Abstract: A grinding apparatus and method in which at least two grinding wheels are coaxially and rotatably supported on a common spindle and are juxtaposed with a worktable for a workpiece. A pulse motor on either the worktable or the spindle displaces the wheels and the workpiece relatively along a Z-axis orthogonal to the spindle axis and another pulse motor effects relative displacement of the wheels and worktable along an X-axis which is normal to the Z-axis and is codirectional with the spindle axis. Yet another motor serves to relatively displace the wheels and worktable along a Y-axis which is normal both to the Z-axis and to the X-axis while a numerical controller applies control-signal pulses to the Z-axis displacement and the X-axis displacement motors.

Abstract: A particle collector for intercepting and collecting small particles dislodged during grinding operations utilizes a vacuum unit to trap particles within a collection bag. Uniquely formed intake nozzles provide effective particle pickup for both bench-type and hand-held grinding units. The nozzles may be interchanged without requiring the use of tools, and the collector may thus be conveniently switched from a bench-type grinder to a hand-held grinder.The vacuum source is portable and housed in a cabinet uniquely designed for quiet operation and even airflow. Particles are collected in a reusable bag and may be processed to recover precious substances. The nozzle designed for use with bench-type grinders may be horizontally or vertically positioned, as required by work space limitations.

Abstract: A method comprising contacting a wetting liquid with the surface of a resin-bonded diamond grinding wheel, wetting and forming a film on the face of the resin component of the wheel surface, and grinding and resulting wetted wheel surface with a silicon carbide or silicon nitride ceramic body generating ceramic chips which adhere to said wetted resin face forming a slurry layer thereon which simultaneously dresses and conditions said wheel during grinding.

Abstract: A fascia gutter assembly comprises a gutter of channelled form, with a bottom and upright front and rear flanges, supported by a series of brackets adapted to be secured to the roof structure of a building, the brackets also supporting a fascia panel below and substantially co-planar with the front flange of the gutter, the top of the fascia panel being clipped into engagement with the bottom of the gutter, the gutter front flange and fascia panel then having the appearance of a single fascia.

Abstract: A self-cleaning invertible gutter system is provided in which a gutter having a projecting downspout connector positioned on the end thereof is mounted on the facia board of a building for roll-over invertible movement thereon. The gutter extends beyond the end of the building with a cooperating downspout being positioned near the corner on the adjacent wall of the building such that the downspout connector is adapted to be swung into and out of the cooperating downspout. A single, continuous support line is attached near the ends of the gutter or near the ends of the facia board and is laced alternately through fixed supports spaced along the facia board above the rear of the gutter and through supports mounted on the lower surface of the gutter and positioned toward the front of the gutter such that this support line passes back and forth around the lower rear corner of the gutter.

Abstract: An anchor bolt for securing a bracket to a roof supported by a beam is disclosed. The anchor bolt includes a shank having a threaded upper end and a lower end and extends through a hole in the roof located adjacent the beam. A nut threaded onto the threaded upper end is tightened against the bracket to draw the bracket securely against the upper surface of the roof. The shank extends through the hole along a first side of the beam to a lower edge of the beam. The anchor bolt includes a hooked section attached to the lower end of the shank for anchoring the anchor bolt to the lower edge of the beam. The hooked section includes a retaining end for extending along a second side of the beam to prevent the hooked section from slipping off of the lower edge of the beam when the nut is tightened against the bracket. The retaining end is inclined with respect to the shank by an angle selected to permit the hooked end of the shank to be conveniently passed through the hole from the outside surface of the roof.

Abstract: An attaching device to secure soffits under the eaves of a roof and to cover their ends. The attaching device is made of two separate pieces with snap action interlocking means. A top piece is first secured to the eaves and, once the soffit is fitted and retained to the eaves, the bottom piece is interlocked with the top piece. The bottom piece has a plate part extending under the soffit. The same attaching device may be used to secure sidings on the outside walls of buildings.

Abstract: Walkable foot plates are laid directly on a concrete slab or a water resistant layer on a roof. Each foot plate has crack inducing grooves which divide the plate into blocks which are connected to each other by weak joint portions defined by the grooves. The foot plate cracks along the grooves to be accommodated to uneven surface portions of the slab or layer. Flexible reinforcing material extends across the weak joint portions to maintain the blocks connected to each other after the weak joint portions are cracked.

