Chalk line reel structure
OwnerPaul Longenetteinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A chalk line reel structure which includes a housing, a reel carrying a chalk line disposed within the housing which has an opening through which the chalk line extends, a spring and enclosure therefor carried by said housing with one end of the spring affixed effectively to the reel and the other end to the enclosure and a releasable ratchet coupled effectively to the housing and the spring enclosure for adjustment of spring tension. The housing may also include a second opening for the introduction of powdered chalk and a separate compartment enclosing the reel and having openings aligned with the housing openings.
Claims6
A chalk line reel structure comprising a reel having a chalk line wound thereon, a closed housing surrounding said reel and having an opening through which said line extends, a central shaft rotatably carrying said reel, spring means on one side of said housing and fixed at one end relative to said reel, an enclosure enclosing said spring means with the other end of said spring means secured to said enclosure, adjustable ratchet means coupling said housing and enclosure to impart the desired tension to said spring when said chalk line is in the retracted position, clutch means carried by said housing and operable to lock said reel with the line in a selected extended position and to control the rate of return of said line under the action of said spring means, said housing being formed of two spaced plates with a peripheral wall closing the space defined by said plates, means fixedly keying said shaft to one of said plates, said reel including a sleeve fixed thereto for rotatably engaging said shaft, said other plate having a central opening through which said sleeve extends, said one end of said spring being fixed to said sleeve and said ratchet means couples said enclosure to said shaft, said clutch means includes a braking member for engaging said sleeve, a lever arm connected to said braking member and a brake actuating member secured to the lever arm and operable to gradually apply said brake to control rotation of said reel upon retraction of said chalk line and to hold said brake in a reel locking position, a reel enclosing compartment within said housing and having a sleeve receiving opening, said compartment having a chalk line opening in alignment with the first said housing opening and said housing and compartment each include second aligned openings for feeding powdered chalk to said chalk line and means for closing said second openings.
A chalk line reel structure comprising a housing formed of a pair of spaced plates of similar configuration and a peripheral wall closing the space defined by said plates, a centrally positioned shaft extending between said plates, keyed to one of said plates and secured against axial displacement, a sleeve rotatably carried by said shaft and extending through an opening in the other of said plates, a reel within said housing and carrying a chalk line, said reel being fixedly secured to said sleeve, a spiral spring overlying said other plate and having its inner end fixed to said sleeve, a spring enclosure surrounding said spring with the other end of said spring fixed to said enclosure, ratchet like means overlying said enclosure with one portion keyed to said shaft and releasably engaging a cooperating portion on said enclosure to permit rotation of said enclosure to produce the desired spring tension and to lock said enclosure against rotation at the desired spring tension, said housing including at lease one opening through which said chalk line extends and for introducing powdered chalk to said chalk line reel, and clutch means including a control lever engaging said sleeve to lock the sleeve and reel in a selected position and to control the rate of return of the chalk line after being extended.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.