Patent ID: 6513261
Filing Date: 2003-02-04
Classification: G01B

Abstract:
A measuring and scribing device comprising:(a) a housing having a forward end, a rearward end, an upper end, and a lower end; (b) an alternately forwardly extendable and rearwardly retractable measuring tape mounted within the housing; (c) an alternately downwardly extendable and upwardly retractable surface scribing implement mounted within the housing; and, (d) surface scribing implement retracting means adapted for automatically retracting the surface scribing implement upon retraction of the measuring tape, the surface scribing implement comprising an article selected from the group consisting of blades, pointed styluses, graphite core pencils, paraffin core pencils, felt tipped markers, ballpoint pens, fountain pens, chalk markers, and charcoal markers; the automatic surface scribing implement retracting means comprising a spring or elastic band having an end operatively connected to the surface scribing implement, and having an opposite end operatively connected to the housing, the automatic surface scribing implement retracting means comprising a latch adapted for, upon downward extension of the surface scribing implement, resisting upward retraction of the surface scribing implement, the measuring tape having a distal end extending forwardly from the housing, and comprising an end hook fixedly attached to the distal end, the automatic surface scribing implement retracting means comprising a latch disengaging member slidably mounted within the housing, the latch disengaging member having a forward end and a rearward end, the forward end of the latch disengaging member being positioned for contact with the end hook upon rearward retraction of the measuring tape, the rearward end of the latch disengaging member being positioned for contacting the latch upon rearward sliding motion of the latch disengaging member.