Adjustable length pole

Claim 1

An adjustable length pole including first and second pole members having slidingly telescopically engaged inner and outer ends, respectively, said inner end including a plurality of longitudinally spaced circumferential detent grooves formed in the outer surface thereof with each of said grooves being generally semi-cylindrical in cross section and of a depth slightly less than the radius of curvature thereof, a split resilient retainer ring expanded over said inner end immediately adjacent and outwardly of the terminal end of said outer end with which said inner end is telescopically engaged, said snap ring being slidable along said inner end and seatable in said grooves, said inner end also including a circumferential stop groove formed in the outer surface thereof intermediate the terminal end of said inner end and the adjacent detent groove, said stop groove defining a generally radial shoulder adjacent said terminal end and a flared shoulder adjacent said detent grooves, said snap ring also being seatable in said stop groove, a sleeve having a first interior end snugly slidingly telescoped over said inner end and including a diametrically enlarged and internally threaded second interior end adjustably threaded over said outer end, the terminal end of said outer end including an inwardly bevelled end edge, said sleeve, between said first and second interior ends, defining an interior shoulder bevelled oppositely relative to said end edge and slightly spaced from and opposing the latter, said snap ring being disposed between said interior shoulder and bevelled end edge, said ring being cammable outwardly of said detent grooves and also outwardly of said stop groove over said flared shoulder toward said detent grooves when said sleeve is threadedly adjusted on said outer end to space said end face and said interior shoulder at least the axial thickness of said ring apart and said end face and shoulder, when said sleeve is threadedly adjusted on said outer end to space said end face and interior shoulder apart less than the axial thickness of said ring being operable to tightly cam said ring into one of said grooves with which said ring is registered against camming of said ring out of the last mentioned groove, the radial extent of said radial shoulder of said stop groove being operative to prevent said retainer ring from being cammed from said stop groove past said radial shoulder, even when said interior shoulder and end face are spaced apart a distance greater than the axial thickness of said ring.