Abstract: Reinforced masonry construction including walls or slabs comprising elongated panels having permanent wall or slab forms (or skins) which are spaced a predetermined distance apart by unique ties which also serve as a web member or a component thereof resulting between reinforcing bars and/or structural shapes acting as the chords of a truss. The panels are preferably precast from high strength structural grade cellular concrete reinforced with a novel truss. The longitudinal edges of adjacent panels are in contiguous engagement, opposed panels being connected by a tie having portions which interfit the contiguous panels for positioning same. The ties are arranged in vertical or horizontal alignment and reinforcing rods, in unitary or multi-part arrangement, extend through the ties from one end to the other transversely of the wall or slab to provide or supplement a structural section.

Abstract: A molded storage receptable that is disposed in the ground having a sealed, removeable cover that provides for a variety of uses including subterranean water or article storage or a mechanic's working pit. The device includes a molded fiberglass shell having a plurality of integrally molded, lateral reinforcing ribs disposed along the vertical sides and bottom of the fiberglass shell, and at least one molded stairwell disposed at one end of said shell which includes a plurality of molded stairs to allow ingress or egress into or out of the storage receptacle. The shell is premolded and shipped to a site in which the earth is removed and the shell disposed within the hole in the earth. Integrally molded upper laterial flanges can be used to tie down the receptacle to prevent pop up in the event of total water levels. The cover may include rollers for opening or closing movement relative to the receptacle or hinges at one end used in conjunction with a hydraulic piston to raise or lower the cover.

Abstract: A multiple pane window has an inner filamentary seal and an outer seal. The inner seal contains desiccant material whose concentration is greater in the inner portion thereof than in the outer portion thereof. The concentration may change progressively. The inner seal may comprise a plurality of layers with the concentration constant in each layer. Particular concentrations are given. Molecular sieves having absorption pores of about 4A and 10A may be employed, and the concentration of the 10A pore sieves may be greater in the outer portion than in the inner portion of the inner seal.

Abstract: Flooring for stables and the like consisting of adjoining plastic elements interconnected by means of provisions formed in the material of the element.

Abstract: Stair construction and process for producing same are provided wherein at least one wooden plate is provided to form a wooden shell which constitutes the stair outer surface. A reinforcement member and filler material are disposed within the interior stair space, and a resin sealing layer is provided between the wooden plate and the filler material to seal and protect the wood from the filler composition.

Abstract: A door jamb comprising, a first sheet metal section having a flat portion for attachment to a vertical face of an aperture in a wall and a pair of channel-shaped portions on either side of said flat portion, an inner flank of one channel-shaped portion being connected by said flat portion to an inner flank of the other channel-shaped portion, a second sheet metal section for accommodating one edge of a door leaf, said second sheet metal section including a pair of longitudinal flange portions, each of which is slidably displaceable transversely of a respective one of the outer flanks of said channel-shaped portions, and fasteners for fastening each of said longitudinal flange portions in a selected transverse position on the respective one of said outer flanks.

Abstract: A modular lightweight structural panel is made of a lightweight expanded plastic filler reinforced by wire lattice structures. A number of long, narrow filler elements are interleaved with a number of substantially flat lattice structures to form a laminated panel subassembly with corresponding surfaces of the filler elements collectively forming substantially planar surfaces of the panel core. The subassembly is laterally compressed, in a direction perpendicular to the planes of laminations, to thereby force each of the lattice structures to be pressed into and partially embedded in mutually contiguous surfaces of adjacent ones of the filler elements.

Abstract: System consisting of a series of decorative panels arranged in coplanar relationship over the vertical surface of a structure, each panel being attached to the structure at its central point by a single separable connection.

Abstract: Shingle simulating laminated flat strip sheet material for application in horizontally extending weatherproof interlocked courses, comprising a thin, flexible underlying plastic base sheet having a self sealing asphalt mastic coating layer and a mineral granule front surface layer. The strip material has on each of its opposite faces a longitudinally extending groove adjacent to and spaced from opposite ones of its longitudinally extending edges, so that the strip material is foldable along the grooves around the edge of an adjacent folded strip edge.

Abstract: A roofing system having the appearance of Spanish or Mission tile made of fiberglass, with an interlocking overlapping means, which may be secured by conventional means such as nails or adhesives to new roofing structure or over existing roofing.

