Coilable tape measuring device having a self-regulating speed control mechanism

Claim 1

A tape measuring device adapted for self-regulating the recoil speed thereof comprising a casing including spaced apart side walls defining a chamber, a reel rotatably journaled within the chamber, a coiled measuring tape counted on the reel for rotation in a first rotatable direction as the tape is withdrawn from the casing and a power drive spring mounted within the chamber for driving the measuring tape in a reverse direction from said first rotatable direction into a recoiled position within the chamber, said reel including a pair of spaced apart side members in close confronting relationship with the casing side walls, said side members having an outer peripheral rim, one of said side members carrying a pivot adjacent but spaced from the peripheral rim, the casing wall confronting said pivot having an annular shoulder extending toward said reel intermediate the peripheral rim and the pivot, said annular shoulder engaging the confronting side member of the reel to alignably confine said reel within the chamber and limit transverse movement of said reel, said shoulder including an arcuate brake drum surface generally facing toward said pivot, said reel being provided with a planar weighted mass pivotably mounted on the side member at said pivot between the side member and the confronting casing wall for frictionally engaging the brake drum surface of said shoulder and bearing thereagainst in proportion to the centrifugal force applied to the reel by the power drive spring when driving the measuring tape into its recoiled position.