A tape measure or measuring tape is a long, flexible ruler used to measure length or distance. It usually consists of a ribbon of cloth, plastic, fibreglass, or metal (usually - hard steel alloy) strip with linear measurement markings.
Types Tape measures are often designed for specific uses or trades. Tapes may have different scales, be made of different materials, and be of different lengths depending on the intended use. Tape measures used in tailoring are called "sewing tape". Originally made from flexible cloth or plastic, fiberglass is now the preferred material due to its resistance from stretching or tearing. Sewing tape is mainly used for the measuring of the subject's waist line. Measuring tapes designed for carpentry or construction often use a curved metallic ribbon that can remain stiff and straight when extended, but can also retract into a coil for convenient storage. This type of tape measure will have a hook on the end to aid measuring. The hook is connected to the tape with loose rivets through oval holes, and can move a distance equal to its thickness, to provide both inside and outside measurements that are accurate. Self-marking tape measures include a graphite tip, enabling the user to make accurate markings. Surveying requires the measuring of large distances and require an increased need for accuracy. Due to this, measuring tapes used for surveying may be made out of invar because of its low rate of thermal expansion.
Cased measuring tape There are two basic types of cased measuring tapes: spring return tape measures and manual return tape measures. While spring return tape measures are compact and self-retracting, manual return measures are designed for longer distances and often require manual winding, often via hand crank.
History Prior to the advent of standardized measuring tapes, tailors employed cloth tapes without any markings. These tapes were manually inscribed with notches to denote specific measurements, enabling tailors to record the proportions of their clients.
James Chesterman, a British metalworker, is credited with the invention of the first retractable tape measure in 1821. His design consisted of a spring-loaded cloth strip with marked measurements, housed within a compact case. Building upon his prior design, Chesterman would patent the first steel tape measure. By capitalizing on the declining popularity of pannier dresses, Chesterman repurposed the surplus flat wire used in the dresses to create the flexible measuring tape. On 6 December 1864, William H. Bangs received a patent for the first design of a spring return tape measure. Bang's design would later be improved upon by Alvin J. Fellows on July 14, 1868. Fellows' design differed from Bang's by allowing the tape to be held in place via a spring-click mechanism. The first patented long tape measure in the United States was granted on 10 July 1860 to William H. Paine, and produced by George M. Eddy and Company. This design lacked any measurement points on it. Instead, it functioned as a singular unit of measurement, with the entire length of the tape representing a fixed distance. A brass piece, attached at the end of the tape, served as a reference marker. The length corresponding to the tape's full extension was then indicated on the case or crank mechanism.
In 1871, Justus Roe introduced a cost cutting technique to the tape measure. Employing rivets to attach small brass washers to the tape, he could mark inches and feet. To further enhance readability, small brass tags were affixed at five-foot intervals, each bearing a number indicating the total number of feet to that point. While this technique was not patented, Justus Roe and Sons popularized this design in their "Roe Electric Reel Tape Measures" during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. To compete with other products, they transitioned to etching or stamping increments and numbers directly onto the tape, eliminating the need for rivets and washers. The "electric" moniker was a marketing term and did not signify any electrical functionality. On 3 January 1922, Hiram A. Farrand patented his concave-convex tape. The concave nature of his design allowed the tape to stay rigid, even when extended. Their product was later sold to Stanley Black & Decker.
In 1947, the Swedish engineer Ture Anders Ljungberg began developing an improved version and in 1954 the TALmeter was introduced. It features edges at both the end of the tape and the mouth to cut marks so measures (including arcs) can be transferred without reading the scale, as well as a fold-out metal tongue at the rear, also with an edge, to be used when taking internal measures. The tape has three scales: the normal metric, the internal scale and a diameter scale used for instance to measure sheet metal to be rolled into a cylinder of a certain diameter. It was produced by his own company T A Ljungberg AB until 2005, when it was bought by Hultafors in 2005, who retained the name "Talmeter" for the product they now refer to as a märkmeter (marker-meter). In March 1963, Stanley Tools introduced the PowerLock tape measure series. It was the first to use a molded ABS case, thumb actuated tape lock, and riveted end hook. By 1989, Stanley was producing more than 200,000 tape measures every day. The first commercialized Digital Tape Measure was released by Starrett in 1995 under the DigiTape brand. It was further refined with added Bluetooth capability by REEKON Tools in 2023 by allowing measurements to be directly send and shared across mobile devices and computers.
Design
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