"SEALING DEVICE FOR METER COVER OR COUPLING BOLT OF TERMINA^. BOX"
Technical Field
The present invention relates, in general, to sealing devices for coupling bolts of covers or
5 terminal boxes of meters and, more particularly, to a sealing device for a coupling bolt of a cover or a
terminal box of a meter which is configured such that the meter can be prevented from opening despite
using a typical coupling bolt without requiring a separate sealing wire and a separate sealing bolt, thus
making illegal manipulation of the meter impossible.
10 Bacl^round Art
Generally, meters for electricity, gas, oil, etc., which are used around the world, include devices
for adding up the usage and are covered with a cover to protect an adding counter disposed thereia Two
through four coupling bolts are used for sealing. One or two of the coupling bolts are special sealing
bolts, rather than being typical coupling bolts, to make the sealing more reliable.
15 Such a sealing structure for meters must be designed in consideration of the facts that the sealing
must be prevented fix)m being illegally removed, and work for initial sealing and re-sealing after a
periodic performance test must be facilitated. Hitherto, in the conventional sealing structure, a special
sealing bolt and a sealing wire or a piece of iron and sealing lead have been used. Therefore, there are
problems in that materials required are increased, and a lot of time and effort for sealing work are
20 required. Particularly, sealing lead is a hazardous heavy metal, which is internationally-regulated. In
Korea, the ministry of environment also forbids the use of sealing lead. Therefore, solution of such
problems is urgently needed.
Disclosure
25 Technical Problem
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above problems
occurring in the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a sealing device for a
coupling bolt of a cover or a terminal box of a meter which is configured such that a typical coupling bolt
can be used as a sealing bolt, without a separate sealing wire and a separate sealing bolt being required,
30 and can be prevented from being exposed to the outside, thus making disassembly of the meter
impossible.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a sealing device in which when a sealing
lock is threaded into a sealing cap, an elastic latch end is locked to locking latch gear teeth with respect to
one direction so tiiat the sealing lock can be prevented fiom reversely rotating, thus making removal of
35 Ihe sealing lock impossible, thereby preventing removal of the sealing bolt
A further object of the present invention is to provide a sealing device in v^ch a cutting groove
is formed in the sealing cap so that, vviien it is required to replace the meter with another one regardless
of the compulsory certification system of a national certification institution, the sealing provided on a
terminal cover of the meter or a meter box which is controlled by a supplier who supplies power can be
5 easily removed, and which is configured such that after the replacement of the meter has been
completed, resealing work can be facilitated.
Technical Solutioii
In order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a sealing device for a
10 coupling boh of a cover or terminal box of a meter for adding up the amount of gas, electricity or oil
consumed, the sealing device including: a sealing cap having a through hole in a central portion thereof
so that a sealing bolt passes through the sealing cap, with a plurality of locking latch gear teeth formed in
a lower end of an inner circumferential surface of the sealing cap, the locking latch gear teeth having an
one-way locking stincture, and an internal thread formed in an upper end of the inner circumferential
15 surface of the sealing cap above the locking latch gear teeth; and a sealing lock comprising a lock body,
an elastic latch end protruding fiom an outer circumferential surface of a lower end of tiie lock body in
one circumferential direction, an external thread formed in the lock body above the elastic latch end, and
a rotating handle provided on an upper surface of the lock body, the rotating handle being coupled to the
lock body by a recessed cutting part, wherein the sealing cap is located on the meter at a predetermined
20 position of the sealing boh to be tightened into the meter, the sealing bolt is inserted into the sealing cap
through the through hole and tightened mto the meter, the sealing lock is threaded into the sealing cap,
and then the rotating handle is sniped off and the recessed cutting part is broken so that the sealing boh
is prevented fiom being loosened and removed fix)m the meter.
25 Advantageous Effects
In a seahng device for a coupUng boh of a cover or a terminal box of a meter according to the
present invention, a typical coupling boh can be used as a sealing bolt, without a separate sealing wire
and a separate sealing bolt being required. The sealing device can reliably prevent the coupling boh
fiom being exposed to the outside, thus making disassembly of tiie meter impossible.
30 In addition, when a sealing lock is threaded into a sealing cap, an elastic latch end is locked to
locking latch gear teetii with respect to one direction so that the sealing lock can be prevented fiom
reversely rotating, thus making removal of the sealing lock unpossible, thereby preventing removal of
the sealing bolt.
