Constant-height vertical support device, in particular for tanks

Claim 1

A CONSTANT-HEIGHT PILLAR FOR TRANSMITTING A VERTICAL LOAD FROM A WALL TO A BASE, COMPRISING: A SERIES OF CONCENTRIC, TUBULAR, LOAD TRANSMITTING ELEMENTS; MEANS CONNECTING SAID ELEMENTS WITH THE INNER AND OUTER OF SAID CONCENTRIC ELEMENTS BEING SUBJECTED TO COMPRESSION FORCES BY SAID LOAD AND WITH AN ELEMENT ARRANGED BETWEEN SAID INNER AND OUTER ELEMENTS BEING SUBJECTED TO TENSILE FORCES BY SAID LOAD, SAID ELEMENTS SUBJECTED TO COMPRESSION FORCES BEING FORMED OF METAL HAVING A LOW COEFFICIENT OF EXPANSION AND SAID ELEMENT SUBJECTED TO TENSILE FORCES BEING FORMED OF METAL HAVING A HIGH COEFFICIENT OF EXPANSION, SAID ELEMENTS BEING SO CONSTRUCTED THAT THE THERMAL DILATIONS OF SAID ELEMENTS SUBJECTE TO COMPRESSION FORCES COMPENSATE THE THERMAL DILATIONS OF SAID ELEMENT SUBJECTED TO TENSILE FORCES; A BASE; MEANS CONNECTING THE LOWER END OF ONE OF SAID INNER AND SAID OUTER CONCENTRIC ELEMENTS TO SAID BASE; STIRRUP MEANS MOUNTED ON THE UPPER END OF THE OTHER OF SAID INNER AND SAID OUTER CONCENTRIC ELEMENTS; A FRAME; MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTING SAID FRAME ON SAID STIRRUP MEANS FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT AN AXIS EXTENDING NORMAL TO THE AXIS OF SAID ELEMENTS; SPACED AXIALLY ALIGNED, BEARING SUPPORT MEANS CARRIED BY SAID FRAME AND DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID PIVOTAL AXIS OF SAID FRAME, THE AXIS OF SAID SPACED BEARING SUPPORT MEANS EXTENDING NORMAL TO THE PIVOTAL AXIS OF SAID FRAME AND NORMAL TO THE AXIS OF SAID ELEMENTS; AND A FRICTION PLATE FOR ENGAGING SAID WALL PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON EACH OF SAID BEARING SUPPORT MEANS FOR MOVEMENT ABOUT SAID AXIS OF SAID BEARING SUPPORT MEANS.