GB2389185A

GB2389185A - Tape measure

Info

Publication number: GB2389185A
Application number: GB0312290A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Anthony Robin Skerritt; Robert Garth Grose
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-05-29
Filing date: 2003-05-29
Publication date: 2003-12-03
Also published as: GB0312290D0; GB0212417D0

Abstract

A tape measure 10 comprises a housing 11 containing a spool on which a measurement tape 12 is wound for storage within the housing and is extendable from within the housing for use, in which the housing includes a recess 14 having a blade means 15 mounted therein, at least the cutting edge of the blade means being accessible from outside the housing for sharpening a pencil. Various embodiments are disclosed. A claim to a pencil sharpening apparatus attachable to a tape measure, and having an adjustable cover to deploy or expose the cutting blade is present.

Description

( 23891 85

Tape Measure P103529CB-1

(his invention relates to tape measures of the type comprising a housing containing a spool on which the tape is wound for storage within the housing.

Tape measures of the type described, in which the tape is extendable from within the housing for use, may have either a metal or a fabric measuring tape and, depending on the length of the tape and the robustness of the housing, may be used in a variety of applications including surveying, construction, carpentry, plumbing and other building trades and needlework and dressmaking. Especially in carpentry and building, for use both by professionals and amateurs. such tapes typically extend to two metres or more in length, are formed from flexible steel strip and are connected to a spool having a spring-biassed retraction mechanism.

In the use of' tape measures of the type described, it is frequently necessary or desirable to mark a measured length on a workpiece with a pencil. Amateur or "do it yourself' users typically employ a generalpurpose pencil commonly available from stationers' shops and having a circular-section lead while professional users are more likely to employ a carpenter's pencil having a rectangular-section lead enclosed in an oval wooden supporting casing but both types are subject to becoming chipped or blunt in use and require re-sharpening if an accurate mark is required. Indeed, re-sharpening may be frequently necessary during heavy use, depending on the abrasive properties of the workpiece surface.

Re-sharpening requires the use of a separate tool which may not be to hand and is therefore tedious.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a tape measure of the type described and which itself enables pencils to be re-sharpened easily.

According to one aspect of the invention, a tape measure of the type described includes a cutting edge for sharpening a pencil. In one embodiment, the tape measure comprises a housing containing a spool on which a measurement tape is wound for storage within the housing and is extcndable from within the housing for use, in which the housing includes a

recess having a blade means mounted therein, at least the cutting edge of the blade means being accessible from outside the housing for sharpening a pencil.

T'hc blade means may be held stationary in relation to the housing or may he retractahly mounted whereby the cutting edge is shrouded except when the blade means is deployed for use. For deploying the blade means for use, the blade means may be slidably mounted in a carrier means attached to or formed as part of the housing or may be pivotably mounted for deployment at an angle away from the housing. In either event. the disposition of the blade means in the deployed mode provides for the pencil to be held against the blade in such a way that wood shavings can be removed Prom the pencil casing at the desired angle for producing a resharpened point. Shavings may accumulate in the recess for subsequent removal.

Preferably, the recess is f'orrned in the rear of the housing, that is, remote from the slot through which the tape is extended for use, and the blade means is located within a shallow depression formed in the side of the housing and held therein by a removable plate member which may include means for shrouding at least part c>f' the cutting edge ol'the blade means.

I'he plate member may be hingeably connected to the housing and retained in the blade-retaining position by engagement means which cooperate with the housing.

I'he recess may be defined by a protrusion which extends from the face of the housing, in which the blade means is shrouded by a cover. Some or all of the cover may be removable or movable in order to expose the cutting edge ot' the blade. The cover may comprise two portions. in which a first portion remains stationary relative to the housing and a second portion is movable or removable in order to expose the cutting edge of the blade.

Preferably the cover is circular and the second portion is movable about the central point.

In another embodiment, the free end region of the tape is hardened and provided with a sharpened edge whereby, with the end of the tape exposed from the housing by say one inch or thereabouts. the sharpened edge is available for use in sharpening a pencil.

According to another aspect, a pencil-sharpening apparatus for attachment to the housing of a tape measure comprising a casing containing a pencilsharpening blade the casing including a cover member which, in use, can be moved or removed to deploy or expose at Icast the cutting edge of the blade Embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings oi which: I'igure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment suitable for sharpening either a carpenter's pencil or a conventional pencil; Figure 2 shows another embodiment for sharpening a carpenter?s pencil or a conventional pencil; l igure 3 shows yet another embodiment for sharpening a carpenter's pencil or a conventional pencil; Figure 4 shows a further embodiment for sharpening a carpenter's pencil or a conventional pencil; and igure 5 shows a further embodiment suitable for sharpening a conventional pencil only.

With reference to Figure 1, a tape measure of the type described, shown generally at 10, consists of a housing I I containing a spool having a metal tape wound thereon with a retraction mechanism. The remote end of the tape is shown at 12 extending from the housing and a slidable knob 13 acts as a lock to maintain the tape at any desired extended position. The rear comer of the housing is formed with a recess 14, a standard utility knife blade 15 being carried in a shallow depression formed in the side of the housing so that the chamfered cutting edge 16 of the blade bridges across between the ends of the recess. The blade is retained in place by a plate 17 which is hinged to the housing by hinge connections

18. The edge of the plate remote from the hinges and which lies adjacent the cutting edge of the blade includes lobes 19 which act as guards for the outer edges of the blade, leaving the central part thereof exposed for use. The cover plate is maintained in the closed or blade-retaining position by resilient snap action with engagement formations on the housing. In operation, a pencil which it is desired to sharpen is held against the exposed central part of the blade 15 and is moved relative to the housing towards the other end, that is, the end on which the knob 13 is mounted. Wood shavings are thereby cut from the casing of' the pencil and collects in the recess 14, the pencil thereby becoming sharpened.

