Meter center, and socket assembly and method of assembling a socket assembly therefor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9537245-B1
Application number	US-201514944734-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Nov 18, 2015
Priority date	Nov 18, 2015
Publication date	Jan 3, 2017
Grant date	Jan 3, 2017

Abstract

A socket assembly is for a meter center including at least one meter having a stab. The socket assembly includes a base member; and a jaw assembly having a first jaw member and a second jaw member coupled to the first jaw member, each of the first jaw member and the second jaw member having a number of retaining edges and being structured to engage the stab. The jaw assembly is structured to rotate between a first position corresponding to disengagement between the number of retaining edges and the base member, and a second position corresponding to engagement between the number of retaining edges and the base member.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A socket assembly for a meter center including at least one meter having a stab, said socket assembly comprising: a base member; and
a jaw assembly comprising a first jaw member and a second jaw member coupled to said first jaw member, each of said first jaw member and said second jaw member having a number of retaining edges and being structured to engage said stab,
wherein said jaw assembly is structured to rotate between a first position corresponding to disengagement between said number of retaining edges and said base member, and a second position corresponding to engagement between said number of retaining edges and said base member;
wherein each of said first jaw member and said second jaw member comprises a body portions and a number of tab portions extending from said body portion of said first jaw member and said second jaw member toward each other; wherein said body portion has said number of retaining edges and
wherein, when said jaw assembly is in the second position, said number of tab portions engage said base member in order to prevent rotational movement of said first jaw member and said second jaw member with respect to said base member.

2. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein, when said jaw assembly is in the second position, said number of retaining edges and said number of tab portions cooperatively secure said first jaw member and said second jaw member to said base member without a separate fastener.

3. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein, said number of tab portions of said first jaw member comprises a first tab portion and a second tab portion disposed opposite said first tab portion; wherein said number of tab portions of said second jaw member comprises a third tab portion and a fourth tab portion disposed opposite said third tab portion; wherein said base member comprises a receiving portion having a first internal blocking portion and a second internal blocking portion; wherein, when
said jaw assembly is in the second position, said first internal blocking portion is disposed between said first tab portion and said third tab portion; and wherein, when said jaw assembly is in the second position, said second internal blocking portion is disposed between said second tab portion and said fourth tab portion.

4. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein, said number of tab portions of said first jaw member comprises a first tab portion and a second tab portion disposed opposite said first tab portion; wherein said number of tab portions of said second jaw member comprises a third tab portion and a fourth tab portion disposed opposite said third tab portion; wherein said first tab portion extends from said body portion of said first jaw member toward said third tab portion; and wherein said second tab portion of said body portion of said first jaw member extends toward said fourth tab portion.

5. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein, said number of tab portions of said first jaw member comprises a first tab portion; wherein said number of tab portions of said second jaw member comprises a second tab portion; wherein, when said jaw assembly moves from the first position toward the second position,
said first tab portion and said second third tab portion deflect inwardly toward each other; and wherein, when said jaw assembly is in the second position, said first tab portion and said second tab portion are not deflected in order to resist rotation of said jaw assembly with respect to said base member.

6. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein, when said jaw assembly is in the second position, said number of retaining edges prevent longitudinal movement of said first jaw member and said second jaw member with respect to said base member.

7. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein said jaw assembly further comprises a first biasing element and a second biasing element; wherein said first jaw member comprises a first end portion and a second end portion disposed opposite the first end portion; wherein said second jaw member comprises a third end portion and a fourth end portion disposed opposite the third end portion; wherein said first biasing element biases the first end portion toward engagement with the third end portion; and wherein said second biasing element biases the second end portion toward engagement with the fourth end portion.

8. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein said base member comprises a blocking portion; wherein said first jaw member comprises a first side portion and a second side portion disposed opposite said first side portion; wherein, when said jaw assembly is in the first position, said first side portion engages said blocking portion and said second side portion does not engage said blocking portion; wherein, when said jaw assembly moves from the first position to the second position, said first side portion disengages said blocking portion and said second side portion engages said blocking portion in order to prevent rotation of said first jaw member in a direction with respect to said base member.

9. The socket assembly of claim 8 wherein said base member further comprises a second blocking portion; wherein said second jaw member comprises a third side portion and a fourth side portion disposed opposite said third side portion; wherein, when said jaw assembly is in the first position, said third side portion engages said second blocking portion and said fourth side portion does not engage said second blocking portion; wherein, when said jaw assembly moves from the first position to the second position, said third side portion disengages said second blocking portion and said fourth side portion engages said second blocking portion in order to prevent rotation of said first jaw member in the direction with respect to said base member.

10. The socket assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first jaw member and said second jaw member further has a first external edge, a second external edge spaced from and being collinear with said first external edge, a third external edge disposed opposite said first external edge, and a fourth external edge spaced from and being collinear with said third external edge; wherein said number of retaining edges of said at least one of said first jaw member and said second jaw member comprises a first retaining edge extending inwardly from said first external edge, a second retaining edge extending inwardly from said second external edge, a third retaining edge extending inwardly from said third external edge toward said first retaining edge, and a fourth retaining edge extending inwardly from said fourth external edge toward said fourth retaining edge.

11. The socket assembly of claim 10 wherein, when said jaw assembly is in the first position, said base member is not disposed between said first retaining edge and said second retaining edge; wherein, when said jaw assembly is in the first position, said base member is not disposed between said third retaining edge and said fourth retaining edge; wherein, when said jaw assembly is in the second position, said base member is disposed between said first retaining edge and said second retaining edge; and wherein, when said jaw assembly is in the second position, said base member is disposed between said third retaining edge and said fourth retaining edge.

12. The socket assembly of claim 10 wherein said at least one of said first jaw member and said second jaw member further has a first tab portion and a second tab portion; wherein said first tab portion extends from said first retaining edge and said second retaining edge and is disposed therebetween; and wherein said second tab portion extends from said third retaining ed

Assignees

• Eaton Corp

Inventors

• Cable Albert Boyd

Classifications

• H01R25/162

  Electrical connections between or with rails or bus-bars (rails having primarily a non electrical function H01R4/64) · CPC title

• H01R13/434 Primary

  by separate resilient locking means on contact member, e.g. retainer collar or ring around contact member · CPC title

• H01R43/20 Primary

  for assembling or disassembling contact members with insulating base, case or sleeve · CPC title

• G01R22/065

  related to mechanical aspects · CPC title

• H01R13/42

  Securing in a demountable manner · CPC title