Furthermore, cutting grooves are formed in an outer circumferential surface of tiie sealing cap at
35 diametrically-opposite positions. Thus, when needed, a manager or inspector can easily remove tiie
sealing cap such that the maintenance work can be facilitated.
Description of Drawings
Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a terminal cover of a meter and a sealing
5 device for the meter according to the present invention;
Fig. 2 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a sealing device for a coupling bolt of a cover
or terminal box of a meter according to the present invention;
Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the coupling bolt assembled sealing device according to
the present invention;
10 Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing a sealing lock of the coupling bolt sealing device fix)m vvtoch
a handle has been removed;
Fig. 6a is a sectional view showing elastic latch ends of the sealing lock which come into contact
with inclined surfaces of locking latch gear teeth and rotates relative thereto when the sealing lock is
15 threadedly coupled to a sealing cap; and Fig. 6b is a sectional view showing the elastic latch ends of the
sealing lock which are locked to perpendicular stop surfaces of the locking latch gear teeth wiien the
sealing lock is rotated to be loosened fijom the sealing cap;
Fig. 7a is a perspective view illustrating a sealing lock having a slotted tool recess without a
rotating handle; and Fig. 7b is a perspective view illustrating a sealing lock having a cross-shaped tool
20 recess without a rotating handle; and
Fig. 8 is a view showing an example of use of the coupling bolt sealing device according to the
present invention.

25 3: meter 20: sealing cap
21: sealing bolt 22: through hole
22a idle rotation portion 24: locking latch gear teeth
24a: inclined surface 24b: perpendicular stop surface
25: internal thread 26: approval seal surface
30 27: diameter-reducing groove 30: sealing lock
31: lock body 32: elastic latch end
33: external thread 34: recessed cutting part
35: rotating handle 36: tool recess
100: sealing device
35
Best Mode
The present invention is provided for a sealing device for a meter which is configured such that
the meter can be prevented fi^om being disassembled despite using a typical coupling bolt without
requiring a separate sealing wire and a separate sealing bolt, thus preventing opening and illegal
5 manipulation of the meter.
Mode for Invention
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to
the attached drawings.
10 As shown in Figs. 1 through 7, the present invention relates to a sealing device for meters or
terminal boxes of meters and, particularly, to a sealing device for a meter 3 used to record gas, electricity
or oil usage. The sealing device 100 includes a sealing cap 20 which is coupled to the meter 3 by
tightening a sealing bolt 21 into both the sealing c ^ 20 and the meter 3, and a sealing lock 30 wiiich is
threaded into the sealing cap 20. The sealing device 100 prevents the sealing bolt 21 jBx)m being exposed
15 to the outside and makes it impossible to loosen the sealing bolt 21 fix)m the meter 3.
The sealing cap 20 has a cylindrical sh^je, in which a through hole 22 is formed in a central
portion thereof to enable the sealing bolt 21 to pass it.
A plurality of locking latch gear teeth 24 are formed in a lower end of an inner circumferential
surface of the sealing cap 20 to form an one-way locking structure.
20 Each locking latch gear tooth 24 has an inclined surface 24a wiiich is inclined at a low angle
fiom a first end thereof to a second end, and a perpendicular stop surface 24b which is formed at the
second end thereof and is perpendicular to the circumferential direction (refer to Fig. 6).
Here, the height of the perpendicular stop surface 24b of the locking latch gear tooth 24 is greater
than the width of an elastic latch end 32. In other words, the locking latch gear teeth 24 are formed on
25 the entirety of the lower end of the inner circumferential surface of the sealing cap 20, other than an
internal thread 25 and an idle rotation portion 20a of the sealing cap 20.
The internal thread 25 is formed in an upper end of the irmer circumferential surface of the
sealing cesp 20 behind, that is, above, the locking latch gear teeth 24. The internal thread 25 has a
comparatively large pitch.
