Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to a manually operable stand
for holding a tree or pole, which automatically accommodates
tree trunks or poles of different diameters.
It is common at present for tree stan~s to consist of
eight separate parts of metal construction to be assembled by
the purchaser. These parts are three legs, one bottom bowl, one
metal ring and three screws. After a tree trunk has been inserted
~hrough the metal ring to the bottom of the bottom bowl, the three
screws, held in place by the metal ring a must be tightened until
the closest possible connection with the tree trunk has been
achieved in order to hold the tree upright. The bottom part of
such stand is formed like a bowl and held in place by the three
separate metal legs inserted through three separate openings in
the bowl and connecting to the metal ring. This bottom bowl is
used for water storage to supply a necessary moisture to the tree
while in the stand during its use.
Prior art tree or pole stands have many disadvanta~es.
The most commonly available tree stand comprises eight parts
which must be assembled by the consumer. To ensure an upright
position of the tree inserted into prior art stands o-f the most
common types, it is necessary for two persons to work together
so that one person holds the tree upright and another person
tightens screws in order to support the tree in an upright posi-
tion. Prior art stands make it relatively difficult to achieve
a solid and straight fit with the use of three screws, because
tree trunks are generally relatively uneven in their configuration,
so that one of the three supporting screws will tend to slide to
one side of the trunk, instead of maintaining a straight, perpen-
dicular relationship with the vertical axis of the trunk. Thus,
prior art stands do not always securely support a tree and the
trees will often tend to lean to one side or the other either
immediately upon being secured in a stand or after a period of
time. Further, after several uses prior art devices tend to
wear, as screws are tightened and untightened, and make the stands
ef-fective life relatively short~ so that the stand no longer is
capable of securing a tree in firm upright position.
Further, prior art stands which include a base shaped
as a bowl tend to have a relatively small water capacity, and in
order to maintain a freshly cut tree it is necessary -frequently
to replenish the relatively small water reservoir in the base of
prior art stands. Thus, trees supported in these prior art stands
tend to dry out rapidly and to become a fire hazard.
The tTee stand disclosed herein overcomes all of the
foregoing disadvantages, and furthermore permits a single person
to insert the trunk of a relatively heavy tree within the stand,
the stand disclosed herein automatically accommodating tree trunks
of various diameters.
Further, the stand disclosed herein has a unitary water
reservoir of substantial capacity, so as to minimize the frequency
with which the water supply contained therein must be replenished.
These and other advantages of this invention will
become apparent with reference to the following description.
Reference will be made to the attached drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a side elevation of the tree/pole stand;
Figure 2 is a top plan of the said stand;
Figure 3 is a vertical section taken along line 3-3
of Figure 2;
Figure ~ is a side elevation of a self adjusting spring;
and
Figure 5 is an end elevation of the spring of Figure ~.
Detailed reference will now be made to the drawings,
wherein like reference numerals identi-fy like parts.
Referring to Figure 1~ the stand comprises a main body
portion 1, and a plurality of legs 2. Ideally four legs 2 are
provided, and as is evident in Figure 3, legs 2 may be removably
engaged with body 1, to minimize space required for storage,
transport, and packaging of the stand. It wi]l be evident, how-
ever, that legs 2 may be formed unitarily with the body of the
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stand 1.
Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, the interior of
body 1, near its upper end is provided with a plurality of
grooves or pockets 12, pockets 12 being open at their upper
ends, and having a generally rectangular interior.
Referring to Figures 4 and 5, spring loops 3 are
illustrated, springs 3 preferably being formed of rust resisting
spring steel. Spring loops 3 includes a pair of downwardly
depending ends 3a, 3b, end 3a including an upwardly extending
unitary portion 3c, which may be provided with a downwardly
extending notch 8, notch 8 serving to provide a pair of upwardly
extending corners 8a, 8b. As seen most clearly in FIgure 3 the
ends 3a and 3b of loop spring 3 is adapted to be engaged in
pocket 12, with upwardly extending spring portion 3c being urged
inwardly against the outer wall of pocket 12. The notched end of
arm 3c will thus tend to bite slightly the outer wall of pocket
12, so that spring 3 will resist removal from pocket 12. As will
become clear hereinafter, however, it is not desired that loop
spring 3 be permanently engaged within pocket 12.
