Tape measure

Claim 2

In a tape measure, the combination comprising a casing, having a lip portion a reel member mounted on the casing for rotary motion relative thereto, a relatively long tape wound within the casing and having one end extending from said casing, a center post within the casing, said reel member having a central shaft extending coaxially toward the center post for engagement therewith and a rim radially spaced from the shaft for engagement with the lip portion of the casing, one of said central shaft and said center post being segmented to define a plurality of leg portions having free ends and the other of said shaft and post having a cam surface, said free ends bearing against said cam surface to urge said leg portions apart and thus provide an axial thrust to the reel within the casing and simultaneously provide constant frictional engagement between the rim of the reel member and the lip of the casing for resisting said axial thrust and rotary movement of the reel member with respect to the casing.

Claim 3

The tape measure of claim 1 wherein said central shaft is axially segmented and the center post is tapered to bias the free ends of the leg portions outwardly during assembly.

Claim 4

The tape measure of claim 1 wherein the casing comprises a pair of mating casing members having opposed side walls and an opening for a tape to pass through, said center post extending integrally from one of said opposed side walls and having a conical free end engaging said leg portions.

Claim 5

The tape measure of claim 1 wherein said casing has a side wall with an enlarged central aperture defined by said lip portion, said reel member being mounted within said central aperture and including a wind-up drum and a peripheral flange provided with said rim for engaging said lip to prevent removal of the reel member from the casing, said long tape being wound on said wind-up drum and having one end secured thereto.

Claim 6

The tape measure of claim 1 wherein said long tape has a butt end secured to the reel and is provided with a laterally weakened break area adjacent said butt end and a replacement tape attaching means intermediate said break area and said butt end, both said break area and said attaching means being spaced from said butt end by a distance sufficient to permit full exposure thereof outside the casing without disengagement from the reel.

Claim 7

The tape measure of claim 5 wherein the laterally weakened area includes side notches in the tape blade and the attaching means includes an aperture in the tape blade.

Claim 8

The tape measure of claim 1 wherein said segmented shaft is constructed of acetal resin.

Claim 9

The tape measure of claim 1 including a crank arm mounted on the reel through a snap fit pivOt connection.

Claim 10

In a tape measure, the combination comprising a pair of mating casing members having opposed side walls and an opening for a tape to pass through, one of said opposed side walls having an inwardly projecting center post and the other of said side walls having an enlarged central aperture defined by a peripheral circular lip, said center post having a tapered cam surface, a reel member mounted within the casing and projecting through said central aperture, said reel member including a wind-up drum and a peripheral flange having a rim engaging said circular lip to prevent removal of the reel member from the casing, a relatively long tape wound on said drum and having one end secured to said drum and its opposite end extending from said casing opening, crank means mounted on said reel member for winding an extended portion of the tape into said casing and onto said drum, said reel member having a central shaft extending toward the center post for engagement therewith, said central shaft being axially segmented to define a plurality of leg portions having free ends bearing against the tapered cam surface of said center post to provide axial thrust to the reel within the casing and simultaneously provide constant frictional engagement between the rim of the reel member and the lip of the casing for resisting said axial thrust and rotary movement of the reel member with respect to the casing.

Claim 11

In a tape measure, the combination comprising a pair of mating casing members having opposed side walls and an opening for a tape to pass through, one of said opposed side walls having an inwardly projecting center post and the other of said side walls having an enlarged central aperture defined by a peripheral circular lip, said center post having a tapered cam surface, a reel member mounted within the casing and projecting through said central aperture, said reel member including a wind-up drum and a peripheral flange having a rim engaging said circular lip to prevent removal of the reel member from the casing, a relatively long tape wound on said drum and having one end secured to said drum and its opposite end extending from said casing opening, crank means mounted on said reel member for winding an extended portion of the tape into said casing and onto said drum, said reel member having a central shaft extending toward the center post for engagement therewith, said central shaft being axially segmented to define a plurality of leg portions having free ends bearing against the tapered cam surface of said center post to provide axial thrust to the reel within the casing and simultaneously provide constant frictional engagement between the rim of the reel member and the lip of the casing for resisting said axial thrust and rotary movement of the reel member with respect to the casing.

Claim 12

The tape measure of claim 9 wherein said center post has a tapered end engaged by the leg portions of the central shaft, said leg portions being equally spaced.

Claim 13

The tape measure of claim 9 wherein the drum is provided with a key-hole slot and the end of the tape secured to the drum is provided with a T-shaped end portion.