30 With regard to the detailed structure of the inner surface of the sealing cap 20, the locking latch
gear teeth 24 are formed on the lower end of the inner circumferential surface of the sealing cap 20, and
the internal thread 25 is formed on the on the upper end of the inner circumferential surface of the sealing
cap 20. In addition, having a predetermined height corresponding to that of an external thread 33
provided on an upper end of the sealing lock 30, the idle rotation portion 20a is formed between the
35 locking latch gear teeth 24 and the internal thread 25. Because of the above structure, w^en the sealing
lock 30 is threaded into the sealing cap 20, the sealing lock 30 is moved downwards towards the lower
end of the sealing cap 20 by the threaded structure. From the end of the thread of the sealing c ^ 20, the
external thread 33 of the sealing lock 30 completely enters the idle rotation portion 20a, so that the
sealing lock 30 can no longer move downwards towards the lower end of the sealing cap 20 but can
5 rotate idle in only one directioa
In another embodiment, an approval seal surface 26 on v^ch a hallmark can be formed may be
provided on an outer circumferential surface of the sealing c ^ 20. The approval seal surface 26 may
have a variety of shapes and structures, for example, a circular shape, a rectangular shape, etc. and have a
one-directional protruding structure or bidirectional protruding structure.
10 Here, a meter manufacturer must obtain certification of the meter 3 fiom a certification
institution which manages certification before selling it. The reason why the approval seal surface 26 has
a circular shape is because it is used to receive a haUmark fixjm the certification institution, given the fact
tiiat, in Korea, the ministry of Knowledge Economy manages a compulsory certification system, and
with regard to the case of a hallmark stamping system, the hallmark (KC) must be stamped in a circle
15 having a diameter 3 mm, 5 mm, 7 mm or 10 mm on one surface of the approval seal surface 26, and a
date for indicating an endurance period of the meter must be stamped on the other surface thereof In the
case where the approval seal surface 26 has a rectangular shape or other various shapes, a serial number,
a bar-code or tiie like may also be formed by carving or laser marking.
Meanwhile, the elastic latch ends 32 protrude in one cux^umferential direction fix)m the outer
20 circumferential surface of a lower end of a lock body 31 of the sealing lock 30.
The external thread 33 is formed on the circumferential surface of the lock body 31 above the
elastic latch ends 32. A rotating handle 35 is coupled to an upper surface of the lock body 31.
The height of the sealing lock 30, that is, a length fiom the elastic latch end 32 provided on the
lower end of the sealing lock 30 to the external thread 33 formed above the elastic latch end 32, is less
25 than the height of the inner circumferential surface of the sealing cap 20. The height of the elastic latch
end 32 is less than that of the perpendicular stop surface 24b.
Further, the pitch of the external thread 33 is the same as that of the internal thread 25. Here, the
external thread 33 has a pitch set such that only one turn is required to begin that the entire height of the
elastic latch ends 32 rotates along the inclined surfaces 24a The sealing lock 30 is also configured such
30 that when the sealing lock 30 makes 1.5 turns or more, the internal thread 25 reaches the idle rotation
portion 24b so that the sealing lock 30 enters an idle rotation state.
The rotating handle 35 which is coupled to the upper surface of the lock body 31 is configured in
such a way that the width thereof is reduced firom the top to the bottom and a recessed cutting part is
formed in the lower end thereof Preferably, after the operation of sealing the coupling bolt is completed,
35 when force is applied to the handle 35 to snap off it, the handle 35 can be easily cut off at the recessed
cutting part. The present invention is not limited to this stiiicture, that is, the handle 35 may not be cut off
even after the sealing operation is completed.
As shown in Fig. 7, a slotted or cross-shaped tool recess 36 is formed in the upper surface of the
lock body 31 of the sealing lock 30. Preferably, the slotted tool recess is a comparatively deep.
5 Furthermore, in the case of the -shqied tool recess, it is preferable that at least one slotted portion be
comparatively deep.
If the sealing lock 30 is provided without the rotating handle 35, the sealing lock 30 may be
configured to have the tool recess to make it possible to rotate tiie sealing lock 30 using a flat-head or
cross-head screwdriver, if the sealing lock 30 is provided without the rotating handle 35.
10 Diameter-reducing grooves 27 are formed in an outer circumferential surface of the sealing c ^
20 at diametrically-opposite positions. Each diameter-reducing groove 27 has a V-shaped cross-section
in such a way that the width thereof is reduced fiom the outer side to the inner side.
