Measuring device

1 . A tape measure comprising:

a housing configured to receive a flexible tape;

a spring mechanism configured to allow extraction of at least a portion of the tape from the housing and retraction of the tape into the housing;

a first fractional indicia along a first edge on a first side of the tape; and

a first scale indicia along a second edge on the first side of the tape

wherein the first fractional indicia comprise a plurality of hash marks and corresponding fractional values;

wherein the first scale indicia comprises an architectural scale selected from a ¼-inch scale or a ⅛-inch scale;

wherein the first scale indicia begins at a 0-point of the tape;

wherein the first scale indicia extends continuously for at least 36 inches along the second edge; and

wherein the second edge is free of fractional indicia.

2 . The tape measure of claim 1 , further comprising full indica along a centerline of the tape, wherein the full indicia are oriented perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tape.

3 . The tape measure of claim 1 , wherein the first scale indicia extend about 48 inches along the second edge from the 0 point of the tape.

4 . The tape measure of claim 1 , further comprising a second fractional indicia along a first edge on a second side of the tape; and

a second scale indicia along a second edge on the second side of the tape

wherein the second fractional indicia comprise a plurality of hash marks and corresponding fractional values;

wherein the second scale indicia comprises an architectural scale selected from a ¼-inch scale or a ⅛-inch scale;

wherein the second scale indicia begins at a 0-point of the tape;

wherein the second scale indicia extends continuously for at least 36 inches along the second edge; and

wherein the second edge is free of fractional indicia.

5 . The tape measure of claim 4 , further comprising a second full indica along a centerline of the second side of the tape, wherein the second full indicia are oriented perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tape.

6 . The tape measure of claim 4 , wherein the second scale indicia extend about 48 inches along the second edge from the 0 point of the tape.

7 . The tape measure of claim 4 , wherein the first scale indicia and the second scale indicia are disposed on opposite sides of the tape such that only one of the first scale indicia or the second scale indicia is visible at a time.

8 . The tape measure of claim 1 , wherein the first scale indicia are oriented perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tape.

9 . The tape measure of claim 1 , wherein the first fractional indicia and the first scale indicia are disposed on the same side of the tape but on different edges.

10 . A tape measure comprising:

a housing configured to receive a flexible tape;

a spring mechanism configured to allow extraction of at least a portion of the tape from the housing and retraction of the tape into the housing;

a first fractional indicia along a first edge on a first side of the tape;

a second fractional indica along a second edge of the first side of the tape, wherein the second fractional indicia include actual fractional values;

a first scale indicia along a first edge on a second side of the tape starting at a 0 point of the tape; and

a second scale indicia along a second edge on a second side of the tape starting at the 0-point of the tape

wherein the first fractional indicia comprise a plurality of hash marks and corresponding fractional values;

wherein the second fractional indicia comprise a plurality of hash marks and corresponding fractional values;

wherein the first scale indicia and the second scale indicia each comprise an architectural scale selected from a ¼-inch scale or a ⅛-inch scale;

wherein the first scale indicia and the second scale indicia each begin at the 0 point of the tape;

wherein the first scale indicia and the second scale indicia each extend continuously for at least 36 inches along their respective edges; and

wherein each edge bearing the first scale indicia or the second scale indicia is free of fractional indicia.

11 . The tape measure of claim 10 , wherein the first scale indicia and the second scale indicia extend about 48 inches from the 0-point of the tape measure.

12 . The tape measure of claim 10 , further comprising full indica along a centerline of the second side of the tape, wherein the full indicia are oriented perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the tape.

13 . The tape measure of claim 10 , wherein the first scale indicia is a ¼ inch scale and the second scale indicia is a ⅛ inch scale.

14 . The tape measure of claim 10 , wherein the first fractional indicia and the second fractional indicia are disposed on opposite edges of the first side of the tape.

15 . A tape measure comprising:

a housing configured to receive a flexible tape;

a spring mechanism configured to allow extraction of at least a portion of the tape from the housing and retraction of the tape into the housing;

a first fractional indicia along a first edge on a first side of the tape;

a first scale indicia along a second edge on the first side of the tape, wherein the first scale indica extends about 48 inches along the second edge from a 0 point of the tape;

a second fractional indicia along a first edge on a second side of the tape; and

a second scale indicia along a second edge on the second side of the tape

wherein the first fractional indicia comprise a plurality of hash marks and corresponding fractional values;

wherein the second fractional indicia comprise a plurality of hash marks and corresponding fractional values;

wherein the first scale indicia and the second scale indicia each comprise an architectural scale selected from a ¼-inch scale or a ⅛-inch scale;

wherein the first scale indicia and the second scale indicia each begin at a 0-point of the tape;

wherein the first scale indicia and the second scale indicia each extend continuously for at least 36 inches along their respective edges; and

wherein each edge bearing the first scale indicia or the second scale indicia is free of fractional indicia.

16 . The tape measure of claim 15 , wherein the first scale indicia and the second scale indicia are each uninterrupted along their respective edges between the 0-point and at least 36 inches.