Watthour Meter Mounting Apparatus with Improved Electrical Connections

摘要

A watthour meter mounting apparatus, such as asocket, socket adapter and the like, has a flash shieldcompletely enclosing the jaw contacts of the apparatus.Slots are formed in the flash shield to allow theinsertion of a watthour meter blade terminal therethroughinto connection with the jaw contacts. In oneembodiment, a socket adapter housing includes front andback plates which are joined together and form a cavitytherebetween in which the jaw terminals and theelectrical conductors are disposed. Raised receptaclesformed in the first plate loosely receive the jawcontacts mounted on one end of the conductors. Inanother embodiment, an insulating housing is mounted overthe jaw contacts in a socket or socket adapter, withslots formed in the housing to allow the insertion of awatthour meter blade terminal therethrough into a jawcontact disposed within the housing. The housing may beformed with one large cavity surrounding all of the jawterminals or a plurality of separate receptacles, eachsurrounding at least one jaw contact. The conductors maybe formed of rigid bus bar for increased current carryingcapability. Each jaw contact can be formed of separatecontact clips biased toward each other by separate springclips riveted to one end of each conductor. A terminalslidably receives the other end of each conductor as wellas a line/load external conductor.