US2080815A

US2080815A - Flexible tape rule

Info

Publication number: US2080815A
Application number: US27864A
Authority: US
Inventors: Herman M Gasstrom
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1935-06-22
Filing date: 1935-06-22
Publication date: 1937-05-18
Anticipated expiration: 1954-05-18

Description

May 18, 1937.

H. M. GAssT oM FLEXIBLE TAPE RULE I Filed June 22, 19 55 M INVENTOR. #5? fl/V n2. 955730 BY A ATTORNEY. f

Patented May 18, 1937 UNITED sTATss PATENT OFFICE FLEXIBLE TAPE RULE Herman M. Gasstrom, Mount Vernon, N. Y.

Application June 22, 1935, Serial No. 27,864

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a flexible tape rule.

The object of the invention is the production of a flexible tape rule, which operates under the" complete control of the user.

The second object of the invention is the production-of a flexible tape rule, having means to automatically stop the travel of the tape of the rule when released. Y

The third object of the invention is the production of a flexible tape rule, the travel of which is under the tension of a spring to wind up the tape, with means to control the travel of the tape.

In the drawing Fig. 1 represents a partial top View of the flexible tape rule and section as on the line of Fig; 2; Fig. 2 shows a section of Fig. 1 on the line 2"-2; Fig. 3 indicates a'section of Fig. 2 on the line 3 -3; Fig. 4 represents a partial elevation of the ruleand a section as on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is'a section of Fig. 4 on the line 55; Fig. 6 represents an enlarged section of Fig. 2 on the line 6-6; Fig. 7 shows an enlarged section of Fig. 1 on the line Figs. 8 and 9 indicate elevations'of a detail; Fig. 10 indicates a plan view of a detail; Fig. 11 is a section of Fig. 10 on the line Fig. 12 is a section of Fig. 13 on the line' |2-'-'-|2, showing a modification; Fig. 13 shows a section of Fig. 12 on the line |3f-|3; Fig. 14 represents an elevation of modified details; and Fig. 15 represents a section of Fig. 4 on the line |5|5.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 11 inclusive and Fig. 15, the flexible tape rule comprises the case 20, having upper and lower cup' shaped clamping members. The upper cup shaped clamping member of the case comprises the top wall 2| having the depending cylindrical pocket 22 with the wall 23 having the opening 24. The cylindrical wall of the top member of the case is indicated at' 25 and is at practically right anglesto the said'top wall 2|. The lower end portion of the wall 25has integral therewith the off-set clamping collar 26 having the bulged out locking pocket 21. The lower cup shaped member of the case comprises the bottom wall 28 having the cylindrical shaped operating pocket 29 with the top wall 36 having the opening 3|. The cylindrical wall of the lower member of the case 20 is shown at 32 having the locking projection 33, which detachably locks with the locking pocket 21. An opening 35 is indicated at the junction of the members of the case 20. The upper portion of the wall 32 is detachably seatedin the collar 26.

A tubular post 4|] extends up from the wall 30 of the pocket 29. The lower end of the post is spun to said wall 30. The upper end of the post M bears against the wall 23 of the pocket'22. The post 40 at its upper portion H- is somewhat enlarged in diameter and has formedtherein'a pair of longitudinal oppositely positioned guide openings 421 A screw 43is'in threaded engagement with the upper endof the post 4'0, to main-' tain the members of the case 20' in lockedpos'ition.

A drum 45 ispositioned within the case"20' and is jourhaled'on the'post lfl. The lowerend of the"! said drum'bears upon the wall 28. The drum 45 comprises the cylindrical shell 46'- having the opening lfidandthe top wall 41 having-the open- 1 6 ing 41a. Extensions 48 are provided for the shell 46 and are formed from the top wall 41 leaving the openings 49. The top ends of the extensions are adjacent to and normally spaced from the top wall 2| of the upper member of the case 20, see 0 Fig. 2. a

