Pizza stand

Claim 1

A stand for supporting a plurality of objects at a plurality of different vertical levels comprising a vertical rod, means for supporting said rod in a vertical disposition, said rod having a plurality of spaced circumferential grooves therein of substantially equal vertical width, a plurality of cylindrical collars each having a central bore therethrough of substantially the same size as the cross-section of said rod, each collar having a pair of opposite radial slots therein extending from the outside of said collar to the bore thereof and being of substantially the same vertical width as one said grooves, a horizontal plate connected to each collar and extending radially outwardly therefrom for supporting objects thereon, a plurality of clips for connecting said collars to said rod, each clip being made of a continuous piece of spring wire having a thickness substantially equal to the vertical width of one of the grooves of said rod and being bent intermediate its end to form a semi-circular loop with a first pair of spaced arms extending outwardly from opposite ends of said loop and defining with said loop a substantially horizontal plane, said first pair of arms being adapted to be received in a locking position in the opposite slots in a first one of said collars and also in a first one of said circuferential grooves on said vertical rod when said opposite slots of said first collar are placed in alignment with said first groove so as to lock said first collar in position in alignment with said first groove, said loop of said clip extending outwardly away from said first collar when said clip is positioned in said locking position, said first pair of arms extending divergently outwardly beyond said first collar on a side thereof opposite from said loop to a pair of outer ends, a second pair of spaced arms having a pair of inner ends and a pair of outer ends, the inner ends of said second pair of arms being connected respectively to the outer ends of said first pair of arms, said second pair of arms extending convergently towards each other in said horizontal plane and in a direction away from said loop, the outer ends of said second pair of arms being closely adjacent each other, said clip including a third pair of arms extending from one pair of ends thereof to a second pair of ends thereof, said third pair of arms having their one pair of ends connected respectively to the outer ends of said second pair of arms and extending therefrom in substantially parallel relation with each other at right angles to said horizontal plane and on the same side thereof, said clip also including a fourth pair of arms having a pair of inner ends and a pair of outer ends constituting the ends of said piece of spring wire, said fourth pair of arms having their inner ends connected respectively to the second pair of ends of said third pair of arms and extending divergently away from each other and from said third pair of arms in a direction towards said loop, said fourth pair of arms being substantially parallel to said second pair of arms and being adapted to engage the outer surface of said first collar at positions spaced from said slots thereof, whereby, when a force is exerted against said third arms in a direction towards said first collar, a relative wedging action will occur between said first collar and said fourth pair of arms and whereby, as said clip moves in the direction of said force, said first pair of arms will be forced outwardly relative to each other so as to be urged out of said first groove.