Support column assembly

Abstract

A support column assembly is provided that comprises a first support tube having an opening therein and extending perpendicularly from a bearing plate, a second support tube extending perpendicularly from a support base and being axially disposed within the opening of the first support tube, and a clamp assembly for clamping the first support tube relative to the second support tube. In this embodiment, the clamp assembly comprises a cylindrical sleeve and a cylindrical clamp. The cylindrical clamp has a tapered opening therein for receiving a tapered end portion of the cylindrical sleeve, wherein the cylindrical clamp is configured to compress the cylindrical sleeve when the tapered opening of the cylindrical clamp is pressed onto the tapered end portion of the cylindrical sleeve, such that the cylindrical sleeve compresses the first support tube onto the second support tube to effectively clamp the first support tube relative to the second support tube.

1 . A clamp assembly for compressively securing first and second telescoping support tubes to form a support column, the clamp assembly comprising: 
 a sleeve having a tapered exterior face portion and an opening therein adapted to receive the first and second support tubes; and    a clamp having an opening therein for receiving the cylindrical sleeve, the cylindrical clamp having a tapered interior face configured to engage the tapering exterior face of the cylindrical sleeve and compress the sleeve upon relative axial movement of the clamp and the sleeve, to compressively secure first and second telescoping support tubes disposed in the opening in the sleeve.    
   
   
       2 . The clamp assembly of  claim 1  further comprising at least two longitudinally extending slots in the tapered exterior face portion of the cylindrical sleeve.  
   
   
       3 . The clamp assembly of  claim 1  wherein the tapered exterior face portion of the cylindrical sleeve is between about  4  and about  6  inches long.  
   
   
       4 . The clamp assembly of  claim 1  wherein the tapered exterior face portion of the cylindrical sleeve tapers angle in the range of between about 0.5 degrees and about 5 degrees.  
   
   
       5 . The clamp assembly of  claim 1  further comprising at least two longitudinally extending slots in the tapered face portion of the cylindrical sleeve, the slots each being at least as long as the length of the tapered face portion of the cylindrical sleeve.  
   
   
       6 . The clamp assembly of  claim 1  further comprising a shoulder on the cylindrical sleeve adapted to engage the end of the first support tube.  
   
   
       7 . An adjustable support column assembly comprising: 
 a first support tube having first and second ends, and an opening in the first end;    a second support tube having first and second ends, the first end of the second support tube being telescopingly received in the first end of the first support tube such that the second support tube may be positioned relative to the first support tube to provide for adjusting the height of the support column assembly;    a cylindrical sleeve having a tapered exterior face portion and an opening therein for receiving the telescoped first and support tubes and a cylindrical clamp having an opening therein for receiving the cylindrical sleeve, the cylindrical clamp having a tapered interior face configured to engage and compress the tapering exterior face of the cylindrical sleeve upon relative axial movement of the clamp and sleeve such that the cylindrical sleeve compresses the first support tube onto the second tube to effectively clamp the first support tube relative to the second support tube.    
   
   
       8 . The adjustable support column of  claim 7  wherein the cylindrical sleeve includes at least two slots extending longitudinally in the tapered exterior face portion;  
   
   
       9 . The adjustable support column of  claim 7  wherein the first support tube comprises at least two slots longitudinally extending from the second end to increase the flexibility of the second end.  
   
   
       10 . The adjustable support column of  claim 7  wherein the tapered exterior face portion of the cylindrical sleeve has a length of between about  4  and about  6  inches.  
   
   
       11 . The adjustable support column of  claim 7  wherein the tapered portion of the cylindrical sleeve has a taper angle of between about 0.5 degrees and about 5 degrees.  
   
   
       12 . The adjustable support column of  claim 7 , wherein the cylindrical sleeve includes at least two slots extending longitudinally in the tapered exterior face portion.  
   
   
       13 . The adjustable support column according to  claim 7  further comprising a bearing plate on the first end of the first support tube, and a bearing plate on the second end of the second tube support.  
   
   
       14 . A method of supporting a roof with a telescoping support column comprising a first support tube having first and a second end, the second end of the first support tube having an opening therein; a bearing plate on the second end of the first support tube, a second support tube having first and second ends, a bearing plate on the second end of second support tube, the first end of the second support tube being telescopingly received in the first end of the first support column, a locking wedge overlying the telescoping overlap between the first and second support tubes, the locking wedge having an exterior tapered face portion; and a cylindrical clamp having an opening for receiving at least a portion of the locking wedge, the clamp having a tapered interior surface for engaging the exterior tapered face portion of the locking wedge, the method comprising: 
 extending the telescoping support column until one of the bearing plates engages the roof and the other bearing plate engages the floor, and    moving the cylindrical clamp axially over the locking wedge to compresses the first end of the first support tube to effectively clamp the first support tube relative to the second support tube.