GB2343250A

GB2343250A - A tape measure capable of locating the middle point of a measured length

Info

Publication number: GB2343250A
Application number: GB9823841A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shih-Lin Li
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-10-07
Filing date: 1998-10-30
Publication date: 2000-05-03
Also published as: DE29817938U1; GB9823841D0

Abstract

Disclosed is a tape measure capable of locating the middle point of a measured length comprising two sets of center point subscales provided, one for each regular scale, one in metric system and the other in British system respectively disposed along each of the two parallel edges of the tape. The four sets of scales are all graduated from a common zero beginning point on the tape. Locating the middle point of a measured length is achieved by finding the point where the value indicated by a subscale being equal to the value indicated by a corresponding regular scale as the total measured length, this point is the desired middle point of that measure length. The measurement work can be carried out without depending on the operator's calculation either by his (her) own mental ability or with the aid of a portable calculator so that the measuring procedure is simplified and the efficiency improved.

Description

SPECIFICATION A TAPE MEASURE CAPABLE OF LOCATING THE MIDDLE POINT OF A MEASURED LENGTH The present invention relates to a tape measure capable of locating the middle point of a measured length, and more particularly, to a tape measure having a center point subscale provided between two adjacent regular scales for aiding to locate the middle point of a measured length.

Measuring rules such as a straight rules or a tape measure is wildly employed in measuring length. A straight rule in a shape of long narrow strip made of wood or steel having regularly graduated scales provided along its two parallel long edges by carving, etching or printing, is normal conveniently applied for measuring a distance. When measuring a distance, the straight rule is placed along a distance to be measured, and the length of a distance to be measured is read from the two scales on the rule by the observer's eyes. However, it should be noted that a straight rule is usually quite convenient for measuring a length less than one meter, it is not so suitably applicable for measuring a rather long length. For measuring a long distance, a tape measure is usually employed. It is well known that a tape measure has a tape made of a soft and flexible material wound on a roller and accommodated in a housing. When measuring a long distance, a hook attache to the zero point of the tape is pulled out and hooked on to the beginning end of the distance to be measured, then the tape is extended closely and straightly along the distance to be measured, and the length of a distance is read with observer's eyes the scale on the tape. A tape measure can perform measuring a long length which a straight rule can not. Similar to a straight rule, the regular scales of a tape measure are provided on the two opposite edges of a tape, one in metric system, the other in British system, respectively provided along each of the two edges, generally by printing or etching as shown in Fig. 1.

Practically, the length of on object measured is used for various engineering objectives, even for the household carpentry and interior decorations. In various situations, an middle value of measured length of object is required for further application. The conventional steps for obtaining an Middle value of a measured length or distance are: reading the two scales on the tape corresponding to beginning and last ends of the object to be measured and obtaining the length of the object by substracting the reading of the former scale from that of the latter ; finding the scale on the tape corresponding to the middle point of measured length by the operator's mental calculation or by means of a portable calculator. Here, both above mentioned calculation methods are not reliable and convenient if the operator's brain is not alert enough to figure out a correct value immediately at the working scene, also it is bothersome to an operator to always carry a portable calculator with him. Besides, for computing the middle value, the measuring work must be stopped for a while which results in influencing efficiency of the measuring work. A certain improvement is desired to be made for existing conventional tape measures.

It is delightful that above mentioned problem has been solved by a tape measure capable of locating the middle point of a measured length of the present invention which will be disclosed hereinafter.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tape measure capable of locating the middle point of a measured length by means of a center point subscale provided between two adjacent regular scales on the tape for aiding to locate immediately the middle point of a measured length without depending on the operator's mental calculation or computation using a portable calculator.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a tape measure capable of locating the Middle point of a measured length directly on the tape itself to prevent any possible mistake caused from the operator's computation.

It is one more object of the present invention to provide a tape measure capable of locating the middle point of a measured length to simplify the working procedure and improve the efficiency.