Referring to Figure 2, it will be seen that the upper
portion of body 1 is provided with four pockets 12 adapted to
receive the ends 3a, 3b o:E four open loop springs 3, at 90
around the interior cirçumference o-f body 1.
Referring now to Figures 2 and 3, a plurality of angled
stepped ribs 7 are provided in the interior o:E body 1, near the
bottom thereof. Stepped ribs 7 are unitary with the interior of
body 1, and are triangular in shape, with the outer faces thereof
having a plurality of steps, 7a. Four stepped ribs are provided,
at right angles within the interior circumference of body 1, and
at a 45 angle relationship with springs 3. Stepped ribs 7 are
adapted to receive the bottom of a tree trunk (or pole) 13, when
inserted within the body of stand 1, and to ensure that the base
of the trunk 13 is automatically centered at the bottom of stand
body 1.
With the forcgoing description in mind it is believed
that the operation of the stand according to the lnvention is
very simple and straightforward. A tree trunk 13 is manually
urged downwardly in the centre of body 1, causing loop springs 3
to compress, until the base of trunk 13 is engaged by stepped
ribs 7. Referring to Figure ~, loop spring 3 is illustrated in
phantom line, in a compressed position as might be caused by a
tree trunk or the like inserted centrally within body 1. Springs
3 thus automatically compress against the urging of trunk 13,
and act to restrain the trunk centrally within body 1 of the
stand. As the base of trunk 13 has been automatically centered
by stepped ribs 7, a vertical positioning of trunk 13 is assured.
To ~urther assure the stability of a tree or pole
mounted and supported by the stand, the following optional secure-
ment means is provided.
As illustrated in broken lines in Figure 2 a plurality
of cams or wedges 6 are provided. Cam 6 is also illustrated in
broken lines in Figure 3. Provided around the upper rim o~ body
1 are a plurality of unitary, upwardly projecting studs or fingers
9 and 10, adapted to serve as retainers and pivot points for
studs 6. As is clear in Figure 2, four such studs 9 are provided
at 90 around the inner circumference of body 1, nearer the outer
edge thereof than a second set of four such studs lO, provided
nearer the interior of body 1. Thus, if the circumference o~ the
tree trunk being supported by the stand is relatively large,
studs 9 will be used to support cam wedges 6, while if the trunk
is relatively smaller then studs 10 will be employed. It will
be seen that cam wedges 6 may be pivoted inwardly toward the
centre of body 1, so that opposed cams engage diametrically
opposite sides of the trunk being supported, to ensure its
stability within the stand.
As is evident from Figures 2 and 3 the interior of
body 1 is relatively commodious, and thus capable of containing
a relatively large quantity of water, as is desirable when the
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stand is used to support a recently cut tree, to cnsure a long,
safe display life therefor.
As disclosed above, loop springs 3 are removably
engaged within pockets 12, and while the end portion 3c of loop
springs 3 are designed to resist upward movement, it has been
found that the effect of springs 3 against a tree trunk 13
engaged therebetween is such that the tree trunk 13 may be
difficult to remove therefrom. In other words, when loop springs
3 are in the compressed position illustrated by reference numeral
11 in ~igure ~, the loop springs 3 tend to resist any further
compression when an attempt is made to move tree trunk 13 upwardly.
Accordingly, it will facilitate removal of a tree trunk of pole
from within the stand, if the loop springs are capable of rela-
tively easy upward release from within pockets 12.
As will be evident, the main function of the stand
disclosed and described will be at Christmas time, but it will
also be evident that use may be made at any time of the year,
for any period of time, for the purpose of holding any tree or
pole, for any purposes desired.
The foregoing is by way of example and the invention
should be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.
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