Patent ID: 6854916

Claim:
A retracting rod assembly, comprising: an outer tube having an outer tube wall defining an outer tube axis, said outer tube wall having formed therein first and second outer radial holes spaced apart from each other along the outer tube axis by a first distance, said first and second outer radial holes forming a first angle that ranges from 90 to 180 degrees therebetween with respect to the outer tube axis; an inner tube having an inner tube wall defining an inner tube axis, said inner tube structured to slidably fit within said outer tube, said inner tube having formed therein first and second inner radial holes spaced apart from each other along the inner tube axis by a second distance equal to the first distance, said first and second inner radial holes forming a second angle with respect to the inner tube axis and equal to the first angle, and wherein said inner tube is insertable into said outer tube to coincide said inner tube axis and outer tube axis and to align said first and second inner radial holes with said first and second outer radial holes, respectively, in an extended state of said outer and inner tubes; a sleeve member coaxially fitted over said outer tube, said sleeve having formed therein first and second radial sleeve holes aligned respectively with said first and second outer radial holes and further having a sleeve member thickness sufficient to prevent said outer ends of said retaining pins of each of said retainers from projecting out of the respective radial sleeve holes; a mounting block disposed in said inner tube and having first and second retainer passages transversely disposed therein and aligned with said first and second inner radial holes, respectively; and first and second retainers disposed in corresponding first and second transversely disposed retainer passages and including: first and second retaining pins, and first and second coiled compression spring members structured to releasably bias said first and second retaining pins extendably outward through respective first and second inner radial holes and through respective first and second outer radial holes and into respective first and second radial sleeve holes in the extended state of said outer and inner tubes.