Abstract: A retractable rule assembly includes a housing assembly and a reel in the housing assembly. An elongated blade formed of a ribbon of metal having one end connected to the reel is able to extend outwardly through a spaced opening in the housing assembly. A coil spring is arranged within the housing so as to wind up the blade when extending from the housing. A blade holding assembly is actuatable to hold the blade outwardly of the housing assembly opening and to release the blade from any position in which it is held. A relatively short free end portion of the blade has a film of plastic material adhered to a convex or a concave side thereof. The clear film of plastic material protects the covered portion of the blade from cracking or tearing and protects any indicia on the end of the blade from wear.

Abstract: A retractable rule assembly includes a housing assembly and a reel rotatably mounted in the housing assembly. An elongated blade formed of a ribbon of metal having one end connected to the reel is constructed and arranged with respect to the housing assembly to extend from a position tangential to the reel outwardly through a spaced opening in the housing assembly. A coil spring formed of a ribbon of metal has a construction and arrangement between the housing assembly and the reel to rotate the reel in the housing assembly in a direction to wind up the elongated blade when extending outwardly of the housing assembly opening in a normal concavo-convex cross-sectional configuration onto the reel in an abutting volute coil formation in a flattened cross-sectional configuration. A blade holding assembly is constructed and arranged to be manually actuated to hold the blade in any position of extension outwardly of the housing assembly opening and to release the blade from any position in which it is held.

Abstract: A rule assembly includes a housing assembly and a reel rotatably mounted in the housing assembly. An elongated blade formed of a ribbon of metal having one end connected to the reel extendable outwardly through a spaced opening in the housing assembly. An end hook member on the free end of the blade includes a hook portion and a mounting portion extending generally perpendicular from the hook portion. The housing opening has a height dimension which exceeds the height dimension of the hook member mounting portion and its connection with the free end of the blade an amount which is at least approximately equal to an amount the hook portion extends below the bottom end surface of the housing assembly when at the housing opening.

Abstract: A retractable rule assembly includes a housing assembly and a reel rotatably mounted in the housing assembly. An elongated blade formed of a ribbon of metal having one end connected to the reel is constructed and arranged with respect to the housing assembly to extend from a position tangential to the reel outwardly through a spaced opening in the housing assembly. A coil spring formed of a ribbon of metal has a construction and arrangement between the housing assembly and the reel to rotate the reel in the housing assembly in a direction to wind up the elongated blade when extending outwardly of the housing assembly opening in a normal concavo-convex cross-sectional configuration onto the reel in an abutting volute coil formation in a flattened cross-sectional configuration. A blade holding assembly is constructed and arranged to be manually actuated to hold the blade in any position of extension outwardly of the housing assembly opening and to release the blade from any position in which it is held.

Abstract: A retractable rule assembly includes a housing assembly and a reel rotatably mounted in the housing assembly. An elongated blade formed of a ribbon of metal having one end connected to the reel is constructed and arranged with respect to the housing assembly to extend from a position tangential to the reel outwardly through a spaced opening in the housing assembly. The blade has a hook member on the free end thereof. The hook member includes a hook portion and a mounting portion extending generally perpendicular from the hook portion. The mounting portion is connected with the free end of the blade for limited relative movement along the blade in an amount generally equal to thickness of the hook portion.

Abstract: A hammer includes a rigid elongated support structure, a head carried at one end of the support structure, and a manually engageable gripping portion. An end of the elongated support structure includes a pair of vibration-receiving portions terminating in spaced apart relation with respect to each other and spaced from each other in a direction parallel to a swing plane of the hammer. The manually engageable gripping portion is formed from a resiliently deformable material molded around a portion of the support structure including the vibration-receiving portions so as to fill the space between the vibration-receiving portions. Vibration forces acting in a direction parallel to the swing plane of the hammer are generated by striking a striking surface of the head against an object.

Abstract: A can for soda, beer, or the like, having a standard flip-top lid segment, an upstanding flange, surrounding the lid and a disposal opening defined by the flange for securing the lid segment after its removal.

Abstract: A mechanical oscillator for swinging an optical or other load element back and forth with a substantially constant amplitude. The oscillator is constituted by an erect torsion rod sustained in torsional vibration at its natural frequency by a drive motor energized by drive signals supplied by an external drive generator. The load element is secured to the free end of the rod, and in order to maintain the desired swing amplitude, a fixed pick-up coil is associated with an armature attached to the rod adjacent the free end thereof. Induced in the coil is a control signal whose frequency corresponds to the swing frequency and whose amplitude is proportional to the amplitude thereof. This control signal is applied to a controller adapted to so vary the output of said generator as to maintain a substantially constant swing amplitude.

Abstract: An athletic shoe, with attached spike plates, depending from each of which are a plurality of spikes. Each spike plate defines a central opening through which is mounted a cleaning member mounted by a spring or another form of resilient member. The athletic shoe portion beneath each spike plate is recessed for mounting of the resilient member and for enabling the cleaning member to be pressed therein without exposure outside of the athletic shoe to a point below the spike plate.