Access door hinge arrangement for meter box cover

Details Access door hinge arrangement for meter box cover Access door hinge arrangement for meter box cover

1999-07-23

2001-04-03

Mah, Chuck (Department: 3626)

Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,

Hinge

Having means to facilitate assembly and disassembly of hinge...

C016S263000, C016S382000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06209172

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to an improved hinge connection between an access door and a panel or cover member and is particularly adapted for a hinge connection between an access door and a utility meter box cover.
BACKGROUND
There are various structures wherein a hinge connection is required between a panel, cover member or similar structure and an access door in the panel or cover member and wherein the hinge connection is, desirably, uncomplicated and of rugged construction. One structural arrangement wherein a rugged hinge connection is desirable is between an access door and a panel or cover member for utility meter boxes. Typically, a utility meter for gas or water, for example, is disposed in a cast metal or plastic box having a removable cast metal or plastic cover which faces in a direction which provides access to the meter through a door hingedly connected to the meter box cover. In such an application the constructions of the door and the box cover are usually cast metal, such as ductile iron, or molded reinforced or non-reinforced plastic, and the parts are typically constructed wherein minimal or no machining operations are required so that the parts are finished as cast. Typical prior art meter box cover and access door arrangements include a hinge that comprises a hinge pin or rod which requires special coring or drilling operations to be used during the casting and finish fabrication of the access door or the box cover. These operations are complicated and undesirable when manufacturing inexpensive parts such as are required for certain articles including meter boxes and the like. Still further, it is desirable to provide an arrangement of a meter box cover and access door which cannot be readily disassembled from the exterior of the box cover by disconnecting the hinge structure, so that access to the meter box is only permitted through the use of a special tool or key to unlatch the access door.
In all events, it is desirable to provide inexpensive, rugged and uncomplicated parts for the hinge connections between access doors and associated panels or covers, such as the above-mentioned utility meter box application. It is to these ends that the present invention has been developed.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides an improved hinge connection between an access door and a panel or cover member, particularly wherein the access door is provided as part of a utility meter box cover, for example.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a hinge connection between an access door and a panel or cover member is provided wherein the access door includes opposed integral hinge pin members which are cast or formed as part of the door and which simplifies the fabrication of the door. The hinge pins fit within integral hinge-receiving channels or recesses which are formed as part of an integral boss structure provided as part of the panel or meter box cover, for example.
Still further in accordance with the invention, a hinge connection between an access door and a panel or meter box cover is provided wherein hinge pins on the access door are retained in hinge pin-receiving channels or recesses in the panel or cover member by conventional machine bolt and nut assemblies. In particular, the bolt and nut assemblies may comprise hexhead bolts which are disposed within spaced apart elongated slots formed in the panel or cover member and which are dimensioned such that the bolt heads are non-rotatable within the slots, respectively. In this way, the assembly of the access door to the panel or cover member is simplified and once the assembly is completed and the panel or cover is assembled to associated structure, the hinge-retaining bolt and nut assemblies are not removable from the exterior of the panel or cover member.
Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the provision of the access door-to-meter box hinge connection of the present invention is advantageous. The hinge pins are cast or molded as part of the access door and hinge-receiving channels are cast or molded integrally into the panel or cover supporting the access door. Conventional threaded fasteners are provided for retaining the hinge pins in the pin-receiving channels or recesses. Uncomplicated assembly and disassembly processes only are required.


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