In detail, the diameter-reducing grooves 27 are provided to cope with the case where it is
required to remove the sealing device 100 regardless of the certification sealing by the compulsory
15 certification system of the national certification institution. In an example, a flat-head screwdriver is
inserted into the slotted tool recess or the deep portion of the cross-shaped tool recess, and the sealing
lock 30 is rotated such that the flat-head screwdriver is aligned with the diameter-reducing grooves 27
that are formed in the sealing cap 20 at diametrically opposite positions. Thereafter, wiien force is
applied to the screwdriver via a lever principle, the sealing c ^ 20 is broken at the diameter-reducing
20 grooves 27, thus allowing the sealing bolt 21 to be removed fiom the meter.
As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, an insert depression 3 la is formed in a lower surface of the lock body
31 of the sealing lock 30. The head of the sealing bolt 21 is disposed in the insert depression 31a That
is, a portion of the head of the umbrella-shaped, rectangular, pentagonal or circular sealing bolt 21 ^^4uch
is used to couple bodies of the meter to each other is disposed in the insert depression 31a to minimize
25 the length of the sealing device 100. This is a shucture proposed to secure the space when the meter is
covered with a cover. In this embodiment of the present invention, the sealing boh 21 is illustrated as
having a circular head, and the insert depression 31a also has a circular shape.
The operation and effect of the present invention having the above-mentioned construction will
be described in detail below.
30 As shown in Figs. 1 through 8, a protective cover 10 is coupled to the terminal box of the meter
3 ahead of a pluraUty of terminals. To use the sealing device 100, the sealing bolt 21 is tightened into the
meter 3 or the terminal box of the meter 3 after passing through the through hole 22 of the sealing
device.
The head of the sealing bolt 21 that has been tightened into the meter 3 or the terminal box is
35 located in the sealing cap 20.
The reason \\iiy the rotating handle 35 is provided on Ihe sealing lock 30 is because of the fact
that the rotating handle 35 can be used to threadedly couple the sealing lock 30 into the sealing cap 20
and then preferably snapped off at the recessed cutting part 34 so that the sealing bolt 21 cannot be
prevented fiom being illegally removed. Furthermore, the present invention is configured such that,
5 although the rotating handle 35 is not snapped off, the sealing lock 30 can be prevented fiom being
removed fix)m the meter 3, and the sealing effect can be maintained as it is.
Meanwhile, in the case of the sealing lock 20 which is provided with the tool receSs 36 without
the rotating handle 35, the sealing lock 20 can be threaded into the sealing cap 20 using a flat-head or
cross-head screwdriver.
10 After the sealing lock 30 is inserted into the sealing cap 20, when the sealing lock 30 makes at
least one tum while the external thread 33 engages with the internal thread 25, the sealing lock 30 is
threadedly coupled to the sealing cap 20 and, simultaneously, the elastic latch ends 32 come into contact
with the inclined surfaces 24a of the locking latch gear teeth 24. Here, by virtue of the combination of
the elastic latch ends 32 and the locking latch gear teeth 24, while the sealing lock 30 is moved forwards,
15 it can rotate only in the direction in \Atoch it is tightened. When the sealing lock 30 is fiirther rotated, it
reaches the idle rotation portion 20a in which tiie internal thread 25 of the sealing cap 20 is not formed.
Then, the assembly of the sealing lock 30 with the sealing cap 20 is completed, and the sealing lock 30 is
idle-rotated only in one directioa
That is, wiien trying to reversely rotate the sealing lock 30 relative to tiie sealing cap 20, the latch
20 ends 32 of the sealing lock 30 are locked to the perpendicular stop surfaces 24b of the locking latch gear
teeth 24, whereby the sealing lock 30 can be prevented fix)m being rotated reversely.
The sealing lock 30 is disposed at a predetermined depth in the sealing cap 20 inside the
circumferential surface of the upper end of the sealing cap 20.
Meanvdiile, in the present invention, when the sealing lock 30 is threaded into the sealing c ^ 20
25 that has been coupled to the meter 3, the rotating handle 35 may be broken by a mistake of a worker
before the external thread 33 of the sealing lock 30 completely reaches the idle rotation portion 20a of the
sealing cap 20. Even so, if the sealing lock 30 makes only one turn, the intended sealing effect can be
exerted.
That is, when the sealing lock 30 is completely inserted into the sealing cap 20 and is ready to be
30 rotated and threadedly coupled to the sealing cap 20, the lower surface of the sealing lock 30 is located in
a medial position of the idle rotation portion 21a When the rotating handle 35 makes a 2/3 turn, about
1/2 height of the elastic latch ends 32 moves along the inclined surfaces of the locking latch gear teeth
24. When the rotating handle 35 fiirther rotates and makes one turn, the entire height of the elastic latch
ends 32 is completely locked to the perpendicular stop surfaces 24b of the elastic latch gear 24.
