Thermometer base

An assembly for protecting and supporting a fragile elongated member having a column and an integral flange base, said assembly comprising:

• a protective support base defining a threaded bore for receiving the integral flange base of the fragile elongated member, said threaded bore having a bottom, said flange base having a bottom surface and a top surface with the column projecting upwardly therefrom;
• a bottom cushioning pad for placement in the bottom of said bore to cushion and support the flange base of the elongated member when it is received in said bore with its bottom surface positioned against said bottom cushioning pad;
• a ring-shaped upper cushioning pad for being positioned against the top surface of the flange base with the column received in the ring hole of the pad;
• and,
• a threaded collar member defining an axially aligned hole for receiving the column and for being threaded into said threaded bore of said protective support base to secure the elongated member to the protective support base when (1) the flange base of said elongated member is received in said threaded bore of said protective support base with said bottom cushioning pad placed in the bottom of said bore and (2) said ring-shaped cushioning pad is positioned against the top surface of the flange base with the column received in the pad's ring hole.

A combination comprising:

• a fragile elongated member having a column and an integral flange base;
• a protective support base defining a threaded bore in which said integral flange base of the fragile elongated member is received, said threaded bore having a bottom, said flange base having a bottom surface and a top surface with the column projecting upwardly therefrom;
• a bottom cushioning pad placed in the bottom of said threaded bore to cushion and support said bottom surface of said flange base received in said threaded bore;
• a ring-shaped upper cushioning pad placed against said top surface of the flange base with the column received in the ring hole of the pad;
• and,
• a threaded collar member defining an axially aligned hole in which said column is received, said collar also being threaded into said threaded bore of said protective support base to secure the elongated member to the protective support base.

A method of protecting and supporting a fragile elongated member having a column and an integral flange base, said assembly comprising:

• providing a fragile elongated member having a column and an integral flange base wherein the flange base has a bottom surface and a top surface with the column projecting upwardly therefrom;
• providing an assembly for protecting and supporting the fragile elongated member wherein the assembly includes:
• a protective support base defining a threaded bore for receiving the integral flange base of the fragile elongated member and wherein the threaded bore has a bottom;
• a bottom cushioning pad for placement in the bottom of the support base's bore to cushion and support the flange base of the elongated member when it is received in the bore with its bottom surface positioned against the bottom cushioning pad;
• a ring-shaped upper cushioning pad for being positioned against the top surface of the flange base with the column received in the ring hole of the pad;
• and,
• a threaded collar member defining an axially aligned hole for receiving the column and for being threaded into the threaded bore of the protective support base to secure the elongated member to the protective support base;
• placing the bottom cushioning pad in the bottom of the support base's bore;
• fitting the ring-shaped upper cushioning pad over the elongated member's column so that the column is located in the pad's ring hole;
• positioning the fitted upper cushioning pad against the top surface of the elongated member's flange;
• inserting the elongated member's flange base in the threaded bore of the support base so that the flange base's bottom surface is positioned against the bottom cushioning pad placed in the bottom of the threaded bore;
• fitting the threaded collar member over the elongated member's column so that the column is located in the collar's axially aligned hole;
• and then
• threading the threaded collar member into the support base's threaded bore to secure the elongated member to the protective support base.