Abstract:
A meter box and lid unit has a meter box. The meter box has end walls and opposing side Walls, an interior cavity and an opening. A lip extends along the walls. The lip has notches therein. The lid has a first portion and a separate second portion, the first and second portions covering the opening when the lid bears the lip. The first portion has a receptacle for receiving a transmitter. The first portion has retainers depending therefrom. The first portion is capable of moving from a first position to a second position, wherein when the first portion in the first position, the retainer and the notch are aligned and the first portion can be removed from the box. With the first portion in the second position, the retainer cooperates with the lip to retain the first portion on the lip. With the first portion in the second position, the second portion can be removed from the box while the first portion is retained thereon.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to utility boxes for water meters and the lids therefore. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Water meters are typically located in the ground with the water service line. In residential areas, water meters are typically located in the front yard neat the street or in the backyard near the alley. Periodic access to the water meters is required for billing purposes. 
         [0003]    The water meters are housed in a box. The box provides vertical walls. A lid covers the top of the box. The lid, is flush to or slightly below the ground. 
         [0004]    Many utility companies use automated meter reading (AMR). A water meter is equipped with a radio transmitter, sometimes referred to as in ERT (encoder-receiver-transmitter). The transmitter is connected to the meter, with the meter being in line with the service line or pipe. The transmitter is mounted to the lid on the box. A reader from the utility company passes near the lid and water usage information is transmitted by the transmitter to the reader. The reader can be hand held or located in a vehicle driven along the street or alley. 
         [0005]    Even with the transmitter in place, access to the water meter box interior is required. Frequently, access to a cutoff valve located in the meter box may be required to control the supply of water. Also, access to the transmitter may be required from time to time for maintenance, such as changing the batteries. 
         [0006]    When accessing the interior of the meter box, damage to the transmitter may occur. The transmitters are connected to the meters by way of wires. When the lid is removed from the box, if care is not taken, the wires can be yanked loose from the meter, thereby disabling the operation of the transmitter. 
         [0007]    Thus, it is desirable to allow access to the interior of the meter box while minimizing damage to the transmitter and its connection to the meter. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    The present invention provides a meter box and lid unit, that comprises a meter box having end wails and opposing side wails. Each side wall extends between the end walls. The end and side walls form an interior cavity. The meter box comprises an opening that communicates with the interior cavity. The meter box has a lip extending along the side walls. The lip has at least one notch, therein. The, lid comprises a first portion and a separate second portion. The first and second portions cover the opening when the lid bears on the lip. The first portion has a receptacle for receiving a transmitter. The first portion has at least one retainer depending therefrom. The first portion is capable of moving from a first position to a second position, wherein when the first portion is in the first position, the retainer and the notch are aligned and the first portion can he removed from the box. When the, first portion is in the second position, the retainer cooperates with the lip to retain the first portion on the lip. When the first portion is in the second position, the size of the opening is reduced. The second portion is located in the reduced opening when the first portion is located in the second position. 
         [0009]    In one aspect, a surface area of the second portion is larger than a surface area the first portion. 
         [0010]    In still another aspect, the surface area of the second portion is at least fifty per cent larger than the surface area of the first portion. 
         [0011]    In still another aspect, the retainer is fixed. 
         [0012]    In still another aspect, wherein the retainer is a first retainer, further comprising a second retainer. The second retainer cooperates with, a lip attached to one of the end walls of the box when the first portion is in the second position. 
         [0013]    In still another aspect, the notch is locater to one of the end walls than to the other of the end walls. 
         [0014]    In still another aspect, the second portion moves between the first and second positions by sliding on the lip. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a top plan view of a water meter box and lid, in accordance with a preferred embodiment. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the water box, with a portion of the lid removed. 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the box. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a side elevational view of the box. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is an end elevational view of the box. 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is an exploded top view of the lid. 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is an exploded side view of the lid. 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is an exploded bottom view of the lid. 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  is an end view of the lid taken through lines IX-IX of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 10  is a cross-section view of the meter box and lid, taken through lines X-X of  FIG. 1 , and showing a water meter and transmitter therein. 
           [0025]      FIG. 11  is an exploded bottom, view of the lid, in accordance with another embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0026]    In  FIGS. 1, 2 and 10 , there is shown a water meter box  11 . The box, which is located in the ground, houses a water meter  13 . A transmitter  15 , or ERT, is connected to the water meter by way of wires  57 . The transmitter is mounted to a lid  17 , which lid is used to cover the top of the box  11 , shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0027]    The lid  17  is in plural pieces or portions. One lid portion  19  has the transmitter  15 . The other lid portion  21  is not connected to the transmitter and can be removed from the box without disturbing the transmitter (see  FIG. 2 ). Thus, access to the interior of the box is available by way of the other lid portion  21 . This split lid arrangement maintains the status quo of the water meter and transmitter, as the transmitter and its wires are not disturbed by removal of a portion of the lid. 
         [0028]    The box  11  and the lid  17  will now be described in more detail. 
