The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Dec. 11, 2001
Filed:
Aug. 10, 2000
Randolph L. Auclair, New Hartford, CT (US);
Electric Motion Company, Inc., Winsted, CT (US);
Abstract
A ground clamp for connecting an edge portion of the metallic enclosure of an electrical meter box with a ground conductor. The ground clamp includes a U-shaped clamp member, a bolt member, and means for mounting the ground conductor. First and second legs of the clamp member define a slot and a pair of openings in the first leg form a center segment which separates a pair of fingers. The edge portion of the meter box enclosure is resiliently clamped within the slot between the fingers and the second leg. The center segment includes a socket having an inner surface, at least a portion of which has a thread. The bolt member has a stud portion and a bolt head portion, the stud portion including a threaded segment disposed proximate the distal end and an unthreaded shaft segment disposed intermediate the threaded segment and the bolt head portion. At least one protrusion extends axially from the distal end of the bolt member to a sharp edge. The stud portion is mounted in the socket of the clamp member such that the shaft segment is positioned in the threaded portion of the socket and the threaded segment is positioned within the slot when the sharp edge of the protrusion contacts the exterior surface of the edge portion received within the slot. The sharp edge of the protrusion removes the corrosion inhibiting coating from the exterior surface of the edge portion to electrically connect the meter box to the clamp without deforming the meter box enclosure upon rotation of the bolt member.