Abstract: Masonry buildings for low temperature applications such as freezers and the like are insulated by applying the insulation on the exterior and providing an external vapor barrier.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for automatically applying a lid comprised of a film of thermoplastic sheet material to the top of a cup. The film is supplied in a roll and the leading end is fed into a position between the top of the cup and a heat sealing head. In an operating cycle of the apparatus, the cup is brought up against the film and the heat sealing head is brought down on top of the film to seal the film to the cup and sever the forward section of the film from the roll. A film stabilizer is provided on the film feed mechanism for maintaining control of the film and a pneumatic circuit provides an automatic control of the functional components in predetermined timed sequence.

Abstract: An automatic tray loading apparatus for cookies or the like in which cook are divided into two rows with cookies in each row separated into groups of a given count and continuously conveyed to a loading station for loading into trays. A pair of drop chute members are aligned with the rows of cookies and each arranged to receive a discrete cookie group dropped therein by a drop gate device. The cookie group dropped into one of the drop chutes is moved laterally into close proximity to a second cookie group resting in the second drop chute to bring the cookie spacing into register with the spacing of cookie receiving compartments in the trays. Drop gate slides for each drop chute are then activated to open chute outlet openings to drop each cookie group into an appropriate compartment of a waiting cookie tray. A tray conveyor then carries away the cookie-filled tray and spots an empty tray below the drop chute outlet openings.

Abstract: A lawnmower deck of inverted dish shape having three generally circular, laterally spaced but interconnected open-bottomed compartments in each of which is mounted a horizontally extending blade rotatable on a vertical axis and operable to impel cuttings from one compartment to the next toward one side of the deck, the deck having an outlet opening at that side and at the rearward portion of at least certain of the compartments, there being controllable gates at each of the outlet openings and between each successive pair of compartments, to the end that by opening or closing the gates in the proper combinations, the cuttings may be selectively discharged to the side or to a grass collector, or discharged to the rear, or finely mulched for rapid decomposition to enrich the soil.

Abstract: An apparatus for picking fruit from trees which takes the form of an elongated member which has a cutting blade arrangement at the upper end of the member and a handle structure at the lower end of the member for activating the cutting blade. Once the stem of the fruit has been severed, the fruit passes into a guide tube and hence into a flexible guide chute prior to being deposited into a container. The cutting blade assembly could take the form of a scissors type arrangement or could take the form of a rotating cylinder which passes over a fixed cutting blade with the fruit having been initially located within the cylinder.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for covering elastic single strand core yarns with a plurality of inelastic cover yarns, such as nylon, is provided. The core yarn is stretched in a controlled manner between a set of feeder rolls and a pair of drawing rolls. Intermediate the feeder and drawing rolls, a thread guide is provided for accommodating the interlacing of a plurality of cover yarn strands with the single strand core yarn passing therethrough. The cover yarn and core yarn are further intertwined with one another at a nip formed at the drawing rolls by way of a slight twisting action applied thereto via a take-up spindle for the resulting composite yarn disposed downstream of the drawing rolls.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for producing high quality wrapped yarn by a wrapping operation wherein a binder strand, carried by a supply package supported by a rotatably driven hollow spindle, is fed to the free end of the hollow supply spindle and wrapped around a core strand moving through the hollow spindle. The binder strand inherently balloons outwardly in its path of travel from its rotating supply package to the core strand being wrapped. The zone in which the binder strand balloons is enclosed to isolate it from the ambient air about the wrapping apparatus to thereby substantially preclude pick up of fiber waste on the binder strand. Suction means communicates with the hollow spindle to attract the core yarn and facilitate passage of the wrapped yarn therethrough. Isolation of the zone in which the binder strand balloons is obtained by enveloping the package and balloon-forming region of the binder strand with an enclosure.

Abstract: A wire rope is formed by twisting two different metal wires which vary from each other by at least 5% in their acoustic wave propagation velocities. In the longitudinal direction, the two different metal wires are combined in two embodiments: first wires of steel material and wires of stainless steel material, or secondly, wires of a steel material and wires of a beryllium material. In a preferred embodiment, a wire rope is formed by twisting a plurality of strands around a center core and two different metal wires as described above are employed to form the strands.

