Measuring Tape Calliper

Field of the Invention

This invention relates to an attachment which can be utilised with a measuring tape.

Background Art

The invention has application for use with a form of measuring tape which generally comprises a flexible strip of metal having graduations along the length where the metal strip is of an arcuate cross-section configuration to provide a certain degree of rigidity to the extended tape. The tape is supported within a housing through a spool or drum which is rotatably accommodated within the housing and which is provided with a spring or like means to enable the extended tape to be retracted into the housing. The outermost end of the strip is provided with a stop. Generally such tapes have an indicia bearing faces provided by the concave face which is provided with graduations to either side of the tape which may be according to the same standard or alternatively may be of a differing standard (eg Metric and/or Imperial). In addition the housing is usually associated with a locking means whereby the extended tape can be locked into position with respect of the housing in order that a measurement can be made.

In use such devices are used in measuring the dimension of objects or a distance whereby the stop is located at one location and the tape is extended from the housing for a desired distance, the tape is locked with respect to the housing and the distance to another location is measured. When taking a measure it is usual to align one side of the tape with the other location. The measurement is then taken from one or both sides of the tape. If the measurement that it is to be taken is from the opposite side of the tape to the location at which the tape is aligned there can be a difficulty in obtaining an accurate measure as a result of parallax. In addition, where the other location which is being measured is spaced laterally from the side of the tape such in the

case of a bevelled or a bull nose edge it is necessary to utilise the eye to align the edge with the tape. Again parallax can prevent the establishment of an accurate measure.

Disclosure of the Invention

Accordingly the invention resides in a calliper for a measuring tape, for example similar to the form similar described above, adapted to be mounted to a measuring tape having an indicia bearing face and an opposite remote face, the calliper comprising a body having a width substantially corresponding to the width of the measuring tape, each side of the body being configured to be able to slidably engage the lateral edges of the measuring tape to be slidable therealong and to provide free visual access to the indicia bearing face of the measuring tape, the body being adapted to lie adjacent the face remote from the indicia bearing face, said body being formed with a lateral protrusion which extends outwardly from the body from the remote face when the calliper is located on the measuring tape, the protrusion having a reference face, a calliper arm supported from one side of the body to be movable between a stored position overlying the indicia bearing face and an extended position extending laterally from the one side, said calliper having a reference edge which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tape and is in alignment with the reference face of the protrusion.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the portion of the body between the sides is of a complementary profile to the remote face of the tape.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the body is provided with a bearing member in opposed relation to the remote face which is adapted to bear upon the remote face.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the measuring tape is accommodated in a housing from which the measuring tape can be extracted and retracted, the housing being provided with an entry slot through which the

measuring tape passes in being extracted or retracted from the housing, said calliper being dimensioned to be receivable within the entry slot.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the measuring tape is provided with a stop at its outer end, the stop being provided with an aperture or recess which is of complementary configuration to the protrusion whereby the protrusion is received in the aperture or recess to be substantially co-planar with the stop when the calliper body is located adjacent to the stop.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the outer end of the calliper arm is adapted to be engageable with the other side of the body to be retained thereby when the calliper arm is in its stored position.

In another aspect the present invention provides a calliper adapted to be mounted to a measuring tape having an indicia bearing face and an opposite remote face, the calliper comprising a body adapted to slidably engage the measuring tape to be slidable therealong and to provide visual access to the indicia bearing face of the measuring tape, the body being formed with a protrusion which extends outwardly from the remote face of the measuring tape when the calliper is located on the measuring tape, the protrusion having a reference face, a calliper arm supported from one side of the body extending laterally from the one side, said calliper arm having a reference edge which is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the tape and is in alignment with the reference face of the protrusion.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the calliper body has a width substantially corresponding to the width of the measuring tape.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the calliper body engages the lateral edges of the measuring tape when the calliper is mounted to the measuring tape.

According to a preferred feature of the invention each side of the calliper body is configured to be able to engage the measuring tape.

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According to a preferred feature of the invention the calliper body is adapted to lie adjacent the remote face of the measuring tape.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the calliper arm is adapted to be movable between a stored position overlying the indicia bearing face and an extended position at which it extends laterally from the one side.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the portion of the calliper body between the sides is of a complementary profile to the remote face of the tape.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the calliper body is provided with a bearing member in opposed relation to the remote face which is adapted to bear upon the remote face.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the measuring tape is accommodated in a housing from which the measuring tape can be extracted and retracted, the housing being provided with an entry slot through which the measuring tape passes in being extracted from the housing, said calliper being dimensioned to be receivable within the entry slot.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the measuring tape is provided with a stop on the outer end of the measuring tape and the stop is provided with an aperture or recess which is of complementary configuration to the protrusion whereby the protrusion is received in the aperture or recess to be substantially co-planar with the stop when the calliper body is located adjacent to the stop.

According to a preferred feature of the invention the outer end of the calliper is adapted to be engageable with the other side of the calliper body to be retained thereby when the calliper arm is in its stored position.

The invention will be more fully understood in the light of the following description of one specific embodiment.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The description is made with reference to the accompanying drawings of which;

Figure 1 is a front isometric view of the calliper according to the embodiment with the calliper arm located in the closed position across the body;

Figure 2 is an isometric view corresponding to Figure 1 with the calliper arm extending laterally from the body;

Figure 3 is an isometric view of a portion of a measuring tape accommodating the calliper according to the embodiment;

Figure 4 is an isometric side view of a measuring tape accommodating a calliper;

Figure 5 is a side elevation of a measuring tape accommodating a calliper according to the embodiment.