         [0029]    The box  11  is shown in  FIGS. 1-5 . The box is generally rectangular in shape. It has four walls, namely side walls  23  and end walls  25 . The side walls  23  are longer than the end walls  25 . The walls  23 ,  25  form an interior cavity  26 . Meter boxes typically do not have a bottom wall. Instead, the bottom edges of the end walls have notch  29  therein. The box  11  is placed in a pit in the ground over the water meter  13 . The water meter is connected to the water service line  31 , which line is located in the notches  29 . 
         [0030]    The box  11  has a top edge  33  that is flat. An opening occurs at the top portion of the interior cavity  26 , which opening communicates with the interior cavity and the exterior of the box. Below the top edge  33  is a lip  35  for supporting the lid. The lip  35  is located a distance below the top edge  35  of the box. This allows a top surface  37  of the lid  17  to be flush with the top edge  33  of the box. The lip  35  projects from the side and end wails  23 ,  25  into the interior  26  of the box. The lip  35  has a top surface  29  and a bottom  41 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . The lip can be continuous as shown, or discontinuous. For example, the lip can extend only along the side walls, or alternatively the lip can extend all the walls, but not extend into the corners, where the walls meet. 
         [0031]    The lip  35  has notches  43  (See  FIG. 3 ) therethrough for cooperating with the lid. In the preferred embodiment, there are two notches  43 , opposite one another, along the portion of the lip  35  on the side walls  23 . Also in the preferred embodiment, the notches  43  are closer to one end wall  25  than the other end wall. For example, referring to  FIG. 3 , in imaginary line A bisects the side walls  23 . The notches  43  are located between this imaginary line A and one of the end walls. In the preferred embodiment, the notches  43  are located closer to one end wall than to imaginary line A. 
         [0032]    The meter box is made of plastic and can be made by rotational molding, injection molding, etc. 
         [0033]    Referring to  FIGS. 6-9 , the lid  17  is generally rectangular and sized so as to fit on the lip  35  of the box. The thickness of the lid  17  is such that the top surface is flush with the top edge  33  of the box  11 . The lid  17  has a bottom surface  45 . The lid also has side edges  47  and end edges  49 . 
         [0034]    The lid  17  is divided in to pieces or portions. The dividing line between the portions extends between the two side edges  47 . Thus, each portion has an end edge  49  and two side edges  47 . The side edges and end edges are slightly beveled inwardly from the top surface to the bottom surface. This eases the installation of the lid into the meter box. In addition, each portion has an inside edge  51 , along the dividing line. To make up the complete lid, the inside edges  51  are butted together. 
         [0035]    Lid  17  has a transmitter portion  19  and an access portion  21 . The transmitter portion  19  holds the transmitter  15 , while the access portion  21  can be removed from, the box without disturbing the transmitter  15 . 
         [0036]    In the preferred embodiment, the transmitter  15  is shaped somewhat like a mushroom, having a head  53  and a stem  55  (See  FIG. 10 ). The stem  55  depends from the head  53  into the box interior  26 . The head  53  is held or retained by the lid transmitter portion  19 . Wires  57  extend from the stem  55  and are connected with the meter  13  in the box interior. 
         [0037]    With this type of transmitter, the upper surface of the lid transmitter portion  19  has a receptacle or cavity  59  for the transmitter head  53 . An opening  61  extends through the lid at the receptacle  59  to the inside or bottom surface. The opening  61  receives the stem  55 . 
         [0038]    The lid transmitter portion  19  has retainers  63  that depend from the bottom surface &lt; 45  and extend out toward the respective edge  47 ,  49 . In the preferred embodiment, there are two opposing retainers beneath the side edges  47  and one retainer beneath the end edge  49 . The retainers  63 , or hooks, engage the box lip  35  when the lid transmitter portion  19  is located on the lip  35 . The distance between the side edge retainers  63  and the respective inside edge  51  is less than, or the same as, the distance between the notches  43  and the nearest endwall  25 . This ensures that the lid transmitter portion can be located on and removed from the box and lip. 
         [0039]    In the preferred embodiment, the retainers  63  are projections that extend down from the underside of the lid transmitter portion. The retainer projections extend down and out toward the outer perimeter of the lid access portion. In side view, such as is shown in  FIG. 9 , each retainer  63  is trapezoidal in shape, with a wide base  62 B coupled to the underside of the lid access portion, and a narrower tip  63 T, which is the free end. The retainer appears to project diagonally from the lid transmitter portion. 
         [0040]    The retainer can be provided without a lip, such as shown in  FIG. 9 , or with a lip  63 L, such as shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         [0041]    The retainer is particularly suitable for a lid that is compression molded. 
         [0042]    The lid transmitter portion  19  can accommodate other types of transmitters. For example, some transmitters can be mounted to the bottom surface  45  of the lid transmitter portion. Thus, the receptacle can vary according to the specific transmitter. For example, a holder or shelf can be provided on the underside of the lid transmitter portion  19  to retain the transmitter thereto. Alternatively, instead of being mounted to the top or bottom sides, the transmitter can be located in a cavity in one of the edges of the lid. 
         [0043]    The lid access portion  21  has a port  65  therethrough. The port receives a tool for lifting the access portion  21  up and out of the box. 
