Patent ID: 7185446

Claim:
A tape measure comprising: a housing having a top and a bottom wall, a pair of sidewalls, and a front and a back wall, the front wall having an opening contained therein; and a tape assembly supported in the housing, the tape assembly including: a tape adapted to extend and retract from the front wall of the housing; and a catch having a body coupled to the tape and a downwardly depending member coupled to the body, the member being automatically movable with respect to the body between a first position, where the member is generally perpendicular to the body, and a second position, where the member is generally parallel to the body, wherein the member is biased to the first position, wherein the member has a proximal end and a distal end, wherein the member has an outer face that generally faces away from the housing and an inner face that generally faces toward the housing, and wherein pressure on the outer face of the member adjacent its distal end moves the member from its first position toward its second position.