

For the purpose of illustration a typical embodiment [ofthe invention is shown in the accom-- panying drawing in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a meter box constructed according to the present'invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged View of the lock with the ycover plate swung upwardly to uncover the lock;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan View;

Fig'. 4 is a'view similar to Fig. 2 showing th latch swung to retracted position; and

' Fig.'5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

The particular embodiment of the invention chosen for the purpose of illustration comprises ya meter box identical with that disclosed in the aforesaid copending application. This box comprisefsfside walls I, a bottom wall 2, atop 3, a y

front wall 4, and a front closure 5 having an opening 6 for the cylindrical glass cover of a meter to project through. As disclosed in the aforesaid application the closure 5 has a portion extending up behind the front wall Il to hold the upper part'of the closure in position and the lower part of the closure is held rclosed by the lo'ck hereinafter described. As shown inFig. 5 the bottom 2 of the box has an upturned lflange 6 at its forward edge which extends almost to the side wall I, leaving just enough space for the side flanges 'I of the closure 5. At the bottom the closure is provided with a flange 8 fitting over the bottom of the box. y

The aforesaid 10c-k comprises a strap I I pivoted to the closure by means of the pin I2 which permits the latch to swing laterally along the base lof the closure between the locking position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and `5 and the retracted position shown in Fig. 4. vNear its lower end the strap Il is provided-With an opening I3 which, when, the latch is in locking position, registers with a larger opening .I4 in the closure 5. A fastener I5 in the form of a machine screw extends through the two openings and threads into an opening in the upstanding flange Bof lthe box. The edge of the opening I3 `is offset into the space between the fastener I5 and the edge 'of the opening I4 in the closure. This not only provides a countersunk l seat for the head of the screw, but also provides l,integral means in the form of an annular ange lit-ting 'into the closure 'opening I4 to interlock the latch directly with the closure when the latch is drawn against the closure by the screw. As shown in Figs. 2. and 4 the opening I3 preferably extends to one edge of the strap so that the strap may be disengaged from the fastener without completely removing the fastener.

Between the pivot I2 and the fastener I5 the latch strap II is provided With a loop 25 for the purpose of pivotally supporting a cover plate I6. Near its upper end the cover plate is provided with a transverse slot to receive the latch strap I I and the portion of the cover plate between its upper end and the aforesaid slot ts into the loop 25 to form the pivotal support which permits the cover plate to swing from the closed position shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5 to the open position shown in Figs. 2 and 4. The cover plate lmay be provided with an indented portion I'I to accommodate'the head of the fastener I5.

For the purpose of sealing the cover plate in closed position the lower ends of the latch and cover are provided with interengaging parts. As shown in the drawing the parts comprise a projection I8 on the latch extending through a slot I9 in the cover plate, the projection I8 being provided with an opening to receive the seal 20.

To unlock the box the seal is rst broken, the cover plate I5 is then swung from the closed position shown in Figs. 1, 3 and 5, to the open position shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the fastener I5 is then loosened suiciently to swing the latch II from the locked position shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 5 to the unlocked position shown in Fig. 4, and the closure may then be removed. To lock the box the operations are reversed. After the parts are locked, it is very difficult to tamper with the box. If the margin of pthe opening I3 in the latch did not interlock with the opening .I4 in the cover in the closure 5, lateral blows on the locked latch would bend the fastener I5 from side to side` soon breaking it off. However with the interlocking arrangement above described, the latch is held rigidly against lateral movement relatively to the cover so long as the marginal portion of the opening I3 is held in the closure opening I4.

It should be understood that the present disclosure is for the purpose of illustration only and that this invention includes all modifications and equivalents which fall within the scope of,

the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A box comprising a closure having an opening therein, and means for holding the closure in closed position including a latch and a fastener,

the latch having an opening and the fastener extending through both openings into interengagement with the box, the closure opening being larger than the latch opening and the latch having a portion extending into the closure opening between the fastener and the edge of thel closure opening, whereby the latch is intel-locked directly with the closure against lateral movement transversely of the axes of said openings.

