Patent ID: 8651440

Claim:
A portable mast for supporting a payload on a surface of attachment comprising: a) a substantially tubular center column that supports a payload at its distal end, the tubular center column comprising a base that defines an opening to a surface of attachment, a proximal end of the base having at least one point of contact for mating to the surface of attachment and a central axis oriented generally perpendicular to the surface of attachment; the surface of attachment having an eyelet on its upper surface; b) a cable housed within the tubular center column with its first end emerging from the opening at the proximal end of the column generally aligned with the central axis of the base and its second end emerging from an opening on the tubular center column away from the base, the first end of the cable terminated by a fastener; the fastener extended from the base to firmly secure the cable to the eyelet on the surface of attachment; and the second end terminated by a stop that prevents the cable from being fully withdrawn into the tubular center column; c) a means for maintaining tension on the cable when the fastener is secured to the eyelet on the surface of attachment, so that force exerted by the base in opposition to the surface of attachment produces friction between the lower surface of the base and the upper surface of the surface of attachment that maintains the mast securely mated to the surface of attachment; and d) the tubular center column restricting the first end of the cable and its fastener from being fully withdrawn into its interior and removed through the opening on the tubular center column away from the base.