Telescoping strut construction

A strut construction comprising, in combination:

• a. A pair of inner and outer strut members adapted to telescope one into the other to effect a composite strut of variable length,
• b. multi-part, cooperable releasable means on said inner and outer members for locking the same in a predetermined, fixed position with respect to one another,
• c. a collar member carried by the outer strut member for actuating said locking means, said collar member being movable longitudinally between an advanced, strut-locking position and a retracted, unlocking position,
• d. means biasing said collar member to its advanced strut-locking position, and
• e. cooperable means on said outer strut member and collar member for securing the latter, when in its advanced position, against longitudinal movement with respect to the outer strut member in response to turning of the collar member on said outer strut member,
• f. said collar member biasing means automatically effecting turning of the collar member to its securing position when the collar member reaches said advanced position, and
• g. the outer strut member having an end portion of reduced diameter, closely and slidably fitting the inner strut member, and having an annular shoulder defining said portion of reduced diameter,
• h. said collar member biasing means comprising a coil spring surrounding and carried by said reduced diameter portion of the outer strut,
• i. one end of said coil spring being secured in said annular shoulder,
• j. the inner end of the inner strut member having an annular stop shoulder engageable with the annular shoulder of the outer strut member to orient the parts of said releasable locking means.