Abstract: A watt-hour meter cover is provided which has an optical coupler including a conduit, lens, and means for engaging an external programmer/reader. The conduit has improved signal transmission properties. The cover may be designed to disable test mode hardware when replaced after meter servicing. A battery access hatch and module with a reset and scroll actuator is installed through the cover.

Abstract: An electronic energy meter is provided with a plurality of push button switches on the face of the meter which are selectively actuated by an actuator extending through the transparent cover to display various different meter functions. Switch restrictors are removably provided around a section of the actuator of selected switches which may then be readily actuated only from the inside of the meter, after unlocking and removing the cover.

Abstract: A skid plate retained below an electronic register module includes a plurality of cantilevered spring fingers formed by parallel pairs of slots in the skid plate. Each cantilevered spring finger includes a frusto-conical button which bears against a back plate in a housing during installation of the electronic register module therein. A rear end of the back plate includes a pair of mouse holes into which a rear pair of frusto-conical buttons engage during an intermediate stage of inserting the electronic register module into the housing. This engagement establishes the correct side-to-side positioning of the rear end of the electronic register module. A front cantilevered spring finger and its associated frusto-conical button resiliently urge the front of the electronic register module upward during substantially all stages of installation and in the operational position thereof.

Abstract: An electronic demand register for an electric meter includes a plurality of pushbutton controls for controlling material displayed or a mode of operation of the demand register. A lockable switch actuator includes an actuating paddle within a cover or housing of the meter which, when unlocked, can be rotated into alignment with a selected one of the pushbutton controls and then pushed inward to actuate the selected pushbutton control. A pair of bosses bracketing one of the pushbutton controls prevents actuation of its respective control until the actuating paddle is accurately positioned between them. A second pair of bosses bracketing another of the pushbutton controls are spaced too closely apart to permit the actuating paddle to pass therebetween and they thus prevent actuation of their respective pushbutton control.

Abstract: A maximum demand meter comprises a driving part for transmitting a rotation depending on a consumed electric energy, a differential gear mechanism comprising a first sun gear rotated by the driving part in a predetermined direction, a second sun gear driven in the opposite direction of the rotation of the first sun gear and a planet gear for transmitting the rotations of the first and second sun gears to a push arm for moving a pointer, a zero-returning driving part for rotating the second sun gear of said differential gear mechanism in a predetermined direction and an engaging pawl means for inhibiting either of the first and second sun gears of the differential gear mechanism from rotating in a predetermined direction.

Abstract: A meter cover (housing) mounted mechanism incorporating a combination key operated tamper resistant security lock, externally controllable meter reset actuator and meter access hatch.

Abstract: A meter includes a single sweep hand dial for indicating maximum demand in a predetermined time period as well as a multidial decade register for recording cumulative demand. The sweep hand dial is driven by a pusher gear. A pusher arm urges the pusher gear in a first rotational direction to record maximum demand during the period. To reset the mechanism, a button is pushed manually to axially displace a reset gear into meshing engagement with a relatively high speed gear train driven by the timer motor. As the reset gear is thus moved, pins on the reset gear are displaced from stowage slots in a plate, and as the reset gear rotates, the pins ride on the plate until the reset gear completes a full cycle of operation during which time another pin on the reset gear engages a second tab on the pusher gear to reset the pusher gear in a rotational direction counter to that in which the pusher arm had rotated the pusher gear.

Abstract: A unidirectional drive assembly for a mechanically driven meter register includes a gear shift operated gear ratio mechanism which allows a dial on the meter register to be driven up-scale at a normal rate with the forward direction of rotation of the meter input drive and driven up-scale at a compensated or faster rate with the reverse direction of rotation of the meter input drive. The ratio of the gears of the gear ratio mechanism can easily be changed to provide ratios which compensate for meter drag when the meter is run in the inverted position so that the meter registers correctly when operated in either the upright or inverted position, or to provide ratios which make the meter dial run up-scale at a faster than normal rate when the meter is tampered with to make its input drive operate in the reverse direction of rotation.

Abstract: A remote meter reading maximum KW demand meter includes a register having an integral pulse initiator. The register drives the pulse initiator in response to maximum demand measuring movement of the meter. In one mode of operation, demand indicating pulses are generated incrementally as the increments of measured KW demand increases. In another mode, the pulse initiator generates a continuous pulse stream responsive to the total maximum KW demand measured during a predetermined billing period when the register is reset by a remotely actuated solenoid.

Abstract: A manual mechanism for resetting a rotatable member to its initial position is disclosed which provides for rotation of 360.degree. or more, rotates in one direction only, and can be simply locked and unlocked for periodic use. In one embodiment the resetting mechanism is applied to cumulative demand registers on watt hour meters.

Abstract: A unidirectional drive assembly that is operable to rotate an indicating pointer in an up-scale direction responsive to rotation of an input drive gear wheel in either a forward or a reverse direction. The assembly is characterized by having an idler gear shift assembly coaxially mounted in nesting relationship with a ratio gear assembly in a compact arrangement between supporting members of a frame assembly, in combination with a register indicator gear assembly and an idler gear rotatably mounted in continuous meshing engagement with a gear in the register indicator gear assembly. The idler gear shift assembly is operable to selectively move either a first or a second idler gear into meshing engagement respectively with either the gear on the register indicator gear assembly or with the idler gear continuously meshed therewith.