초록 ▼

A holder and guide for a measuring tape and a process of making and using the holder. The holder is made up of a hollow tube having a rectangular cross section. The tube has a slit or gap running the length of the tube to enable a measuring tape to be inserted. A magnet is attached to an exterior po

A holder and guide for a measuring tape and a process of making and using the holder. The holder is made up of a hollow tube having a rectangular cross section. The tube has a slit or gap running the length of the tube to enable a measuring tape to be inserted. A magnet is attached to an exterior portion of the tube. The holder enables a user to insert any portion of a measuring tape inside the tube without having to insert the end of the tape measure therein. The holder facilitates in making measurements using a measuring tape, especially when a long distance is being measured and it is inconvenient to insert an end of the measuring tape through the guide to secure a middle portion of the measuring tape during measurement. The holder also has a magnet that attaches the holder to metallic objects enabling a single user to more easily make measurements using a measuring tape.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A guide, comprising: a channel having open opposite terminal ends longitudinally aligned and forming an elongate rule passage adapted to continuously accommodate unobstructed entry and unresisted movement of an elongate rule through said channel, said channel being formed by

What is claimed is: 1. A guide, comprising: a channel having open opposite terminal ends longitudinally aligned and forming an elongate rule passage adapted to continuously accommodate unobstructed entry and unresisted movement of an elongate rule through said channel, said channel being formed by a plurality of flat sidewalls with a first of said sidewalls perforated by a longitudinally extending opening exposing to observation any scale borne by the rule; and a permanent magnet mounted upon a second and different one of said sidewalls next to said first of said sidewalls and exterior to said channel. 2. The guide of claim 1, comprising a holder interposed between said channel and said magnet and attached to said second of said sidewalls to expose a major surface of said magnet most distant from said second of said sidewalls. 3. A guide, comprising: a permanent magnet; and a channel having open opposite terminal ends longitudinally aligned and forming an elongate rule passage adapted to continuously accommodate unobstructed entry and unresisted passage of an elongate rule through said channel while shielding the rule from said permanent magnet, said channel being formed by a plurality of flat sidewalls with a first of said sidewalls perforated by a longitudinally extending opening exposing to observation any scale borne by the rule and with said permanent magnet being mounted upon a second and different one of said sidewalls next to said first of said sidewalls and exterior to said channel. 4. The guide of claim 3, comprising a holder interposed between said channel and said magnet and attached to said second of said sidewalls to expose a major surface of said magnet most distant from said second of said sidewalls. 5. A process of making a guide, comprising: creating a channel having open opposite terminal ends longitudinally aligned and forming an elongate rule passage adapted to continuously accommodate unobstructed entry and unresisted movement of an elongate rule through said channel, by forming said channel with a plurality of distinct sidewalls with a first of said sidewalls perforated by a longitudinally extending opening exposing to observation any scale borne by the rule; and mounting a permanent magnet upon a second and different one of said sidewalls next to said first of said sidewalls and exterior to said channel. 6. The process of claim 5, comprised of interposing a holder between said channel and said magnet and attaching said holder to said second of said sidewalls to expose a major surface of said magnet most distant from said second of said sidewalls. 7. A measuring tape holding apparatus, comprising: a tube having a rectangular cross section, wherein said tube is closed except for a narrow slit extending a length of said tube wherein said tube forms an elongate rule passage adapted to accommodate entry and unresisted movement of an elongate rule through said tube; and a magnet attached to an exterior surface of said tube. 8. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a U-shaped piece attached to an exterior surface of said tube wherein an open portion of said U-shaped piece faces away from said tube, said magnet being disposed within said U-shaped piece. 9. The apparatus of claim 8, said tube having four exterior surfaces, wherein one of said four exterior surfaces having said slit parallel to an axis of said tube and running an entire length of said tube, said U-shaped piece being attached to one of said four exterior surfaces and not to said exterior surface bearing said slit. