Walking aid

Sub-assembly for attachment to walking aid apparatus that includes a handle portion, a shalt portion and a ferrule and comprising

• telescopically-mounted relatively rotatable inner and outer elements;
• a tube, one of the inner or the outer telescopically-mounted element is mounted to the tube by a grip arrangement comprising an O-ring carried in an annular groove formed in the element and having a chamfered wall, whereby the ring is forced into jamming engagement with the inner wall of the shaft portion on any attempted withdrawal of the element from the shaft portion;
• and
• spring means acting between said elements to restrain relative compression movement, in which the spring means comprises a resilient-elastomeric material which is rotatable relative to at least one said element
• whereby rotation between the handle portion and the ferrule accommodates twisting movement as between the user and the ground in a controlled manner.

In combination,

• a walking aid apparatus having a handle portion, a ground-contacting ferrule, and a shaft that is either hollow or solid connecting said handle portion and said ferrule;
• and
• telescopically-mounted relatively rotatable elements and an elastomeric spring means acting between seats of said elements resiliently to restrain relative compression movement, and a connector part adapted for engagement either within the end portion of a hollow walking aid shaft or around the end portion of a solid walking aid shaft,
• characterised in that the spring means comprise a resilient elastomeric material which is rotatable relative to at least one said element, said connector part comprises a tube and the inner or the outer telescopically-mounted element is mounted to the tube by a grip arrangement comprising an O-ring carried in an annular groove formed in the element and having a chamfered wall, whereby the ring is forced into jamming engagement with the inner wall of the connector part on any attempted withdrawal of the element from the shaft portion,
• whereby rotation between the handle portion and the ferrule accommodates twisting movement as between the user and the ground in a controlled manner.