The top wall 41 of the drum 45 has a plurality of ratchet projections 53- extending therefrom,

and in the central portion of the wall 41'isform'ed thedepressed portion 5| with the guidebarf52. '3-

Upon the top wall of the drum 45is'positioned the ratchet'plate 58, which is indicated with the central opening 59 and the pluralityof circular locking openings 60, having their centers disposed in a circle' coaxial with the opening at 59. The locking openings BO'are disposed to lock with the ratchet projections'50. Depending'prm jections 6| extend down from the plate 58' into the opening 59. The projections 6| extend into and are guided in the guide openings'4'2 of the 35 The adjusting bar ll bears up against the lower 45 endsof the projections 6| of the ratchet plate 58. The'user' of therule can push up the pin 10; and therebylift the ratchet plate 58"to-clear its locking openings-601mm the locking projec-' tions- 50,- and can then contact the extensions 48 with the wall 2| to function as a brake.

A wire spring 15 with the pairof oppositely positioned curved upper members 13 and apair of oppositely positioned curved lower members 55 TI, bears between the wall 41 of the drum 45 and the top wall 2| of the upper member 20 of the case, to maintain the drum in operative position and functions as a brake when the flexible tape to be described returns into the case 20.

A flat spiral spring 18 is positioned within the drum 45 and has its inner end 79 connected to the lower portion of the post 40, and its outer end 80 is connected to the shell 46 of said drum 45. v

A flexible tape 82 having the usual divisions lines and numerals thereon or other suitable scales, has its inner end 83 connected to the shell 46 of the drum 45 extending through the openings 46d and 41a, and its outer end leads through the opening of the case 20. A hook 84 is indicated at the outer end of the tape 82. The said tape 82 when uncoiled and. out of the case 20 is concavo-convex in cross-section, as indicated at 85, Figs. 3 and 5, but when coiled in the drum 20 is flexible enough to assume a crosssection which is flat as shown in the drawings.

Referring to Figs. 12, 13, and 14, which comprises a modification of the flexible tape rule, the case for the rule is again indicated at 20. The top wall of the upper member of the case is again shown at 2|, with its pocket 22 having the wall 23. The cylindrical wall of the top member of the case is again shown at 25 with its offset clamping collar 28 having a bulged out looking pocket, not shown, similar to 21. The bottom wall of the lower member of the case is again indicated at 28, with its operating pocket 29 having the top wall 39. The cylindrical wall of the lower member of the case is again indicated at 32,

which has a bulged out looking projection, not shown, similar to 33. The opening for the case 20 is again indicated at 35. The post is again shown with the guide openings 42 and the screw 43. The drum of the rule is indicated at 45a having the cylindrical shell 48a with the opening 46?), having the extension 460 and the top wall 411). Extensions 48 again extend from the drum 45a. The top wall 41b has integral therewith and pressed out from said top wall, the flexible brake arms '98 with the brake shoes 9 I The latter bear against the inner face of the top wall 2| of the upper member of the case 2|). The brake arms 98 with their shoes 9| are substituted for the wire spring 15. The extensions 48 in this modification may be omitted. Ratchet projections 50 again extend from the top wall 41b. The ratchet plate is indicated at 58a having the radial ratchet openings 58b. The projections of the ratchet plate are again shown at 6|. The conical shaped spiral spring is again indicated 65. The push pin is again shown at 10 with its adjusting bar H.

The flat spiral spring is indicated at 18a and hasits inner end connected to the post 40, as already described. The spring 180. at its outer end portion has indicated the similar pairs of

recesses

95 and 96 extending from its top and bottom edges. The recesses 95 are detachably locked with the top and bottom edges of the opening 461) of the drum 45a and the recesses 95 are without said drum. The flexible tape 82in this modification has indicated in its inner end the opening 98 with the extension 99. The outer end of the spring 18a is detachably locked to the tape 82, by inserting said outer end through the opening 98 of the tape 82, and locking the spring 18a with said tape by means of the recesses 96. Referring to Figs. 1 to 11 inclusive and Fig. '15, the flexible tape rule when not in use is enclosed in its case 20, as indicated in the drawing.

