Abstract:
A lockout device is presented to maintain an on/off switch lever of a disconnect box in a preferred position. A grasp portion of the lockout device that is in an unlocked position may be inserted in the on/off switch lever of the disconnect outlet box preventing the on/off switch lever from being moved from an off position to an on position, or vise versa. Once the grasp hook is inserted in the on/off switch lever, the lockout device can be moved to a locked position and secured with one or more padlocks to prevent the lockout device from being removed. A middle portion of the lockout device may be made of varying lengths to allow easy access to on/off switch levers of disconnect boxes located overhead, below the user&#39;s feet or in confined spaces without the requirement for ladders or other special access equipment.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    Not applicable. 
       FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH 
       [0002]    Not applicable. 
       BACKGROUND 
     Field of Invention 
       [0003]    The lockout device of the present invention relates in general to electrical shut-off means typically associated with industrial machinery and which allows an individual to easily shut off and turn on an electrical current to the machine for safety purposes during servicing or repairs. However, the present lockout device more particularly pertains to a device that can be easily used to access the on/off switch associated with an overhead electrical switch box. The lockout device is of simple construction and may be made from insulated components so as to eliminate any possibility of accidental electrical shock. The lockout device when in the off mode insures that the on/off switch cannot be accidentally moved into the on position, and when in the on mode insures that the on/off switch remains in operating position. A first hook or a second hook of the lockout device may be used to pull down on a top edge of an on/off switch lever to move the lever to the “off” position, and the grasp portion of the first hook may be used to push up on a bottom edge of the on/off switch lever moving the on/off switch lever to the “on” position. When the on/off switch lever is moved to the “off” position, a lever lock point, a through opening, of the on/off switch lever is aligned with a stub lock point, a second through opening, of the off stub. A business end  13  of the grasp portion may be placed through the lever lock point and the stub lock point, and then the second unit of the lockout device moved to a locked state with a tip of the second unit moving into a groove  17   a  of the grasp portion  16 . The lockout device may be secured with one or more padlocks placed through lock points  30   a  of the first unit and alternate lock point of the first unit to prevent the lockout device from being removed without access to the keys of the one or more padlocks. The lockout device may be of varying lengths to allow easy access to the on/off switch of the disconnect outlet box when: the disconnect outlet box is elevated without a ladder or elevated platform; the disconnect outlet box is at an elevation lower than the user, or the disconnect outlet box is in a confined space, such as in, behind, or on machinery, such as a trash compactor hydraulic system disconnect outlet box. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Switches are used in many applications to control the flow of electrical energy. The switches can be used to redirect or stop the flow of electrical energy through a circuit. Many of these circuit breakers include a lever which is movable between an “On” position and an “Off” position. 
         [0005]    Manufacturing facilities often have circuit breakers that cut the flow of electrical current through a circuit at elevated and hard to reach locations, often requiring ladders, raised platform, or other specialized equipment to access the circuit breakers. To save time and quickly lockout the circuit, it is desirable to have a lockout means that is simple, easy to employ, and minimizes the need for special access equipment. 
         [0006]    There are lock out devices that engage breaker levers to prevent unauthorized movement of the levers. However, many lock out devices do not adequately serves to provide notice to an individual that movement of the lever is unauthorized, or the capability to access and lock out the circuit breaker lever from extended distances. 
         [0007]    It is therefore contended that a need exists for a new and improved type of lockout device having a extended middle portion acting as an extended arm that may be used for disconnecting overhead electrical switches and which eliminates the inherent drawbacks and disadvantages of the known prior art. It is further contended that such a lockout device should be durable, safe, easy to use and inexpensive to manufacture. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is therefore a primary object of the present invention to provide an electrical lockout device with an extended middle portion that allows the user to easily shut off an on/off switch of an electrical disconnect box located overhead, below the user&#39;s feet, or in confined space, without the need for ladders, scaffolding, or special lift devices. 
         [0009]    It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a lockout device that may be easily installed and assembled on site without the need for any specialized skills or tools. 
         [0010]    It is a further object of the present invention is to provide a lockout device that does not require any modifications of either the disconnect box or the machinery associated therewith, and may normally be maintained in the open position using a spring biased locking unit that prevents the locking device from moving to the locked position accidentally, a situation likely to happen when employing the device to a disconnect box located below the user&#39;s feet. 
