Tape measure

An improved gearless, open-spooled, direct-drive tape measure of the spring recoil type, including a means for adjusting tension of said spring relative to said tape measure, said tape measure having a spool including a flat wound recoil spring, a tape measure having one end attached to the outer end of said spring, said spool including a spring-retaining disk having a diameter at least about equal to the diameter of the retracted tape and spring together, said disk having a spring-retaining well on one side of the disk defined by a wall substantially concentric with the disk, said wall having a slot therein through which said spring and tape end may pass, said well holding said spring with said tape wound around the outside of the well wall, wherein the periphery of said disk guides rewinding of said tape, and an input disk having a diameter substantially equal to said spring-retaining disk, seated atop the wall of the spring well to retain said spring in the well, wherein the outer periphery of said input disk guides rewinding of said tape, said improved spring tension adjusting tape measure comprising:

• a pair of covers for holding said spool between them, said covers spaced apart by a plurality of collars to accommodate the spool, said collars arranged about the periphery of said spool, one of said covers including a hub fixed to one face for rotationally mounting said spool and securing the inner end of said spring, said covers including:
• a first cover, larger in diameter than said spool, to which one end of said collars is fixed, and
• a second cover, smaller in diameter than the locus of the outer edge of the diameters of said collars about said spool and at least equal in diameter to said spool;
• at least one locking ring engageable with said second cover for securing said second cover to the opposite end of said collars fixed to said first cover, whereby said locking ring is of sufficient outer diameter to be fastened to said collars and has an inner diameter which overlaps the periphery of said second cover;
• and
• fastening means for securing said locking ring, while holding said second cover in position, to said collars and for securing said first cover to the opposite end of said collars, with the spool held between said covers, wherein loosening said fastening means securing either cover and rotating said cover with respect to the cover remaining secured to the collars cause relative rotation of the hub, to which one end of the spring is fastened, with respect to the tape end, whereby the tension of said spring with respect to said tape is adjusted.