US1613386A - Artificial tree - Google Patents

Description

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A EKDAHL ARTIFICIAL TREE Flled Julv 20 1925 lan. 4 1927,

Patented Jan. 4, 1927.

UNITED STATES ALBERT EKDAHL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

.ARTIFICIAL TREE.

Application led 311157,20, 1926. Serial No. 123,661.

The object of this invention is to provide a simple, durable and relatively ineXpensive artificial tree, adapted for use during the Christmas season, and at other times.

Cf the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specificatiom* Figure 1 is a side elevation of a tree embodying the invention, the branches at one side of the trunk being broken away.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary section on line .2f-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 shows in perspective and separated from each other, one of the sleeves and one of the branches.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view, showing the outer end of one of' the branches and a Candlestick thereon.

Figure 6 is a. section on line 6-6 of Figure 5. l

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6, showing an electric lamp as the light.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

In the drawings, 12 designates a base which may be of any suitable form and material, and is suitably weighted. 13 designates a continuous tubular tapered sheet metal trunk, perpendicular to the base and fixed at its lower end thereto. The diameter of the trunk gradually decreases from the lower to the upper end.

The tree includes a plurality of sleeves 14, slidable on the trunk, and differing in internal diameter, so that each sleeve is Supported in frictional contact with the trunk, at a different height from the others. Fixed `to and radiating from each sleeve is a plurality of branches, each composed of an elongated sheet metal strip bent to form a vertically arranged shank portion 15, soldered to the sleeve, and an upwardly facing hook portion 16, spaced outwardly from the sleeve and adapted to support and confine, at a predetermined distance from the sleeve, a

pendant 17, which may be any article of" ornament or utility, customarily suspended from a Christmas tree. The outer end Vportion of the strip may be adapted in any suitable way, to support a light. As'shown by Figures 1, 4:, 5 and 6, the outer end portion of the strip is bent to form a horizontal ear E 18, supporting a candlestick composed of a horizontal drip-collecting base 19,` soldered to the ear, and a vertical candle socket 20, fixed to the base.

The upper end of the trunk may be provided with any suitable light-supporting means, such as a candlestick composed of a horizontal drip-collecting base 21, a downwardly projecting socket 22, fixed to the base and adapted to receive the upper end portion of the trunk, and an upwardly projecting candle socket 23.

Each sleeve and the branches attached thereto constitutes a unit which is removable from the trunk, and may be packed` with the other units for storage and shipment, the units being of diHerent sizes, as shown by Figure 1.

In assembling the parts, the larger sleeve and its branches are first applied to the trunk, the others being successively applied.

The ear 18 of each branch may be provided with an electric lamp socket 25, adapted to support the bulb 26 of an incandescent electric lamp, the insulated conducting wires 27 of which may be conducted along the branch. and secured thereto by any suitable means. An electriclainp may be similarly supported at the upper end of the trunk.

Each sleeve lt and the strips fixed thereto and radiating therefrom, constitutes a unitary.

branch cluster, and each cluster is adapted to be independently engaged, as a unit, with the trunk, and independently separated, as a unit, from the trunk, and stored therewith, and with the other units, for shipment. The sleeve of each cluster is so proportioned, and the strips xed thereto are so arranged that when the tree is completed, the clusters are separated Afrom each other and constitute independent clusters, as shown by Figure 1. The result is a conventional tree not closely simulating a natural tree, and adapted to be conveniently loaded lwith Christmas presents.

Y The number of tree parts or units which have to be separately handled is reduced to a minimum and is determined chiefly by the number of unitary branch clusters.

I claim:

l v l An artificial tree comprising a continuous ltapered tube, constituting the trunk and prof vided with a base, and a pluralityof unitary branch clusters, each adapted 'to be independently engagedV as a unit with the trunk, and independentlyy separated as a unit fromthe trunk and stored therewith, and With the other units for shipment7 each unitary cluster being composed of a tapered sleeve formed to embrace a portion of the trunkit and a plurality of strips fixed at their inner ends to the sleeve and radiating therefrom, the sleeves beingproportioned, and the strips being arranged on the sleeve, so that when the tree is completed, the clusters are separated from each other and constitute a series of independent Clusters, the length of the strips and the diameter ot' the sleeve of each cluster being,` different from those of the strips and sleeves of the other clusters, so that when the clusters are assembled on the trunk, the tree has a tapered effect.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

ALBERT EKDAHL.

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