Abstract:
A flexible rule rewinding device comprised of a front cover plate, a rear cover plate, a winding shaft, a center gear, two gears, a flexible rule reel mount, and a cover plate capable of rewinding long distance flexible rules rapidly and with little effort to thereby increase flexible rule practicality.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1) Field of the Invention 
     The invention herein relates to flexible rule rewinding device capable of rewinding long distance flexible rules rapidly and with minimum effort to thereby increase the practical value of flexible rules. 
     2) Description of the Prior Art 
     In conventional long distance flexible rules, the measuring blades are directly rewound onto a shaft and there is considerable frictional resistance and, furthermore, after a flexible ruler is pulled out a long distance to a take a measurement, rewinding it requires much time and effort; to enable more convenience during flexible rule utilization, the inventor of the invention herein, based on many years of professional manufacturing experience, conducted research and development followed by extensive testing and improvement to enable the present invention to achieve superior practicality which culminated in the successful completion of the flexible rule rewinding device of the invention herein. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The primary objective of the invention herein is to provide a flexible rule rewinding device capable of rapid and effortless flexible rule rewinding by reducing the frictional resistance of retraction and thereby improve the practical value of such devices. 
     To enable a further understanding by the examination committee of the structural particulars and other original content of the invention herein, the detailed description of the embodiments is accompanied by the brief description of the drawings below to further elaborate upon the advantages and innovative features of the present invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is an isometric drawing of the invention herein. 
     FIG. 2 is an exploded drawing of the invention herein. 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded drawing of the winding gear assembly of the invention herein. 
     FIG. 4 is an orthographic drawing of the winding gear assembly of the invention herein. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 2, and FIG. 3, the flexible rule rewinding device of the invention herein is comprised of a front cover plate  1 , a rear cover plate  2 , a winding shaft  3 , a center gear  34 , two gears  35  and  36 , a flexible rule reel mount  5 , and a cover plate  8 , of which: 
     The front cover plate  1  is unitarily constructed of a plastic material injection molded into a cross-shaped planar component, a plurality of screw holes  11  are respectively formed in the upper, lower, left and right extent of the front cover plate  1 , a center circular opening  12  is formed at the middle of the said front cover plate  1 , an annular support lip  13  is formed along the inner sides of the said center circular opening  12  and, furthermore, four tapered posts  14  are formed on the interior side of the said front cover plate  1  around the said center circular opening  12 . 
     The said winding shaft  3  has positioned on its exterior side a rotatable crank handle  31 , a ring gear  32  is formed along the inside of the said winding shaft  3  and, furthermore, a rod  33  projects from the center of the interior side of the said winding shaft  3 ; a square extension  341  projects from the front end of the said center gear  34  and, furthermore, a round hole  342  is formed through the medial point of the said center gear  34  and the said round hole  342  is fitted onto the said rod  33  projecting from the center of the interior side of the said winding shaft  3  to enable free rotation; the said cover plate  8  is a flat thin element having a hollow sleeve  81  protruding from each of the four corners of its interior side, the positions of which correspond to the tapered posts  14  formed on the interior side of the front cover plate  1 ; there is a round opening  82  in the middle of the said cover plate  8  and, furthermore, two posts  83  project from the lower aspect of the round opening  82  and one of the two gears  35  and  36  is installed on each of the two posts  83 . The said winding shaft  3  is first placed through the center circular opening  12  of the front cover plate  1  and secured onto the support lip  13  and then the tapered posts  14  on the interior side of the front cover plate  1  are respectively inserted into the four hollow sleeves  81  of the cover plate  8 . 
     A measuring blade  4  is wound over the flexible rule reel mount  5 , with the said flexible rule reel mount  5  having a recessed square hole  51  formed in the center of its interior side and the said flexible rule reel mount  5  also has a round shaft (not shown in the drawings) projecting from its exterior side that is inserted and fixed in a shaft hole at the center of the rear cover plate  2 ; a locating cone  6  is inserted onto the lower end of the rear cover plate  2 , a hand hold  7  is inserted onto the top end of the rear cover plate  2 , and the front cover plate  1  is assembled to the rear cover plate  2 , following which a number of screws  9  are inserted into the plurality of screw holes  11  in the front cover plate  1  and, furthermore, into the screw holes  61  of the locating cone  6  as well as the screw holes  71  of the hand hold  7  and then tightened in the plurality of screw holes  21  in the rear cover plate  2 . The square extension  341  of the center gear  34  is placed through the round opening  82  in the middle of the cover plate  8  and then insertion mounted in the recessed square hole  51  formed in the center of the flexible rule reel mount  5 . 
     In the winding gear assembly of the invention herein, as indicated in FIG. 4, when the winding shaft  3  is rotated, the ring gear  32  inside of the said winding shaft  3  drives the gear  35  into synchronous rotation, the said gear  35  then impels the gear  36  to rotate in the opposite direction, and finally the gear  36  rotates the center gear  34  in the same direction as the ring gear  32  and, since the square extension  341  of the center gear  34  is insertion mounted in the recessed square hole  51  formed in the flexible rule reel mount  5 , the flexible rule reel mount  5  is capable of being synchronously, rapidly, and effortlessly rotated to thereby rewind the flexible rule fast and with less energy. 
     While said structure of the invention herein is definitely capable of achieving the claimed functions and performance, the description of the most preferred embodiment of present invention only discloses the innovative features thereof and shall not be construed as a limitation of the invention herein and, furthermore, all modifications and equivalent adaptations shall remain within the scope and claims of the invention herein. 
     In summation of the foregoing section, since the invention herein is an original and innovative among products in the same category and, furthermore, capable of even greater performance as well as practical value and, furthermore, no identical or similar article has even been disclosed in the market, the present invention is hereby submitted to the examination committee for review and the granting of the commensurate patent rights.