Extensible drive connections

Claim 1

AN EXTENSIBLE TORQUE TRANSMITTING DRIVE SHAFT ASSEMBLY COMPRISING AN INNER DRIVING SHAFT MEMBER, AN OUTER HOLLOW DRIVEN SHAFT MEMBER SURROUNDIGN A PORTION OF SAID INNER SHAFT MEMBER, THERE BEING AN ANNULAR SPACE BETWEEN SAID INNER AND OUTER MEMBERS AND SAID MEMBERS BEING ADAPTED TO MOVE AXIALLY BETWEEN LIMIT POSITIONS, SAID MEMBERS HAVING MATING GROOVE SPACES, MEANS RIGID WITH SAID INNER MEMBER CLOSING THE ENDS OF THE GROOVES SPACES THEREIN, A PAIR OF AXIALLY SPACED STOP ASSEMBLIES CARRIED BY SAID OUTER MEMBER FORMING THE ENDS OF SAID GROOVE SPACES, SAID STOP ASSEMBLIES RADIALLY BRIDGING THE SPACE BETWEEN SAID INNER AND OUTER SHAFT MEMBERS AND HAVING INNER AND OUTER GUIDE SURFACES ENGAGEABLE, RESPECTIVELY, WITH SAID INNER AND OUTER MEMBERS TO MAINTAIN SAID INNER AND OUTER MEMBERS IN RADIALLY SPACED CONCENTRIC RELATION AND IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT, AT LEAST ONE OF SAID STOP ASSEMBLIES BEING REMOVABLY MOUNTED IN SAID OUTER MEMBER TO PERMIT THE SELECTIVE OPENING AND CLOSING OF ONE END OF SAID GROOVE SPACES, A GROUP FO TORQUE TRANSMITTING BALLS RECEIVED IN EACH GROOVE SPACE AND IN ROLLING CONTACT WITH THE SURFACES THEREOF, THE BALLS IN EACH GROUP BEING IN CONTACT WITH ADJACENT BALLS OF SAID GROUP AND DRIVINGLY CONNECTING SAID INNER AND OUTER SHAFT MEMBERS, THEAGGREGATE AXIAL LENGTH OF SAID GROUPS OF BALLS BEING LESS THAN THE LENGTH OF SAID GROOVES SPACES, ANDOPPOSED SPRING MEANS COMPRESSED BETWEEN THE ENDS OF SAID GROUPS OF BALLS AND SAID STOP ASSEMBLIES MAINTAINING SAID BALLS AXIALLY CENTERED IN THE GROOVE SPACES WHEN SAID INNER AND OUTER SHAFT MEMBERS OCCUPY A CENTERED POSITION BETWEEN SAID LIMIT POSITIONS.