Load bearing stand

Claim 2

A stand for a load comprising: a base panel being generally annularly-shaped about an axis having spaced, opposed upper and bottom faces, said panel having centrally defined therein a circular, bowl-shaped depression having a rim, said base panel about the rim having an integral, radially outwardly extending shoulder, said base panel having a circular flange integrally downwardly depending from the convex bottom face of said depression radially inward of said rim, said base panel having at least three generally hollow sections circumferentially spaced on said flange and integral therewith, each of said hollow sections having a downward opening at their respective bottom ends and extending parallel to said axis, said base portion having a load bearable member integrally upstanding from the concave upper face of said depression at the apex thereof and generally coaxial with said axis, a leg for each of said hollow sections, each of the legs having a surface engaging end and an inner end having an upper portion and a lower portion, said lower portions of the inner end of each leg having a profile stub section integrally formed therein, said stub section being adapted to make slidable, telescopic engagement within at least a bottom portion of one of said hollow sections to demountably mount the leg on the base panel, the upper portion of the inner end of each leg having a profile which during telescopic engagement of the stub section in the hollow section, makes abutting, face-to-face engagement with portions of said convex bottom face adjacent said rim and portions of the underside surface of said shoulder, and each of said legs having a configuration between the surface engaging end and the inner end so that during mounting of the leg with the upper portion in face-to-face engagement with portions of the base panel and the stub telescopically received in a hollow section, said leg extends radially outward and downwardly from the base panel with the surface engaging end adapted to rest on a common hypothetical first plane normally extending across said axis and below said apex.

Claim 3

A stand for a load comprising: a base panel being generally annularly-shaped about an axis and having spaced, opposed upper and bottom faces, said base panel having centrally defined therein a circular, bowl-shaped depression having a rim, said base panel about the rim having an integral, radially outwardly extending shoulder terminating in a down-turned first flange, said shoulder having a width greater than the width of said first flange, said base panel having a second flange integrally downwardly depending from the convex bottom face of said depression in radially spaced relationship to the shoulder, said first and second flanges being in generally spaced, parallel relationship to the axis of said panel and said second flange having a width greater than said width of said first flange, said base panel having at least three generally hollow sections integrally downwardly depending from said convex bottom face and downwardly opening at their respective bottom ends, each section being outwardly adjacent and integral with said second flange, said sections being circumferentially spaced from one another and extending parallel to said axis, and said base portion having a load bearable member integrally upstanding from the concave upper face of said depression at the apex thereof and generally coaxial with said axis, and a leg for each of said hollow sections, each of the legs having a surface engaging end and an inner end having an upper portion and a lower portion, said lower portion of the inner end of each leg having a profile stub section integrally formed therein, said stub section being adapted to make slidable, telescopic engagement within at least a bottom portion of one of said hollow sections to demountably mount the leg on the base paNel, the upper portion of the inner end of each leg having a profile which, during telescopic engagement of the stub section in the hollow section, makes abutting, face-to-face engagement with portions of said convex bottom face adjacent said rim, portions of the underside surface of said shoulder, and portions of the radial inside surface of said first flange; and each of said legs having a configuration between the surface engaging end and the inner end so that during mounting of the leg with the upper portion in face-to-face engagement with portions of the base panel and the stub telescopically received in a hollow section, said leg extends radially outwardly and downwardly from the base panel with the surface engaging end adapted to rest on a common hypothetical first plane normally extending across said axis and below said apex.

Claim 4

A stand for a load comprising: a base panel being generally annularly-shaped about an axis and having spaced, opposed upper and bottom faces, said base panel having centrally defined therein a circular, bowl-shaped depression having a rim, said base panel about the rim having an integral, radially outwardly extending shoulder terminating in a down-turned first flange, said shoulder having a width greater than the width of said first flange, said base panel having a second flange integrally downwardly depending from the convex bottom face of said depression in radially spaced relationship to the shoulder, said first and second flanges being in generally spaced, parallel relationship to the axis of said panel and said second flange having a width greater than said width of said first flange, said base panel having at least three generally hollow sections integrally downwardly depending from said convex bottom face and downwardly opening at their respective bottom ends, each section being outwardly adjacent and integral with said second flange, said sections being circumferentially spaced from one another and extending parallel to said axis, and said base portion having a load bearable member integrally upstanding from the concave upper face of said depression at the apex thereof and generally coaxial with said axis, and a leg for each of said hollow sections, each of the legs having a surface engaging end and an inner end having an upper portion and a lower portion, said lower portion of the inner end of each leg having a profile stub section integrally formed therein, said stub section being adapted to make slidable, telescopic engagement within at least a bottom portion of one of said hollow sections to demountably mount the leg on the base paNel, the upper portion of the inner end of each leg having a profile which, during telescopic engagement of the stub section in the hollow section, makes abutting, face-to-face engagement with portions of said convex bottom face adjacent said rim, portions of the underside surface of said shoulder, and portions of the radial inside surface of said first flange; and each of said legs having a configuration between the surface engaging end and the inner end so that during mounting of the leg with the upper portion in face-to-face engagement with portions of the base panel and the stub telescopically received in a hollow section, said leg extends radially outwardly and downwardly from the base panel with the surface engaging end adapted to rest on a common hypothetical first plane normally extending across said axis and below said apex.

