US1966707A - Tape measure - Google Patents

Description

July 17, 1934. F. BUCK 1,966,707

TAPE MEASURE Filed Aug. 5, 1932 JNVENTOR FRED BUCK ATTOPNE) patented July 17, 1934 UNITED STATES IAPE MEASURE Fred Buck, Saginaw, MiclL, assignor to Lufkin Rule 00., Saginaw, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Application August 5, 193;, Serial No. 627,577 2 Claims. (01. 33-438) This invention is an improved tape winding device for use in'a tape measure of conventional form, that is, a tape, a casing having a tape opening, a drum or spindle rotatable in bearings in the casing and a tape attached to the drum and passing through the tape opening.

The improvement provides a drum-actuating means simple in construction, capable of being formed by stamping from sheet metal, inexpensive, and adapted to be assembled speedily in mass production.

An object of the invention is to provide a tape measure of unusual and attractive appearance that shall have no projecting or folding handle, thus differentiating from tape measures of usual construction.

Another object is to provide a novel drum actuating device wherein a number of circularly arranged finger recesses or openings are provided in a disk-like member, enabling the operator, by inserting a finger tip in any convenient recess to rotate the disk and wind up the tape. The disk formed with finger openings also functions as a shutter to expose characters, letters or words that may be impressed on the underlying face of the casing for advertising or display purposes. Moreover, the disk with its finger tip openings possesses an operating advantage over the conventional crank handle, in that the disk being close to the wall of the casing, presents a shallow recess so that although the user's finger tip easily exerts a grip ample to wind the tape, yet under conditions of ordinary use, the finger will slip out of the recess before the tape ring can be pulled tightly enough against the casing to stretch, tear or injure a tape, even one made of fabric. Formerly, the usual crank arrangement encouraged the operator to finish winding by pulling on the handle, thereby bringing unnecessary strain and wear on the tape and shortening its life. My improvement overcomes this objection.

A further object of the invention is to provide a disk with flanges around its periphery and also around the several finger tip openings so that the disk is strongly reinforced against being bent, even though the openings are located so close together as to have but little metal between them. Moreover, the flanged edges of the finger tip openings provide a sufliciently large smooth bearing to engage the finger tip comfortably while winding the tape.

In the appended claims I have pointed out the essential elements of my invention, it being understood, however, that the claims are not intended to be limited to the form of the parts illustrated and described further than a limitation to the described form is-necessary to distinguish them from the prior art.

- The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the figures of the drawing.

In the drawing Fig. 1 is a side view of a tape measure embodying my invention.-

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

As is clearly shown in the drawing, the casing proper consists of the'usual front member 1 and back member 2, flanged and joined together at 3. The tape winding spindle or drum 4 is rotatably mounted in bearings 1a, 2a in the casing walls 1 and 2. a Tape 5, preferablymade of fabric, has its inner end 5a fastened to spindle 4, its outer end projecting through tape opening 6. To the free end of the tape the usual ring '7 is attached.

All of the foregoing elements are assembled in known manner to provide a conventional tape measure to which my improvement is adapted.

In applying my invention I fix to the end 4a of drum 4, by welding or otherwise, a fiat disk 8 of sheet metal. The end 4a is preferably enlarged to present a collar where it projects through the bearing la in the front member of the casing.

Disk 8 is mounted so as to rotate in a plane close to wall 1 while turning the drum 4 to wind the tape. Preferably disk 8 is formed with a plurality of circularly arranged recesses or openings 8a to receive the finger tips of the operator when winding the tape. Wall member 1 of the casing is formed with an upstanding peripheral bead 1b that surrounds the area over which disk 3 operates. The outer face of disk 8 is preferably fiush with the top of bead 1b and its outer Inargin is reinforced by an inwardly projecting peripheral flange 81). Each finger tip opening 8a is preferably bounded by a flange that reinforces the narrow strip of metal between adjacent openings. The fiange 80 also presents appropriate area for the finger tips to engage comfortably while winding.

The parts may be assembled in the following manner:

The casing members 1 and 2 are assembled and fastened together by solder, welding, or otherwise, and the inner end 5a of tape 5 is passed in through opening 6 and out through bearing 1a and is then fastened to the winding drum 4, in known manner.

Drum 4 with the tape end attached is pushed in through bearing in and the tape is pulled out taut through opening 6. An end of thimble 2a up against the casing at opening 6. Damage to the tape is avoided because the opening 8a is of shallow depth due to the closeness of disk 8 to front wall 1. The users finger tip will ordinarily slip out of the opening when the tape is completely wound and before it can be injured b being pulled too hard, as above noted.

The tape 5 can be removed easily by taking out thimble 2a, taking off disk 8 with its attached drum 4, and unfastening the old tape. Since the opening la, in which the enlarged end or collar 4a rotates as in a bearing, is somewhat larger than the reduced part of the drum4, space is provided through which the attached end of the tape, along with several turns of tape remaining on the drum, can be pulled out of the casing along with the drum by merely separating disk 8 from casing member 1. I

The shape of the finger holes or recesses 8a, or their arrangement on the disk 8 can be otherwise than as shown in the drawing and's'uitable characters, as X, may be printed on front wall 1 so as to be exposed by the openings 8a when disk 8 is rotated, for display purposes. By the means above described a tape measure has been provided that is attractive and unusual in appearance, is simple in construction and adapted to be produced in quantities rapidly and cheaply. It has no projecting handle or similar part and the winding disk is arranged so that when actuated by the finger tip it prevents winding the tape too tightly. The finger tip openings serve also as shutters to expose or attract attention to the characters on the tape casing.

Having thus desoribed'my invention, what I claimand desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A tape measure, including a casing containing admin and a tape attached thereto, having inv combination a rotatable disk fixed to an end of the drum and disposed adjacent to a wall of the casing and finger tip receiving recesses formed in saiddisk, said disk being arranged to .rotate in-a plane close to the wall of the casing and spaced therefrom, said casing being formed with an externally raised circular bead whose top is substantially flush with the outer face of the disk.

2. A tape measure, including a casing containing a drum and a tape attached thereto, having in combination a rotatable disk fixed to an end of the'drum and disposed adjacent to a wall of the casing and finger tip receiving recesses formed in said disk, said disk being arranged to rotate in a plane close to the wall of the casing and spacedtherefrom, the end of the drum to which the disk is fixed being provided with a collar rotatable in an opening formed in said wall, the

collar being of larger diameter than the por-

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