Power operated tape measure

A power operated tape measure comprising:

• a case having a battery chamber and a circular chamber;
• a motor mounted within said case and having an output shaft;
• a first switch mounted on said case and electrically connected with the battery chamber of said case for controlling said motor;
• an annular reel fitted within the circuit chamber;
• a spring-biased tape wound within said annular reel;
• a drive belt detachably mounted on the output shaft of said a motor for directly engaging surface of said tape and thereby pushing said tape out of said case;
• a pull rod connected to said drive belt;
• and
• a second switch mounted on said case and connected to said pull rod for disengaging said drive belt from said tape surface so as to allow said spring-biased tape to be taken up.

A power operated tape measure comprising:

• a case;
• a battery mounted within the case;
• a motor having a motor output shaft, the motor being mounted within the case;
• a tape assembly comprising a tape and a reel on which the tape is at least partly wound, where the tape assembly is mounted within the case and is spring biased to wind the tape on the reel;
• a drive wheel operatively connected to the motor output shaft such that rotation of the motor output shaft causes rotation of the drive wheel, where the drive wheel is mounted within the case for movement between an engaged position in which the drive wheel engages the tape and a disengaged position in which the drive wheel does not engage the tape;
• and
• a switch set mounted on the case and operatively connected to the battery, the motor, and the drive wheel such that the switch set may be placed in at least a first switch configuration in which the switch set connects the motor to the battery and places the drive wheel in the engaged position to unwind the tape from the reel.

A method of causing a tape to extend from a case, comprising the steps of:

• mounting a motor having a motor output shaft within the case;
• providing a tape assembly having a tape and a reel on which the tape is at least partly wound, where the wheel is spring-biased to wind the tape on the reel;
• mounting the tape assembly within the case;
• mounting a drive wheel within the case for movement between an engaged position in which the drive wheel engages the tape and a disengaged position in which the drive wheel does not engage the tape;
• operatively connecting the drive wheel to the motor output shaft such that rotation of the motor output shaft causes rotation of the drive wheel;
• moving the drive wheel into the engaged position and operating the motor such that the drive wheel rotates to displace the tape out of the case.