CA1050517A - Tree stand - Google Patents

Abstract

TREE STAND
Abstract of the Disclosure A stand for an elongate upright object, such as a tree, including a fluid-holding receptacle into which the butt, or base, end of the object may be received, with a restraining device for engaging and holding the butt of the object against lateral movement in the receptacle. A cover for the receptacle has an opening extending therethrough to receive a portion of the object with screw adjustable engaging members mounted on one side of the opening. An elongate serrated wedge is slidably mounted on the top of the cover opposite the engaging members.
The wedge may be slid into position frictionally engaging the object to hold it in place against the engaging members. Another opening in the cover is so positioned and of such size as to receive a support for the wedge on another cover to accommodate nested stacking of a plurality of the covers. A fluid barrier is removably mounted in the receptacle to prevent fluid in the receptacle from contacting the base of the object if desired.

Description

5~5~7 Background a d Summary_of the Invention This invention pertains to a stand for an elongate, upright object such as a tree, and more particularly to such a stand which utilizes a wedge to clamp the tree tightly in a holding position, and has a fluid barrier removably mounted therein for preventing fluid held within the container from contacting the base, or butt, end of the object if desired.
In the past, various devices for supporting objects such as trees have been devised, bùt they have not been altogeth- ' er satisfactory. Although wedge-type clamping devices may have -.
been used, they have not provided the desired adjustability to accommodate trees having a curve in that portion of the trunk ; below the wedge which is heId by restraining means below the wedge. Explaining further, with previous devices, when a tree has been inserted therein and then clamped into position by a ', sliding wedge, there has been no means for taking care of the 'I cur~ature of the tree to insure that l:he portion of the tree above the wedge will stand upright. With no selective adjustment ~, of engaging members in such devices7 the tree must either be . 20 left--at an incline'or removed and reset several times to achieve '.~ the desired upright position for ~he tree.
~'~ It has been ~ound also that while a fluid ballast, such as water, in the'base is desirable for holding a tree, or like object, in an upright position, it is not always desirable to ha~e'the fluid within the base in contact with the tree.
'. While it is desirable'to provide water for the'tree ~hile in ' warm. or temperate climates the opposite'may be true'in subfreez- :
ing areas. 'If the'treè'is supported out jof doors, as on a tree lot in subfreezing weather, the'f.luid.within the'ba~e used for ~ :
ballast which comes into cont'act with the':tree:may freeze the . . .
', tree into the'base and thus p.rRvents its remoYal from the base.
This would be'a decided disadvantage'to operation of tree lots ~.
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1. ~ ', in such areas.
A general object of the present invention is to provide a novel stand which overcomes the disadvantages of previously designed stands as set out above in a simple and economic manner.
-~ More specifically, an object of the invention is to provide a novel stand for an upright, elongate object, such as a tree, wherein the stand includes restraining means in the base . .. :
for holding the butt end o~ the object against lateral movement, ` adjustable engaging means spaced above the butt of the tree -~ 10 seIectiveIy adjustable to engage side portions of the tree, and a sliding serrated wedge mounted opposite the engaging means for shifting movement between an engaging position frictionally ~ wedging the tree against the engaging members and a release .
1~ position permitting removal of the tree.
~ Yet another object i5 to provide such a novel stand `1 wherein the base includes a f.luid-holding receptacle for receiv- .-~ ing the base, or butt, end of the object and further includes a fluidtight barrier surrounding the butt end of the object to prevent fluid held in the receptacle ~Erom contacting the object.
A still further object of the invention is to provide such a barrier which is removabl~ mounted in the receptacle permitting use of the barrier to prevent fluid contact or removal of the barrîer to permit fluid contact when desired. .:~
Yet another object ~f the invention is to provide such a novel stand having a cover i~ which a support for the sliding wedge projects upwardly.from the top of the cover and wherein the cover includes an opening.of s.ufficient size to rece.ive such .~-.
' a support to per~it neste.d stacking of a plurality of such .~;
. coYer$., with the support on one o the covers extend~ng through .. .
the described opening in another c.over.
D'ra~ing$
These and other. objects and advantages will become :;:

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~ 5~D5 ~ 7 more fully apparent as the following description is read in conjunction with the drawings ~herein:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a stand constructed according to an embodiment of the invention ~ith a top and side portion t~ereof broken a~ay;
Fig. 2 is a top plan y~e~ of the stand;
Fig. 3 is a cross-sectio~al view taken generally along the line 3-3 in Fig. 2;
Fig. 4 is an enlarged cr~ss-sectional vie~ taken generally along the line 4-~ in Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 is a partial plan vie~ sho~ing the wedging and locking action of the ~edge member.

