| US 7,555,845 B2 | ||
| Automatic locking tape measure | ||
| James M. Critelli, Fuquay-Varina, N.C. (US); and Lin Ping Lin, Taipei Hsien (Taiwan) | ||
| Assigned to Cooper Brands, Inc., Houston, Tex. (US) | ||
| Filed on Jul. 16, 2007, as Appl. No. 11/778,273. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/821989, filed on Aug. 10, 2006. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2008/0034604 A1, Feb. 14, 2008 | ||
| Int. Cl. G01B 3/10 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 33—767 [33/761] | 30 Claims |
| 1. A tape measure, comprising:
an external housing;
a tape drum rotatably disposed in said housing and having a tape measure blade at least partially coiled thereon, the tape
drum biased to retract the tape measure blade into the housing;
an externally accessible actuator moveably supported by the housing;
a coupler rotatably disposed within the housing;
a brake element operatively coupled to the coupler;
the actuator, the coupler, and the brake element being distinct members;
a biasing member normally urging the brake element into wedged contact with the tape drum to prevent the drum from rotating
in a retraction direction;
the actuator displaceable relative to the housing to cause the coupler to rotate about an axis thereof and thereby move the
brake element out of wedged contact with the tape drum to thereby enable the drum to rotate in the retraction direction.
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