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, said U-shaped piece being attached to one of said four exterior surfaces of said tube that is adjacent to said exterior surface having said slit. 11. The apparatus of claim 8, said U-shaped piece covering nearly all of said exterior surface the U-shaped piece is attached to, said magnet covering a substantial area of said U-shaped piece. 12. The apparatus of claim 7, said tube having four exterior surfaces, wherein one of said four exterior surfaces having said slit parallel to an axis of said tube and running an entire length of said tube. 13. The apparatus of claim 12, said slit dividing one of said four exterior surfaces in half. 14. The apparatus of claim 12, said four exterior surfaces being flat. 15. The apparatus of claim 12, said tube having four flat interior surfaces. 16. The apparatus of claim 12, said length of said tube being two inches, said slit being less than 0.5 inches wide and each of said four exterior surfaces being greater than one inch wide. 17. The apparatus of claim 7, said tube having four exterior surfaces, said magnet covering almost all of said exterior surface the magnet is attached to. 18. The apparatus of claim 7, said magnet being perforated by a first hole, the side of the tube comprising the exterior surface the magnet is attached to being perforated by a second hole, said first hole being aligned with said second hole. 19. The apparatus of claim 18, further comprising a first screw extending through said first hole and through said second hole and fastening together said magnet to said tube. 20. The apparatus of claim 7, said tube having a plurality of flat exterior surfaces and a plurality of interior surfaces. 21. An apparatus for holding a middle portion of a measuring tape, comprising: a section of a hollow metal tube having a rectangular cross section having an open section, said tube having four exterior surfaces, wherein one of said four exterior surfaces is divided by a gap serving as said open section, said gap extending an entire length of said section of tube, said gap running parallel to an axis of said tube; wherein said section of tube forms an elongate rule passage adapted to accommodate entry and unresisted movement of an elongate rule through said tube; and a magnet attached to one of said four exterior surfaces, said magnet attached to an exterior surface that is adjacent to said exterior surface divided by said gap. 22. The apparatus of claim 21, said gap having a width that is a small fraction of a width of each of said four exterior surfaces, said width of each of said four exterior surfaces being perpendicular to a length of said section of tube. 23. The apparatus of claim 22, further comprising a U-shaped piece attached to one of said four exterior surfaces of said tube, said U-shaped piece being open in a direction away from said tube, said magnet being disposed within said U-shaped piece. 24. The apparatus of claim 21, said tube further comprising four flat interior surfaces, wherein one of said four interior surfaces being divided by said gap extending an entire length of said tube. 25. The apparatus of claim 21, said magnet being perforated by a first hole, a side of said tube that has said one of said four exterior surfaces that the magnet is attached to being perforated by a second hole, said first hole being aligned to the second hole, the apparatus further comprising a first screw extending through both said first hole and said second hole and binding together said hollow metal tube to said magnet. 26. The apparatus of claim 21, said tube having a plurality of flat exterior surfaces and a plurality of flat interior surfaces. 27. A measuring tape holding apparatus, comprising: a section of a rigid hollow tube, said section having open end portions wherein said section and said open end portions forms an elongate rule passage adapted to continuously accommodate unobstructed movement of a length of measuring tape through said section, said section having a slit running an entire length of said section from a first end to a second end; and a magnet disposed on an exterior of said section of a hollow tube. 28. The apparatus of claim 27, said magnet being disposed near said slit but not covering said slit. 29. The apparatus of claim 28, said magnet being permanently attached to said section of said hollow tube. 30. The apparatus of claim 29, said slit being at least 0.25 inches wide, said section of said hollow tube being no more than 3 inches long. 31. The apparatus of claim 27, said slit extending from one open end portion to another open end portion. 32. The apparatus of claim 27, said magnet being perforated by a first hole, the side of the tube with the exterior surface of said tube the magnet is attached to being perforated by a second hole, said first hole being aligned with said second hole. 33. The apparatus of claim 32, further comprising a first screw extending through said first hole and through said second hole and fastening together said magnet to said tube.