A combination tape measure and marker is provided. The combination tape measure and marker includes a measuring tape housing having a lateral portion, a lower portion, and a front portion. A track is connected to the lateral portion of the measuring tape housing. An arm is slidably disposed within the track. A tension member having an arcuate shape can slide the arm towards the lower portion when depressed. A cartridge is integrally attached to the front portion of the measuring tape housing. The arm extends through the cartridge. A marker is removably secured within the cartridge and is operationally attached to the arm. A spring is housed in the cartridge and provides a retracted and extended position for the marker. The marker is movably separately and independently from the measuring tape housing by selectively depressing the arm.

A device that includes or is attachable to a tape measure, that allows a user to take a measurement using the tape measure without requiring reference to measurement indicia. Such a device may include a base member, a housing on the base member including a slot for slidably receiving a tape of the tape measure when inserted through the slot of the housing during use, an elastomeric gripping layer positioned in the housing, positioned to contact a side of the tape when the tape is locked in a given position (e.g., given extension) during use, a movable pressure locking wedge positioned within the housing so that the tape is pinched between the wedge and another surface (the gripping layer is involved in such pinching), and a handle operable to move the wedge which allows selective locking of the tape between the wedge and other surface upon actuation of the handle.

A measurement device includes first and second measurement indicia. First indicia (e.g., on the tape) may include numerals regularly spaced to mark inches or other units of length (e.g., 1, 2, 3, etc,). Also included are second indicia, that are non-numeric (e.g., letters, such as A, B, C, etc.) where the second indicia are regularly spaced to mark fractions of inches or other units of length indicated by the first indicia. The second indicia are positioned between adjacent first indicia. For example, the letters (A, B, C, etc.) may he spaced every sixteenth or other fraction of an inch between the “1” and “2” (adjacent first indicia). Where sixteenths are used, the letters A-O are equally spaced, between the adjacent first indicia (e.g., between the “1”P′ and the “2”). The A-O may repeat between each integral number—between “1” and “2”, between “2” and “3” and so forth.

A marking device for attaching to a tape measure includes an attachment assembly for movably attaching the marking device to a tape measure and a guide housing movably engageable with the attachment assembly. The guide housing receives a marking member and a marking fluid storage member and directs movement of the marking member from a first position contacting the marking fluid storage member to a second position contacting an object to be marked. A compartment receives the guide housing, which directs movement of the marking member from the second position to the first position. At least one aperture enables contact of the marking member with an object to be marked. An energy storage member moves the guide housing and marking member from the first position to the second position. The guide housing may include a gear mechanism that moves the marking member from the first position to the second position.

A method of producing a measuring tape may include providing a cupped blade with substantially uniform cupping over a longitudinal length of the cupped blade, applying a stress relief operation to a selected portion of only a convex side of the cupped blade to increase curvature of the cupped blade in the selected portion of the cupped blade where the stress relief operation includes bead blasting the selected portion via a dual nozzle shot peening assembly to define a combined bead blast area that is substantially centered with respect to a longitudinal centerline of the blade, and operably coupling the cupped blade to a reel assembly and providing the cupped blade and reel assembly within a housing to define the measuring tape device.

The present invention relates measuring tapes and methods for making thereof. In particular, the measuring tape of the present invention contains a wipe mechanism for cleaning the tape as it retracts into its housing. The wipe mechanism contains a top wipe and a bottom wipe for removing debris from the top and bottom surfaces of the tape, respectively, when it is retracted after use.

The present invention relates measuring tapes and methods for making thereof. In particular, the measuring tape of the present invention contains a wipe mechanism for cleaning the tape as it retracts into its housing. The wipe mechanism contains a top wipe and a bottom wipe for removing debris from the top and bottom surfaces of the tape, respectively, when it is retracted after use.

An electrical color chart tape measure apparatus for viewing a color code chart while measuring conduit includes a tape having a housing front side with a blade aperture extending therethrough adjacent the housing bottom side. A tape blade is coupled within the tape housing and is slidably extendable and retractable through the blade aperture. The tape blade has a blade top side with a plurality of hash markings and a plurality of corresponding numerical inch measurement markings. A claw is coupled to a distal end of the tape blade. A plurality of color indicators is coupled to the tape blade between the plurality of numerical inch measurement markings. A color chart is coupled to the tape housing and has a low voltage color key and a high voltage color key corresponding with the plurality of color indicators.

An electrical color chart tape measure apparatus for viewing a color code chart while measuring conduit includes a tape having a housing front side with a blade aperture extending therethrough adjacent the housing bottom side. A tape blade is coupled within the tape housing and is slidably extendable and retractable through the blade aperture. The tape blade has a blade top side with a plurality of hash markings and a plurality of corresponding numerical inch measurement markings. A claw is coupled to a distal end of the tape blade. A plurality of color indicators is coupled to the tape blade between the plurality of numerical inch measurement markings. A color chart is coupled to the tape housing and has a low voltage color key and a high voltage color key corresponding with the plurality of color indicators.

A length measurement device comprises: a tape which is wound on a reel received in a case, one end of which is pulled out of the case so as to measure the length of an object, and which has a barcode formed on one surface thereof; a first measurement unit for recognizing the barcode on the tape so as to generate a first measurement value of the length along which the tape is pulled out of the case; a second measurement unit for sensing a rotation angle of the reel so as to generate a second measurement value of the length along which the tape is pulled out of the case; and a control unit for making the first measurement value and the second measurement value mutually compensate for each other so as to convert same into the pulled-out length information of the tape.