         [0011]    A still further object of the present invention is to provide a lockout device that once installed can be removed and used again when needed. This is important when there is a need to temporarily shut off the power and then turn on the power by removing the lockout device. 
         [0012]    Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a lockout device that is protected with insulated materials, reducing the likelihood of electrocution. 
         [0013]    Another important object of the present invention is to provide an lockout device that can be secured by one or more security devices, such as a padlock, giving the user the option of employing the device where access to change the state requires a buddy team or two or more people with each person having a key to one of the padlocks. 
         [0014]    Still a further object of the present invention is to provide a lockout device that may be sold and produced as a kit having all the necessary components for installation and instructions for assembly included therewith. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]    The detailed description of the present invention together with the accompanying drawings serve to explain the principles of the invention and are incorporated in and form part of the specification with a brief description of the drawings as follows: 
           [0016]      FIG. 1  is a side view for the present invention in an unlocked position; 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a side view for the present invention in a locked position; 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a side view of a first unit of the present invention; 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a side view of a disassembled first unit of the present invention; 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a sectional view along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a sectional view along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4 ; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a side view of a second unit of the present invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a side view of the disassembled second unit of the present invention; 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is a sectional view along line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  is a sectional view along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0026]      FIG. 11  is another side view of the present invention in the locked position; 
           [0027]      FIG. 12  is a sectional view along line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 11 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 13  is a sectional view along line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 11 ; 
           [0029]      FIG. 14  is a sectional view along line  14 - 14  of  FIG. 11 ; 
           [0030]      FIG. 15  is a side view of the present invention in the unlocked position; 
           [0031]      FIG. 16  is a sectional view along line  16 - 16  of  FIG. 15 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 17  is a sectional view along line  17 - 17  of  FIG. 15 ; and 
           [0033]      FIG. 18  is another side view of the one embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0034]    Looking to  FIG. 1 , in one embodiment of the present invention, a lockout device  10 , is presented in an unlocked position below an electrical disconnect box  11  having an on position  11   a,  an off position  11   b,  an on/off switch lever  11   x  with a lever lock point  11   x L, and an off stub  11   y  with a stub lock point  11   x L. The on/off switch lever  11   x  may be moved from the on position  11   a  to the off position  11   b  to shut power off and back to the on position  11   a  to once again energize an electrical circuit. The lockout device  10  comprises a first unit  12  with a business end  13 , and a second unit  14  generally aligned along a longitudinal axis  15 . The first unit  12  has a hook portion  16  that may have a groove  17   a  designed for a tip  17   b  of the second unit  14 . The business end  13  of the first unit  12  of the lockout device  10  may be placed through the lever lock point  11   x L of the on/off switch lever  11   x  when it is aligned with the stub lock point  11   y L of the off stub  11   y  to prevent the on/off switch lever  11   x  from moving to the on position  11   a.  Looking to  FIG. 2  showing the lockout device  10  moved to the locked position with the tip  17   b  of the second unit  14  moving in the groove  17   a  of the grasp portion  60  preventing the business end  13  from slipping out of the lever lock point  11   x L and the stub lock point  11   y L. 
         [0035]    Looking to  FIG. 3 , the first unit  12  comprises a hook portion  16 , a middle portion  18 , and a lock portion  20 , the middle portion  18  located between the hook portion  16  and the lock portion  20 . The hook portion  16  has at least a first hook  24 . Another embodiment may have the first hook and a second hook  26  with the first hook  24  formed opposite the second hook  26 . Looking to  FIG. 4 , the lock portion  20  has one or more lock points  30   a.  The lock point  30   a  that may be a circular aperture with a lock diameter  30   ad  between ¼ and 1 inches, but may be sized for a particular or other security device. The lock portion  20  has a lock cap  20   a  and a lock plate  20   b.  The lock cap  20   a  may be generally cylindrical and hollow. The lock cap  20   a  has a middle portion end  21   a  and an alignment end  21   b.  Looking to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the alignment end  21   b  has an alignment face  23   a  with a lock aperture  23   b;  the lock aperture  23   b  centered on the longitudinal axis  15  of  FIG. 1 . Looking again to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , a slide guide  25  that may be a rectangular plate may extend from the lock cap  20   a.  The slide guide  25  is positioned to allow the second unit  14  shown in  FIG. 1  to slide between the slide guide  25  and the lock plate  20   b  of the first unit  12  shown in  FIG. 5 . The slide guide  25  may be welded to the lock cap  20   a.  Looking to  FIG. 4 , the lock cap  20   a  may be internally threaded from the middle portion end  21   a  toward the alignment end  21   b.  A second treaded end  18   b  of the middle portion  18  is inserted in the middle portion end  21   a  of the lock cap  20   a.    FIG. 6  provides a sectional view of the hook portion  16  along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 4  that will be discussed later. 
