Patent ID: 7040921

Claim:
A socket assembly for a meter box, said socket assembly comprising: a plurality of power line connectors for connection to electric power lines of an electric power line system, said electric power line system including at least a first power supply line and at least a first power load line; said power line connectors being adapted to mate with mating connectors of an electric meter to establish a first current path from the first power supply line to the first power load line through the electric meter; and a meter bypass system for establishing a second current path from the first power supply line to the first power load line bypassing the electric meter to permit removal of the meter without interruption of electric service, said bypass system comprising at least one movable connector comprising a metal conductor; each of said first and second power line connectors comprising: a jaw; a jaw support comprising a base, a jaw mount extending up from the base having opposing spaced apart flanges with lower ends connected to the base, said opposing flanges mounting said jaw therebetween for movement between open and closed positions, a web spanning and integrally connecting at least a portion of said first and second flanges and integrally connecting the jaw mount to the base, said web and said first and second flanges being configured such that the lower ends of the flanges are immediately adjacent the base and are connected to the base and a contact arm extending upward and having an inner contact surface generally opposing the web of the jaw mount; said base, jaw mount and contact arm being formed as a one-piece metal structure to provide a joint-free path for flow of electrical current; a first socket formed between said jaw and said jaw mount for receiving a mating electrical connector of an electric meter; and a second socket formed between said jaw and said contact arm for receiving said conductor of the bypass system; said movable connector of the bypass system being movable by means of pivot lever connected to said movable connector between a meter operating position in which said metal conductor of said bypass connector is out of electrical contact with at least one of the second sockets of said first and second power line connectors whereby current is adapted to flow along said first current path through said electric meter when the electrical connectors of the electric meter are in said first sockets of the first and second power line connectors, and a meter bypassing position in which said metal conductor of the bypass connector is in electrical contact with the second sockets of both of the first and second power line connectors whereby current is adapted to flow along a second current path from the power supply line to the power load line when the electrical connectors of said electric meter are removed from said first sockets of the first and second power line connectors.