35 Therefore, even if the external thread 33 of the sealing lock 30 does not completely reach the idle
rotation portion 22a and the upper end of the sealing lock 30 still engages with the sealing cap 20, the
elastic latch ends 32 provided on the lower end of the sealing lock 30 are locked to the perpendicular stop
surfaces 24b of the locking latch gear teeth 24, whereby the sealing lock 30 can be prevented fixjm being
reversely rotated.
5 In this case, the sealing lock 30 can also be maintained in conditions in v^ch it has been
inserted to a depth into the sealing cap 20 to some degree of depth from the upper end thereof
After this, the sealing bolt 21 cannot be removed from the meter 3 without the sealing device 10
being broken, so that the lock body of the meter 3 or the cover v^ch has covered the meter 3 cannot be
disassembled or removed therefrom, thereby preventing illegal manipulation of the meter.
10 Meanwhile, if the sealing device has the diameter-reducing grooves 27, the sealing bolt 21 can
be removed from the meter only when needed. For example, in the case where the rotating handle 35
has been removed from the sealing lock 30, a tool such as a screwdriver is inserted into the sealing cap
20, and comparatively strong force is applied to the tool in one direction. Then, the sealing cap 20 is
broken at the diameter-reducing grooves 27, and the sealing bolt 21 is allowed to be removed from the
15 meter.
Meanwhile, in the case vAiere the slotted or cross-shaped tool recess 36 is formed in the sealing
lock 30, a flat-head screwdriver is inserted into the tool recess 36, and force is applied to the tool via a
lever principle. Then the sealing cap 20 is broken at the diameter-reducing grooves 27, and the sealing
bolt 21 is allowed to be removed from the meter.
20 Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative
purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions
are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the
accompanying claims.
25

WEO^ ORIGINAL Q . | ^ ( ^ 5 2 ' i i ^ l#
1. A sealing device for a coupling bolt of a cover or terminal box of a meter (3) for adding up the
amount of gas, electricity or oil consumed, the sealing device comprising:
a sealing cap (20) having a through hole (22) in a central portion thereof so that a sealing bolt
5 (21) passes through the sealing cap (20), with a plurality of locking latch gear teeth (24) formed in a
lower end of an inner circumferential surface of the sealing cap (20), the locking latch gear teeth (24)
having an one-way locking structure, and an internal thread (25) formed in an upper end of the inner
circumferential surfece of the sealing cap (20) above the locking latch gear teeth (24); and
a sealing lock (30) comprising a lock body (31), an elastic latch end (32) protruding fix)m an
10 outer circumferential surface of a lower end of the lock body (31) in one circumferential direction, an
external thread (33) formed in the lock body (31) above the elastic latch end (32), and a rotating handle
(35) provided on an upper surface of the lock body (31), the rotating handle (35) being coupled to the
lock body (31) by a recessed cutting part (34),
wherein the sealing cap (20) is located on the meter (3) at a predetermined position of the sealing
15 bolt (21) to be tightened into the meter (3), the sealing bolt (21) is inserted into the sealing cap (20)
through the through hole (22) and tightened into the meter (3), the sealing lock (30) is threaded into the
sealing cap (20), and then the rotating handle (35) is snapped off and the recessed cutting part (34) is
broken so that the sealing bolt (21) is prevented from being loosened and removed from the meter.
20 2. The sealing device of claim 1, ^\llerein an approval seal surface (26) is integrally provided on
an outer circumferential surface of an upper portion of the sealing cap (20) so that a hallmark is formed
on the approval seal surface (26),
diameter-reducing grooves (27) are formed in an outer circumferential surface of the sealing cap (20) at
diametrically-opposite positions, each of the diameter-reducing grooves (27) having a V-sh^)ed cross-
25 section in such a way that a width thereof is reduced from an outer side to an inner side,
a slotted or cross-sh^)ed tool recess (36) is formed in the upper surfece of the lock body (31) of
the sealing lock (30), and
an insert depression (3 la) is formed in a lower surface of the lock body (31) of the sealing lock
(30) so that a portion of a head of the sealing bolt (21) is disposed in the insert depression (31 a).