Cam lock and method for making same

Claim 1

A telescopic pole assembly, comprising: an elongated first hollow pole of a first diameter and an elongated, second pole of a lesser, second diameter, the second pole being receivable in the first pole; a spindle mounted on the end of the second pole, and having a cylindrical sidewall disposed on an axis parallel to but spaced from the longitudinal axis of the second pole; an annular shoulder integrally carried on the spindle in a position between the end thereof and the second pole to define a first spindle portion having a cylindrical sidewall and a second spindle portion having a cylindrical sidewall, the shoulder having a wall tapered from a first shoulder diameter adjacent the second spindle portion toward a lesser diameter adjacent the first spindle portion; and a cam adapted to be rotatably mounted on the spindle and to be receivable in the first pole, the cam having a thickness accommodating the space between the annular shoulder and the second pole, the cam having a spindle-receiving opening with a diameter less than that of the annular shoulder but greater than the first spindle portion such that the cam is adapted to be mounted on the spindle by having the first spindle portion disposed in the spindle-receiving opening and then moving the second pole toward the cam to pass it over the shoulder to a position on the second spindle portion, whereby the cam is operative to be wedged within the first pole at such times as it is longitudinally twisted with respect to the second pole.