Abstract There is disclosed an extendible, locking tube assembly of outer and inner telescoping tubes. The outer tube internally carries a locking collar having an obliquely inclined central aperture that slidably receives an elongated locking member. An end of the elongated member is removably attached to the inboard end of the inner tube. The locking collar has a radial lug that projects exteriorly of the outer tube and bears against an abutment carried on the outside of the outer tube. The locking collar is biased into a position preventing retraction of the elongated member and its dependent inner tube. A lever, attached to the collar, projects exteriorly of the outer tube on the side opposite the abutment, thereby permitting a single-handed release of the locking mechanism. When the assembly is employed, as in its preferred application, with a carpet stretcher, one can release the locking mechanism without shifting one's position from that taken for operation of the carpet stretcher.
An extendible locking tube assembly for attachment to a carpet stretcher comprising: an outer tube bearing first and second longitudinal slots on opposite sides, intermediate its length; a locking collar member received within said outer tube having a central aperture on an axis obliquely inclined to the face of said collar member; a locking member slidably received within said central aperture; a radial lug projecting from said collar member and extending through said first slot; abutment means carried on said outer tube forward of said first slot and bearing against the forward face of said radial lug to provide a fulcrum for said collar member; lever means carried by said collar and projecting through said second slot; retainer means fixedly carried within said outer tube; resilient means captured between the rear face of said collar member and said retainer means; an inner tube slidably received within said outer tube and removably attached to the rear end of said locking member; and attachment means distally carried by said assembly for attachment in a carpet stretcher assembly with said first and second longitudinal slots in a horizontal plane whereby said abutment means and radial lug can be grasped to release said locking means and retract said assembly with a single-handed motion.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
209 words
An extendible locking tube assembly for attachment to a carpet stretcher comprising: an outer tube bearing first and second longitudinal slots on opposite sides, intermediate its length; a locking collar member received within said outer tube having a central aperture on an axis obliquely inclined to the face of said collar member; a locking member slidably received within said central aperture; a radial lug projecting from said collar member and extending through said first slot; abutment means carried on said outer tube forward of said first slot and bearing against the forward face of said radial lug to provide a fulcrum for said collar member; lever means carried by said collar and projecting through said second slot; retainer means fixedly carried within said outer tube; resilient means captured between the rear face of said collar member and said retainer means; an inner tube slidably received within said outer tube and removably attached to the rear end of said locking member; and attachment means distally carried by said assembly for attachment in a carpet stretcher assembly with said first and second longitudinal slots in a horizontal plane whereby said abutment means and radial lug can be grasped to release said locking means and retract said assembly with a single-handed motion.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
56 words
The extendible locking tube assembly of claim 1 wherein said abutment means comprises a boss externally carried on the wall of said outer tube and having an axial, threaded bore receiving set screw means projecting from the rear face thereof to serve as a fixedly adjustable fulcrum support for said radial lug of said locking collar.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
17 words
The extendible locking tube assembly of claim 1 wherein said resilient means comprises a compression coil spring.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
48 words
The extendible locking tube assembly of claim 1 wherein said inner tube distally carries, on its inboard end, a bushing having a central bore to receive the end of said locking member and a threaded counterbore to threadably engage a stud carried on the end of said member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The extendible locking tube assembly of claim 1 wherein said attachment means are distally carried by both said outer and inner tubes for removable attachment to mating tubular members.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
56 words
The extendible locking tube assembly of claim 5 wherein said attachment means comprises a pair of apertures in the end of one of said outer and inner tubes and a pair of spring biased, radially projecting buttons distally carried by the other of said tubes with both said apertures and buttons being in said horizontal plane.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
58 words
The extendible locking tube assembly of claim 1 wherein said inner tube eccentrically bears axially extendible means for engagement with a mating eccentrically located aperture in said retainer means, permitting said inner tube to be employed as a tool for axially and rotationally positioning said retainer means in said outer tube during assembly of said locking tube assembly.