Patent ID: 7622668

Claim:
A wildlife protection guard adapted to surround a power line connection for electrical power distribution systems comprising: an enclosure having a central axis and formed by a first half-shell and a second half-shell, the first and second half-shells defined by a mating plane bisecting the enclosure parallel to the central axis; a base member coaxially aligned with the central axis and having a first central opening therein, the base member having a first inner edge defining said first central opening and a first outer edge; a first sidewall coaxially aligned with the central axis and having a first top edge and a first bottom edge, the first bottom edge being adjacent to the first outer edge of the base member, the first sidewall extending in a direction from the first bottom edge to the first top edge; a tapered member coaxially aligned with the central axis and having a second top edge, a second bottom edge and a tapered sidewall extending from the second bottom edge to the second top edge, the second bottom edge being adjacent to the first top edge of the first sidewall, the tapered sidewall having a larger cross-section at the second bottom edge than at the second top edge; a top member coaxially aligned with the central axis and having a second central opening therein, the top member having a second inner edge defining said second central opening and a second outer edge adjacent to the second top edge of the tapered member, the second central opening defining a first port; a sidewall opening formed in the tapered sidewall of the tapered member at a location between the second top edge and the second bottom edge, the sidewall opening being bisected by the mating plane and defining a second port; at least one first latch provided on the first sidewall at the mating plane on a first side of the enclosure; at least one second latch provided on a portion of the enclosure at the mating plane different from the first sidewall; and at least one hinge provided on the first sidewall at the mating plane on a second side of the enclosure opposite to the first side of the enclosure, wherein the at least one hinge includes at least two hinge posts supported by one of the first half-shell and the second half-shell and a cylindrical hinge pin supported by the other of the first half-shell and the second half-shell, each hinge post has a semi-arcuate engagement portion, and the at least two hinge posts are arranged such that the respective engagement portions are in an offset, opposing configuration so as to be able to rotatably embrace the hinge pin between the engagement portions.