Currently, there are numerous devices available to those in the building trades which can perform measuring functions. From a simple wooden stick with marked graduations, to a retractable steel graduated tape coil, these devices perform adequately the rather mundane task of measuring. These devices have been available for many years, with gradual improvements made to accommodate ease of use. The present invention relates to a device specifically designed to accommodate the act of measuring with the acts of marking or cutting. The present invention also relates especially to a device design to accommodate the act of measuring with the acts of marking or cutting long straight lines or edges where normally several tools and multiple steps are required to perform the identical overall tasks. Specifically, the present invention relates to a coiled, spring return, reversible, and lockable flexible measuring tape housed in a convenient hand held housing, said housing integrating a two sided guide edge, and said measuring tape accommodating an attachment clip and holder device for attachment to a standard utility knife, pencil, or other marking device.
Recently, a number of inventions have been developed to accommodate the act of measuring with the need to mark and/or cut an object at any particular measured point. For example, the prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 4,914,830 to Legare, U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,308 to Stevens et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 5,349,760 to DeVito.
In the Legare invention (4,914,830), a tape measuring device is described that includes a fixture for holding a pencil or other marking utensil. The preferred embodiment of the Legare invention is in essence a standard steel coil graduated tape measure with an improvement that allows the measuring and marking function to be performed simultaneously by the craftsman user. At its simplest, the Legare invention is a device that holds a pencil to a tape measure in a very clever manner.
Further improvements in this particular field with the Sevens et al. invention (5,295,308). In Stevens et al., a tool similar to that of Legare provided for reduced friction, allowing for easy sliding over a work surface, plus a handle on the distal end to provide a better gripping surface. Also, the Stevens et al. invention added a blade holding assembly that then allows for the simultaneous measuring and cutting, thereby eliminating the marking step altogether.
Finally, in the DeVito patent (5,349,760), improvements were made in the method of guiding the tool along a reference edge by adding a guiding structure, as well as an improved blade holding assembly that allows for easy use with standard and readily available utility knife blades.
There are a number of disadvantages to all of these approaches taken in the prior art. As experienced in practice, true one-hand operation is impractical due to the need to hold both ends of any measuring device to insure precision. And, although proceeding directly from measuring to cutting may increase speed due to the elimination of a marking step, in some cases the user may wish to utilize either the marking or the cutting functions, or a combination throughout the course of the user's work. And, a major drawback in the prior art is a built-in inflexibility to reversibility, i.e. these tools do not perform with equal ease when utilized in `right handed` or `left handed` operation. Also, perhaps the biggest deficiency of all in the prior art is that the cutting or marking mechanisms are heavy, bulky, and without the adequate support required to mark or cut straight lines. Although efforts toward reducing friction have been attempted to solve this last problem, the source of the problem appears to lie more in gravity than in friction, and is caused by the inherent instability generated by having the cutting or marking mechanism attached to the measuring coil housing, thereby combining both the weight and bulk of both parts.
These and other difficulties experienced in the practical utilization of the prior art have been overcome by the present invention in a novel and nonobvious manner. It is a primary object of the present invention to provide for the accurate measuring, marking, and/or cutting of workpieces. It is also a major object of the present invention to provide for easy measuring, marking, and/or cutting of workpieces.
Another object of the present invention is to provide for easy reversibility of work edges or marking/cutting edges.
Another object of the present invention is to provide for easy integration with existing marking and cutting tools currently available and in wide practical use.