Portable furniture base

• US 5,895,017 A
• Filed: 09/11/1997
• Issued: 04/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Keith S. Mcmillan Jr
• Original Assignee: Keith S. Mcmillan Jr
• Inventors: McMillan, Keith S. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ramirez, Ramon O.
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Anita M.
• Application Number:
  US08/927,513
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 248/188.1, 248/127, 248/346.01, 248/346.03, 248/676, 248/678, 248/530, 248/519, 248/156
• US Class Current: 248/188.1
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 29/06 Fastening to floors

Abstract

A portable furniture base for attaching a base stand to a deck surface form having a plurality of spaced apart planks so that the stand can be moved to various locations. The portable furniture base includes an upper member, an upper support portion and is mounted on the upper end of a base member. An elongate tension wire disposed in the hollow interior of the base member attaches the base member to a deck by extension of its lower anchoring end through a space between two adjacent planks of the deck. The tension wire anchoring end is rectangular in shape to form a pair of opposing anchoring flange portions which may positioned so that they abut the lower surface of the deck. The tension wire upper end is coupled to a threaded bolt. An adjustment nut disposed on the threaded bolt and is mounted to permit rotation on the base member upper end to provide an adjustment of the tension within the tension wire.

Claims

1. A portable furniture base for resting on an upper surface of a deck being formed by a plurality of substantially parallel and spaced apart elongate planks, said portable furniture base comprising:

a conical frustum-shaped base member having a substantially straight outer surface, a hollow interior, an upper end, a cylindrical projection extending upwardly from said upper end, a lip extending outwardly from a perimeter of said cylindrical projiection, a lower end, and a perimeter base flange extending outwardly from said lower end, said lower end being for abutting against the deck upper surface;

an upper member having an upper support portion, a neck portion downwardly disposed from said upper support portion, said neck portion having a hollow interior for snugly receiving said cylindrical projection, said upper member further having a mounting portion positioned at a downward facing surface of said neck portion, said mounting portion being for abutting against said lip of said base member;

an elongate tension wire having an upper end and a lower anchoring end, said lower anchoring end having an open rectangular configuration forming an opening for receiving a user'"'"'s hand therethrough, said lower anchoring end being for extension through a space between two adjacent planks, said tension wire being disposed within said base member hollow interior;

a pair of opposing anchoring flange portions being formed by said lower anchoring end, each anchoring flange portion being extended perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of said tension wire, each said anchoring flange portion being for abutment against a deck plank lower surface,

a threaded bolt being coupled to said tension wire upper end;

an adjustment nut being disposed on said threaded bolt, said adjustment nut being mounted on said base member upper end to permit rotation of said nut whereby said threaded bolt is urged substantially along a vertical line, said threaded bolt and said adjustment nut providing a tension adjustment means for adjusting the tension within said tension wire such that said opposing anchoring flange portions selectively contact said deck plank lower surface for holding said base member against said deck;

wherein the upper support portion includes a substantially planar upper surface, and wherein the upper surface is has a shape chosen from the group of shapes consisting of a circle, an oval, a square, and a rectangle;

wherein the upper surface has a three sided raised lip disposed from an outer perimeter of the upper surface, said raised lip having a channel extending along an underside thereof for facilitating grasping of the upper support portion,

wherein the raised lip includes the three substantially planar sides being configured at right angles with respect to each adjacent side such that said raised lip forms the channel in the underside of the raised lip;

wherein said neck portion is offset from a center of said chosen shape; and

wherein the lower end of said base member forms a substantially circular contact surface spaced laterally outward from the lower anchoring end of said tension wire to maximize the area of the deck contacted by said base member and said lower anchoring end.

8. The portable furniture base of claim 1, wherein the raised lip includes the three substantially planar sides being configured at right angles with respect to each adjacent side such that said raised lip forms the channel in the underside of the raised lip.

2. A portable furniture base for resting on an upper surface of a deck being formed by a plurality of substantially parallel and spaced apart elongate planks, said portable furniture base comprising:

a conical frustum-shaped base member having a substantially straight outer surface, a hollow interior, an upper end, a cylindrical projection extending upwardly from said upper end, a lip extending outwardly from a perimeter of said cylindrical projection, a lower end, and a perimeter base flange extending outwardly from said lower end, said lower end being for abutting against the deck upper surface;

an upper member having an upper support portion, a neck portion downwardly disposed from said upper support portion, said neck portion having a hollow interior for snugly receiving said cylindrical projection, said upper member further having a mounting portion positioned at a downward facing surface of said neck portion, said mounting portion being for abutting against said lip of said base member;

an elongate tension wire having an upper end and a lower anchoring end, said lower anchoring end having an open rectangular configuration forming an opening for receiving a user'"'"'s hand therethrough, said lower anchoring end being for extension through a space between two adjacent planks, said tension wire being disposed within said base member hollow interior;

a pair of opposing anchoring flange portions being formed by said lower anchoring end, each anchoring flange portion being extended perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of said tension wire, each said anchoring flange portion being for abutment against a deck plank lower surface;

a threaded bolt being coupled to said tension wire upper end;

an adjustment nut being disposed on said threaded bolt, said adjustment nut being mounted on said base member upper end to permit rotation of said nut whereby said threaded bolt is urged substantially along a vertical line, said threaded bolt and said adjustment nut providing a tension adjustment means for adjusting the tension within said tension wire such that said opposing anchoring flange portions selectively contact said deck plank lower surface for holding said base member against said deck.

3. The portable furniture base of claim 2, wherein said upper support portion forms a structure chosen from the group of structures consisting of a table and a planter.

4. The portable furniture base of claim 2, wherein said upper support portion comprises a table and includes a means for attaching an umbrella.

5. The portable furniture base of claim 2, wherein said upper support portion is adapted to hold a post.

6. The portable furniture base of claim 2, wherein the upper support portion includes a substantially planar upper surface;

and

wherein the upper surface is has a shape chosen from the group of shapes consisting of a circle, an oval, a square, and a rectangle.

7. The portable furniture base of claim 6, wherein the upper surface has a three sided raised lip disposed from an outer perimeter of the upper surface, said raised lip having a channel extending along an underside thereof for facilitating grasping of the upper support portion.

9. The portable furniture base of claim 6, wherein said neck portion is offset from a center of said chosen shape.

10. The portable furniture base of claim 2, wherein the lower end of said base member forms a substantially circular contact surface spaced laterally outward from the lower anchoring end of said tension wire to maximize the area of the deck contacted by said base member and said lower anchoring end.

11. The portable furniture base of claim 2, wherein said elongate tension wire defines a longitudinal axis, and wherein said lower end of said base member is adapted to contact the deck upper surface at a location spaced laterally outward from the area of said lower deck surface contacted by said loop to thereby enhance the stability of said base member when mounted on the deck.