Variable length columns
AssigneeDMI Fabrications Limited
InventorJames R. Sills
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A variable length support column for mounting a seat on a base to form a variable height seat comprises an elongate tube and a rod longitudinally slideable together or apart to shorten or to extend the column; a spring acting indirectly between the first tube and the rod to tend to lengthen the column; a ring of steel balls mounted in bores in tube displaceable to engage against grooves in the rod at any one of different extensions of the column to lock the column at said extension; and a release tube axially shiftable to release the balls into a groove in the release tube to unlock the column.
Claims13
A variable length support column comprising first and second elongate members longitudinally slidable together and apart to shorten and to extend the column respectively;
- means acting at least indirectly between the first and second elongate members to tend to lengthen the column;
- at least one latch member associated with one of the first and second elongate members and displacable to engage against the other of said first and second elongate members at any one of different extensions of the column to lock the column at said extension;
- and means for selectively displacing said at least one latch member to lock the column and for releasing said at least one latch member to permit reverse displacement thereof to free the column, wherein the first of said elongate members is a tubular member slideable over the exterior of the second said elongate member and having at least one aperture therein,
- the said at least one latch member is protrudable inwardly through a respective said aperture, and
- the exterior of said second elongate member is provided with a longitudinally extending series of surface recess formations into which the said at least one latch member is engageable to lock the column.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.