Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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BACKGROUND OF T~IE I~VE~TIO~
In electric power distribution, meters for measuring
power consumption are customarily provided with rearwardly
extending contact blades for insertion into and frictional
engagement with a meter socket having spring jaw connectorsO
The meter is held in place by a meter ring which clamps a
meter flange to a support member associated with the meter
socket, or by a cover plate having an aperture receiving the
meter housing, the periphery of which covers the meter flange.
In situations where it is necessary to provide tempor-
ary power without a meter in the meter socket, or where it is
desired to bypass the meter socket, it is necessary to provide
~umper means for connecting the live terminals of the meter
socket to the load terminals thereof.
Although it has been possible to do this with
jumper cables or connectors, this procedure could leave the
contacts exposed to the weather and also susceptible to
accidental or intentional contact by unauthorized personnel.
SUMMARY OF TI~E INVENTION
A me-ter socket jumper comprises a plastic disc
having a diameter and a peripheral thickness the same
dimensions as the retaining ring of a meter designed for
assembly into said socket. The disc has integrally molded
pockets opening to the rear or inside face of the disc
only, said pockets being dimensioned to receive self
tapping screws to allow attachment of a conductive jumper
to the rear face of the disc.
The molded pockets protrude forwardly from the
front face of the disc, and stiffening webs intersect the
pockets to strengthen them against expansion and lateral
movement when a screw is assembled therein.
A plurality of pockets are provided at predeter~
mined positions on the disc to allow assembly of jumpers
at different positions to allow the device to be used with
meter sockets of various types.
The jumpers are provided with contact blades for
assembly into the jaw contacts of the meter socket, thereby
retaining the device in position until the meter box cover
is closed, or until a retaining ring is assembled,
depending on the type of meter socket.
According to a broad aspect of the present
invention there is;provided a cover for a meter socket
adapted to receive jumpers for completing a circuit between
meter socket terminals. The cover comprises a disc formed
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of insulating material. The disc has a peripheral flange
having a diameter and thickness substantially the same as
that of a retaining flange of a meter intended for assembly
into the meter socket. A central portion is~also provided
and substantially thinner than the width of the flange.
A series of cylindrical walls extends from the central
portion. These walls are closed at the forward end on the
forward side of the disc and open at the other end on the
rear side of the disc forming a pocket. The walls are
dimensioned to receive a fastening device from the réar
side for attachment of a jumper without exposure of the
fastening device on the forward side of the disc.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES OF T~IE DRAWINGS
.
Figure l is a view in front elevation of a meter
socket jumper assembly embodying the features of the
invention.
Figure 2 is a view in section taken on line 2-2
of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a view in section taken on line 3-3
of Figure l.
Figure 4 is a perspective view of the rear side
of the meter socket jumper assembly of Figure lo
Figure 5 is a perspective view of the meter
socket jumper assembly of Figure l assembled with a meter
socket,
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DESCRIPTION OF THE_ILLUSTRATED EMBOD~MENT
Referring to the drawing, there is illustrated a meter
socket jumper 10 intended for assembly with a meter socket
12, which comprises a plastic disc 14 and metallic jumpers
16 assembled onto the rear side thereof.
The disc 14 is circular in shape, with a diameter the
same as that of a meter designed for assembly into said
socket, and a peripheral flange 18 which has a width sub-
stantially the same as that of the flange on said meter so
that the meter socket jumper assembly 10 may be assembled
with a meter socket and be retained therein in the same
manner as a meter as will be described more fully herein-
after.
The main body of the disc 14 is relatively thin, with
a series of reinforcing ribs 20 formed on the forward face
thereof. Intersecting the reinforcing ribs are a series of
molded cylindrical walls 22 which extend from the forward
face of the disc. Said walls are open at the rear end at
the rear face of the disc but are closed on the forward end
which protrudes from the forward side of the disc, forming
pockets 24 which open to the rear side of the disc.
The pockets 24 have a diameter and depth appropriate
for receiving self-tapping screws 26 for attaching the con-
ductive jumpers 16 to the rear side of the disc.
The jumpers 16 each comprise a pair of contact blades
30 and a connecting bar 32. The bar 32 is secured to the
disc by the screws 26 seated in pockets 24.
In the usual case a pair of jumpers 16 are attached to
the rear side of the disc, with the blades being spaced and
dimensioned to be frictionally engageable with jaw contacts
34 in the meter socket, in the same manner as a meter.
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The meter socket jumper assembly may therefore be
assembled into the meter socke~ in the same manner as a
meter, with the jumpers 28 completing a circuit from the
live contact jaws to the load contact jaws. The assembly
is retained in the meter socket initially by frictional
engagement of the blades 30 in the socket jaws, and then by
a cover plate 36 having a central aperture 38 which nor-
mally receives a meter housing. Since the periphery of the
disc 14 has the same diameter and thickness as that of the
retaining ring of a meter, the -flange 18 is positioned in
the meter socket by meter positioning flanges 40 and re-
tained in the socket by the cover plate.
To facilitate insertion and removal of the assembly,
a handle 42 may be attached by self-tapping screws to the
forward face of the disc.
As illustrated in the drawing, a plurality of pockets
may be provided opening to the rear face of the disc, so
that jumpers may be assembled in different positions to
allow the device to be used with sockets of different
2~ spacing and numbers of jaw contacts.
The pockets in the disc allow secure assembly of the
jumpers onto the rear side of the disc, without exposure of
any voltage carrying components on the front face of the
disc, thus eliminating any possibility of electrical shock.
Although in the illustrated embodiment of the inven-
tion the disc is formed of transparent plastic, it may be
formed of opaque material if desired.
Since certain changes apparent to one skilled in the
art may be made in the herein illustrated and described em-
bodiment of the invention without departing from the scope
thereof, it is intended that all matter contained herein be
interpreted in an illustrative and not a limiting sense.
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