         [0036]    Looking to  FIG. 7 , the second unit  14  comprises a support means  39   a  and a locking means  39   b,  the locking means  39   b  comprising a spring  40 , a forward element  42 , a spring hold  44 , a slide element  46 , a second hold  48 , and a rear element  50 . The support means  39   a  comprises an alignment element  52  having one or more alternate lock points  30   b.  The one or more alternate lock points  30   b  are configured to align with the one more lock points  30   a  of the first unit shown in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , placing the lockout device  10  in the locked position as shown in  FIG. 2 . A padlock  30 L can be placed through the one or more alternate lock points  30   b  when aligned with the one more lock points  30   a  of  FIG. 1  to provide further security. Looking to  FIG. 8 , the alignment element  52  has an alignment aperture  54 . Looking again to  FIG. 4 , the middle portion  18  of the first unit  12  is generally parallel with the slide element  46  of the second unit  14  shown in  FIG. 7 . Looking at  FIG. 1 , in an unlocked position, the one or more lock points  30   a  of the lock portion  20  are offset from the one or more alternate lock points  30   b  of the alignment element  52  of the second unit  14 . Looking again to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the second hold  48  connects the slide element  46  to the rear element  50  and secures looking means  39   b  in the support means  39   b.  The spring hold  44  connects the forward element  42  to the slide element  46  and is configured to hold the spring  40  between the hook portion  16  of  FIG. 1  and the spring hold  44  of  FIG. 8 . The spring  40  is decompressed when the lockout device  10  is in the unlocked position as shown in  FIG. 1  preventing the forward element  42  from accidentally moving to the locked position, and compressed in the locked position of  FIG. 2 . Looking again to  FIG. 8 , the spring hold  44  and the second hold  48  may be a hollow and internally threaded and are open ended. They forward element  42  and the slide element  46  may be connected to the spring hold  44  by threads or by welds (not shown), a glue (not shown), or by other mechanical means, such as a pin (not shown) Likewise the second hold  48  may be connected to the slide element  46  and the rear element  50 . 
         [0037]    Looking again to  FIGS. 4 and 6 , the hook portion  16  further comprises a grasp portion  60 , a connect portion  62 , a slant portion  64  and a hook cap portion  66 . The connect portion  62  is located between the slant portion  64  and the grasp portion  60 ; the slant portion  64  is located between the hook cap portion  66  and the connect portion  62 . The connect portion  62  may be generally perpendicular to the grasp portion  60  with the grasp portion  60 , the connect portion  62 , the slant portion  64 , and the hook cap portion  66  forming the first hook  24 . The slant portion  64  may extend from the hook cap portion  66  and generally away from the grasp portion  60  and away from the middle portion  18  of the first unit  12  and toward the connect portion  62 . The hook cap portion  66  and the slant portion  64  may form the second hook  26 . The grasp portion  60  may have the groove  17 a sized for the tip  17   b  of the forward element  42 , shown in  FIG. 8 .  FIG. 9  is a sectional view along line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 8  looking back along the slide element  46  toward the alignment element  52 .  FIG. 10  is a sectional view along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 8  looking along the longitudinal axis  15  toward the alignment element  52 . Looking again at  FIGS. 1 and 3 , The first hook  24  or the second hook  26  of the lockout device  10  may be used to pull down on a top edge  11   xa  of the on/off switch lever  11   x  to move the on/off switch lever  11   x  to the “off” position  11   b,  and the grasp portion  60  of the first hook  24  of the hook portion  16  may be used to push up on a bottom edge  11   xb  of the on/off switch lever  11   x  to move the on/off switch lever  11   x  to the “on” position  11   a.    
