Stand for plants or the like

Abstract

A support for plants pots is defined by a tubular post with a top plate engaging a ceiling surface and a bottom base member formed by two plates interconnected at right angles engaging a floor surface. A nut and screw threaded rod allow the post to be adjusted in length and a spring engages between the nut and the post to act as a force gauge to prevent over-tightening and to apply sufficient force for stability. Two collars are mounted on the post at spaced positions along the post for vertical and rotational adjustment each carrying a plurality of outwardly extending wire hangers. The post is formed of separate pieced connected end to end by a connector formed from two plates connected at right angles by inter-engaging slots to form a longer leg which is a sliding fit and a shorter leg which is a press fit.

1 . Apparatus for supporting plants pots and the like comprising:
 a tubular post;   a top plate attached to the post for engaging a an upper abutment surface;   a bottom base member attached to the post for engaging a lower support surface;   the post being adjustable in length to bring the top plate and the bottom plate into engagement with the upper and lower surfaces to hold the post vertical;   a spring mounted on the post for engaging components of the post which act to force the top plate and the bottom base member apart so as to apply forces on the upper surface and the lower surface to hold the post tight;   a plurality of collars mounted on the post at spaced positions along the post;   and a plurality of generally outwardly extending wire hangers mounted on each of the collars of the post so as to extend outwardly from the post.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the hangers are adjustable in angle relative to the respective collar around the post. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the hangers each include a downturned inner end for engaging into a respective receptacle of the respective collar at the post for rotation around the inner end. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3  wherein the collars are mounted on the post for vertical adjustment movement and are located at a required position on the post by a transverse locating pin within a hole in the post. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the length of the post is adjustable by providing a rotatable nut engaging a threaded rod movable longitudinally of the post. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the length of the post is adjustable by providing a rotatable nut engaging a threaded rod movable longitudinally of the post and wherein the spring is a helical coil spring located between the nut and an end of the post. 
   
   
       7 . The apparatus according to  claim 6  wherein the position of the threaded rod relative to the end of the post is selected such that the spring is partly compressed when the top plate and the bottom base member are in engagement with the upper surface and lower surface respectively. 
   
   
       8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the threaded rod is attached to the top plate. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the top plate includes screw holes. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the bottom base member has four legs extending outwardly from the post for engaging the lower surface at angularly spaced positions around the post. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein the bottom base member is formed from two vertical planar plate portions crossing at right angles at the bottom of the tubular post. 
   
   
       12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11  wherein the two vertical planar plate portions crossing at right angles at the bottom of the tubular post each have two slots extending downwardly from a top edge into each of which a bottom end portion of the tubular post is inserted. 
   
   
       13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the two vertical planar base plate portions crossing at right angles at the bottom of the tubular post are arranged with one having a joining slot extending from the top edge downwardly and the other having a joining slot extending from the bottom edge upwardly so that the joining slots inter-engage to hold the base plate portions crossing at right angles. 
   
   
       14 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the tubular post includes an upper tubular post portion and a lower tubular post portion and an insert tubular post portion all of the same diameter and arranged to be connected end to end co-axially by an inserted joining piece. 
   
   
       15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14  wherein the joining piece comprises a pair of joining plate portions crossing at right angles and arranged with one having a joining slot extending from the top edge downwardly and the other having a joining slot extending from the bottom edge upwardly so that the joining slots inter-engage to hold the joining plate portions crossing at right angles, the joining piece so formed having an upper piece extending into the upper tubular post portion with outer edges of the upper piece engaging as a sliding fit into the upper tubular post portion and a lower piece extending into the lower tubular post portion with outer edges of the lower piece engaging as a press fit into the lower tubular post portion to hold them end to end and co-axial. 
   
   
       16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein each of the joining plate portions of the joining piece has a projecting shoulder portion projecting outwardly from the outer edge thereof to extend between the upper and lower post portions to hold ends of the upper and lower post portions spaced. 
   
   
       17 . The apparatus according to  claim 15  wherein each of the joining plate portions has a longer end and a shorter end so that than the other of the joining plate portions where the ends each have a hole arranged such that the hole intersects the slot and the holes are aligned. 
   
   
       18 . Apparatus for supporting plants pots and the like comprising:
 a tubular post;   a top plate attached to the post for engaging an upper abutment surface;   a bottom base member attached to the post for engaging a lower support surface;   the post being adjustable in length to bring the top plate and the bottom plate into engagement with the upper and lower surfaces to hold the post vertical;   a spring mounted on the post for engaging components of the post which act to force the top plate and the bottom base member apart so as to apply forces on the upper surface and the lower surface to hold the post tight;   a plurality of collars mounted on the post at spaced positions along the post;   and a plurality of generally outwardly extending wire hangers mounted on each of the collars of the post so as to extend outwardly from the post;   wherein the bottom base member is formed from two vertical planar plate portions which can be connected so as to cross at right angles at the bottom of the tubular post   wherein the tubular post includes an upper tubular post portion and a lower tubular post portion and an insert tubular post portion all of the same diameter and arranged to be connected end to end co-axially by an inserted joining piece;   and wherein the joining piece comprises two planar joining plate portions which can be connected so as to cross at right angles and arranged with one having a joining slot extending from the top edge downwardly and the other having a joining slot extending from the bottom edge upwardly so that the joining slots inter-engage to hold the joining plate portions crossing at right angles, the joining piece so formed having an upper piece extending into the upper tubular post portion with outer edges of the upper piece engaging as a sliding fit into the upper tubular post portion and a lower piece extending into the lower tubular post portion with outer edges of the lower piece engaging as a press fit into the lower tubular post portion to hold them end to end and co-axial.   
   
   
       19 . The apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein the two vertical planar plate portions crossing at right angles at the bottom of the tubular post each have two slots extending downwardly from a top edge into each of which a bottom end portion of the tubular post is inserted. 
   
   
       20 . The apparatus according to  claim 18  wherein each of the joining plate portions of the joining piece has a projecting shoulder portion projecting outwardly from the outer edge thereof to extend between the upper and lower post portions to hold ends of the upper and lower post portions spaced.