When the tape 82 is to be used, the user pulls it out of its case 20 by grasping the hook 84 and as soon as it projects out of the opening 35, it assumes its normal concavo convex shape 85 as indicated in Fig. 5. The tape 82 is pulled out against the tension of the spring 18 and when being pulled out winds up the said spring 18. While the tape 82 is being pulled out of the case 2i) the tension of the Wire spring 75 bearing between the wall 2| of the upper member of the case 2! and the top wall 41 of the drum 45, is light enough to permit said drum 45 to rotate while the tape 82 is withdrawn. While the tape 82 is withdrawn from the case 20 the ratchet plate 58 rides over the ratchet projections 50 in the top wall 41 of the drum 45. The coaction of the said ratchet projections 50'and the ratchet plate, hold the tape in place if for any reason the operator releases it. When the tape 82 is sufficiently withdrawn to measure the desired distance, the concavo-convex feature thereof maintains the tape stiff and straight, to be enabled to take measurements in vertical, horizontal or inclined positions. After the desired measurements have been made with the tape 82, the use bears on the push pin 10, which raises and disengages the ratchet plate 58 from the ratchet projections 50, and the tension of the flat spiral spring 18 pulls the tape 82 into the case 20, overcoming the tension of the spring 15. The latter functions as a brake to secure an easy entrance of the tape 82 into the case, and avoids injury to the tape and the user, should the tape be accidentally released.

When the user forces the push pin 10 a little further into the post 40, the adjusting bar bears against the depressed portion 5| of the drum 45, and. thereby the ends of the projections 48 of said drum bear against the inner face of the top wall 2| of the upper member of the case 20, and also function as a brake.

It will be noted that by reason of the function of the projections 48 the wire spring '15 could be eliminated.

The operation of the tape indicated in Figs. 12 to 14 is essentially, as already described for the other figures, with the exception that the spring 15 is eliminated, and the brake shoes 9| bear against the wall 2| of the top member of the case 20, and control the speed of the travel of the tape. The ratchet projections 59 function with the radial openings 58b of the ratchet plate 58a.

Various modifications may be made in the invention and the present exemplification is to be taken as illustrative and not limitative thereof.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a flexible tape rule the combination of a case, a drum journaled in the case, extensions extending from the drum having their top ends normally spaced from the top wall of the case, a spring in the case having one end fixed therein and its other end connected to said drum, a flexible tape with a scale thereon having 'its inner end connected to said drum and its outer end extending through an opening in said case, said tape when withdrawn from the case being under the tension of the spring, intermittent interlocking means for the drum when it is turned, means to detach said interlocking means and the latter means also functioning to force the extensions of the drums to the top wall of the case to operate as a brake.

2. In a flexible tape rule the combination of a case, a drum journaled in the case, a post in the case, a cylindrical shell for the drum having an opening with an extension journaled on said post,

a spring interposed between the post and the drum, the outer end of said spring extending through the opening of said drum and having recesses detachably locked with the opening in the drum, said portion of the spring on the outside of said drum having a second pairof recesses and a flexible tape having a scale thereon and an opening with an extension at its inner end, the outer end of said spring detachably locked with the tape by engaging the second pair of recesses at its outer end with the opening in said tape.

3. In a flexible tape rule, the combination of a case comprising an upper and a lower cup shaped clamping member, said upper member comprising a cylindrical wall and a top wall, said lower member comprising a cylindrical wall and a hottom wall, a drum journaled in the case and comprising a cylindrical shell and a top wall, a wire spring having a. pair of oppositely positioned. curved upper members and a pair of oppositely positioned curved lower members, bearing between the top wall of the drum and the top wall of the upper member of the case, aspring in the case having one end fixed and its other end connected to the drum, a flexible tape with a scale thereon having its inner end connected to said drum and its other end extending through an opening in. said case, intermittent interlocking means for the drum when it is turned and means to detach said interlocking means.

HERMAN M. GASSTROM.