Abstract: A continuous process is disclosed for producing a heather yarn from a continuous filament polyester feed yarn having a residual draw ratio in the range of from 1.6 to 2.0 and a continuous filament polyamide feed yarn having a residual draw ratio in the range of from 106 to 120 percent of the residual draw ratio of the polyester feed yarn. The process involves the steps of: (1) combining the yarns; (2) false twist texturing and drawing the combined yarns in a draw-texturing zone comprising feed rolls, a heating means, a friction twisting element and draw rolls; (3) randomly entangling the combined and textured yarns together in a jet-intermingling zone formed by an air jet device; and (4) withdrawing the heather yarn so produced.

Abstract: A false-twist apparatus has a support defining three generally parallel and radially spaced axes surrounding a central axially extending twisting region. Respective shafts are journaled in this support for rotation about the axes and carry respective staggered sets of axially spaced disks whose rims radially overlap at the twisting region. Yarn eyes above and below the sets of disks are axially aligned with this twisting region so that a yarn to be false-twisted can pass axially through the lower eye, then zigzag along the regions in contact with the disks, and then pass axially out through the other eye. All of the disks are permanently joined and synchronously rotated. A holder displaceable in a straight line on the apparatus support carries a plurality of arms having yarn-pushing tips that can push a yarn to be false-twisted radially into the region.

Abstract: An electronic timepiece which makes use of a lithium battery having a high electric power capacity is disclosed. The timepiece comprises in combination a voltage converter and a voltage detection circuit. The output signal delivered from the voltage detection circuit causes the output voltage from the voltage converter to change in response to the battery voltage so as to reduce electric power consumed by electric circuits.

Abstract: An ornamental part for watches such as a watch case having a composite coating layer consisting essentially of titanium and titanium nitride, the ratio of the two components being varied in the direction of the thickness of the layer. The composite coating may be formed by the physical vapor deposition method in which the titanium in the vapor phase is reacted with nitrogen under a glow-discharge condition. The coating thus formed has a gold color and excellent physical and chemical properties.

Abstract: An improved combustor for a gas turbine engine is disclosed. Techniques for reducing the level of noxious pollutants emitted by the combustor are developed. In one embodiment, a combination of serpentine geometried, fuel-mixing tubes discharging to the radially outward area of the combustor and an axially oriented, fuel-mixing tube near the center of the combustor are adapted to generate a strong centrifugal force field within the combustor. The force field promotes rapid mixing and combustion within the chamber to reduce both the magnitude of the combustor temperature and the period of exposure of the medium gases to that temperature. In accordance with the method taught, the fuel air ratio in the serpentine mixing tubes is maintained within the range of 0.035 to 0.05 and the fuel air ratio in the axial mixing tube is maintained at a value less than 0.05.

Abstract: A turbofan engine has an exhaust arrangement for the bypassed air and turbine exhaust gases providing for mixing of the two before a common propulsion nozzle. The turbine exhaust gas is directed to a number of circumferentially spaced exhausts, the outlets of which are inclined to the axis of the engine. A baffle extending from the end of the bypass duct into the common exhaust duct divides the bypass air into a portion inside and a portion outside of the baffle, the former mixing initially with the turbine exhaust gases and the resulting mixture then being mixed with the remainder of the bypass air. The baffle includes lobes which extend downstream and inwardly so as to obscure the outlets of the turbine exhaust from the jet nozzle, thus minimizing thermal radiation through the nozzle.

Abstract: A single point attachment for a unitary tail pipe plug and convoluted lobe mixer supports the assembly in the tail pipe of a turbofan engine.

Abstract: An automatic control is provided for fast restarts of a hot power plant. Boiler fuel demand is increased to reach a target load based on measured turbine metal temperature and throttle pressure. Fine tuning of the fuel demand is performed to achieve an actual match between the turbine and steam temperatures. Turbine bypass valves are operated during boiler firing the control steam pressure to a programmed pressure setpoint. Boiler firing rate is high limited by total boiler outlet steam to avoid flow overheating and bypass valve position is low limited in accordance with steam flow and throttle pressure to avoid excessively low steam flow. Reheater controls are operated to match intermediate turbine temperature and reheat steam temperature.

Abstract: A flameholder of a burner for a gas turbine engine includes a discrete pattern of judiciously shaped apertures having projectiles in the form of cusps formed on the upstream face facing the airstream so as to improve the flameholder with a consequential reduction in the concentration level of gaseous pollutants.

