Adjustable ski pole

Claim 2

In an adjustable length pole comprising a pair of telescoping tubular members movable relative to each other to selectively vary the composite length thereof, an improved mechanism for selectively locking the tubular members against movement relative to each other at different composite lengths, said mechanism comprising: an aperture defined by a side wall of said inner tubular member comprising a plurality of spaced throughbores disposed partially along the length of said inner tubular member and a series of slots defined by said inner tubular member side wall with one of said slots extending between each adjacent pair of throughbores; a hole formed in a side wall of the outer tubular member, said hole being adapted for selective alignment with each of said througHbores upon relative axial movement between said tubular members to form different composite lengths, a detent pin slidably received in said inner tubular member aperture and said outer tubular member hole, said pin being axially movable between a first position wherein it assumes locking engagement with the hole and a throughbore aligned therewith and a second position wherein it is slidable within the slots to permit the composite length of the pole to be adjusted and said pin being proportioned so that when in the second position it is slidably engaged within the hole and aperture to maintain the alignment thereof; and, a spring disposed in said inner tubular member, and connected to the pin to normally bias the pin to the first position, said spring being deflectable to permit the pin to be manually moved to the second position.

Claim 3

In an adjustable length pole comprising a pair of telescoping tubular members movable relative to each other to selectively vary the composite length thereof, an improved mechanism for selectively locking the tubular members against movement relative to each other at different composite lengths, said mechanism comprising: an aperture defined by a side wall of said inner tubular member, said aperture comprising a plurality of spaced throughbores disposed partially along the length of said inner tubular member and slots of a width less than the throughbores interconnecting adjacent throughbores; a hole formed in a side wall of the outer tubular member, said hole being adapted for selective alignment with each of said throughbores upon relative axial movement between said tubular members to form different composite lengths; and a detent pin slidably received in said inner tubular member aperture and said outer tubular member hole, said detent pin being selectively receivable within each of said throughbores in accordance with the composite length assumed by said tubular members; a spring disposed in said inner tubular member, said detent pin being connected to said spring and continuously urged by said spring outwardly through said aperture and said hole, said pin being selectively slidable within both said hole and said aperture between an adjustment position and a locking position; limit means to limit the extent to which said pin is urged outwardly relative to the hole and a throughbore aligned therewith, said spring and limit means functioning to dispose said pin in a predetermined locking position when said pin is permitted to extend through said hole and a throughbore aligned therewith under the influence of said spring and wherein: a. said detent pin comprises an enlarged base portion having a thin section extending outwardly therefrom; b. said thin section and base portion being disposed, respectively, for abutting engagement with the hole and a throughbore aligned therewith when said pin is in the locking position to prevent relative movement between said tubular members; c. said thin section and base portion are proportioned so that upon depression of said pin out of the locking position the base portion is moved out of a condition disposed for abutting engagement with the throughbore and the thin section is disposed for slidable receipt in the slots connecting adjacent throughbores whereby said tubular members may be telescopically moved relative to one another; and, d. said thin section is proportioned to be slidably engaged within the hole and aperture when depressed out of the locking position to maintain the alignment thereof.

Claim 4

In an adjustable length pole comprising a pair of telescoping tubular members movable relative to each other to selectively vary the composite length thereof, an improved mechanism for selectively locking the tubular members against movement relative to each other at different composite lengths, said mechanism comprising: an aperture defined by a side wall of said inner tubular member, said aperture comprising a plurality of spaced throughbores disposed partially along the length of said inner tubular member and slots of a width less than the throughbores interconnecting adjacent throughbores; a hole formed in a side wall of the outer tubular member, said hole being adapted for selective alignment with each of said throughbores upon relative axial movement between said tubular members to form different composite lengths; and a detent pin slidably received in said inner tubular member aperture and said outer tubular member hole, said detent pin being selectively receivable within each of said throughbores in accordance with the composite length assumed by said tubular members; a spring disposed in said inner tubular member, said detent pin being connected to said spring and continuously urged by said spring outwardly through said aperture and said hole, said pin being selectively slidable within both said hole and said aperture between an adjustment position and a locking position; limit means to limit the extent to which said pin is urged outwardly relative to the hole and a throughbore aligned therewith, said spring and limit means functioning to dispose said pin in a predetermined locking position when said pin is permitted to extend through said hole and a throughbore aligned therewith under the influence of said spring and wherein: a. said detent pin comprises an enlarged base portion having a thin section extending outwardly therefrom; b. said thin section and base portion being disposed, respectively, for abutting engagement with the hole and a throughbore aligned therewith when said pin is in the locking position to prevent relative movement between said tubular members; c. said thin section and base portion are proportioned so that upon depression of said pin out of the locking position the base portion is moved out of a condition disposed for abutting engagement with the throughbore and the thin section is disposed for slidable receipt in the slots connecting adjacent throughbores whereby said tubular members may be telescopically moved relative to one another; and, d. said thin section is proportioned to be slidably engaged within the hole and aperture when depressed out of the locking position to maintain the alignment thereof.