Detailed Description of Specific Embodiment

The embodiment is directed towards a calliper which can be used with a substantially conventional measuring tape. As shown in the drawings, the measuring tape 11 is formed of a metallic strip having an arcuate cross section. The outer end of the measuring tape supports a stop 13 and the measuring tape 11 is receivable upon a spool (not shown) which is accommodated within a housing 15 whereby the spool is associated with a suitable spring mechanism to enable the measuring tape 11 to be wound onto the spool to be fully accommodated within the housing 15. The housing 15 is associated with a lock mechanism which is operated through a push button 17 which enables the measuring tape 11 to be locked in position at any desired extension. The concave face comprises an indicia bearing face which contains graduations at both sides in accordance with the Metric standard.

The calliper according to the embodiment comprises a generally rectangular

body 21 which has an arcuate configuration complementary to the arcuate configuration of the convex remote face of the measuring tape 11. One side of the body 21 is provided with a hinge 23 which supports a calliper arm 25 whereby the calliper arm 25 is pivotable about an axis which is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body 21 between a stored position at which it overlies the body 21 to extend between the opposed sides as shown at Figure 1 and an extended position at which it extends laterally from the body 21 as shown at Figures 2 and 3. The pivot axis of the hinge 23 and the calliper arm 25 is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body 21. The hinge 23 provides a recess 27 at one side of the body 21. The other side of the body 21 is formed with a turned over edge 29 which provides a second recess 31 which is in opposed relation to the first recess 27. The dimensions of the body 21 are such that the calliper is receivable over the tape 11 with the edges of the tape being slidably received within the second and first recesses 27 and 31 , whereby the calliper arm 25 is pivotable from a movement as shown at Figure 1 and an extended position as shown at Figure 2. The outer end of calliper arm 25 is formed with a flange 33 which is curved to be snugly receivable over the turned over edge 29 provided at the other side of the body 21 such that when the calliper arm 25 is in it's stored position it is retained in position by inter-engagement of the flange 33 with the exterior face of the turned over edge 29. The calliper arm 25 is provided with a reference edge 35 which when the calliper is in position on a measuring tape 11 is perpendicular to the central axis of the measuring tape 11. The body 21 is provided with a protrusion 37 which extends downwardly from the body 21 midway between the sides of the body 21 and which is perpendicular to the central axis of the measuring tape 11 when the calliper is in position on the tape. The face of the protrusion 37 which is to be in opposed relation to the stop 13 provides a reference face which is in alignment with the reference edge 35 of the calliper arm 25. In addition, each side of the body 21 at the calliper terminates in a plane which accommodates the reference edge 35 of the calliper arm 25 and the reference face of the protrusion 37.

The face of the body 21 which is to be in opposed relation to the under face of the measuring tape 11 is provided with an elongate rib 39 which is located

substantially centrally with respect to the body 21 and is generally co-axial with the central axis of the measuring tape 11 when the calliper is in engagement on the tape 11.

The calliper is intended to be received upon a measuring tape 11 as shown in Figures 3, 4 and 5 whereby the edges of the measuring tape 11 are received in the lateral recesses 27 and 31 provided at the sides of a body 21 such that they are readily slidably receivable over the edges of the tape 11. The longitudinal rib

39 is intended to engage the under face of the measuring tape 11 and to cause upward defection of the measuring tape 11 and in so doing frictionally engage with the under face or the measuring tape 11. This frictional engagement will serve to provide for the retention of the calliper at a desired position on the measuring tape 11.

The calliper is configured and dimensioned to be receivable in the slot provided in the wall of the housing 15 which enables the tape to pass through the wall. In addition the protrusion 37 can be configured to be receivable in an aperture 41 provided in the stop 13 of the measuring tape 11 when the body 21 is closely adjacent the stop 13.

In use the measuring tape 11 is used to provide a measure between two locations and in so doing the stop 13 is located at one location while the calliper is moved along the extended tape 11 to a position such that the reference edge 35, reference face 37 and the ends of the sides of the body 21 are located at the position of the other location. In so doing the protrusion 37 can be engaged with the other location or alternatively the end of one or the other side of the body or the reference edge 35 can be aligned with the other location. At this position the measure can be determined from either side of the measuring tape 11 and because of the positive reference provided by the reference edge 35 and the ends of the respective sides 23 and 29 of the body 21 , an accurate measure can be determined. In the case where the other location cannot be located directly to one side of the measuring tape 11 such as when it is defined by a curved surface such as a bevelled edge or a bull nosed edge the calliper arm 25 can be

disengaged from its engagement with the other side of the body 21 and moved to its extended position as shown at Figures 2 and 3 at which whereby the reference edge 35 can then be used to engage with the other location at a position spaced laterally from the measuring tape 11. The resultant measurement can be obtained without any difficulties as a result of parallax.

In addition the reference face of the protrusion 37 together with the stop 13 can enable relatively thin elements such as panels, sheets and the like to be accurately measured.

The calliper according to the embodiment may be retro-fitted to an existing measuring tape or alternatively may be incorporated into a measuring tape on its manufacture. The calliper provides a means whereby a person is able to more accurately measure a location by utilisation of one or more of three references comprising the referencing face of the protrusion 37, the reference edge of the calliper arm 25 or the respective ends of the sides 23 and 29.

According to alternative embodiments the rib 39 of the first embodiment may be replaced by a set of button-like protuberances affixed to or formed in the body or the rib may be formed integrally as a part of the body.

Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

It should be appreciated that the scope of the present invention need not be limited to the particular scope of the specification of the embodiment described above.