Lock for a meter box lid

A securing mechanism is provided which can be attached to a conventional meter box lid which does not require the lid to be redesigned. The securing mechanism comprises a holding member attached to the latch on the underside of the lid. A threaded aperture is formed in said holding member. A bolt having a threaded shaft is extended through the upper wall of the lid from the top side to be secured into the threaded aperture of the holding member for preventing a key from moving the latch member to a release position. In the embodiment disclosed, the bolt has a head with two spaced apart apertures formed therein for receiving two prong of tool for allowing the bolt shaft to be screwed into and from the threaded aperture for locking and release purposes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

Description of the Prior Art

Meter box lids have spring biased latches for securing the lid to a meter box. Generally a hole is formed through the lid to allow a key to be inserted to the underside of the lid to move the latch to a release position to allow the lid to be removed from the box. Thus the latch is not locked in place and it is easy for an unauthorized person to remove the lid from the box.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide a lock for a latch securing mechanism which can be attached to a conventional lid that does not require the lid to be redesigned.

In one aspect the lock comprises a holding member attached to the latch on the underside of the lid. A threaded aperture is formed in the holding member. A threaded member is extended through the upper wall of the lid from the top side to be secured into the threaded aperture of the holding member for preventing a key from moving the latch member to a released position.

In the embodiment disclosed, the threaded member has a head on the outside with two spaced apart apertures formed therein for receiving two prongs of a tool for allowing the threaded member to be screwed to the holding member and unscrewed from the threaded aperture for locking and release purposes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings, a typical meter box lid is identified at 21 . It comprises an upper wall 23 with an upper side 25 and a lower side 27 with a surrounding side wall 29 extending downward from the lower side of the upper wall. Reinforcing walls 31 are formed within the wall 29 . The lid 21 generally is molded from a suitable plastic material. Also provided is a plastic latch 43 which includes a rod 45 having a front end 45 F located to be inserted through an aperture 47 formed through the wall 29 . A spring 49 is located around the rear end of a rod 51 attached to latch 43 and bears against the rear of the latch 43 and the wall member 53 to normally urge the rod end 45 F through the aperture 47 to engage structure of the meter box to hold the lid 21 in place to the meter box. The end of the rod 51 can slide in aperture 53 A. A curved key aperture 55 is formed through the wall 23 for receiving a key to be inserted from the top side of the lid to engage the latch structure 43 S and move the latch 43 and rod end 45 F rearward to a release position wherein the rod end 45 F does not engage the meter box such that the lid may be removed from the meter box. The latch 43 has two spaced apart arms 57 (only one of which is shown) which straddle the wall 61 and allows the latch 43 to slide on the wall 61 .

In accordance with the invention, two threaded spaced apart apertures 71 are formed in the lower side of the latch structure 43 and a metal plate 73 is provided. Two spaced apart threaded apertures 75 are formed through the plate 73 such that they align with the apertures 71 when the plate 73 is placed against the lower surface of the latch structure 43 as shown in FIG. 6 . Two screws 77 are inserted through the apertures 75 and are screwed into the apertures 71 of the latch structure 43 . The plate 73 has a larger threaded aperture 79 formed therethrough. The key aperture 55 is enlarged at 55 L and a metal bolt 81 with threads 81 T is inserted through the enlarged portion 55 L and screwed into the aperture 79 such that the latch 43 and rod 45 are held fixed in the holding position as shown in FIG. 6 . The head 81 H of the bolt 81 has two spaced apart pin holes 83 formed therein for receiving two metal prongs connected to a tool to allow the bolt 81 to be screwed into the plate aperture 79 to lock the latch 43 in its holding position which locks the lid 21 to the meter box and to be unscrewed from the plate aperture 79 to allow the key to move the latch 43 and rod 45 to their release position to allow the lid 21 to be removed from the meter box.

The pin holes 83 in effect are an uncommon bolt head slot which will keep most unauthorized persons from removing the lid from the meter box.

The lid 21 is of the type that may be used with a meter box of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,163,503. It is to be understood that the lid may be round to fit into a round meter box.