Food covering supports

Abstract

An assembly is described for supporting a covering above the surface of a food item to prevent the covering from contacting the food item. A support pin having a shank and a support head is releasibly held in an upright position within a pin receiver in a pin mount. For assemblies placed within the periphery of the food item, the mount may have a base and a vertical column with a shank receiving bore extending upwardly from the base. Another pin mount for assemblies placed around the periphery of the food item has a horizontal foot with a distal end and an outer end, and a vertical leg extending upwardly from the foot outer end, the vertical leg having an outer side opposite the foot and a pin receiving opening adjacent the outer side of the vertical leg.

1 . An assembly for supporting a flexible covering above the surface of a food item to prevent said covering from contacting said food item comprising: 
 a) a pin having a shank with a lower end and an upper end, and a support head extending outwardly from the upper end of said shank; and    b) a pin mount having a base and a pin receiver, said pin shank lower end being vertically insertable into said receiver.    
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said support head is circular.  
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said pin mount has a base with a lower surface and a column with a bore extending upwardly from said base, said pin shank being insertable into said bore.  
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said pin mount base is an elongated base with an inner end and an outer end, said pin receiver extending upwardly from the outer end of said base.  
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said pin mount includes a vertical leg extending upwardly from said base, said vertical leg having an outer side and a pin receiver adjacent the outer side of said vertical leg.  
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said receiver includes a plurality of vertically aligned shank receiving holes.  
   
   
       7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said pin receiver is centrally located on said base.  
   
   
       8 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said shank and said head are formed of a single wire rod.  
   
   
       9 . An assembly for supporting a flexible covering above the surface of a food item to prevent said covering from contacting said food item comprising: 
 a) a pin having a shaft with a lower end and an upper end, and a support head extending outwardly from the upper end of said shaft; and    b) a pin mount having a base and a vertical column with a bore extending upwardly from said base, said pin shaft being insertable into said bore.    
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said mount base and column have a circular cross-section.  
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said base and said column have a common axis.  
   
   
       12 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said base and said column are a single molded plastic piece.  
   
   
       13 . The assembly of  claim 9 , wherein said pin is a wire rod having an upper end forming said head.  
   
   
       14 . An assembly for supporting a covering above the surface of food to prevent said covering from contacting said food comprising: 
 a) a plurality of support pins, each pin having a shank with a lower end and an upper end, and a support head extending outwardly from the upper end of said shank; and    b) at least one pin mount having an elongated base with an inner end and an outer end, and a pin receiver above the outer end of said base.    
   
   
       15 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said mount includes an upright leg extending upwardly from said base outer end said upright leg including an outer side with a pin receiver adjacent said leg outer side.  
   
   
       16 . The assembly of  claim 14 , further including a second pin mount having a base and a pin receiver centrally positioned on said base.  
   
   
       17 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said pin mount is formed of a single strip of metal.  
   
   
       18 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said pin receiver includes at least two vertically aligned holes.  
   
   
       19 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said pin receiver includes a shank rest.  
   
   
       20 . The assembly of  claim 14 , wherein said pin receiver includes a first segment extending outwardly and downwardly from the upper end of said leg, a second segment extending inwardly and downwardly below said first segment, and a pin rest extending outwardly below said second segment, said first and second segments including vertically aligned shank receiving openings.