Support for christmas trees and the like

Claim 1

A SUPPORT FOR CHRISTMAS TREES AND THE LIKE COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF RADIALLY DISPOSED FRAME MEMBERS FORMED OF BENDABLE STRIP-LIKE STOCK OF FLAT CROSS SECTION AND INCLUDING HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED BASE PORTIONS HAVING ANGLED INNER END PORTIONS DISPOSED IN INTERLOCKING ENGAGEMENT AND HAVING UPWARDLY AND INWARDLY PROJECTING LEG PORTIONS TERMINATING AT THEIR INNER ENDS IN DOWNWARDLY PROJECTING STRUTS WHICH ARE SUPPORTEDLY SECURED TO THE UPPER SIDES OF THE BASE PORTIONS IN OUTWARDLY SPACED RELATION TO THE INNER ENDS THEREOF, THE INNER ENDS OF SAID BASE PORTION BEING DISPOSED UPON AND FIXEDLY SECURED TO A COUPLING MEMBER, AN ANNULAR FRAME MEMBER DISPOSED WITHIN AND FIXEDLY SECURED TO THE UPPER ENDS OF SAID LEG PORTIONS OF SAID FRAME MEMBERS AND HAVING AN OUTWARDLY PROJECTING FLANGE OVERLAPPING THE UPPER ENDS THEREOF, AN ANNULAR HOLDER SUPPORT MEMBER DISPOSED WITHIN SAID ANNULAR FRAME MEMBER AND PIVOTALLY CONNECTED THERETO TO PERMIT ITS TILTING ADJUSTMENT, AN ARTICLE HOLDER MEMBER HAVING A CYLINDRICAL UPPER PORTION TERMINATING AT ITS UPPER END IN AN OUTWARDLY AND DOWNWARDLY PROJECTING FLANGE DISPOSED IN VERTICALLY SPACED RELATION TO SAID HOLDER SUPPORT MEMBER, SAID HOLDER MEMBER HAVING A DOWNWARDLY TAPERING BOTTOM PORTION ADAPTED TO RECEIVE THE END OF A SUPPORTED ARTICLE, SAID HOLDER MEMBER BEING PROVIDED AT ITS UPPER END WITH RADIALLY DISPOSED THREADEDLY ADJUSTABLE ARTICLE CLAMPING SCREWS, A DOWNWARDLY FACING CLUTCH MEMBER FIXEDLY SECURED TO THE LOWER END OF SAID HOLDER MEMBER AND HAVING RESILIENTLY YIELDABLE CLUTCH MATERIAL THEREIN, AND ANCHORING MEANS INCLUDING A LEVER OF DOWNWARDLY FACING CHANNEL SECTION PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON ONE OF SAID UPRIGHTS AND HAVING A PRONG AT ITS INNER END ENGAGEABLE WITH SAID YIELDABLE MATERIAL IN SAID CLUTCH MEMBER WHEREBY SAID HOLDER MEMBER MAY BE HELD IN VARIOUS TILTABLY ADJUSTED POSITIONS, ONE OF SAID LEG MEMBERS HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN THROUGH WHICH SAID LEVER IS DISPOSED PERMITTING ADJUSTMENT THEREOF, SAID OPENING HAVING A KEEPER-LIKE RECESS AT ITS LOWER END WITH WHICH SAID LEVER MAY BE RETAININGLY ENGAGED WITH THE LEVER IN ACTUATED POSITION, SAID LEVER INCLUDING AN OUTER SECTION PROVIDED WITH A FOOTPIECE SO THAT SAID LEVER MAY BE MANIPULATED BY THE FOOT OF AN OPERATOR TO ENGAGE SAID PRONG ON SAID LEVER WITH SAID CLUTCH MEMBER WITH AN OPERATOR POSITIONED TO MANIPULATINGLY GRASP THE TREE, SAID OUTER SECTION BEING PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE INNER SECTION TO PERMIT ITS BEING INWARDLY COLLAPSED UPON THE LEG THROUGH WHICH SAID LEVER IS DISPOSED.