Tube support assembly

An assembly for supporting a tube in spaced relation from a tube-supporting surface comprising a C-shaped clamp for frictionally engaging and retaining an outer surface of a tube therein, an elongate column having a ball-shaped end portion and an opposite end portion supportably receiving the clamp for movement along the longitudinal axis of the column, a base having socket means for receivably retaining the ball-shaped portion of the column therein to permit pivotal adjustment of the column and C-shaped clamp to any position within a 360.degree. circle of movement, and means on the base for frictionally gripping a tube supporting surface to provide support of a tube in spaced relation therefrom;

• said column being a tubular column having a passageway therethrough, the C-shaped clamp having an elongate post telescopically received within the tubular column for movement along the longitudinal axis of the column, spring means in said tubular column surrounding said post for biasing said clamp post against movement along the axis of the tubular column, and means retaining said spring means and post of the clamp in said tubular column against outward displacement therefrom comprising an insert restricting the interior diameter of the tubular column, and ring means engaging each end of the spring means on said post of the clamp, said ring means having a larger external diameter than the internal diameter of said insert.

An assembly for supporting a luminous tube comprising a clamp post having a C-shaped end portion for frictionally engaging and retaining an outer surface of a tube therein, a tubular column having a passageway through and telescopically receiving the clamp post into one end thereof for movement along the longitudinal axis of the column, a ball-shaped portion on the other end of the column, a base having a generally semispherical socket for receivably retaining the ball-shaped portion of the column therein for pivotal adjustment of the column and clamp post to any position within a 360.degree. circle of movement, and means on said base for frictionally gripping a support member to provide positionally adjustable support of a luminous tube in spaced relation therefrom;

• said clamp post, tubular column, and base being composed of plastic, and means received within said tubular column in surrounding relation to said clamp post for biasing the post against its movement along said axis of the tubular column and for retaining said post in said tubular column against outward removal therefrom;
• said post biasing and retaining means comprising a spring positioned in surrounding relation with a lower portion of the clamp post, an insert frictionally received within the tubular column passageway and retained by an inner surface at the upper end of the tubular column in surrounding relation to the clamp post, an outwardly extending shoulder on the clamp post, an inwardly extending shoulder in the tubular column passageway, an enlarged lower end portion on the clamp post, and said spring having an upper coil end portion in engagement with the insert and the clamp post shoulder and a lower coil end portion in engagement with the tubular column shoulder and the enlarged lower end portion of the clamp post at times during movement of the clamp post in the tubular column to provide a biasing force against movement of the clamp post in either direction along the longitudinal axis of the column.

An assembly for supporting a tube in spaced relation from a tube-supporting surface comprising a C-shaped clamp for frictionally engaging and retaining an outer surface of a tube therein, an elongate column having a ball-shaped end portion and an opposite end portion supportably receiving the clamp for movement along the longitudinal axis of the column, a base having socket means for receivably retaining the ball-shaped portion of the column therein to permit pivotal adjustment of the column and C-shaped clamp to any position within a 360.degree. circle of movement, and means on the base for frictionally gripping a tube supporting surface to provide support of a tube in spaced relation therefrom;

• said column being a tubular column, the C-shaped clamp having an elongate post telescopically received within the tubular column for movement along the longitudinal axis of the column, spring means in said tubular column surrounding said post for biasing said clamp post against movement along the axis of the tubular column, and means retaining said spring means and post of the clamp in said tubular column against outward displacement therefrom;
• said means for retaining the spring means and clamp end portion in the tubular column comprising an insert restricting the interior diameter of the tubular column, and ring means engaging each end of the spring means on said post of the clamp, said ring means having a larger external diameter than the internal diameter of said insert;
• said clamp, tubular column, and base being formed of plastic and having resiliently deformable portions for operative inter-engagement, and for engagement with a tube and a tube supporting surface;
• and said base comprising downwardly extending resiliently deformable wall sections defining a channel for receiving and frictionally gripping an elongate support member for the assembly, the lower end portion of each of said wall sections having an inwardly extending rib for facilitating gripping engagement of the assembly support member.