Patents by Inventor Allen Pruehs

Allen Pruehs has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 8547686
    Abstract: An electrical watthour meter socket includes a first sub-enclosure receiving high voltage components and a second sub-enclosure receiving lower voltage components. The first and second sub-enclosures are electrically isolated from each other access control components to allow independent access to lower voltage components in the second sub-enclosure without the use of personal protective equipment required for exposure to components carrying high voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2013
    Assignee: Meter Devices Company, Inc.
    Inventors: Allen Pruehs, Jeffrey J. Hanft
  • Patent number: 8002578
    Abstract: A watthour meter socket adapter has housing formed of snap together rear and front housings. The front housing surrounds but allows access to jaw contacts and terminals mounted in the rear housing by a watthour meter and electric power conductors. An aperture in the front housing engages a socket adapter mounting fastener extendible through the aperture to attach the socket adapter to a mounting surface. The fastener and aperture resist separation of the front housing from the rear housing when a watthour meter is removed from the socket adapter. A clip extends from the front housing through an aperture in a terminal cover attachable to the front housing and receives a seal lock member. Another clip on the front housing extends through the terminal cover and is engaged by an expandable ring lock clip. A meter surge guard is removably mountable to the rear housing and exteriorly of the front housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Ekstrom Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Darrell Robinson, Allen Pruehs
  • Publication number: 20110179833
    Abstract: A lock apparatus includes a lock body which is slidably mountable over the legs of the shackle. At least one push nut is mounted within a recess carried in the lock body to allow easy insertion of the legs of the shackle through the bores in the lock sections and the at least one push nut, but exerts a substantial force resisting separation of the lock body from the shackle in an opposite direction. The lock body is formed of a unitary one-piece body, or a pair of identical lock sections which are reoriented with respect to each other and inter-engaged to form bores at one edge which receive the legs of the shackle. A method of installing the lock apparatus includes mounting at least one push nut in a lock body and then inserting the legs of the shackle through bores in the lock body and the at least one push nut.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2010
    Publication date: July 28, 2011
    Applicant: EKSTROM INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Darrell Robinson, Allen Pruehs
  • Publication number: 20100267277
    Abstract: A watthour meter socket adapter has housing formed of snap together rear and front housings. The front housing surrounds but allows access to jaw contacts and terminals mounted in the rear housing by a watthour meter and electric power conductors. An aperture in the front housing engages a socket adapter mounting fastener extendible through the aperture to attach the socket adapter to a mounting surface. The fastener and aperture resist separation of the front housing from the rear housing when a watthour meter is removed from the socket adapter. A clip extends from the front housing through an aperture in a terminal cover attachable to the front housing and receives a seal lock member. Another clip on the front housing extends through the terminal cover and is engaged by an expandable ring lock clip. A meter surge guard is removably mountable to the rear housing and exteriorly of the front housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 21, 2009
    Publication date: October 21, 2010
    Applicant: EKSTROM INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Darrell Robinson, Allen Pruehs
  • Publication number: 20100128418
    Abstract: An electrical watthour meter socket includes a first sub-enclosure receiving high voltage components and a second sub-enclosure receiving lower voltage components. The first and second sub-enclosures are electrically isolated from each other access control components to allow independent access to lower voltage components in the second sub-enclosure without the use of personal protective equipment required for exposure to components carrying high voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2008
    Publication date: May 27, 2010
    Applicant: METER DEVICES COMPANY, INC.
    Inventors: Allen Pruehs, Jeffrey Hanft
  • Patent number: 7458846
    Abstract: A watthour meter socket adapter includes a housing having internal jaw contacts and external blade terminals. A power switch is electrically connected between the jaw contacts and the blade terminals. A rocker member on the power switch faces a side of the housing. An actuator is mounted in the housing and has a first end coupled to the rocker member for simultaneous movement of the rocker member and the actuator. A second end of the actuator extends through an aperture in the side of the housing allowing external manipulation of the actuator and the rocker member to indicate and/or manipulate the on and off state of the power switch. An electrically insulating safety shield may be mounted over the exposed portions of the jaw contacts and the conducting elements in the housing. Optional lock features may be provided to lock the actuator in the “on” or “off” positions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Ekstrom Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Karl Loehr, Darrell Robinson, Allen Pruehs
  • Publication number: 20080180885
    Abstract: A watthour meter socket adapter includes a housing having internal jaw contacts and external blade terminals. A power switch is electrically connected between the jaw contacts and the blade terminals. A rocker member on the power switch faces a side of the housing. An actuator is mounted in the housing and has a first end coupled to the rocker member for simultaneous movement of the rocker member and the actuator. A second end of the actuator extends through an aperture in the side of the housing allowing external manipulation of the actuator and the rocker member to indicate and/or manipulate the on and off state of the power switch. An electrically insulating safety shield may be mounted over the exposed portions of the jaw contacts and the conducting elements in the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Applicant: EKSTROM INDUSTRIES, INC.
    Inventors: Karl Loehr, Darrell Robinson, Allen Pruehs