Patent ID: 6896242

Claim:
A fish tape assembly, comprising: a generally circular case defining an axis and having an outer annular wall and first and second radial walls connected to the annular wall, the outer annular wall and radial walls defining a fish tape receiving chamber; a slot defined in the outer annular wall; a fish tape having an inner end, an outer end and a main section between the inner and outer ends, the inner end being fixed to the case in the fish tape receiving chamber, the outer end having an eyelet formed thereon, and the main section extending through the slot so that the eyelet is always outside of the fish tape receiving chamber, the main section of the fish tape being windable into coils stored inside the fish tape receiving chamber and removable from the case through the slot for use; and a winder slidably attached to the case, the winder having a toe at one extremity thereof, the toe spanning the slot so as to be slidably engageable in abutting relation with one side of that portion of the main section of the fish tape which is extending through the slot, such that the toe can push the fish tape into the fish tape receiving chamber but cannot pull it out of said chamber, the winder further including a foot disposed in the fish tape receiving chamber, a web connected to the foot and extending through the slot to the exterior of the outer annular wall and a shoe connected to the web outside of the fish tape receiving chamber, the shoe defining said toe at one end thereof, the foot, web and shoe being sized such that the winder is engageable with the outer annular wall so as to be slidable therealong, and the web defining a notch beneath the toe of the shoe, the notch being sized to trap the eyelet between the shoe, web and outer annular wall.