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Detailed Des'cription of a P'ref'erred E~bodiment o~ the Invention Referring to the dra~ings, and first more specifically to Fig. 1, at 10 is indicated generally a stand constructed according to an embodiment of the invention. The stand includes generally a fluid-holding receptacle, or base, 12 and a cover 14 which rests removably atop the base. The base and cover both may be formed of a plastic material.
Describ~ng base 12, it includes a floor, or bottom, 12a with ~ sub$tantially cylindrical side w~ll 12b formed integrally there~th ~nd pro~ec~ing up~ardly therefrom.
~ thicker, circular portion 16 having an ups~anding ring-like edge 16a projecting upwardly therefrom, i5 positioned centrally of the floor of the base. Secured centrall7 within ' '-~' ring 16a is a rigîd spike device having a plurality of upstanding wedge-shaped spikes, or res~raining means, 18.
A hollow cylindrical fluid barrier 22 is illustrated ~::

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with its base surrounding portion 16 of the base. The lower portion of barrier 22 is constructed ~o fit slidably and snuggly about ring edge 16a to provide a fluidtight connection there-between. To accomplish this, the inner side surfaces of the lower portion of barrier 22 may converge slightly on progressing upwardly from the lower edge of the barrier whereby the barrier tightens on ring edge 16a as it is forced downwardly thereon.
As is seen, the barrier has a height which is at least as great as the depth of base 12. .
10 Referring to cover 14, it has the shape of an inverted '.
. saucer, with the upper surface thereof sloping downwardly on .~ .
~` progressing radially outwardly from the center and toward the outer edges of the cover. The outer edge of the cover has a ~' ' depending lip 14a which surrounds the upper marginal edge of I side wall L2b of the base to maintain the cover in position .~ against lateral forces which may be'e~certed on the cover when it :, is in its operating position as illusl;rated. A circular opening ~ 26 is formed centrally in cover 14 to provide an opening through ,J which a tree or other elongate object to be held in the stand j 20 may extend. ~ portion of the trunk of a tree is illustrated at '". 30 in solid line in Fig. 2 and in dot-dashed outline in Fig. 3.
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.l As is seen in Fîg. 3, when the tree is held in the stand, its ' :
'l butt, or base, end is impaled on spikes 18 and thus is res~rained against lateral movement relative~.to the stand.
., ~n upstanding, semi-circular collar 32 is secured to ,j r and extends upwardly. fro~ cover 14 adjacent opening 26. A pair.~., .
' of angularly disposed, elongate'.thumb .screws.36 extend through thr`eaded bores in collar.32.:'These screws are'adjustable into and out of the xegion of openi~g 26 ta engage'spaced-apart side . ' portions of tree'30.as desired. ' ~ As is best.seen in Figs. 2,: 3, .and 4, .an elongate .
channel.38 ~ormed in the'.top of.c.over 14 extends parallel to a .;
: 4.

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line extending tangentially of opening 26 on the side of the opening opposite thumb screws 36.
An elongate wedge 42 is slidably mounted atop the cover. The wedge has an eIongate lip 42a formed thereon extend-ing along and depending from one edge of the wedge. Lip 42a is slidably received in channeI 38.
Wedge 42 also has an elongate serrated wedging edge 42b which faces generally in the direction of thumb screws 36 and on progressing in one direction converges toward the side of ' the wedge bearing lip 42a. An upstanding lug 42c is provided adjacent the rear end of wedge 42 t~ provide a section which may be gripped with the hand or kicked with the foot to slide the wedge in channel 38. The wedge is shiftable in channel 38 :~
between an engaging position as illustrated in solid outline in Fig. 2, with edge 42b frictionally en.gaging a side of tree 30 opposite engaging screws 36, and a release position retracted :
therefrom as illustrated in dot-dashed outline in Fig. 2.. The elongate edge ~2d of wedge 42 opposite edge 42_ has a plurality of indentations formed therein spaced apart longitudinally of the'wedge.' '`
An elongate substantially horizontal guide 46 secured ta cover 14 extends along one side of channel 38 to further '. , :
guide wedge 42 in its sliding move~ent and to aid in holding the same'against shifting laterally of the channel.when placed in ' ~'-operative'wedging position. ~t least a pair of rounded projec-tions 47 extend outwardly from guide'46 to be received in inden-tations 42d in wedge'42..'These'projections aid in holding the wedge'in a holding position as illustrated in solid outline in ., Figs. 2:and S to support.a tree'or.similar ob3ect therein.

4 paî~ of suppo.rt guides 48, 50 project:upwardly,from ' :-" '"
the"top of cover 14 and ha~e'portions which.oYerlie'edge margins of wedge'42:to prevent the'.same'from l,ifting from co.~er 14 as it , :

