Extendable/retractable support column

1. An extendable/retractable column comprising:

a plurality of linked sections each including a plurality of individual sections, each of the individual sections including a first and second end and a pair of opposing sides, the individual sections pivotally connected to one another in end-to-end relationship;

each pivotally connected individual section having a first pivot axis adjacent the first end and a second pivot axis adjacent the second end to allow the first end of an individual section to pivot relative to the second end of an adjacent individual section, all the pivot axes of the individual sections of a linked section being substantially parallel;

each linked section having the pivot axes of its individual sections oriented substantially nonparallel to the pivot axes of the remaining linked sections of the plurality of linked sections;

each linked section being spaced from the remaining linked sections when the column is retracted;

each opposing side of each individual section of a linked section including a surface oriented substantially perpendicular to all the said pivot axes of the individual sections of the same linked section;

each individual section of a linked section having a plurality of substantially flat projections extending outwardly from each opposing side in a direction substantially parallel to the pivot axes of the same linked section;

each outwardly extending flat projection of each individual section of a linked section being oriented substantially nonparallel to the pivot axes of the individual sections making up the remaining linked sections of the plurality of linked sections; and

said flat projections of a first individual section of a first linked section engaging the flat projections of a second individual section of a second linked section when the first and second linked sections are extended and interconnected with one another to form the column and permitting the opposing sides of the individual sections to release and separate from one another when the linked sections are retracted.

2. The extendable/retractable column of claim 1 , wherein each individual section includes a flat surface, and wherein the plurality of flat projections which extend from the two opposing sides of each individual section are substantially coincident with a plane defined by the flat surface.

3. The extendable/retractable column of claim 2 , wherein the flat projections of one side are offset with respect to the flat projections of the opposing side.

4. The extendable/retractable column of claim 1 , wherein at least one individual section further comprises a first group of parallel drive slots that extend between the opposing sides, with the drive slots in vertical alignment from the first end to the second end, and wherein the at least one individual section further comprises a second group of parallel drive slots that extend between the opposing sides, with the drive slots in vertical alignment from the first end to the second end, and wherein the parallel drive slots of the first and second groups are substantially parallel to each other.

5. The extendable/retractable column of claim 4 , wherein the flat projections of one side of each individual section of the linked sections are offset with respect to the flat projections of the opposing side and constructed and arranged to selectively engage and disengage flat projections of individual sections of the remaining linked sections.

6. An extendable/retractable column comprising:

a plurality of linked sections each including a plurality of individual sections pivotally connected to one another in end-to-end relationship, each of the individual sections including a first and second end and a pair of opposing sides; each linked section being spaced from the other linked sections when the column is retracted;

each individual section having a plurality of projections extending outwardly from the opposing sides, said projections of a first individual section of a first linked section engaging the projections of a second individual section of a second linked section when the first and second linked sections are extended and interconnected with one another to form the column, the projections constructed and arranged to permit the opposing sides of the individual sections to release and separate from one another when the linked sections are retracted;

wherein at least one individual section further includes a first group of elongated drive slots positioned between the opposing sides, the group including a multiplicity of elongated drive slots with each drive slot having a pair of spaced apart long edges; and wherein

all the elongated drive slots of the first group are formed in the inner surfaces of the individual section between the first end and the second end in vertical alignment with one another;

the long edges of the elongated drive slots are parallel to one another and aligned transversely relative to the opposing sides of the individual section; and

all the elongated slots of the first group are spaced equally apart from one another.

7. An extendable/retractable column comprising:

a plurality of linked sections each including a plurality of individual sections pivotally connected to one another in end-to-end relationship for forward and reverse movement along a path as the column is extended and retracted, respectively, each of the individual sections including a first and second end and a pair of opposing sides;

each linked section being spaced from the other linked sections when the column is retracted;

each individual section having a plurality of substantially flat projections extending outwardly from the opposing sides, said flat projections of a first individual section of a first linked section engaging the flat projections of a second individual section of a second linked section when the first and second linked sections are extended and interconnected with one another to form the column and permitting the opposing sides of the individual sections to release and separate from one another when the linked sections are retracted;

a ring assembly having first and second ends and positioned adjacent the linked sections to constrain the linked sections and allow the linked sections to move through the ring assembly as the linked sections are extended and retracted, the ring assembly constructed and arranged to constrain and guide the flat projections of individual sections located within the ring assembly into interlocking engagement with adjacent individual sections as the linked sections move between the first and second ends of the ring assembly; and

the individual sections of the plurality of linked sections being movable through the ring assembly and having their flat projections in interconnected engagement while extended substantially beyond the second end of the ring assembly to thereby define a column located outside of and beyond the second end of the ring assembly.

8. The extendable/retractable column of claim 7 , wherein each individual section includes an inner surface, and wherein the plurality of flat projections is substantially coincident with a plane defined by the inner surface.

9. The extendable/retractable column of claim 7 , wherein the plurality of flat projections have longitudinal axes that are substantially transverse to the opposing sides of the individual section.

10. The extendable/retractable column of claim 9 , wherein the flat projections of one opposing side extend outwardly from the one side and all the longitudinal axes of the flat projections of the one side are parallel to the longitudinal axes of the flat projections of the opposing side.

11. The extendable/retractable column of claim 7 , wherein the flat projections of one side of each individual section are offset with respect to the flat projections of the opposing side.

12. The extendable/retractable column of claim 7 , wherein at least one individual section further comprises a first group of parallel drive slots that extend between the opposing sides, with the drive slots in vertical alignment from the first end to the second end, and wherein the at least one individual section further comprises a second group of parallel drive slots that extend between the opposing sides, with the drive slots in vertical alignment from the first end to the second end, and wherein the parallel drive slots of the first and second groups are substantially parallel to each other.

13. The extendable/retractable column of claim 7 , wherein the flat projections of one side of each individual section of the linked sections are offset with respect to the flat projections of the opposing side and constructed and arranged to selectively engage and disengage flat projections of individual sections of the remaining linked sections.

14. The extendable/retractable column of claim 7 , wherein two flat projections of the first individual section of a first linked section are constructed and arranged to selectively releaseably engage one flat projection of the second individual section of the second linked section when the first and second linked sections are interconnected with one another to form the column.

15. The extendable/retractable column of claim 7 , wherein at least one individual section further includes a first group of elongated drive slots positioned between the opposing sides, the group including a multiplicity of elongated drive slots with each drive slot having a pair of spaced apart long edges; and wherein

all the elongated drive slots of the first group are formed in the inner surface of the individual section between the first end and the second end in vertical alignment with one another;

the long edges of the elongated drive slots are parallel to one another and aligned transversely relative to the opposing sides of the individual section; and

all the elongated slots of the first group are spaced equally apart from one another.

16. The extendable/retractable column of claim 1 and further including:

a ring assembly having first and second ends and positioned about the linked sections to constrain the linked sections as the linked sections move through the ring assembly as the linked sections are extended and retracted, the ring assembly constructed and arranged to constrain and guide the flat projections of individual sections located within the ring assembly into interlocking engagement with adjacent individual sections as the linked sections move between the first and second ends of the ring assembly; and

the individual sections of the plurality of linked sections being movable through the ring assembly and having their flat projections in interconnected engagement while extended substantially beyond the second end of the ring assembly to thereby define a column located outside of and beyond the second end of the ring assembly.