Chalk drawing device and method

1 . A device for creating a chalk drawing on a surface comprising:

a) a base adapted to rest on the surface;

b) a housing cover rotatably connected to the base;

c) a direction indicator indicating a rotational position of the housing cover with respect to the base;

d) a tape measure assembly connected to the housing cover, said tape measure assembly including a tape measure that may be moved between extended and contracted conditions, said tape measure also including a distal end portion; where a position of the distal end portion of the tape measure and a rotational position of the housing cover with respect to the base establish coordinates for a plot point of the chalk drawing.

2 . The device of claim 1 wherein the base is round and the direction indicator includes a plurality of directional characters positioned about a circumference of the base and a direction window passing through the housing cover through which a selected one of the characters may be viewed, said selected one of the characters corresponding to a rotational position of the housing cover with respect to the base.

3 . The device of claim 2 wherein the characters are letters.

4 . The device of claim 2 wherein the tape measure features a plurality of characters and the housing cover includes a tape measure window through which a selected one of the characters may be viewed, said selected one of the characters corresponding to an extended condition of the tape measure.

5 . The device of claim 1 wherein the tape measure features a plurality of characters and the housing cover includes a tape measure window through which a selected one of the characters may be viewed, said selected one of the characters corresponding to an extended condition of the tape measure.

6 . The device of claim 4 wherein the characters are numbers.

7 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a mounting plate attached to the housing cover with said tape measure assembly mounted to the mounting plate.

8 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a point viewing window formed in the housing cover and generally aligned with a rotational axis about which the housing cover rotates with respect to the base.

9 . The device of claim 1 wherein further comprising a tape measure brake slidably attached to the housing cover and movable between a position where it engages the tape measure to prevent it from retracting from a selected extended condition to the retracted condition and a position where the tape measure is released and free to retract into the housing cover.

10 . The device of claim 9 further comprising a spring urging the tape measure brake into the position where it engages the tape measure to prevent it from retracting and a retraction button mounted in the housing cover for sliding the tape measure brake against the urging of the spring.

11 . The device of claim 10 wherein the spring is a coil spring.

12 . The device of claim 9 wherein the tape measure assembly includes a tape measure housing and the tape measure brake includes a flange portion that engages the tape measure housing with the tape measure positioned therebetween to prevent it from retracting into the tape measure housing.

13 . The device of claim 1 wherein the base includes leading tab and a trailing alignment tab.

14 . The device of claim 13 wherein the leading tab features a triangular shape and the trailing alignment tab includes a V-shaped notch.

15 . The device of claim 1 further comprising a ratchet arm having a proximal end attached to the housing cover and a distal end that features a projection, said base including a plurality of detents that are individually engaged by the projection of the ratchet arm.

16 . The device of claim 1 wherein the distal end portion of the tape measure includes a pull tab featuring an opening through which the plot point may be marked.

17 . A method for creating a chalk drawing on a surface comprising the steps of:

a) providing a chalk drawing device including a base, a housing cover rotatably connected to the base, a retractable tape measure having a distal end portion connected to the housing cover, and a point viewing window;

b) marking a first plot point of the drawing on the surface with chalk;

c) positioning the chalk drawing device over the first plot point so that the first plot point is viewable through the point viewing window of the device;

d) selecting a rotational position of the housing cover with respect to the base;

e) moving the tape measure from a retracted to condition to a selected extended condition;

f) marking a second plot point of the drawing on the surface with chalk; and

g) drawing a line between the first and second plot points on the surface with chalk.

18 . The method of claim 17 wherein steps d) and e) are performed with the aid of a recipe card.

19 . The method of claim 17 wherein the device includes a triangular shaped leading tab that is pointed away from a user in a direction that is perpendicular to both imaginary top and bottom edges of the drawing and parallel to imaginary side edges the drawing.

20 . The method of claim 17 wherein the device includes a trailing alignment tab featuring a V-shaped notch and the V-shaped notch is positioned in alignment with a previously drawn line segment.