<P> On December 6 , 1864 patent # 45,372 was issued to William H. Bangs of West Meriden , Connecticut . Bang 's rule was the first attempt in the United States to make a spring return pocket tape measure . The tape could be stopped at any point and held by the mechanism . The tape could be returned to the case by sliding a button on the side of the case which then allowed the spring to pull the tape back into the case . </P>
<P> On December 6 , 1864 patent # 45,372 was issued to William H. Bangs of West Meriden , Connecticut . Bang 's rule was the first attempt in the United States to make a spring return pocket tape measure . The tape could be stopped at any point and held by the mechanism . The tape could be returned to the case by sliding a button on the side of the case which then allowed the spring to pull the tape back into the case . </P>
when was the first retractable tape measure invented
when was the first retractable tape measure invented
1864
1864