These and other objects are achieved by the tape measure of the present invention comprising center point subscales provided between two adjacent regular scales which are provided along the two opposite edges of the tape, one in metric system, the other in British system, respectively provided along each of the two edges. The center point subscales are provided with both metric and British systems, and the four sets of scales are graduated from a common beginning zero point on the tape.

When measuring the length of an object, the Middle point of the object can be located by one of the center point subscale at the point where the subscale indicates the value corresponding to that of the regular scale indicating the total length of the measured object either in metric or in British system.

IN THE DRAWINGS The drawings disclose an illustrative embodiments of the present invention which serves to exemplify the various advantages and objects hereof, and are as follows : Fig. 1 is a drawing showing the perspective view of a conventional tape measure; Fig. 2 is a three dimensional drawing of the tape measure of the present invention viewed from above; Fig. 3 is a drawing showing a partially enlarged portion of the tape of the tape measure according to the present invention; and Fig. 4 is a drawing illustrating how the tape measure of the present invention is used to locate the middle point of a object in an embodiment.

Referring to Fig. 2 and 3, the tape measure capable of locating the middle point of a measured length according to the present invention comprises: a tape measure housing 10 for accommodating a tape, and a tape 30, and a roller 20 for winding the tape 30. The tape measure of the present invention is characterizes in that it has a set of regular scales in metric system 32 and a set of regular scales in British system 34 provided in paralled each other along respective edges of the tape 30. Further to this, both sets of scales 32 and 34, have their own set of center point subscales 36 provided between two adjacent regular scales. Four sets of scales, including two sets of regular scales 32, 34, and two sets of center point subscales 36, the values of scales are all graduated from a common beginning zero point on the tape 30.

Referring to Fig. 4, which is a drawing illustrating how the tape measure of the present invention is used to locate the Middle point of an measured object, in this embodiment an assigned work is to locate the center point between adjacent sides of two windows at that center position a pendant lamp is to be installed. Using the tape measure of the present invention, the distance between the two sides of the window is D according to the regular scales 32 or 34 of the tape 30, then the center or middle point between the two window sides, whose distance from either window side edge D'=d/2 can be directly located on the subscale 36 where it indicates the same value D as that the regular scales 32 or 34 indicates corresponding to the total length of distance between two window sides. By applying the tape measure of the present invention, the Middle point of an object length can be located directly using the tape measure only without depending on the operator's calculation either by his (her) own mental ability or with the aid of a portable calculator so as to simplify the working procedure and improve the efficiency.

Many changes and modifications in the above described embodiment of the invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and the useful arts, the invention is disclosed and is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A tape measure capable of locating the Middle point of a measured length comprising: a tape measure housing for accommodating a tape, and a roller ; a tape for measuring length of an object; and a roller for winding said tape, wherein said tape measure is characterized in that it further including a set of regular scales in metric system and other set of regular scales in British system provided in parallel with each other along respective edges of said tape, both sets of regular scales have their own set of center point subscales provided between two adjacent regular scales, four sets of scales, including two sets of said regular scales and two sets of said center point subscales, the scales are all graduated from a common zero beginning point on said tape.
2. The tape measure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said center point subscales are provided in the same measuring system corresponding to that of said regular scales.
3. The tape measure as claimed in claim 1, wherein when said center point subscales are used to locate the middle point of a measured length, the point where the value indicated by one of said subscales being equal to that indicated by a corresponding regular scale as the total measured length, is just the middle point of that measured length.
4. The tape measure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said center point subscales are marked on the tape in a staggering form.
5. The tape measure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said center point subscales are marked on the tape in a straight line.
6. The tape measure as claimed in claim 1, wherein said center point subscales are marked in different sized characters.
7. A tape measure having means for locating the middle point of a measured length, wherein a retractable measuring tape has at least one length scale graduated in length units such as metric or Imperial units and a middle-point scale for the or each length scale graduated in units that are half the length of the length scale units, the length and middle-point scales being graduated from a common zero point on the tape.
8. A tape measure constructed and arranged for use substantially as described herein with reference to Figs.

2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.