Cooper Brands, Inc.

James M Critelli

Stephen E Donelson

William C Blackman

Edgar Thomas Gilliam

Tony Lin

Peter Lin

Lin Ping Lin

John R Owen

Jonathan Siebert Beckwith

Darin Henderson Duphorne

Christopher T Cluff

Steven Charles Garrett

Yi W Tang

Darin H Duhporne

An automatic locking mechanism for use in a power return tape measure includes a user-accessible actuator, a brake element, and a biasing member normally urging the brake element into contact with the tape drum. In a locked position, the brake element wedges against the drum. The actuator displaces inwardly to move the brake element out of contact with the drum. A rotatable coupler/member may convert pivoting motion of the actuator into brake member translation. The coupler may include first and second arms that respectively contact the actuator and the brake element. The coupler may further include a cammed outer surface that contacts the drum in the locked position. The cammed surface rotates out of contact with the drum in the release position. The cammed surface of the rotatable member may be used independently of, or in conjunction with, the brake element. Related methods are also described.

Automatic locking tape measure

Portion of a tape measure

A tape measure comprises a main case having first and second sidewalls and a peripheral wall extending between the sidewalls; a flexible tape blade selectively deployable from the case; the tape blade having a generally curved cross-sectional profile when deployed from the main case and having a generally flat profile when retracted into the main case; a hook attached to a first end of the tape blade so as to be movable a distance along a longitudinal axis of the tape blade; the hook having a first section disposed generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and a second section connected thereto and disposed generally normal to the longitudinal axis, the hook comprising titanium and having a weight factor of not more than about 0.60. The tape blade may advantageously be not more than about 1.10 inch in width and have a standout of at least 9&#xbd; feet.

Tape measure with extended standout

A tape measure includes a post with at least first and second arms spaced from one another to form a longitudinal slot having an end aperture for coupling with a tape blade retraction spring. The post distal end anchors to a housing sidewall via a fastener, and a fastener engagement region of the post extends from the aperture to the fastener's terminus. A distinct reinforcing collar is disposed about the post's distal portion and acts to limit movement of the arms away from one another. The collar may overly the post for at least half of the fastener engagement region and/or may abut a shoulder on the post. The fastener may have a first pullout resistance level without the collar present and a second higher pullout resistance level, advantageously double or more, with the collar present. Also, methods of assembly are described.

Tape measure with post reinforcing collar

End portion of a tape measure

Release button for tape measure

Tape case

A utility knife has a blade carriage having a blade-receiving bay and moveable relative to the knife's housing to move a cutting blade disposed in the bay from a retracted position to a deployed position. A locking mechanism is operative to releasably couple the cutting blade to the carriage and may include a lock plate having an blade-engagement element and moveable by non-pivoting, generally vertical displacement between a locked position and an unlocked position. An actuator engages the locking mechanism and moves the locking mechanism from the locked position to the unlocked position. The actuator may directly contact an underside of a protrusion of the locking mechanism, may be moveably mounted on the sidewall to which the bay opens toward, may be prevented from being moved as far when the actuator is not aligned with the locking mechanism, or any combination thereof.

Releasable blade locking mechanism for utility knife

A magnetic end hook for a tape measure has a hook member having a mounting section extending in a first direction and a hooking section extending away from the mounting section in a second direction generally transverse to the first direction. A distinct bezel affixes to the hooking section so as to capture a magnet between the bezel and the hooking section. A magnet is disposed at least partially in a hole in the hooking section and a hole in the bezel so as to be visible from both front and rear views of the end hook. The magnet may include flanges and a fastener, such as a rivet, may secure the bezel in place. There may be a second magnet similarly situated. A tape measure and methods of assembly are also described.

Magnetic tape measure end hook

A saw and/or saw frame including: an elongate substantially rigid back member and a swing arm pivotally connected to the back member so as to be rotatable between an extended position and a storage position; a handle with a first blade mount; the swing arm includes a second blade mount; the back includes a third blade mount disposed proximate to the swing arm; each of the first, second, and third blade mounts being constructed to engage one end of a removably mounted saw blade, with the first, second, and third blade mounts disposed to allow quick changes in blade configuration. The back member also has an elongate blade storage cavity accessible from above adapted to store at least one of the removably mounted saw blades and an auxiliary blade mounting mechanism configured to operatively mount an auxiliary blade extending forward from the frame.

Handsaw with blade storage and auxiliary blade

A tape measure comprises a main case having first and second sidewalls and a peripheral wall extending between the sidewalls; a flexible tape blade selectively deployable from the case; the tape blade having a generally curved cross-sectional profile when deployed from the main case and having a generally flat profile when retracted into the main case; a hook attached to a first end of the tape blade so as to be movable a distance along a longitudinal axis of the tape blade; the hook having a first section disposed generally parallel to the longitudinal axis and a second section connected thereto and disposed generally normal to the longitudinal axis, the hook having a weight factor of not more than about 0.60. The tape blade may advantageously be not more than about 1.10 inch in width and have a standout of at least 9&#xbd; feet.

A folding rule includes a plurality of segments having length indicating indicia thereon, including a plurality of intermediate segments having a length to thickness ratio in the range of 40:1 to 60:1; the segments pivotally connected together and pivotally moveable between a collapsed configuration wherein the segments are stacked and an extended configuration wherein the segments are linearly aligned along a measurement axis, wherein at least one intermediate segment rotates by approximately 180&#xb0; with respect to an adjacent intermediate segment to move between the collapsed configuration and the extended configuration; the segments formed of a generally homogenous electrically non-conductive mixture of wood and plastic. The intermediate segments may be substantially identical except for the length indicating indicia thereon, and at least the intermediate segments may be hydrophobic and be formed of a generally homogenous mixture of wood and ABS plastic. A method of forming such folding rules is also disclosed.

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Fuquay-Varina, NC, United States of America

James M Critelli