Break-resistant telescoping tool

Claim 1

In an extensible telescoping tool: a plurality of elongated, tubular, axially reciprocable, telescopically interfitted sections formed of a fiberglass reinforced synthetic resin material, each of said sections being configured and arranged relative to each adjacent section to assure a smooth, sliding fit therebetween; means secured to each nestable section for substantially precluding airflow therethrough upon axial, nesting retraction thereof into the adjacent, surrounding section, and for diverting said airflow externally of the nestable section for passage thereof between the latter and said surrounding section, the interfitting of said sections, and the configuration and location of said air precluding and diverting means, serving to cushion and slow the travel of said sections during said nesting retraction thereof for preventing damage to said sections in the event that the latter are allowed to retract in a free-falling manner; means for releasably securing said sections in an axially and rotationally locked, extended position relative to each other to stabilize said sections against normally experienced tensile, compressive and torsional loads, said securing means including an elongated, shiftable, generally transversely oriented button having a shank portion and situated within each of said nestable sections, and means biasing the respective buttons outwardly relative to the corresponding sections, there being a button-receiving aperture in each of said surrounding sections which extends through the sidewall and fiberglass reinforcement thereof for receiving a corresponding button, with the shank of the latter engaging the opening-defining walls of said section, each of said buttons having the shank portion thereof formed of a shear resistant, deformable synthetic resin material having a 1/8 inch notched Izod impact strength of from about 10 to 20 ft. lb./in., said deformable shank portions, and the corresponding surrounding sections and fiberglass reinforcement thereof, being cooperable for absorbing potentially destructive shocks developed when the tool is in an extended position and is dropped on its end, said shock absorbing occurring by virtue of the deformation of said buttons when said tool is dropped, with consequent impact loads being transmitted through said sections, fiberglass reinforcement, and buttons for absorbing said shocks without shearing of said buttons or cracking of said surrounding sections.