What is this plastic measuring thing?

[Vorde]

http://postimage.org/image/urnvnzkhz/

I was watching a tv show (the astute watcher will recognize it as How I Met Your Mother), when I saw one of the characters holding this thing (the curved plastic measuring-thing).

My dad used to have one of those on his work bench, and I used to play with it as a kid, but seeing it in the TV show I realized I had no idea whatsoever what it was. I tried googling it, but I ran into the inherent problem of figuring out what I would call it and I couldn't find anything, so I was hoping PF would help me.

The character in the show is an architect and my dad is an engineer, if that helps.

Thanks :)

 

[Pythagorean]

compass?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compass_(drafting )

 

[Vorde]

No the other thing, the one that looks like a big plastic nine (I'm so technical).

 

[Pythagorean]

Huh. Didn't even notice that. No idea. Looks like a specialty protractor, but I'm reaching here.

 

[Pythagorean]

Here's one I found (maybe?) googling drafting tools. No name, but very similar looking (scroll down a bit, it's yellow).

http://www.nextcraft.com/importanceofgoodtools.html

 

[Jimmy]

French curve?

 

[Pythagorean]

Looks like it's a "French Curve" for drawing non-circular curves:

http://upload.ecvv.com/upload/Product/20107/China_French_curve_ruler_drawing_mold20107291110502.jpg

 

[Pythagorean]

French curve?

why, you!

 

[Jimmy]

Sorry.

My monitor is too old. I couldn't even see the french curve in the OP's image.

 

[Pkruse]

French curves were very valuable tools in the days before CAD. I probably have more than a dozen of them in storage somewhere. Haven't uses them since about 1980.

 

[phinds]

It's definitely a French curve, as others have suggested. Like Pkruse I have several of them.

 

[Vorde]

Haha thanks everyone, that solved a little part of my childhood :)