2. A box comprising a closure having an open-y of the closure opening, whereby the latch is interlocked directly with the closure against lateral movement' transversely of the axes of said openings.

3. A box comprising a closure having an opening therein, and means for holding'the closure position including a latch and a fastener, the latch having an opening and the fastener extending through 'both openings into interengagement with the box, the closure opening being larger than the latch opening and the latch having an annular portion extending into the closure opening between the fastener and the edge of the closure opening throughout a substantial portion of the latch opening, whereby the latch is interlockeddirectly with the closure against lateral movement transversely of the axes of said openings.

4. A box comprising a closure having an opening therein, and means for holding the closure in closed position including a strap and a fastener, the strap having an opening and the fastener extending through both openings into interengagement with the box, the closure opening being larger than the strap opening and the edge of the strap opening being offset into the closure opening between the fastener and the edge of the closure opening throughout a substantial portion of the strap opening, the offset edge interlocking the strap with the closure and providing a countersunk seat for the head of said fastener.

5. A box comprising a closure having an opening therein, means for holding the closure in closedfposition including a latch and a fastener, means for movably mounting the latch on the closure, the latch having an opening and the fastener extending through both openings into interengagement with 'the box, the closure opening 'being larger than the latch opening and the latch having an annular portion extending into the closure opening between the fastener and the edge of the closure opening throughout a substantial portion of the circumference of the latch opening, and a cover movably mounted on the latch to move over said fastener when the latch i hand fastener are in position to hold the closure in closed position.

6. A box comprising a closure having an opening therein, means for holding the closure in closed position including a latch and a fastener, means for movably mounting the latch on the closure, the latch having an opening and the fastener extending through both openings into intere-ngagement With the box, the closure opening being larger than the latch opening and the latch having an annular portion extending into the closure opening between the fastener and the edge of the closure opening throughout a substantial portion of the circumference of the latch opening, a cover movably mounted on the latch to move over said fastener when the latch and fastener are in position to hold the closure in closed position, andmeans for sealing the cover to the latch over the fastener.

7. A box comprising a closure having an opening therein, means for holding the `closure in closed position including a strap and a fastener, a pin for pivoting the strap to the closure to swing edgewise along the face of the closure, the strap havingv an opening and the fastener extending through both openings into interengagement with the box, the closure opening being larger than thestrap opening and theedge of the strap opening being offset into the closure opening between the fastener and the edge of the closure opening throughout a substantial portion of the circumference Aof the strap opening, the offset edge interlocking the strap With the closure and providing a countersunk seat for the -head of said fastener, the strap being bent to form a loop intermediate said pin and opening and a. cover plate for covering said' fastener head, the cover plate having a slot near one end to receive said strap, the part of the plate between the 'slot and end forming a pivot in said loop to permit the plate to swing away from the strap, the freev ends of the strap and plate having interengaging parts for sealing the cover plate 4against the strap.

8. A box `comprising a closure having an openand the fastener extending through-both openings into interengagementcwith the box, said head seating on the latch when in closed position,

the latch opening extending to one edge of the ing therein and means for holding the yclosure latch to permit lateral swinging of the latch away from the fastener when the fastener is loosened Without detaching the fastener from the box, and means fast to the latch engaging the side of the head of the fastener for preventing said lateral swinging when the fastener is in said locking position. f f

9. A box `comprising a closure having an opening therein and ymeans for holding the closure in closed position including a latch and a fastener, the latch having an opening and the fastener extending through both openings into interengagement with the box, the fastener clamping the latch against the closure when in locked position, the latchopening extending to one edge of the latchtc permit lateral movement of the latch away from the fastener when the fastener is loosened without detaching the fastener from the box, and, means integral With the latch and projecting from thesi-de face thereof into the opening of the closure, r-for obstructing said lateral movement when the fastener is in said locking position.

` ERNEST G. JOHANSON.