Patent ID: 6877245
Filing Date: 2005-04-12
Classification: A63B,G01B

Abstract:
1. A device for measuring a distance between a ball on a flat surface and a target, comprising: a housing having opposing upper and lower ends, and opposing front and rear ends; a spool mounted in the housing; a string wound about the spool, the string having an end extending outwardly through the rear end of the housing and winding relative to the spool upon rotation thereof in a first direction, and unwinding relative to the spool upon rotation thereof in a second direction; the spool biased for rotation in the first direction; a marker attached to the end of the string; a support attached to the housing, the support projecting forwardly of the front end of the housing; a rocker arm having opposing upper and lower ends; a first reference mark carried by the support; a second reference mark carried by the rocker arm; the rocker arm attached at an attachment point thereof to the support for pivotal movement between a first position of the lower end away from the front end of the housing and a second position of the lower end toward the front end of the housing aligning the second reference mark with the first reference mark; the attachment point of the rocker arm positioned relative to the rocker arm biasing the rocker arm in the first position of the lower end of the rocker arm; a brake in the housing, the brake movable between a first position against the spool inhibiting its rotation, and a second position away from the spool permitting its rotation; means biasing the brake in its first position; a handle outboard of the housing operative coupled to the brake, the brake movable from its first position to its second position in response to a force applied against the handle.