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slides in channel 38. As is best seen in Figs. 1 and 2, support guide 50 is spacs~d a preselected distance from cover 14.
A plurality of keyhole-shaped fluid fill holes 52 are formed in cover 14 also. The wider portions of holes 52 are spaced outwardly from the cen~er of cover 14 a distance subs~an-tially equal to the positioning of support guide 50. In operat-ing position, holes 52 provide access for pouring water, or other desired, liquid into base 12. When a plurality of covers 12 are to be stacked in nesting relationship with wedges 42 removed therefrom, holes 52 pro~ide openings through which a ..
support guide 50 on an underlying cover may extend to permit compact nested stacking of the covers.
The diverging side walls of base 12 facilitate nested stacking of bases, and the diverging side walls of barrier 22 permit nested stacking of a plurality of the barriers. ~:
In operation, one'person may set up a tree, ~r other object, in a substantially upright position by himself. To do this, it is a simple'matter to insert the base of the tree through opening 26 and impale i~ on spikes 18. If ~ecessary .' screws'.36 ma~ be adjusted against.side.portions of the tree to ~.
place it in an upright position. Once these'screws have been ` properl~ adjusted, it is a simple'matter to forcef~lly shift the wedge'to its holding posi.tion as illustrated in Fig. 2 friction-ally to wedge the tree'against screws 36 and hold the same . the'rein with'the'serrations on.the:'wedge and projections 47 recei~ed in identations ~'2d h.olding the wedge'in placs~. To remove'a tree therefrom it.is a simple matter merely to retract the'w:edge tG the position illustrated in dot-dashed outline in ~' Fig. 2.t~ re~ove'the'tree.'.'Once'the tree'is held in the'base, water or ot~er ~.luid may be'poured în~o the'base.to pro~ide ballast for the'same.' Should it be desired to pr.event fluid.in the base ~rom 6.

~ ~5~5~ 7 coming into contact with the base of the tree it is a simple matter to connect barrier 22 to ring 16_ to provide a fluidtight connection therebetween prior to inserting the tree in the stand. ~ith the barrier in place, fluid in the base is prevented from contacting the tree.
Should it be desired to permit water or other fluid in :
the base to contact the tree, it is a simple matter ~o remove the barrier merely by slipping the same off ring 16a when the tree is out of the base.
If there is not too great a difference in the diameter of trees being inserted and removed from the holder, as on a tree lot, there may be no need to adjust the thumb screws for each tree. But they are available for adjusting to a variety of tree sizes and to adjust for trees with curved trunks. The ., wedge provides simple, quick and effective clamping and release i of the tree.
While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described herein, it should be apparent to those skilled in the `' art that variations and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

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Claims (7)

The embodiments of the present invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A stand for an elongate, upright object such as a tree comprising a base including a fluid holding receptacle for receiving the butt end of the object, restraining means for engaging and restraining the butt end of the object against lateral movement relative to said base, and holding means attached to said base above said restraining means having an opening extending vertically therethrough for receiving a portion of said object above its butt end, said holding means including at least a pair of spaced apart screw-adjustable engaging means disposed in a substantially common horizontal plane on one side of and adjacent said opening and mounted for adjustable movement indepen-dently of each other into and away from said opening, an elongate wedge having an elongate, serrated, inclined engaging edge, and means mounting said wedge along the side of the opening opposite said engaging means in a substantially horizontal position for movement in a substantially horizontal plane paralleling and closely adjacent the plane of said engaging means, with movement of the wedge in one direction toward an engaging position causing said engaging edge thereof to progressively decrease the distance between said edge and said engaging means frictionally to grip and hold the object in said opening, and movement in the opposite direction toward a release position releasing the object.

2. The stand of claim 1, which further includes inhibiting means on said mounting means operable to engage said wedge when in a holding position to inhibit movement thereof toward its release position.

3. The stand of claim 1, which further comprises bar-rier means in said receptacle positioned to surround the butt of an object held in said receptacle to prevent fluid held in said 8.

receptacle from contacting the object.

4. The stand of claim 1, wherein said wedge has an elongate lip extending along and depending from an elongate horizontally disposed edge of the wedge opposite its said engaging edge, and said means mounting the wedge includes means defining an elongate channel slidably receiving said lip to guide the wedge on movement between engaging and release positions and to maintain said wedge against movement laterally of said channel.

5. The stand of claim 3, which further comprises mounting means for removably attaching said barrier means to said receptacle.

6. The stand of claim 5, wherein said barrier means comprises a hollow cylinder and said mounting means comprises a ring secured to the floor of said receptacle over which ring the base of said cylinder fits in fluid-tight relationship.

7. A stand for an elongate, upright object such as a tree, comprising a base, restraining means for engaging and re-straining the butt end of the object against lateral movement relative to said base, and holding means attached to said base above said restraining means, said holding means comprising a removable cover for said base having and upper surface sloping downwardly on progressing radially outwardly from the center thereof and, having an opening extending vertically therethrough for receiving a portion of the object above its butt end, mounted for adjustable movement into or away from said opening to engage said portion of the object, an elongate wedge, and means mounting said wedge for movement along the side of the opening opposite said engaging means, with movement of the wedge in one direction toward an engaging position causing an elongate engaging edge thereof to progressively decrease the distance between said edge and said engaging means frictionally to grip and hold the object in said opening, and movement in the opposite direction toward a release position releasing the object, said mounting for the wedge including a support secured to and projecting upwardly from said cover and spaced a preselected distance from the center of said cover, said cover further including an opening extending therethrough of sufficient size to receive said support, with said opening being spaced from said support at substantially the same preselected distance. from the center of the cover to permit a similar support on another cover to extend therethrough to accommodate nested stacking of a plurality of said covers.

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