Patent ID: 7681349

Claim:
A mast assembly for use with a sign panel, having opposed primary and secondary ends, a configurable between an extended position having a greater extended length and collapsed position having a lesser collapsed length, comprising: Outer, middle and inner telescopically interfitted mast sections disposed one within the other with the middle mast section disposed between the outer and the inner mast sections, each mast section having a hollow tubular body with opposed primary and secondary ends; five caps engaging respective ends of the mast sections; first and second caps engaged with the primary and the secondary ends of the outer mast section, respectively; third and fourth caps engaged with the primary and the secondary ends of the middle mast section, respectively; a fifth cap engaged with the primary end of the inner mast section; the first cap having and end wall and a tubular body having a first end joined to the end wall and a second opposed end with a stop surface engaging the third cap when the mast assembly is collapsed; the second cap having an annular end wall and a tubular body having a first end joined to the end wall and a second opposed end with a stop surface engaging an outer stop surface of the third cap when the mast assembly is extended; the third cap having an end wall and spaced-apart inner and outer tubular bodies each having a first end joined to the end wall and each having second opposed ends with respective inner and outer stop surfaces, with the inner stop surface engaging the fifth cap when the mast assembly is collapsed; the fourth cap having an annular end wall and a tubular body having a first end joined to the end wall and a second opposed end with a stop surface engaging a stop surface of the fifth cap stop surface when the mast assembly is extended; and the fifth cap having and end wall and a tubular body having a first end joined to the end wall and a second opposed end with a stop surface.