         [0044]    The lid transmitter and access portions  19 ,  21  form a complete lid  19  when the respective inside edges  51  are adjacent to each other, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The inside edges  51  can be flat. In preferred embodiment, the inside edges cooperate with one another by way of a tongue  67  and groove  69 . One of the lid portions has a groove  69 , while the other lid portion has a corresponding tongue  67 . Both the tongue  67  and the, groove  69  have beveled ends for aligning the two lid portions  19 ,  21  with respect to one another. In the preferred embodiment, to minimize collection or debris, the groove  69  is open to the bottom surface of the lid. Likewise, the tongue extends from the bottom surface of the lid, of the corresponding lid portion (Sec  FIG. 7 ). The tongue and groove can be continuous as shown, or, discontinuous, with plural teeth and corresponding grooves or receptacles. 
         [0045]    Also in the preferred embodiment, the lid access portion  21  is larger than the lid transmitter portion  19  in terms of top surface area. In the preferred embodiment, the top surface area of the lid access portion  21  is at least 1.8 times larger than the top surface area than the lid transmitter portion  19 . This allows a relatively large access opening into the box interior to be uncovered when, the lid access portion is removed. 
         [0046]    The lid portions  19 ,  21  are preferably made of plastic and can be manufactured using several techniques. For example, the lid portions can be compression molded. A compression molded lid is heavy and durable, yet transparent to the radio signals needed to communicate to and from the transmitter  15 . Alternatively, the lid portions could be injection molded The lid portions could be made with different processes. For example, the lid transmitter portion could be injection molded, and the lid access portion could be compression molded. 
         [0047]    The installation and use of the box and lid will now be described. The box  11  is oriented relative to the earthen pit containing the water meter  13  and the notches  29  of the box are aligned with the water line  31 . The box is then lowered into the pit. The transmitter is installed into the lid transmitter portion  19 . For a mushroom shaped transmitter as shown, the stem  55  is inserted through the opening  61  and the head  53  located in the recess  59 . The lid transmittal portion  19  is then installed in the box by aligning the side retainers  63  with the lip notches  43  and allowing the lid to fall on the lip  35 . The lid transmitter portion  19  is then slid on the lip  35  to the opposing end of the box. The retainers allow such sliding motion and move along the underside of the lip  35 . The midmost retainer  63  engages the lip at the end wall. This creates an access opening  71 . (See  FIG. 2 ) In the interior of the box, wires  57  are connected from the transmitter  15  to the water meter  13 . Once the transmitter is successfully connected, the lid access portion  21  is oriented over the access opening  71  and the tongue  67  aligned with the groove  69 . Then, the lid access portion is allowed to fall into place on the lip  35 . When successfully installed, both lid portions  19 ,  21  are on the lid  35 . The top surface of the lid is flush with the top surface of the box in the ground to minimize tripping hazards. 
         [0048]    The lid access portion  21  has no retainers  63 , since the lid access portion cannot slide once in place on the box. 
         [0049]    After installation, to access the box interior, the lid access portion is removed. A lifting tool is inserted into the port  65  and the lid access portion is lifted off the lip  35  to create the access opening  71 . Removing the lid access portion  21  occurs independently of the transmitter  15  and the lid transmitter portion  19 . The transmitter  15  and the lid transmitter portion  19  remain undisturbed and in place and the wires  57  connecting the transmitter to the water meter remain intact and connected. 
         [0050]    Attempts to raise the lid transmitter portion  19  off of the box lip would be unsuccessful because the retainers  63  hold the lid transmitter portion in place. The retainers prevent the lid transmitter portion  19  from being lifted off of the lip  35 , but allow the lid transmitter portion to slide along the lip. Thus, to remove the lid transmitter from the box, the lid transmitter portion is slid on the lip until the retainers  63  align with the notches  43 , wherein the lid, transmitter portion can he lifted off of the box. 
         [0051]      FIG. 11  shows another embodiment of the lid. The lid transmitter portion  19 A is provided with a tongue  81  and the lid access portion  21 A is provided with a groove  83  on the underside thereof In addition, the lid access portion  21 A is provided with a tab  85 , which projects out of the groove. 
         [0052]    When the two lid portions  19 A,  21 A are located on the box, the tab  85  is received by an opening  87  in the tongue  81 . The opening  87  extends through the tongue and forms an undercut  89  into the bottom surface of the lid transmitter portion. 
         [0053]    The opening  87  effectively divides the tongue into, two. The tab is received by the opening in the true and forms an interlock. 
         [0054]    Although the lid has been shown with a single transmitter, plural transmitters can be provided on the single lid transmitter portion. For example, if a meter pit contains two water meters, then two transmitters are needed, one for each water meter. 
         [0055]    The foregoing disclosure and the showings made in the drawings are merely lessertive of the principles of this invention and are not to be interpreted in a limiting sense. 
         [0000]    example, if a meter pit contains two water meters, then two transmitters are needed, one for each water meter. 
         [0056]    The foregoing disclosure and the showings made in the drawings are merely lessertive of the principles of this invention and are not to be interpreted in a limiting sense.