Clamp

Abstract

A plant stand designed to be mounted on a railing of a structure, such as a deck, is provided. The plant stand includes a generally vertical frame having a proximal end connected to a base plate. A clamp connected to the base plate is designed to selectively clamp a railing of the structure between a body of the clamp and the base plate. A plurality of plant supports are coupled with the frame for supporting plants thereon. In first and second embodiments of the plant stand, the plant supports are spaced apart from and coupled with the frame via support arms. In the second embodiment, the support arms are adjustable by way of a plurality of brackets secured to legs of the frame.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A clamp comprising: 
 a plate having upper and lower surfaces;    a shaft coupled with the plate, wherein the shaft includes an internally threaded bore;    a bolt threadably received in the bore of the shaft; and    a carriage coupled with the shaft via the bolt and selectively movable toward and away from the base plate.    
     
     
         2 . The clamp of  claim 1 , wherein the carriage has a body and a sleeve, wherein the sleeve is slidably received on the shaft in telescoping fashion.  
     
     
         3 . The clamp of  claim 2 , wherein the carriage is received on the bolt, wherein the sleeve is generally tubular in nature and has an opening therein, wherein the bolt is received in the opening, wherein the shaft is received in the opening, and wherein an outer circumference of the shaft is slightly less than a circumference of the opening, whereby tightening the bolt draws the carriage toward the plate.  
     
     
         4 . The clamp of  claim 1 , wherein the shaft has a longitudinal axis and wherein the shaft is coupled with the plate such that the longitudinal axis of the shaft is generally perpendicular to the lower surface of the plate.  
     
     
         5 . The clamp of  claim 4 , wherein the carriage has a first portion with an upper surface which is generally parallel to the lower surface of the base and wherein movement of the carriage moves the upper surface of the first portion toward and away from the lower surface of the base to clamp items therebetween.  
     
     
         6 . The clamp of  claim 5 , wherein the carriage has a body and a sleeve, wherein the first portion of the carriage is on the body, and wherein the upper surface of the first portion is generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the sleeve.  
     
     
         7 . The clamp of  claim 4 , wherein the shaft is coupled with and spaced apart from the base via a support.  
     
     
         8 . The clamp of  claim 7 , wherein the support has a proximal end which is coupled to the upper surface of the support and a distal end which is coupled to a proximal end of the shaft.  
     
     
         9 . A clamp for selectively mounting an object to a railing of a deck, the clamp comprising: 
 a base plate having upper and lower surfaces, wherein the lower surface abuts the railing when the clamp is coupled thereto;    a shaft coupled with the base plate;    a carriage slidably received on the shaft for selective movement toward and away from the base plate; and    means for moving the carriage toward and away from the base plate.    
     
     
         10 . The clamp of claim of  9 , wherein the shaft has a longitudinal axis and wherein the longitudinal axis of the shaft is generally perpendicular to the lower surface of the base plate.  
     
     
         11 . The clamp of  claim 9 , wherein the shaft has an internally threaded bore therein, wherein the means for moving the carriage toward and away from the base plate includes a bolt theadably received in the bore in the shaft, wherein the carriage is received on the bolt and wherein tightening the bolt moves the carriage toward the base plate.  
     
     
         12 . The clamp of  claim 11 , wherein carriage has a body and a sleeve, wherein the body has a first portion with an upper surface that is generally parallel to the lower surface of the base plate, and wherein the upper surface of the first portion abuts the railing when the clamp is coupled thereto, whereby the railing is positioned between the lower surface of the base plate and the upper surface of the first portion of the carriage.  
     
     
         13 . The clamp of  claim 12 , wherein the sleeve includes an opening and wherein the shaft is slidably received in the opening.  
     
     
         14 . The clamp of  claim 13 , wherein the sleeve is generally tubular in nature, wherein the opening in sleeve has a shape that corresponds to a shape defined by an outer surface of the shaft.  
     
     
         15 . The clamp of  claim 14 , wherein the outer surface of the shaft defines a cylinder.  
     
     
         16 . The clamp of  claim 12 , wherein the body has a second portion that is generally perpendicular to the first portion, whereby the first and second portions cooperate to define a generally L-shaped member for receiving a portion of the railing when the clamp is coupled thereto.  
     
     
         17 . The clamp of  claim 9 , wherein the shaft is coupled with and spaced apart from the base plate via a support, wherein the support has a proximal end which is coupled to the upper surface of the support and a distal end which is coupled to a proximal end of the shaft, and wherein the support extends upwardly from the upper surface of the base plate at a non-perpendicular angle such that the distal end of the support is not directly above the upper surface of the base plate, whereby the shaft is next to the base plate.