Patent ID: 8297336

Claim:
A barrier means, the barrier means comprising: a self-releasing and/or self-locking mechanism; a plurality of telescopically, rotationally connected frame portions, at least one of the frame portions being capable of relative movement to allow expansion and/or contraction of the length of the connected frame portions, at least one frame portion having a plurality of spaced apart apertures and a diameter being smaller than a diameter of the other frame portions; and the locking mechanism allows the plurality of frame portions to be locked together, the locking mechanism being movable between a locked position and an unlocked position by the relative movement of the at least one of the plurality of frame portions only, without direct manual interaction with the locking mechanism, the locking mechanism being located on one of the plurality of frame portions having an outer telescopic member and having a locking bar pivotably mounted on an outer frame portion, the locking bar having a first and a second end, the first end having a narrowing tapered portion for engagement with and disengagement from one of the plurality of spaced apart apertures when the frame portions are moved together in a first direction to form the locked position of the locking mechanism but preferentially disengages from the aperture when the frame portions are moved apart in a second direction, or on rotation of the frame portions to form the unlocked position of the locking mechanism.