Meter cover

Abstract

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.

What is claimed is: 
     
         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.