Marking attachment for tape measure "measure marker"

Claim 2

A marking device for a tape measure, comprising: a housing defining a slide chamber having a first end and a second end in spaced relation thereto; a marking striker within said slide chamber for sliding movement between said first and second ends thereof; actuator means associated with said marking striker for moving said marking striker within said slide chamber; said actuator means being accessible and movable externally of said slide chamber for moving said marking striker within said slide chamber from a neutral position toward at least said second end thereof; and biasing means operative between said actuator means and said marking striker for normally positioning said marking striker at said neutral position generally intermediate said first and second ends of said slide chamber; said biasing means being such as to cause said marking striker to move from near said second end of said slide chamber through an opening in said first end of said slide chamber to make a mark on an adjacent surface and thereafter return to said neutral position within said slide chamber upon release of said actuator means after said actuator means has been utilized to move said marking striker within said slide chamber from said neutral position toward said second end of said slide chamber.

Claim 3

The marking device of claim 1 wherein said biasing means comprises a spring having one end secured to said marking striker by a spring seat and having another end secured to said housing by a spring clamp at a location remote from said spring seat.

Claim 4

The marking device of claim 1 wherein said actuator means comprises a finger pull accessible and manually movable externally of said housing and operatively associated with said biasing means to cause said marking striker to make a mark on an adjacent surface.

Claim 5

The marking device of claim 1 including a side cap mounted on a cap pivot adjacent said first end of said slide chamber and a cap spring normally biasing said slide cap to a closed position covering said opening in said first end of said slide chamber.

Claim 6

The marking device of claim 4 wherein said biasing means comprises a spring having a sufficient force to cause said marking striker to move said slide cap from said closed position to an open position uncovering said opening in said first end of said slide chamber.

Claim 7

The marking device of claim 1 wherein said slide chamber comprises an ink filled nylon core striker having an ink head at one end thereof and said nylon core striker is removable from said slide chamber for replacement with another nylon core striker.

Claim 8

The marking device of claim 6 wherein said ink head extends generally perpendicular to the direction of extension of a tape from said tape measure so as to make a mark generally perpendicular to the direction of extension of a tape from said tape measure.

Claim 9

The marking device of claim 1 including means associated with said housing for mounting said housing to said tape measure including an adhesive double sided tape having a removable protective covering on an outwardly facing surface thereof.

Claim 10

The marking device of claim 1 wherein said housing for said marking device comprises at least a portion of a housing for said tape measure such that said marking striker and biasing means are disposed within a housing of said tape measure.

Claim 11

A marking device for a tape measure, comprising: a housing defining a slide chamber having a first, open end and a second, closed end disposed in spaced relation thereto; a marking striker disposed within said slide chamber for sliding movement between said first end and said second end thereof; actuator means associated with said marking striker for imparting sliding movement to said marking striker within said slide chamber; said actuator means being manually accessible and movable externally of said slide chamber for manually moving said marking striker within said slide chamber toward either of said first and second ends thereof; and biasing means operative between said actuator means and said marking striker for normally positioning said marking striker at a neutral position within said slide chamber intermediate said first and second ends thereof; said actuator means being manually movable toward said first, open end against resistance of said biasing means to directly cause said marking striker to pass through said first, open end to make a mark on an adjacent surface; said actuator means also being manually movable toward said second, closed end against resistance of said biasing means and released to indirectly cause said marking striker to pass through said first, open end to make a mark on an adjacent surface; said biasing means being such as to cause said marking striker to move from said second end through said first, open end of said slide chamber upon release of said actuator means when said marking striker is near said second end, said biasing means also being such as to cause said marking striker to return to said neutral position within said slide chamber upon release of said actuator means when said marking striker is near either of said first and second ends, said biasing means thereby being such as to cause said marking striker to return to said neutral position after either directly or indirectly causing said marking striker to make a mark on an adjacent surface.

Claim 12

A marking device for a tape measure, comprising: a housing defining a slide chamber having a first, open end and a second, closed end disposed in spaced relation thereto; a marking striker disposed within said slide chamber for sliding movement between said first end and said second end thereof; actuator means associated with said marking striker for imparting sliding movement to said marking striker within said slide chamber; said actuator means being manually accessible and movable externally of said slide chamber for manually moving said marking striker within said slide chamber toward either of said first and second ends thereof; and biasing means operative between said actuator means and said marking striker for normally positioning said marking striker at a neutral position within said slide chamber intermediate said first and second ends thereof; said actuator means being manually movable toward said first, open end against resistance of said biasing means to directly cause said marking striker to pass through said first, open end to make a mark on an adjacent surface; said actuator means also being manually movable toward said second, closed end against resistance of said biasing means and released to indirectly cause said marking striker to pass through said first, open end to make a mark on an adjacent surface; said biasing means being such as to cause said marking striker to move from said second end through said first, open end of said slide chamber upon release of said actuator means when said marking striker is near said second end, said biasing means also being such as to cause said marking striker to return to said neutral position within said slide chamber upon release of said actuator means when said marking striker is near either of said first and second ends, said biasing means thereby being such as to cause said marking striker to return to said neutral position after either directly or indirectly causing said marking striker to make a mark on an adjacent surface.

Claim 13

The marking device of claim 10 wherein said biasing means comprises a spring having one end secured to said marking striker by a spring seat and having another end secured to said housing by a spring clamp at a location remote from said spring seat.

Claim 14

The marking device of claim 10 wherein said actuator means comprises a finger pull accessible and movable externally of said housing and operatively associated with said biasing means to cause said marking striker to make a mark on an adjacent surface.

Claim 15

The marking device of claim 10 including a slide cap mounted on a cap pivot adjacent said first end of said slide chamber and a cap spring normally biasing said slide cap to a closed position covering an opening in said first end of said slide chamber.

Claim 16

The marking device of claim 13 wherein said biasing means comprises a spring having a sufficient force to cause said marking striker to move said slide cap from said closed position to an open position uncovering said opening in said first end of said slide chamber.

Claim 17

The marking device of claim 10 wherein said slide chamber comprises an ink filled nylon core striker having an ink head at one end thereof and said nylon core striker is removable from said slide chamber for replacement with another nylon core striker.

Claim 18

The marking device of claim 15 wherein said ink head extends generally perpendicular to the direction of extension of a tape from said tape measure so as to make a mark generally perpendicular to the direction of extension of a tape from said tape measure.

Claim 19

The marking device of claim 10 including means associated with said housing for mounting said housing to said tape measure including an adhesive double sided tape having a removable protective covering on an outwardly facing surface thereof.

Claim 20

The marking device of claim 10 wherein said housing for said marking device comprises at least a portion of a housing for said tape measure such that said marking striker and biasing means are disposed within a housing of said tape measure.