JPH07301501A - Measuring tape - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a measuring tape from the case of which the measuring tape can be drawn out by one hand. CONSTITUTION:The measuring tape case 1 is formed by coupling a case 1b with another case 1a and pivotally supporting one ends of the cases 1a and 1b with a rotating shaft 6 together with a spring member 7. When the holding force of the case 1 is alternately made stronger and weaker, a ratchet 11a is made to make revolving and reciprocating motions and rotates a ratchet gear. When the ratchet gear rotates, a center gear 8 is rotated through an intermediate gear 9. The gear 8 is fixed to a take-up drum 2 and, when the drum 2 rotates, the measuring tape 3 is drawn out and, at the same time, a spiral take-up spring 5 in the drum 2 is enagized. When a ratchet mechanism 11 is released by pressing a release button 12 after measurement, the measuring tape 3 is automatically pulled in the case 1 and wound around the drum 2 by the returning force of the spring 5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a tape measure capable of winding a measuring tape in a case body by a winding spring.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Heretofore, as a tape measure for measuring a length and a distance using a measuring tape made of a steel plate, a woven cloth, a plastic material or the like, an automatic one is known. The measuring tape used for the automatic tape measure has a gutter-shaped cross section, and tends to be linear when pulled out from the case.

FIG. 4 is a structural view of a conventional tape measure. In the figure, 1 is a case, 2 is a winding drum, 3 is a measuring tape, 4
Is a hook member, and 5 is a winding spring. A winding drum 2 is rotatably housed in the case 1. The winding drum 2 is divided into two parts, the measuring tape 3 is wound on the outer side, and the winding spring 5 is arranged on the inner side.
When the measuring tape 3 wound around the winding drum 2 is pulled out, the winding spring 5 stores energy, and when the pulled-out measuring tape 3 is released, the measuring tape 3 is stored by the storing force of the winding spring 5.
The winding drum 2 can be automatically wound. Some have a stop mechanism for temporarily stopping the pulling-out of the pulled-out measuring tape 3.

When pulling out the measuring tape 3, since it is necessary to hold the case 1 with one hand and pull out the measuring tape 3 with the other hand, both hands are required.
There is a problem that it is difficult to use in a place where both hands are difficult to use. Further, there is a similar problem even in a work in which one hand is occupied, such as taking a note with one hand or writing a rule.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a tape measure capable of feeding a measuring tape with one hand.

[0006]

The present invention provides a tape measure in which a winding drum around which a measuring tape is wound is housed in a case, and a winding spring is provided in the winding drum. A ratchet wheel that is concentrically rotatably supported, a feed pawl mechanism that can be operated while holding the case and that rotates the ratchet wheel, and a rotation transmission mechanism that transmits the rotation of the ratchet wheel to the winding drum. Is provided, and the feed claw mechanism is operated to rotate the winding drum in a direction in which the measuring tape is fed out.

It is also characterized in that the feed pawl mechanism is actuated by reciprocally rotating a part of the case, or the feed pawl mechanism is actuated by a lever member provided in the case. .

[0008]

According to the present invention, the feed pawl mechanism that can be operated while holding the case is operated to rotate the ratchet wheel, and the rotation transmission mechanism that transmits the rotation of the ratchet wheel to the winding drum is provided. As a result, the take-up drum can be rotated and the measuring tape can be fed out.
Therefore, the feeding tape mechanism can be operated by the hand holding the case to feed the measuring tape, and the tape measure can be operated with one hand.

The feed claw mechanism is operated by rotating and reciprocating a part of the case body, or by a lever member provided in the case. Can be easily operated with one hand.

[0010]

1 is a structural view of a first embodiment of a tape measure of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of FIG. 1 in the figure
a, 1b are cases, 1c are ends of the case 1b, 1d, 1
e is a support shaft, 1f is a central shaft, 2 is a winding drum, 3 is a measuring tape, 4 is a hook member, 5 is a winding spring, 6 is a rotating shaft, 7 is a spring member, 8 is a central gear, 9 Is an intermediate gear, 10
Is a ratchet wheel, 11 is a feed claw mechanism, 11a is a feed claw, 11b is a stop claw, 12 is a release button, and 13 is a release lever.

In this embodiment, the case is composed of a case 1a and a case 1b and is divided into upper and lower parts. It is advantageous in terms of assembly that the case 1a is composed of two members so that it can be divided into left and right parts. In this embodiment, the case 1a is made up of two members, which are fitted to each other at the step of the peripheral edge thereof and are integrated by a fixing screw on the central shaft 1f. The case 1b may be configured as one member. The case 1b is assembled so as to fit into the case 1a, is rotatably supported by the rotation shaft 6 at one end, and is urged by a spring member 7 in a direction to open both cases. Since the end 1b ′ of the case 1b is extended downward, the opening position of the case 1b is limited,
Normally, it is in the position shown in the figure. Therefore, case 1
A rotating reciprocating motion can be generated by increasing or decreasing the force of gripping a and 1b.

