Expandable self-locking frame

An expandable self-locking wall frame comprising:

• an upper elongated track;
• a lower elongated track;
• and
• at least one vertically extensible stud, said vertically extensible stud having an elongated stud member, a vertical extension mechanism, and a locking mechanism;
• said elongated stud member having a vertically extending channel provided therein, and further having an upper end and a lower end, said lower end of said stud member connected to said lower elongated track;
• said vertical extension mechanism including a vertical extension block slidably disposed in said vertically extending channel adjacent said upper end of said elongated stud member and contacting said upper elongated track, a vertical adjustment block slidably disposed in said vertically extending channel below said vertical extension block, and a stationary block fixedly disposed in said vertically extending channel between said vertical extension block and said vertical adjustment block, said vertical extension mechanism further including an elongated connector member having an upper end fixedly attached to said vertical extension block and a lower end fixedly attached to said vertical adjustment block;
• said locking mechanism mounted to said stationary block and engaging said elongated connector member;
• wherein said vertical extension block can be vertically extended along said vertically extending channel beyond said upper end of said elongated stud member with said elongated connector member to increase the height of the wall frame by sliding said vertical adjustment block toward said first end of said vertically extensible stud, said locking mechanism preventing retraction of said vertical extension block into said elongated stud member.

A longitudinally extensible strut comprising:

• an elongated strut member having an longitudinally extending channel provided therein, said elongated strut member further having a first end and a second end;
• a longitudinal extension mechanism including a longitudinal extension member slidably disposed in said longitudinally extending channel adjacent said first end of said elongated strut member, a stationary member fixedly disposed in said longitudinally extending channel between said first end and said second end of said elongated strut member, and an elongated connector member extending through said stationary member and having a first end fixedly attached to said longitudinal extension member;
• a locking mechanism mounted to said stationary member and engaging said elongated connector member;
• wherein said longitudinal extension member can be extended beyond said first end of said elongated strut member to increase the length of the longitudinally extensible strut by forcing said elongated connector member through said stationary member and toward said first end of said elongated strut member, said locking mechanism preventing said longitudinal extension member from being inadvertently retracted into said elongated strut member.

A longitudinal extension mechanism for use in a longitudinally extensible strut having an elongated strut member provided with a longitudinally extending channel therein and having first and second ends, said longitudinal extension mechanism comprising:

• a longitudinal extension member adapted to be slidably disposed in the longitudinally extending channel adjacent the first end of the elongated strut member;
• a longitudinal adjustment member adapted to be slidably disposed in the longitudinally extending channel between the first and said second ends of the elongated strut member;
• a stationary member adapted to be fixedly disposed in the longitudinally extending channel between said longitudinal extension member and said longitudinal adjustment member;
• an elongated connector member having a first end fixedly attached to said longitudinal extension member and a second end fixedly attached to said longitudinal adjustment member;
• and
• a locking mechanism mounted to said stationary member and engaging said elongated connector member;
• wherein said extension member can be extended beyond the first end of the elongated strut member with said elongated connector member to increase the length of the longitudinally extensible strut by sliding said longitudinal adjustment member along the longitudinally extending channel toward the first end of the elongated strut member, said locking mechanism preventing said extension member from being inadvertently retracted into the elongated strut member.

A locking mechanism for use in a longitudinally extensible strut having a elongated strut member, said locking mechanism comprising:

• a stationary member adapted to be fixedly disposed in a channel of the elongated strut member;
• a detent lever having a proximal end, a distal end, and an aperture provided therebetween, said detent lever attached to said stationary member at said proximal end;
• an elongated connector member extending through said stationary member and through said aperture provided through said detent lever, said elongated connector member being provided with a plurality of ratchet teeth;
• and
• a biasing element disposed about said elongated connector member between said detent lever and said stationary member, said biasing element urging said detent lever against said ratchet such that said elongated connector member may be manually forced through said detent lever aperture in a first direction with said ratchet teeth successively momentarily displacing said detent lever against the force of said biasing element, and further may be retracted through said aperture in a second direction by manually depressing said distal end of said detent lever toward said stationary member and pulling said elongated connector member away from said stationary member.