Variable length telescopic connector and method for use

DETAILED DESCRIPTION What is claimed is: 1.
An adjustable telescopic connector, adapted to be force responsive, comprising: a male member and a female member which are positionable in telescopic relation and configured to provide a gap therebetween sufficient to allow relative axial movement; and an expandable spring for selectively restricting said members against relative axial movement in response to force on one of said members in one axial direction and for releasing said members for relative axial movement to adjust the telescopic relation of said members, said spring having two ends and an engageable portion between said members, at least one of said ends connecting to a release finger, the release finger being operable to expand the engageable portion of the spring away from the male member; said female member having a recess in communication with said gap, the recess having a shoulder portion for sufficiently receiving the engageable portion of the spring such that the spring is free of said male member when the spring expands, and the recess further having a first female cam portion engageable with the spring when the spring is not expanded; said female member further having an opening in communication with said recess, the opening being sufficient to accommodate the release finger when it operates to expand the engageable portion of the spring; said male member having a plurality of positioning recesses axially alignable with the recess in said female member, each of said positioning recesses having a first male cam portion engageable with the spring when the spring is not expanded; said engageable portion of the spring engaging the female cam portion and the male cam portion of at least one of said plurality of positioning recesses to restrict said members against relative axial movement when the spring is not expanded, and said engageable portion being received in the shoulder of the recess of said female member to release said members for relative axial movement when the spring is sufficiently expanded