Patent ID: 7775496

Claim:
A shipping assembly for a metal tubular support column having a top end and a bottom end, the top end having an interior surface with internal threads defining an opening, a shaft with an exterior surface having exterior threads being positioned in and protruding from the opening at the top end of the support column with the exterior threads engaging the internal threads, a length of that portion of the shaft protruding from the top end of the support column being adjustable by rotating the shaft, a top plate having opposed planar faces with an aperture extending therethrough between the opposed planar faces, and a collar positioned on one of the opposed planar faces surrounding the aperture, a bottom plate having opposed planar faces and a collar positioned on one of the opposed planar faces, a nut engaging the external threads on the shaft and supporting the top plate from below when a remote end of the shaft is extended through the aperture in the top plate, the collar on the top plate engaging the nut, the collar on the bottom plate engaging the bottom end of the support column, the shipping assembly comprising: the bottom plate modified by an aperture extending therethrough between the opposed planar faces, the top plate and the bottom plate positioned back to back with collars oriented away from each other, the shaft extended through both the aperture in the top plate and the aperture in the bottom plate, and the nut clamping the top plate and the bottom plate against the top end of the support column.