Abstract: A combustor for gas turbines includes a stepped cylindrical tube defining first, second and main combustion spaces. Primary air supply openings are formed in the tube portion defining the first combustion space, secondary air supply openings in the tube portion defining the second combustion space, and diluting air supply openings in the tube portion defining the main combustion space. To achieve effective cooling of the combustion gas within the combustion chamber, particularly in the second combustion space, and especially in the central portion thereof, and at the same time to maintain a stable combustion, the tube is formed so, and the cross-sectional areas of the primary, secondary and diluting air supply openings are dimensioned so, that 25 to 32% of the total amount of air supplied to the combustion chamber are used as primary air in the first combustion space, 38 to 50% as secondary air in the second combustion space, and less than 30% as diluting air in the main combustion space.

Abstract: A cascade heat exchange system in which the heat given off in condensing a superheated vaporized refrigerant is used to vaporize carbon dioxide and to add sensible heat to a water system. The superheated discharge vapor of a refrigeration system is pumped into the shell side of a heat exchange vessel, where evaporative tube bundles absorb heat from the refrigerant. In one tube bundle, liquid carbon dioxide flowing through the tubes is vaporized. Another tube bundle receiving heat from the refrigerant is used to heat water for industrial use. The vaporized refrigerant leaving the heat exchange vessel shell having become desuperheated and de-oiled since giving off heat to the tube bundles is then condensed for continued use in the refrigeration cycle.

Abstract: A control system (14) for a vehicle air conditioner driven by an associated internal combustion engine of the vehicle is disclosed as including a control circuit (40) for selectively operating the air conditioner to provide cooling of the vehicle in a manner that conserves fuel without appreciably affecting passenger comfort. A sensor (62) of the control system is responsive to an increased power demand on the engine to automatically suspend operation of the air conditioner by the control circuit until the engine output is subsequently increased with respect to the power demand. The control circuit preferably provides electrical operation of the air conditioner compressor which is driven by the engine and the sensor (62) senses the intake manifold vacuum of the engine to automatically suspend compressor operation whenever the vacuum falls below a predetermined extent.

Abstract: A heat pump contains a piston compressor which is driven by a piston engine. The refrigerant on the low pressure side of the heat pump drives the engine during the compression stroke of the engine. An accumulator chamber for the low pressure refrigerant is provided adjacent the compressor. The volume of the accumulator chamber is so large that the compressor piston, and consequently also the engine piston, is given a speed high enough for producing the required compression in the engine cylinder.

Abstract: A device for cooling heated textile yarns derived from thermoplastic material includes a cylindrical cooling pipe (1) through which the yarn (2) is passed, the pipe (1) being filled with a cooling fluid and having a curved plate (3) inside it which covers the entire length of the pipe (1). A coaxial jacket (5) encloses the pipe and defines an annular cooling zone between the pipe and jacket. At the exit end of the pipe (1) is located a removable sealing plug which has an inlet and outlet for cooling fluid, and an air inlet. Cooling fluid and cooling air can pass into the pipe (1) via the sealing plug and circulate in the pipe and the annular zone so as to cause rapid cooling of the yarn.

Abstract: A rapid-freezing apparatus, comprising a refrigeration chamber accomodating a conveying mechanism for partly prepared and ready-made food products to be frozen, a fan and an air cooler. According to the invention, the conveying mechanism for partly prepared and ready-made food products is a multi-level conveyer comprising two vertical rotatable supports which drive a flexible traction member. Around the flexible traction member is mounted a helical monorail of the conveyer. Bearing upon the monorail are screen trays for products to be frozen, provided with rollers and attached to the flexible traction member by clamps.

Abstract: A finger ring constructed of an inner annular section threadably attached to an outer annular section, the outer annular section being concentric with the inner section so that no portion of the inner peripheral surface of the outer section is in direct contact with the wearer's finger. Several threaded outer sections may be threadably attached to the inner section, with the outer sections being easily and quickly interchanged.

Abstract: A mechanism for maintaining contact between the driving side of spline teeth of a first rotatable member against the driven side of matching spline teeth of a second rotatable member including a coil spring carried by the rotatable second member. One end of the spring has a first tang formed thereon which engages in a hole formed in the first rotatable member and a second tang formed on the other end of said spring engaged in a hole formed in a washer having teeth formed on the inner edge thereof engaged with the splines of the second rotatable member when the washer is rotated relative to the second rotatable member one or more splines of the second rotatable member from static condition of the spring thereby torsionally loading the spring.

