To automatically draw out and wind a measuring tape in, without requiring external motive power.

This tape measure is constituted of a tape reel 1, supported by a shaft 1a for winding the measuring tape 1e energized toward the draw-out direction, and a rotary drum 2 provided rotation-transmissively in the tape reel 1, and supported by a shaft 2a, provided with a coil spring 2e for energizing the measuring tape 1e of the tape reel 1 toward the winding-in direction. A small-diameter gear 1b and a large-diameter gear 1c are formed in the tape reel 1, and a small-diameter gear 2b and a large-diameter gear 2c are formed to the rotating drum 2. In the small-diameter gears and the large-diameter gears, a first meshing is formed between the large-diameter gear 1c in the tape reel 1 and the small-diameter gear 2b in the rotating drum 2, a second meshing is formed between the small-diameter gear 1b in the tape reel 1 and the large-diameter gear 2c in the rotary drum 2, and the superiority between restoration force of the measuring tape 1e in the tape reel 1 and energizing force of the coil spring 2e in the rotating drum 2 is inverted, by setting to the first meshing or the second meshing.

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