METER COVER
The present application provides a removable cover that is easily placed and secured onto a corresponding frame. The cover includes a protrusion receptacle and a protrusion cutout each located at different positions along the perimeter of the cover. The cover further includes a locking assembly, such as a worm gear assembly, that extends through cover to lock the cover to the frame. The cover also has a plurality of alignment indicators that are aligned with the protrusion receptacle and the protrusion cutout to assist an operator in securing the cover to the frame.
1 . A cover comprising:
a body having a top surface and a bottom surface;
a protrusion receptacle located proximate to a perimeter of the body and extending downwards from the bottom surface, the protrusion receptacle forming a pocket; and
a locking protrusion cutout located proximate to the perimeter of the body and recessed into the bottom surface, the locking protrusion cutout comprising a protrusion portion cutout and a toothed portion cutout; and
a locking assembly aperture located adjacent to the locking protrusion cutout and extending through the body from the bottom surface and the top surface.
2 . The cover of claim 1 , further comprising a locking assembly extending through the locking assembly aperture.
3 . The cover of claim 2 , wherein the locking assembly is a worm gear assembly.
4 . The cover of claim 3 , wherein the worm gear assembly comprises a threaded portion that extends downward below the bottom surface, and a turning portion accessible from the top surface of the cover.
5 . The cover of claim 4 , wherein the threaded portion overlaps at least a portion of the locking protrusion cutout.
6 . The cover of claim 5 , wherein the threaded portion overlaps at least a portion of the protrusion portion cutout.
7 . The cover of claim 1 , wherein the locking protrusion cutout is located one hundred eighty degrees from the protrusion receptacle.
8 . The cover of claim 1 , further including a locking assembly recess recessed into the bottom surface, wherein the locking assembly aperture is located within the locking assembly recess.
9 . The cover of claim 8 , wherein the locking assembly recess is recessed less than the locking protrusion cutout such that the locking protrusion cutout is deeper than the locking assembly recess.
10 . The cover of claim 9 , wherein the locking assembly recess intersects with the locking protrusion cutout to form a ledge.
11 . The cover of claim 1 , wherein the locking assembly aperture is offset by an offset angle from a location one hundred eighty degrees across from the protrusion receptacle.
12 . The cover of claim 11 , wherein the offset angle is between fifteen and twenty degrees.
13 . The cover of claim 12 , wherein the offset angle is seventeen degrees.
14 . The cover of claim 1 , wherein the protrusion receptacle includes side ends that are bent upwards.
15 . The cover of claim 1 , wherein the top surface comprises a first set of alignment markers for indicating a position of the protrusion receptacle, and a second set of alignment markers for indicating a position of the locking protrusion cutout.
16 . A cover comprising:
a body including a bottom surface and a top surface;
a protrusion receptacle located proximate to a perimeter of the body and extending downwards from the bottom surface;
a locking protrusion cutout located proximate to the perimeter of the body and recessed into the bottom surface; and
a first set of alignment markers on the top surface for indicating a position of the protrusion receptacle; and
a second set of alignment markers on the top surface for indicating a position of the locking protrusion cutout.
17 . The cover of claim 16 , wherein the first set of alignment markers and the second set of alignment markers are indentations in the top surface of the body.
18 . The cover of claim 16 , wherein the protrusion receptacle forms a pocket to retain a protrusion of a frame within the receptacle.
19 . The cover of claim 16 , wherein the first set of alignment markers and the second set of alignment markers are each angled toward one another.
20 . A cover comprising:
a body including a bottom surface and a top surface;
a protrusion receptacle located proximate to a perimeter of the body and extending downwards from the bottom surface, the protrusion receptacle forming a pocket;
a locking protrusion cutout located proximate to the perimeter of the body and recessed into the bottom surface, the locking protrusion cutout comprising a protrusion portion cutout and a toothed portion cutout;
a first set of alignment markers on the top surface for indicating the position of the protrusion receptacle; and
a second set of alignment markers on the top surface for indicating the position of the locking protrusion cutout;
a locking assembly aperture located adjacent to the locking protrusion cutout and extending through the bottom surface and the top surface; and
a worm gear assembly extending through the locking assembly aperture, the worm gear assembly comprising a threaded portion that extends downward from the bottom surface and overlaps at least a portion of the protrusion portion cutout, and a turning portion accessible from the top surface of the cover.