Locking telescoping rod
AssigneeLiberty Hardware Mfg. Corp.
InventorJames Leroy Daniels
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A compression lock assembly for an adjustable length rod assembly with inner and outer tubes is provided. The compression lock assembly has an adapter adapted to be connected to rotate with the inner tube. An elastomeric ring with an inner opening and outer diameter is concentric and disposed coaxially with the adapter. A threaded fastener extends through the elastomeric ring and is fixed to the adapter. A lock nut is disposed about the threaded fastener and fixed to rotate with the elastomeric ring. The locking nut moves along the threaded fastener to compress the elastomeric ring and expand the outer diameter from a first diameter to a second diameter greater than the first diameter as the elastomeric ring is rotated relative to the adapter.
Claims20
An adjustable length rod assembly comprising:
- an inner tube defining a longitudinal axis;
- an outer tube sized to receive the inner tube,
- a lock mechanism secured to an end of the inner tube and extending within the outer tube, the lock mechanism having an elastomeric ring disposed coaxially about the longitudinal axis;
- and
- wherein rotation of the inner tube relative to outer tube causes the lock mechanism to expand the elastomeric ring from a first diameter to a second diameter greater than the first diameter thereby providing an outward radial force against an internal surface of the outer tube to prevent translation of the inner tube relative to the outer tube.
A compression lock assembly for an adjustable length rod assembly with inner and outer tubes, the compression lock assembly comprising:
- an adapter adapted to be connected to rotate with the inner tube;
- an elastomeric ring with an inner opening and outer diameter being concentric and disposed coaxially with the adapter;
- a threaded fastener extending through the elastomeric ring and fixed to the adapter;
- and
- a lock nut disposed about the threaded fastener and fixed to rotate with the elastomeric ring,
- wherein the locking nut moves along the threaded fastener to compress the elastomeric ring and expand the outer diameter from a first diameter to a second diameter greater than the first diameter as the elastomeric ring is rotated relative to the adapter.
An adjustable length rod assembly comprising:
- a first telescoping tube defining a longitudinal axis;
- a compression lock assembly secured to an end of the first telescoping tube with an elastomeric ring disposed coaxially about the longitudinal axis;
- and
- a second telescoping tube sized to receive the first telescoping tube within an internal cavity and engage the elastomeric ring,
- wherein rotation of the second telescoping tube relative to first telescoping tube expands the elastomeric ring from an unlocked position having a first diameter to one of a plurality of locked positions having a second diameter greater than the first diameter, and
- wherein in each of the plurality of locked positions, the elastomeric ring provides an outward radial force against an internal surface of the second telescoping tube, thereby locking the second telescoping tube and preventing translation relative to the first telescoping tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.