Patent ID: 8172187

Claim:
A stand from which a planter can be suspended, the stand comprising: an elongated hollow center post having two opposite ends and arrangeable in a substantially vertical orientation, one end of the center post opening downwardly when the center post is arranged in its substantially vertical orientation, and the center post defining a plurality of openings thereabout wherein the defined openings are arranged in a common radial plane of the center post and which are spaced from the downwardly-opening end of the center post when the center post is arranged in its substantially vertical orientation; a plurality of leg members for supporting the center post in its substantially vertical orientation, each of the leg members including a foot end for engaging the ground or underlying support surface and two post-engaging portions, a first of the post-engaging portions adapted to be accepted by a corresponding one of the openings defined about the center post and a second of the post-engaging portions adapted to be accepted by the downwardly-opening end of the center post when the center post is arranged in its substantially vertical orientation; and a first retaining means for cooperating between the center post and the leg members for preventing the withdrawal of the first of the post-engaging portions from the openings defined about the center post and a second retaining means for preventing the withdrawal of the second of the post-engaging portions from the downwardly-opening end of the center post; and wherein the center post has an outer surface and the leg members further include sections which extend along the center post when the first of the post-engaging portions are accepted by the openings defined about the center post, and the first retaining means includes a collar member which encircles the center post and the sections of the leg members which extend along the center post when the first of the post-engaging portions are accepted by the openings defined about the center post for preventing the withdrawal of the first of the post-engaging portions from the defined openings in the center post.