Patent ID: 7523911

Claim:
A clamping mechanism for a free standing telescoping pole mount, comprising: an elongated male member that is slidable within an elongated female member wherein one of the male and female members further comprises a base contact surface; a lengthwise locking mechanism structured for fixing the male member relative to the female member wherein the lengthwise locking mechanism further comprises a coupler extended from the base contact surface and being substantially fixed against rotation relative thereto and being further formed with threads at a distal end thereof, and first and second cooperating wedges each structured to slide along a plane of mutual contact that is inclined relative to a longitudinal axis of the female member, the first and second cooperating wedges being further sized to slide within the female member with the first wedge being positioned within the female member adjacent to a portion of the male member that is positioned and wherein the coupler extends through male and female members along the longitudinal axis and the wedges are connected adjacent to the opposed thread end of the coupler; a lengthwise drive mechanism comprising a threaded actuator having a contact surface and a thread matched to the threads formed at the end of the coupler, the lengthwise drive mechanism being coupled for actuating the lengthwise locking mechanism by driving the second wedge against the first wedge along the plane of contact; and a decoupling mechanism between the actuator contact surface and the base contact surface, the decoupling mechanism further comprising a thrust bearing for easing turning of the actuator to engage the wedges.