         [0038]    Looking along the sectional line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 11 , when the lockout device  10  is in the locked position, the forward element  42  is inserted into the groove  17   a.  Looking along the sectional line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 12 , the grasp portion  60  may have a circular cross section with a hook diameter  16   d  that may be between ⅜ to ¼ inches and the grasp portion  60  may be made of hardened steel. Also, the connect portion  62 , and the slant portion  64  of  FIG. 4  may be generally a circular rods having the same hook diameter  16   d  and made of the same material. The grasp portion  60 , the connect portion  62 , and the slant portion  64  may be held together by welding with the slant portion  64  welded to the hook cap portion  66 , or the grasp portion  60 , the connect portion  62 , and the slant portion  64  and the hook cap portion  66  may be manufactured as a one piece unit. Looking at  FIG. 14 , a sectional line  14 - 14  of  FIG. 11 , a clip  93  of the alignment plate  91  will clip the lock plate  20   b  and hold the lock plate  20   b  to the alignment plate  91 . The clip  93  is configured to curve over a clip edge  93   a  of the lock plate  20  with the clip  93  holding the alignment plate  91  adjacent to the lock plate  20   b  when the lockout device  10  is locked. The slide guide  25  is generally somewhat greater than a width of the alignment plate  91  plus the clip  93  from the lock plate  20   b.  When the lockout device  10  is unlocked the clip  93   a  does not cover the clip edge  93   a.    
         [0039]    Looking again to  FIG. 6  the hook cap portion  66  has a hook cap aperture  68   a  with a hook cap diameter  72 . The hook cap diameter  72  is somewhat larger an element diameter  74  of the forward element  42  shown in  FIG. 8 . The forward element  42 , the slide element  46 , and the rear element  50  may have the same element diameter  74  as measured traverse to the longitudinal axis  15 . The forward element  42 , the slide element  46 , and the rear element  50  run along the longitudinal axis  15  of the lockout device  10 . The forward element  42  runs through the hook cap aperture  68   a  shown in  FIG. 6 . Looking to  FIG. 15 , the rear element  50  is inserted through a alignment aperture  54  of the rotating portion  90  of the alignment element  52  and then, looking to  FIG. 16 , through the lock aperture  23 b of the lock portion  20  so that, looking to  FIG. 15 , a head  86  of the rear element  50  is adjacent to a back face  88  of a rotating portion  90  of the alignment element  52 . The rotating portion  90  of the alignment element  52  is located between the head  86  of the rear element  50  and the lock cap  20   a.  The alignment element  52  has the rotating portion  90  and an alignment plate  91 . The alignment plate  91  has the clip  93  with the clip  93  configured to hold the alignment plate  91  to the lock plate  20   b  when the lockout device  10  is in the locked position shown on  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 17  is a sectional view of the middle portion  18  of the lockout device  10  of  FIG. 15  looking toward the lock cap  20   a  and the lock plate  20   b.    
         [0040]    Looking again to  FIG. 4  and  FIG. 6 , the hook cap portion  66  has a hook end  66   a  and a cap end  66   b.  The hook cap portion  66  is generally a hollow cylinder with a hook cap face  67   a  on the hook end  66   a  and open at the cap end  66   b;  the hook end  66   a  having the hook cap aperture  68   a  in the hook cap face  67   a;  the hook cap aperture  68   a  centered on the longitudinal axis  15  of the lockout device  10 . The hook cap portion  66  may be internally threaded from the cap end  66   b  toward the hook end  66   a.  The first threaded end  18   a  of the middle portion  18  is inserted in the cap end  66   b,  and a second threaded end  18   b  of the middle portion, being externally threaded, inserted in the middle portion end  21   a  the lock cap  20   a  of the lock portion  20 .  FIG. 18  is another side view of the lockout device  10  in the unlocked position above a disconnect box  11 , and a second view of the lockout device  10  in the locked positioned employed on the disconnect box  11 . Looking to  FIG. 1 , the middle portion  18  and the slide element  46  of the lockout device may be made of one or more electrically nonconductive materials, such as a nonconductive plastic, a rubber coated material, or other nonconductive materials, to prevent electrocution of the user of the lockout device. 
         [0041]    Although a version of the present invention have been described in considerable detail with reference to the version thereof, other versions are possible. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the appended claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred version contained herein. Various deviations and modification may be made within the spirit and scope of this invention without departing from the main theme thereof.