With reference to Figure 2, the tape has a housing 20 and a retractable tape 21 with a locking knob 22. The rear wall 23 of the housing is formed as a removable plate which, on removal, reveals a shallow cavity in which is slidably mounted a blade 24 which, in the particular embodiment shown, has frangible zones so that the distal end of the blade, when blunt, may be broken away. The plate 23 is formed with a slot 25 through which protrudes a knob 26 mounted to the blade carrier carried in the depression and which can be used to deploy the blade for cutting action and to retract it within the cavity when not required for use. In an alternative embodiment, the plate 23 may be non-removable, the plate 23 or the housing 20 being fitted with a removable stop member which, in normal use, prevents the blade 24 from passing through a further slot in the housing 20 and opposite the slot through which the blade is deployed. When the stop member is removed, it is possible to remove, and thus replace, the blade 24 by sliding it through the further slot, therefore obviating removal of the plate 23.

leisure 3 shows another embodiment in which the rear of the housing 3() has a blade 31 pivotably mounted therein for movement between a stowed position and an open position, as illustrated, with the blade deployed for use through a slot 32 formed in the side wall of the housing, behind the mounting spool for the measuring tape 33.

With reference to Figure 4, the tape has a housing 40 and a retractable tape 41. The face 42 of' the housing is formed with a protrusion 43 which houses a blade 44. 'I'hc protrusion 43 has a cover plate 45 which, in this Figure, is shown to be in the open position with the cutting edge 46 of the blade exposed. The cover 45 is swivelled about point 47 to enable the blade to be shrouded.

In the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the housing 50 has a conical chamber 51 I'ormed thcrein the chamber being open at the broad end in the rear wall 52 of the housing, the chamber communicating at its side through a slot 53 formed to one side of a recess in the upper wall of the housing. The recess carries a removable blade 54, whereby a circular-section pencil may be inserted in the cavity and sharpened against the blade 44 in the manner of a conventional pencil sharpener.

The embodiments at least as illustrated in Figure 2 and 3 may also be used as marking implements.

Claims

1. A tape measure comprising a housing containing a spool on which a measurement tape is wound for storage within the housing and is extendable from within the housing for use, in which the housing includes a recess having a blade means mounted therein, at least the cutting edge of the blade means being accessible from outside the housing for sharpening a pencil.

2. A tape measure according to claim 1, in which the blade means is held stationary in relation to the housing.

3. A tape measure according to claim 1, in which the blade means is retractably mounted whereby the cutting edge is shrouded except when the blade means is deployed for use.

4. A tape measure according to claim 3, in which the blade means is slidably mounted in a carrier means attached to or formed as part of the housing.

5. A tape measure according to claim 3, in which the blade means is pivotably mounted for deployment at an angle away from the housing.

6. A tape measure according to any preceding claim, in which the blade means is located within a depression formed in the housing and held therein by a removable plate member.

7. A tape measure according to any preceding claim, in which the disposition of the blade means in the deployed mode provides for the pencil to be held against the blade in such a way that wood shavings can be removed from the pencil casing at the desired angle for producing a re-sharpened point.

8. A tape measure according to claim 6 or claim 7, in which the plate member includes means for shrouding at least part of the cutting edge of the blade means.

9. A tape measure according to any of claims 6 to 8, in which the plate member is hingeably connected to the housing and retained in the bladcretaininL; position by engagement means which cooperate with the housing.

I (). A tape measure according to any of claims 1 to 5, in which the recess is defined by a protrusion which extends from the t:ace of the housing, wherein the blade means is shrouded by a cover.

I 1. tape measure according to claim 10, in which some or all of the cover is removable in order to expose the cutting edge o! the blade.

al

12. A tape measure according to claim 10, in which some or all of the cover is movable in order to expose the cutting edge of the blade.

13. A tape measure according to any of claims 10 to 12 in which the cover comprises two portions, wherein a first portion remains stationary relative to the housing and a second portion is movable in order to expose the cutting edge of the blade.

14. A tape measure according to any of claims 10 to 12. in which the cover comprises two portions, wherein a first portion remains stationary relative to the housing and a second portion is removable in order to expose the cutting edge of the blade.

15. A tape measure according to any of claims 10 to 15 in which the cover is circular.

16. A tape measure according to claim 16, in which the second portion of the cover is pivotably movable about a central axis.

17. A tape measure according to claim 1, in which the tape has a free end region which is hardened and provided with a sharpened edge whereby, with the end of the tape exposed from the housing, the sharpened edge is available for use in sharpening a pencil.

18. A pencil-sharpening apparatus for attachment to the housing of a tape measure comprising a casing containing a pencil-sharpening blade' the casing including a cover member which, in use, can be moved or removed to deploy or expose at least the cutting edge of the blade.

19. A tape measure substantially as herein before described with reference to and as illustrated in Figures I to 5.