The internal mechanism will be described. Case 1a
As shown in FIG. 2, it is composed of two members that are divided into left and right parts.
The support shafts 1d and 1e are formed, and the central shaft 1f is integrally provided on one of them. The other end of the winding spring 5 whose one end is fixed to the inner peripheral side of the winding drum 2 is fixed to a groove formed in the central shaft 1f. Winding drum 2
A measuring tape 3 is wound around the outer peripheral side of the. A hook member 4 is provided on the outer end of the measuring tape 3 so that the end is not pulled into the case 1a when the measuring tape 3 is wound up, and the measuring tape 3 is hooked on the object to be measured. It is made possible.

A central gear 8 is provided at the center of the side surface of the winding drum 2.
Is fixed and meshes with the three intermediate gears 9. The intermediate gear 9 is supported on the case 1b side. A ratchet wheel 10 having a gear that meshes with the intermediate gear 9 formed inside is provided outside the intermediate gear 9. The ratchet wheel 10 is supported between the case 1a and the winding drum 2 in the left-right direction, and is supported by the intermediate gear 9 in the center direction. The ratchet wheel 10 rotates with respect to both the ratchet wheel 10 and the case 1a. It is free to move.

A feed pawl mechanism 11 is engaged with the ratchet gear of the ratchet wheel 10. Feed claw mechanism 11
Is rotatably supported by the case 1b, and the feed claw 1
It has 1a and a stop claw 11b. It may be biased clockwise by a spring. A release lever 13 operated by a release button 12 is connected to the feed pawl mechanism 11, and the feed pawl mechanism 11 can be removed from the ratchet wheel of the ratchet wheel 10 by operating the release button 12.

The operation will be described. When the case is gripped and a force is applied, the case 1a and the case 1b are rotated in a direction of approaching each other. As a result, the ratchet gear is fed by the feed claw 1
It can be rotated by 1a. When the force holding the case is released, the case 1a and the case 1b are separated from each other by the spring member 7
Return to the original position by the force of the ratchet wheel 10
The rotation is suppressed by the stop claw 11b. The ratchet wheel 10 can be rotated in the clockwise direction in FIG. 1 by repeating this rotation reciprocating operation. By rotating the ratchet wheel 10, the center gear 8 can be rotated via the intermediate gear 9, and the winding drum 2 can be rotated counterclockwise in FIG. The rotation of the central gear 8 is accelerated at a ratio according to the number of teeth of the gear inside the ratchet wheel 10 and the number of teeth of the central gear 8. By rotating the winding drum 2, the measuring tape 3 can be fed out, and at the same time, the spiral winding spring 5 inside is stored. After the measurement, when the feed claw mechanism 11 is released by the release button 12, the measuring tape 3 can be automatically rewound into the case by the stored force of the winding spring 5.

FIG. 3 is a structural view of the second embodiment of the tape measure of the present invention. In the figure, the same parts as those in FIG. Reference numeral 1 is a case, and 14 is a lever member. In this embodiment, the case 1 is provided with the lever member 14. By gripping the case 1 and operating the lever member 14, the feed claw mechanism 11 can be operated,
As described in the first embodiment, the ratchet wheel 10 can be rotated to rotate the central gear 8 via the intermediate gear 9, and the winding drum 2 can be rotated counterclockwise in the drawing. You can As the winding drum 2 rotates,
The measuring tape 3 can be unwound, and at the same time, the internal winding spring 5 is stored. After the measurement, the feed claw mechanism 11 is released by a release button (not shown), and the measuring tape 3 can be automatically rewound into the case by the stored force of the winding spring 5.

[0017]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the measuring tape can be fed out without using the other hand while holding the tape measure. The unwound tape can be automatically rewound by the urging force of the winding spring as in the conventional tape measure.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of a first embodiment of a tape measure of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a structural diagram of a second embodiment of the tape measure of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a structural diagram of an example of a conventional tape measure.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 1a, 1b ... Case, 1c ... End of case 1b, 1
d, 1e ... Support shaft, 1f ... Central shaft, 2 ... Winding drum, 3
... Measuring tape, 4 ... Hook member, 5 ... Winding spring, 6 ...
Rotating shaft, 7 ... Spring member, 8 ... Central gear, 9 ... Intermediate gear,
10 ... Ratchet wheel, 11 ... Feed claw mechanism, 11a
... Feed claw, 11b ... Stopper claw, 12 ... Release button, 13 ...
Release lever, 14 ... Lever member.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A tape measure in which a winding drum around which a measuring tape is wound is housed in a case and a winding spring is provided in the winding drum, and is rotatably supported concentrically with the winding drum. Provided ratchet wheel, a feed pawl mechanism that can be operated while holding the case and rotates the ratchet wheel, and a rotation transmission mechanism that transmits the rotation of the ratchet wheel to the winding drum. A tape measure, which is operated to rotate the winding drum in a direction in which the measuring tape is fed out. 2. The tape measure according to claim 1, wherein the feed claw mechanism is operated by reciprocally rotating a part of the case. 3. The tape measure according to claim 1, wherein the feed pawl mechanism is operated by a lever member provided on the case.