Abstract:
A lock assembly including a body portion having a bore configured to receive a lock. The assembly further includes a blade operably connected to the body portion and a head portion removably securable to the body portion. The head portion has a slot configured to receive the blade when assembled and the head portion also has a through bore to allow insertion of the lock such that the lock can lock the head portion and the body portion together during installation. The lock assembly may be used to secure multiple different lockable structures.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to a lock assembly and more particularly to a lock assembly that is preloadable and may be used to secure multiple different lockable structures. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Consumption of electricity is typically monitored through the use of meters that are housed within meter boxes. Such meter boxes are usually locked to prevent access and tampering. In particular, meter boxes are often locked with “tab lock” locking mechanisms. 
     Moreover, utilities are generally provided to customers through lines that include valves, referred to as “stops” or “cocks.” These valves include a body portion having an inlet and outlet that are separated by a rotatable plug. The plug has a handle or knob that may be rotated to control fluid flow. The valves are secured using a “pad lock” or “cock lock” locking mechanism. 
     While effective, the aforementioned locking mechanisms are not interchangeable. That is, a tab lock cannot be used to secure a valve and a cock lock cannot be used to lock a meter box. As will be appreciated, this necessitates the manufacture and deployment of two types of locking mechanisms for each application. 
     Moreover, existing tab locks are not preloadable and require assembly and the use of a key to install them. These limitations are not ideal as it is desirable to reduce the number of keys in the field to prevent loss and theft and to have a tab lock that does not require a key for assembly at the time of installation. Furthermore, it is desirable to have a tab lock that provides an ease of manufacture not presently available with known mechanisms. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the present invention to provide a lock assembly. 
     It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a lock assembly that may be preloaded. 
     It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a lock assembly that may be used in a variety of applications. 
     It is an additional object of the present invention to provide a lock assembly that may be easily manufactured. 
     An embodiment of the present invention is a lock assembly including a body portion having a bore configured to receive a lock. The assembly further includes a blade operably connected to the body portion and a head portion removably securable to the body portion. The head portion has a slot configured to receive the blade when assembled and the head portion also has a through bore to allow insertion of the lock, such that the lock can lock the head portion and the body portion together during installation. The lock assembly may be used to secure multiple different lockable structures. 
     An additional embodiment of the present invention is a lock system for securing multiple different lockable structures. The system includes a substantially U-shaped body portion having a blade and a bore configured to receive a barrel lock. The system includes a head portion removably securable to the body portion. The head portion has a slot configured to receive the blade and a through bore to allow insertion of the barrel lock, such that, when assembled, the barrel lock can lock the head portion and the body portion together. The bore of said body portion includes an annular channel for partially receiving balls of the barrel lock to selectively hold the lock system in a pre-loaded condition such that a key is unnecessary for installation of the system. 
     Another embodiment of the invention is a method of securing a lockable structure. The method includes the steps of placing a body portion of a lock assembly in contact with a lockable structure. The method further includes aligning a head portion of the lock assembly with the body portion, the head portion being operatively connected to the body portion through a pre-loaded barrel lock. The barrel lock from a first preloaded position within the body portion to a second locked position within the body portion whereby the lock assembly secures the lockable structure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a lock assembly in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a body portion of the lock assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a sectioned side view of the body portion of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a head portion of the lock assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a sectioned side view of the head portion of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of a blade portion of the lock assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the lock assembly of  FIG. 1  depicting the assembly is in a preloaded state. 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the lock assembly of  FIG. 1  depicting the assembly mounted on a meter box. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the lock assembly of  FIG. 1  depicting the assembly mounted to a valve. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , an embodiment of the present invention includes a lock assembly  10  with a body portion  20 , head portion  30  and blade  40 . In use, the head portion is secured to body portion  20  and the blade  40  protruding from the body portion  20 . A barrel lock  50  is then used to secure the head portion  30  and body portion  20  together. As will be appreciated, the inventive lock assembly  10  may be configured for use with various barrel locks such as, rotating disk and plunger type barrel locks, and, in particular, may be used with the barrel locks described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,086,631 and 7,775,071, which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
     More specifically, in one embodiment, the body portion  20  is generally L-shaped and includes a slot  22  configured to receive and retain the blade  40 . The blade  40  may be secured within the slot  22  through a variety of means. For example, the blade  40  may contain an attachment groove or slot  44  ( FIG. 6 ) that could receive correspondingly shaped protrusions within the slot  22  (not shown) to fix the blade  40  in place. Alternatively, the blade  40  and body portion  20  can be unitary and formed from a single piece of material. 
     The body portion  20  further includes a cylindrical bore  24  for receiving the barrel lock  50 . The bore  24  includes a recess  28  for the balls (not shown) of the barrel lock  50  allowing the barrel lock  50  to be secured within the body portion  20 . The body portion  20  also includes an annular channel  26  that creates a circumferentially enlarged section of the bore  24 . The channel  26  receives the balls of the barrel lock  50  allowing the lock  50  to be “preloaded” within the bore  24  of the body portion  20 . 