Abstract: For stepwise advancing a pattern drum in a circular knitting machine there is provided a device comprising a peripheral tooth formation on the pattern drum, a pawl capable of engaging the tooth formation and pivotally supported on a support which is caused to swing at each revolution of the needle cylinder under the action of a cam rigid with the needle cylinder. The cam has a first radially increasing part extending preferably for a half of a circle, a following second radially increasing part considerably steeper than the first part, and a progressively radially decreasing part. The cam causes the pawl to advance the pattern drum by two steps. When the pattern drum is to be advanced by a single step the pawl is disengaged from the tooth formation by an angle lever which is controlled by control pegs arranged on the pattern drum according to a control pattern.

Abstract: A device for applying liquids onto continuously-fed textile webs and, in particular, carpet webs is provided wherein the liquid is initially removed from a liquid-supply container by means of rollers which are immersed in the liquid. The liquid is then wiped off from the roller surface and is fed onto the web of goods. The invention is characterized by the provision of rollers having a profiled surface into which a wiper positively engages with its associated wiper edge.

Abstract: A machine for producing a strand of fine leather yarn from a leather disc is disclosed. The machine includes a rotatable turntable with an array of suction holes in its upper surface for receiving the leather disc, stiffening it for cutting and tightly gripping it for rotation with the turntable. A cutting wheel is positioned just above the turntable and is rotatably driven on an axis lying generally radially with respect to the turntable. A frame above the turntable supports the cutting wheel and provides for advancement of the cutting wheel radially inwardly as the cutting of leather yarn from the peripheral edge of the leather disc progresses. The speed of inward advancement of the cutting wheel is maintained at a fixed ratio to the speed of rotation of the turntable, so that a constant width of leather yarn is obtained. The advancement may be by means of a rotatable screw shaft linked mechanically to and rotatably driven by the driving means for the turntable.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a padlock designed for application in the locking of sliding doors with two panels that meet by their butt ends or vertical edges, which are held fast to one another by the padlock itself, being constituted by two flat bodies formed by a variable number of platens super-imposed and joined with respect to one another by means of rivets in such a way that the said bodies have an exterior quadrilateral zone, which is extended in convergent form to terminate in a semicircular shape at its opposite end, thus originating a number of flat and lengthened bodies that are arranged according to parallel and spaced planes; provision having been made for the connection of the said bodies to be effected through the semicircular end zone of the said bodies, by virtue of a shaft common to both, which shaft is fixed and without movement, causing one of the bodies to be fixed while the other is mobile and rotates around the said shaft, the said mobile body having a cylindrical housing in its qu

Abstract: This invention relates to an improved waterproof case for padlocks and, more specifically, to a means for sealing the apertures in such a case at the points where the legs of the shackle enter the latter, such means comprising a self-centering flexible tube loosely fitting the shackle and with the ends thereof engaging either the lid of the case directly or an O-ring seal interposed therebetween to maintain a continuous annular fluid-tight seal around the aforementioned shackle-receiving openings when the shackle is closed and locked. In those versions where the tube ends engage the lock case lid directly to effect the seal, an upstanding annular rib terminating in a feathered edge that functions to enter and flare the tube end and, in so doing, form a fluid-tight annular seal therewith.

Abstract: A cabinet lock which includes a housing having a latch mounted in the housing for pivotal movement into and out of the housing together with a push plate slidably mounted in the housing for releasing the lock. The latch has a slot formed therein and a first spring urges the push plate away from the latch whereby a lug on the push plate engages the slot of the latch which prevents the latch from pivoting from a position extending outwardly of the lock. A second spring connected to the latch and the housing urges the latch inwardly of the housing when the lug of the push plate is removed from the slot of the latch as the push plate is pushed inwardly of the housing against the action of the first spring.The housing carries a frangible plate covering the push plate which may be broken whereby the push plate may be pushed.

Abstract: Meter lock including a band for embracing and holding together a meter flange and a corresponding flange on a meter box, the lock including a housing for holding and locking together the ends of the band with a disengagement taking place only by removal of a locking pin.