Apex Brands, Inc.

Eric Dean Broadaway

Timothy T McKenzie

Vlad Patrangenaru

Ian Lyle Gresham

Zhihong Fu

Jonathan Siebert Beckwith

David M Roberts

Brian Butler

Tobias McKay Bridges

Brendan Michael Walsh

Yongsheng Xu

Fengping Zhu

Jimmy Shangyao Wei

Kevin Fitzpatrick

Christopher Lance

Kay Randolph Ligon

Tom Carson

Chad D Humphrey

A blade for a measuring tape device may include a first end configured to extend from a housing of the measuring tape device through an aperture, a second end configured to be wound on a reel assembly within the housing, and a first cupped portion having a first amount of cupping over a selected portion of a longitudinal length of the blade. The first cupped portion may be defined by a curved portion extending from an apex of the curved portion toward lateral edges of the blade, and wings extending from each of the lateral edges toward the curved portion on each side of the apex. The curved portion includes a first radius proximate to the apex of the curved portion, and a second radius at a point spaced apart from the apex on both sides of the apex, the second radius being different than the first radius.

Measuring tape with improved standout

A measuring tape device may include a housing having an aperture, a reel assembly, a blade having a first end configured to extend from the housing through the aperture and a second end configured to be wound on the reel assembly, and an end hook disposed at the first end of the blade. The end hook may have a front face that faces away from the aperture and a rear face that faces toward the aperture. A high friction surface including grains may be disposed over at least a portion of a surface of the rear face.

Measuring tape with end hook having a high friction surface treatment

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, 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.

Measuring tape with increased cupping

A tool handle for releasably receiving a tool including a core portion having a base portion and a cylindrical shaft portion extending outwardly therefrom, the base portion including a first surface, a second surface, and an outer wall extending therebetween, the outer wall defining a first bore therein, and a grip portion rotatably disposed about the shaft portion of the core. The first bore is configured to releasably receive a first portion of the tool.

Hex wrench tool handle

A hand tool comprising a body with a first end and a second end, a striking portion disposed at the first end of the body, a hand grip disposed about a portion of the body, the hand grip defining a first elongated recess, and a cutting device removable received in the first elongated recess of the hand grip.

Multiple purpose hand tool

A wrench includes a locking mechanism that provides variable locking positions. The wrench has handles that are rotatably connected such that a closing motion of the handles allows the wrench to grip workpieces as desired by moving a plurality of jaw elements inward toward the workpiece. The locking mechanism advantageously allows the jaws and handles of the wrench to be locked precisely on any size workpiece within the working range of the wrench. Related methods are also described.

Lockable grip wrench

Growing community of inventors

New Freedom, PA, United States of America

Eric Dean Broadaway