     In particular, the channel  26  is not as deep as the recess  28  and, as such, the balls of the lock  50  can only partially extend into the channel  26 . As such, the channel  26  simply holds the barrel lock  50  within the body portion  20  to facilitate installation. In use, the barrel lock  50  is urged forward within the lock body by an installer which forces the balls out of the channel  26  and into the recess  28  to lock the barrel lock  50  and secure the inventive lock assembly. 
     As stated, an embodiment of the lock assembly  10  also includes a generally L-shaped head portion  30 . The head portion  30  has a cylindrical through bore  34  that allows the barrel lock  50  to be inserted through the head portion  30  and into the body portion  20 . The through bore  34  includes first section  36  and a second section  38  having a reduced diameter. The first section  36  receives the head of the barrel lock  50  which itself has a larger circumference than the portion of the lock  50  that extends into the bore  24  of the body portion  20 . In particular, the first section  36  encapsulates the head of the barrel lock  50  to protect the lock head from attack. The second section  38  forms a “shoulder” portion, which prevents the passage of the barrel lock  50  through the through bore  34  and removal of the lock assembly. The second section  38  has a diameter that is substantially the same as the diameter of the bore  24   
     The head portion  30  also features a mounting slot  32 . The mounting slot  32  is configured to receive the blade  40  of the body portion  20  when the inventive lock assembly  10  is assembled. More specifically, the blade  40  extends through the slot  32  allowing a sealing tab  70  to be placed on the blade  40  to provide a visual indicator of whether the assembly  10  has been tampered with. As shown in  FIG. 6 , the sealing tab  70  is placed through a tab slot  42  in the blade  40 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , the head portion  30  is rotatable relative to the body portion  20  when the lock assembly  10  is in a preloaded state, i.e., the barrel lock  50  is in the body portion  20  and its balls are located in annular channel  26 . In this state, the body portion  20  may be placed into a locking position about, for example, a meter box tab, and then the head  30  may be rotated until the slot  32  is aligned with the blade  40 . The barrel lock  50  and head portion  30  are then urged toward the body portion  20  causing the blade  40  to pass through the slot  32  and the balls of the lock  50  enter the recess  28  thereby locking the inventive lock assembly  10 . A security seal may then be placed on the blade  40 . 
     When assembled, the inventive lock assembly  10  forms a substantially quadrilateral shape with a relatively large central void or space S that is square or rectangular in shape. As will be appreciated, the space S may be made larger or smaller through the sizing of, among other things, the body portion  20  and head portion  30 . The space S is configured such that it allows the inventive lock assembly to be employed in a variety of applications. This versatility is illustrated in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , which depict installation on a meter box tab and on a utility valve, respectively. 
     In particular,  FIG. 8  illustrates that the inventive lock assembly  10  can be installed on a meter box. In this specific installation, the meter box is closed such that a first tab  74  protrudes through the cover  72 . A second tab  76  or closure is then rotated until a portion of it protrudes through an opening in the first tab preventing the cover  72  from being opened. The lock assembly  10  is then placed through a opening in the second tab  76  to prevent its rotation out of the opening in the first tab  74 . 
     Turning now to  FIG. 9 , the inventive lock assembly  10  may also be used to secure a valve. This is facilitated, in part, by the space S. As shown, the lock assembly  10  is deployed by aligning an aperture in a valve body portion  90  with an aperture in a rotatable plug portion  80  having a handle or knob that may be rotated to control fluid flow. Once aligned, the blade  40  of the assembly  10  is then placed through the aligned apertures and the assembly  10  may be secured as described above. 
     In the embodiment described herein, the body portion and head portion may be manufactured from any suitable durable material, e.g., a hardened steel. 
     Furthermore, while the inventive assembly  10  has been described as being usable with meter boxes and valves, the assembly  10  may also be used for other applications like securing a chain, for example. 
     An embodiment of the present invention also contemplates a method of securing a lockable structure. The inventive method includes the steps of placing a body portion of a lock assembly in contact with a lockable structure. The method further includes aligning a head portion of the lock assembly with the body portion, the head portion being operatively connected to the body portion through a pre-loaded barrel lock. The barrel lock from a first preloaded position within the body portion to a second locked position within the body portion whereby the lock assembly secures the lockable structure. 
     It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments (and/or aspects thereof) may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope. While the dimensions and types of materials described herein are intended to define the parameters of the invention, they are by no means limiting and are exemplary embodiments. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. 
     In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” “third,” “upper,” “lower,” “bottom,” “top,” “up,” “down,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical or positional requirements on their objects. Further, the limitations of the following claims are not written in means-plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph, unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase “means for” followed by a statement of function void of further structure. 
     This written description uses examples to disclose several embodiments of the invention, including the best mode, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the embodiments of invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal languages of the claims. 
     As used herein, an element or step recited in the singular and proceeded with the word “a” or “an” should be understood as not excluding plural of said elements or steps, unless such exclusion is explicitly stated. Furthermore, references to “one embodiment” of the present invention are not intended to be interpreted as excluding the existence of additional embodiments that also incorporate the recited features. Moreover, unless explicitly stated to the contrary, embodiments “comprising,” “including,” or “having” an element or a plurality of elements having a particular property may include additional such elements not having that property. 
     Since certain changes may be made in the above-described invention, without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all of the subject matter of the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted merely as examples illustrating the inventive concept herein and shall not be construed as limiting the invention.