Claim 5

A stand of claim 2 further including a first plurality of rib members, one for each said hollow section, each such rib integrally upstanding and radially extending in circumferentially spaced relationship to the others thereof from said load bearable member to an adjacent portion of said concave upper face being generally radially aligned with a portion of a different one of such hollow sections.

Claim 6

A stand of claim 3 further having a second plurality of rib members, each one integrally upstanding and radially extending midway circumferentially between each pair of rib members in said first plurality thereof and radially between said load bearable member and an adjacent portion of said concave upper face, the vertical height along said axis of rib members in said second plurality thereof being less than that of said first plurality thereof.

Claim 7

A stand of claim 2 wherein said width of said second flange is substantially greater than said width of said first flange.

Claim 8

A stand of claim 2 wherein said second flange terminates above said apex.

Claim 9

A stand of claim 2 wherein such hollow sections are tubular and have substantially equal diameters.

Claim 10

A stand of claim 7 wherein said profile stub section is tubular in each leg.

Claim 11

A stand of claim 2 wherein said hollow sections are each generally co-terminous with the bottom of said second flange.

Claim 12

A stand of claim 2 wherein the lower portion of the inner end of each leg has an integral shoulder radially inwardly extending horizontally therefrom for abutting against portions of the bottom of said second flange as the leg is mounted on said base panel.

Claim 13

A stand of claim 2 wherein the inner end of each leg has a profile surface for making abutting face-to-face engagement with outside wall portions of the adjacent hollow sections.

Claim 14

A stand of claim 2 wherein the lower portion of said inner end of each leg has a depending support peg which is generally coaxial with said profile stub section thereof, the exposed ends of all such support pegs being adapted to rest on a common hypothetical second plane normally extending across said axis below said apex but slightly above said first plane, said exposed ends of all such support pegs being further adapted to rest on said common hypothetical first plane when said legs are in said mounted configuration and said stand is in an operative orientation with a load applied to said load bearable member so that said support pegs are adapted to provide additional load bearing capacity with said legs.

Claim 15

A stand of claim 2 wherein said load bearable member comprises a generally tubular socket adapted for receipt therein of Christmas tree base or the like.

Claim 16

A stand of claim 13 wherein said tubular socket has at least one longitudinally extending ridge in the inside wall thereof.

Claim 17

A stand of claim 13 wherein said tubular socket has at least one longitudinally extending slot in the wall thereof to provide yielding radial expansibility relative to the axis thereof.

Claim 18

A stand of claim 15 wherein collar means is provided which is adapted to circumferentially engage the uppEr end of said socket and apply radially inwardly exerted pressure against the outside walls thereof.

Claim 19

A stand of claim 16 wherein said collar means is tubular and has tapered inside wall surfaces.

Claim 20

A stand of claim 2 wherein the surface engaging end of each one of said legs has a flattened, surface engaging foot portion, said foot portion being integral with said surface engaging end along a circumferentially extending, axially flexible joint region therein, thereby adapting said foot portions to distribute weight applied thereto in response to loads applied to said load bearable member when said legs are in said mounted configuration and said stand is in an operative orientation.

Claim 21

A stand of claim 2 wherein there are four of said hollow sections and four of said legs.

Claim 22

A stand of claim 2 wherein each leg comprises a pair of spaced parallel side wall portions continuously integrally interconnected across their respective top edge portions by a bridge member.

Claim 23

A stand of claim 20 wherein each side wall portion has a circumferentially outwardly protruding radially extending ridge along its respective bottom edge portions.

Claim 24

A stand of claim 21 wherein each such ridge interconnects with a horizontal, radially inwardly extending integral shoulder on the lower portion of the inner end of each leg which shoulder abuts against portions of the bottom of said second flange when the leg is in said mounted configuration.

Claim 25

A stand of claim 20 wherein said side wall portions are interconnected together at their inner respective ends by an arcuate surface which is adapted to make abutting, face-to-face engagement with radial outside surface portions of said hollow section adjacent thereto in an assembled said stand.

Claim 26

A stand of claim 23, wherein the arcuate surface has a contour to enable the inner ends of the side wall portions to abut the second flange as the leg is mounted on the base panel.