Joint structure for cylindrical members

Claim 1

A JOINT STRUCTURE FOR INTERCONNECTING THE CONFRONTING ENDS OF A FIRST CYLINDRICAL MEMBER AND A SECOND CYLINDRICAL MEMBER, COMPRISING: A RETAINING RING TO FIT INSIDE SAID TWO CYLINDRICAL MEMBERS IN A POSITION BRIDGING SAID CONFRONTING ENDS, SAID RING BEING OF SPLIT CONSTRUCTION WITH SPACED ENDS FOR FLEXURAL EXPANSION AND CONTRACTION, SAID FIRST CYLINDRICAL MEMBER HAVING A FIRST INNER CIRCUMFERENTIAL GROOVE FORMING A FIRST REARWARDLY DIRECTED INNER CAM SHOULDER, SAID RETAINING RING HAVING A FIRST OUTER CIRCUMFERENTIAL RIB HAVING A FIRST DIAMETER AND FORMING A FIRST OUTER CAM SHOULDER PAIRED WITH SAID INNER CAM SHOULDER FOR COOPERATION THEREWITH TO DRAW SAID FIRST CYLINDRICAL MEMBER AND SAID RETAINING RING AXIALLY TOWARDS EACH OTHER IN RESPONSE TO EXPANSION OF THE RETAINING RING, SAID SECOND CYLINDRICAL MEMBER HAVING A SECOND INNER CIRCUMFERENTIAL GROOVE FORMING BOTH A SECOND REARWARDLY DIRECTED INNER CAM SHOULDER, AND A THIRD FORWARDLY DIRECTED INNER SHOULDER, SAID RETAINING RING HAVING A SECOND OUTER CIRCUMFERENTIAL RIB HAVING A SECOND DIAMETER AND FORMING A SECOND OUTER CAM SHOULDER PAIRED WITH SAID SECOND INNER CAM SHOULDER FOR COOPERATION THEREWITH TO DRAW SAID SECOND CYLINDRICAL MEMBER AND SAID RETAINING RING AXIALLY TOWARDS EACH OTHER IN RESPONSE TO EXPANSION OF THE RING, SAID SECOND RIB FORMING A THIRD OUTER SHOULDER TO COOPERATE WITH SAID THIRD INNER SHOULDER; SAID SECOND AND THIRD, SHOULDERS OF SAID SECOND GROOVE BEING AXIALLY SPACED A DISTANCE SUBSTANTIALLY EQUAL TO THE WIDTH OF SAID SECOND RIB; AND SEPARATE MEANS OPERATIVELY COUPLED TO THE RING TO SPREAD SAID RING ENDS APART TO EXPAND THE RING FOR CAM ACTION AT SAID CAM SHOULDERS TO DRAW SAID CONFRONTING ENDS TOGETHER, SAID SECOND INNER SHOULDER AND SAID SECOND OUTER SHOULDER BEING DIMENSIONED FOR MUTUAL ENGAGEMENT WHEN THE RING IS CONTRACTED TO A DEGREE TO DISENGAGE SAID FIRST RIB FROM SAID FIRST GROOVE THEREBY PREVENTING SEPARATION OF SAID RING AND SAID SECOND CYLINDRICAL MEMBER, SAID THIRD INNER SHOULDER AND THIRD OUTER SHOULDER BEING POSITIONED TO HOLD THE RETAINING RING SUFFICIENTLY ADVANCED RELATIVE TO SAID SECOND CYLINDRICAL MEMBER FOR ENGAGEMENT OF SAID FIRST OUTER CAM SHOULDERS OF THE RETAINING RING WITH SAID FIRST INNER CAM SHOULDER OF THE FIRST CYLINDRICAL MEMBER WHEN THE TWO CYLINDRICAL MEMBERS ARE MOVED TOGETHER WHEREBY WITH THE TWO CYLINDRICAL MEMBERS SEPARATED, SAID RETAINING RING MAY BE ENGAGED WITH SAID SECOND CYLINDRICAL MEMBER AND THEN THE TWO CYLINDRICAL MEMBERS MAY BE FORCED TOGETHER TO CAUSE SAID RETAINING RING TO TELESCOPE INTO SAID FIRST CYLINDRICAL MEMBER AND SNAP INTO ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID FIRST INNER CAM SHOULDER.