Claim 5

In an adjustable length pole comprising a pair of telescoping tubular members movable relative to each other to selectively vary the composite length thereof, an improved mechanism for selectively locking the tubular members against movement relative to each other at different composite lengths, said mechanism comprising: an aperture defined by a side wall of said inner tubular member comprising a plurality of spaced throughbores disposed partially along the length of said inner tubular member and a series of slots defined by said inner tubular member side wall with one of said slots extending between each adjacent pair of throughbores; a hole formed in a side wall of the outer tubular member, said hole being adapted for selective alignment with each of said throughbores upon relative axial movement between said tubular members to form different composite lengths; a detent pin slidably received in said inner tubular member aperture and said outer tubular member hole, said detent pin being selectively receivable within each of said throughbores in accordance with the composite length assumed by said tubular members and comprising a crown portion, and an enlarged base portion, said crown portion and enlarged base portion being interconnected by a relatively narrow channel portion and said crown portion and enlarged base portion cooperating to form divergent grooves on the sides of said channel portion to facilitate movement of said detent pin within said slots; and a spring disposed in said inner tubular member, said detent pin being connected to said spring and continuously urged by said spring outwardly through said aperture and said hole, said pin being selectively slidable within both said hole and said aperture between an adjustment position and a locking position, said detent pin when in said locking position having the enlarged base portion thereof extending through one of said throughbores and when in said adjustment position having said channel portion in alignment with said inner tubular member wall whereby said detent pin may be moved axially with respect to said inner tubular member and within said slots.

Claim 6

In an adjustable length pole comprising a pair of telescoping tubular members movable relative to each other to selectively vary the composite length thereof, an improved mechanism for selectively locking the tubular members against movement relative to each other at different composite lengths, said mechanism comprising: an aperture defined by a side wall of said inner tubular member comprising a plurality of spaced throughbores disposed partially along the length of said inner tubular member and a series of slots defined by said inner tubular member side wall with one of said slots extending between each adjacent pair of throughbores; a hole formed in a side wall of the outer tubular member, said hole being adapted for selective alignment with each of said throughbores upon relative axial movement between said tubular members to form different composite lengths; a detent pin slidably received in said inner tubular member aperture and said outer tubular member hole, said detent pin being selectively receivable within each of said throughbores in accordance with the composite length assumed by said tubular members and comprising a crown portion, and an enlarged base portion, said crown portion and enlarged base portion being interconnected by a relatively narrow channel portion and said crown portion and enlarged base portion cooperating to form divergent grooves on the sides of said channel portion to facilitate movement of said detent pin within said slots; and a spring disposed in said inner tubular member, said detent pin being connected to said spring and continuously urged by said spring outwardly through said aperture and said hole, said pin being selectively slidable within both said hole and said aperture between an adjustment position and a locking position, said detent pin when in said locking position having the enlarged base portion thereof extending through one of said throughbores and when in said adjustment position having said channel portion in alignment with said inner tubular member wall whereby said detent pin may be moved axially with respect to said inner tubular member and within said slots.

Claim 7

In an adjustable length pole comprising a pair of telescoping tubular members movable relative to each other to selectively vary the composite length thereof, an improved mechanism for selectively locking the tubular members against movement relative to each other at different composite lengths, said mechanism comprising: an aperture defined by a side wall of said inner tubular member comprising a plurality of spaced throughbores disposed partially along the length of said inner tubular member and a series of slots defined by said inner tubular member side wall with one of said slots extending between each adjacent pair of throughbores; a hole formed in a side wall of the outer tubular member, said hole being adapted for selective alignment with each of said throughbores upon relative axial movement between said tubular members to form different composite lengths; a detent pin slidably received in said inner tubular member aperture and said outer tubular member hole, said detent pin being selectively receivable within each of said throughbores in accordance with the composite length assumed by said tubular members and comprising a crown portion, and an enlarged base portion, said crown portion and enlarged base portion being interconnected by a relatively narrow channel portion; a spring disposed in said inner tubular member, said detent pin being connected to said spring and continuously urged by said spring outwardly through said aperture and said hole, said pin being selectively slidable within both said hole and said aperture between an adjustment position and a locking position, said crown portion being disposed within a protective resilient member adapted to be manually engaged to move said detent pin between said adjustment position and said locking position, said detent pin when in said locking position having the enlarged base portion thereof extending through one of said throughbores and when in said adjustment position having said channel portion in alignment with said inner tubular member wall whereby said detent pin may be moved axially with respect to said inner tubular member and within said slots.

Claim 8

In an adjustable length pole comprising a pair of telescoping tubular members movable relative to each other to selectively vary the composite length thereof, an improved mechanism for selectively locking the tubular members against movement relative to each other at different composite lengths, said mechanism comprising: an aperture defined by a side wall of said inner tubular member comprising a plurality of spaced throughbores disposed partially along the length of said inner tubular member and a series of slots defined by said inner tubular member side wall with one of said slots extending between each adjacent pair of throughbores; a hole formed in a side wall of the outer tubular member, said hole being adapted for selective alignment with each of said throughbores upon relative axial movement between said tubular members to form different composite lengths; a detent pin slidably received in said inner tubular member aperture and said outer tubular member hole, said detent pin being selectively receivable within each of said throughbores in accordance with the composite length assumed by said tubular members and comprising a crown portion, and an enlarged base portion, said crown portion and enlarged base portion being interconnected by a relatively narrow channel portion; a spring disposed in said inner tubular member, said detent pin being connected to said spring and continuously urged by said spring outwardly through said aperture and said hole, said pin being selectively slidable within both said hole and said aperture between an adjustment position and a locking position, said crown portion being disposed within a protective resilient member adapted to be manually engaged to move said detent pin between said adjustment position and said locking position, said detent pin when in said locking position having the enlarged base portion thereof extending through one of said throughbores and when in said adjustment position having said channel portion in alignment with said inner tubular member wall whereby said detent pin may be moved axially with respect to said inner tubular member and within said slots.