Support unit

A suspension support unit comprising:

• a vertical cylinder and means at the upper end of the cylinder for suspension thereof;
• brake means slidable in the cylincder and having grip means at the lower end thereof, the brake means comprising a pair of spaced collars slidably mounted on a shaft coaxially in the cylinder, the shaft projecting below the cylinder and carrying a grip at the lower end thereof, the shaft being axially movable to move the collars selectively towards and away from one another, the collars being bevelled at their outer opposing edges to form a raceway, the angle of the bevelled outer edge of each collar being between 35.degree. and 70.degree. with respect to a transverse plane of the cylinder normal to its axis and the angles being equal, a plurality of spherical bearing being located in the raceway and movable, on moving the collars one towards the other, outwardly to bear against the cylinder and lock the brake means with respect to vertical movement therein with the brake means and the shaft being jointly rotatable about the axis of the shaft;
• and
• means connected with the brake means to support an object, said support means comprising an outer sleeve concentric with the cylinder, the outer sleeve being slidable on the cylinder and mounted on the grip, and means projecting outwardly from the sleeve to support an object;
• the collars being freely slidable on a shaft, stop means on the upper end of the shaft, and a tube concentric with the shaft, the lowermost of the collars bearing against the upper end of the tube and the lower end of the tube bearing against a plug in the lower end of the sleeve, the shaft being freely slidable in the plug through an aperture therein and engaging the grip beneath the plug.