Who invented the tape measure?
Who invented the tape measure?
Alvin J. Fellows
On July 14, 1868, a Connecticut man named Alvin J. Fellows patented the spring-click tape measure.
What is the importance of tape measure?
Tape measures are indispensable tools. We use them to build houses, to tailor clothes and to ensure fairness in trade and sports, pretty much any situation where we need to know the length of something.
What is the history of measuring tape?
In 1829, Chesterman patented a spring tape measure that utilized flat metal with marked measurements. The metal was cased inside of a donut-shaped leather case that made the tool easy to transport and use. After receiving a patent for his invention, Chesterman began to sell the product for $17 in the United States.
How accurate are tape measures?
Tape measures follow the same tolerance guideline, though margins of error are larger. Up to 12 ft., a precision tape measure will be accurate to about ±1⁄32 in.; beyond 12 ft., it’s within ±1⁄16 in.
How old is the tape measure?
1868: Alvin J. Fellows of New Haven, Connecticut, receives a patent for a spring-click tape measure. His improved design creates a useful and enduring tool. The invention originated in Sheffield, England, historic center of England’s steel industry.
What does a measuring tape measure in?
In the US, the standard tape measure will measure in Imperial units—that’s feet and inches—while the rest of the world uses metric tape measures to measure in meters and centimeters.
When did the tape measure become popular?
The carpenter’s folding wooden ruler remained the most popular collapsible measuring device in the United States until at least the 1940s. As the tape measure gained acceptance, by the 1940s it had found its niche in construction. The tape measure then evolved and gained more features.
What is the uncertainty of a tape measure?
±0.05 cm
We can say that the measuring instrument is readable to ±0.05 cm. The ±0.05 cm means that your measurement may be off by as much as 0.05 cm above or below its true value. This value is called the uncertainty or the precision of the instrument.
What is the error of a tape measure?
The metal claw at the front end of the tape can produce a measurement error of 1/16 inch. Exercising care to hold the tape measure as tautly as possible can minimize this error margin, but seasoned veterans know to use the 1-inch line as their zero-point and subtract from the total length accordingly.
Why are tape measures curved?
Have you ever wondered why the blade on a tape measure is curved? The concave design helps keep the blade rigid when extended. This curve allows the blade to “stand out” while measuring, helping you read the measurement.
What is the end of a tape measure called?
Hook
Hook. If you’ve ever measured a table or other hard surface, you’ve likely used the hook at the end of the tape. This metal piece is loose on purpose since the first inch is 1/16th of an inch short, meaning it needs to be pulled taut to ensure accuracy.
How do you measure tape measure?
How to Measure Using a Tape Measure. Measure a length. Put the end of the measure at one end of the item or space you want to measure. Find the length. In order to determine the length, you must add the lengths between inches together. For a length less than 1 inch, simply read off the tape measure the length.
How to read a tape measure?
– When reading a tape measure, find the closest whole inch to the end point. Then examine leftover indicator lines to see what fractions of an inch remain. – To read an inch, look for the large numbers. That number is usually in bold, black type. – To read 1/2-inch measurements, locate the second-longest mark between the longer inch marks. For 1/4-inch marks, look halfway between the 1/2-inch marks.
How do you read a tape measure?
Here’s how to read a tape measure in inches: Make a straight horizontal line on the sheet of paper. Pull out the tape measure along the line. The start of the tape should be on the left end of the line. Look at the nearest longer mark to the left of the end of the line. That will give you a number in whole inches.
What is the measurement of a tape measure?
A tape measure or measuring tape is a flexible ruler and used to measure distance. It consists of a ribbon of cloth, plastic, fibre glass, or metal strip with linear-measurement markings. It is a common measuring tool.
