Abstract:
A tree stand for hunting or similar purposes consisting of a platform having a side abutting against the tree and a flexible member encircling the back side of the tree at a location above the platform abutment whereby weight applied to the platform causes the platform to function as a lever firmly engaging the tree. The invention resides in the flexible upper tension member which is formed of a solid metal bar to eliminate “droop” when the tension member is not under tension, and collars affixed to the ends of the tension member bar permit the tension member to be easily and safely affixed to the platform structure in an adjustable manner to accommodate various diameters of trees.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    This invention pertains to tree stands and the like wherein the stand platform functions as a lever to achieve stability by firmly engaging the tree at opposed locations.  
         DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART  
         [0002]    Tree stands are widely used by deer hunters to permit the hunter to hunt from an elevated position out of the normal view of the deer. Also, similar devices are used by utility linemen for providing a work platform on a pole. Some tree stands are mounted by bolts and permanent fasteners, some are ladder-type devices, and a popular model is commonly known as a “climbing stand”.  
           [0003]    A climbing tree stand consists of two basic elements wherein each element consists of a platform having a rear portion adapted to be compressed against the supporting tree. A flexible tension member is mounted on the platform adapted to encircle the back side of the tree at a point elevated with respect to the contact point of the platform. The tension member is so positioned to the associated platform that weight applied to the platform causes the platform to function as a lever pivoting about the platform engagement point with the tree. Pivoting of the platform in a downward direction is prevented by the tension member encircling the back side of the tree. By the use of the two climbing elements, the stand is raised, the lower element consisting of a standing platform, while the upper element includes a seat and the operator can stand on the lower element and tilt and raise the upper element six inches or so. The operator&#39;s weight is then applied to the upper element and the operator is able to tilt and raise the lower element six inches, and such alternative upward movement of the elements permits both to be translated to an elevated position.  
           [0004]    Upward movement of the elements is achieved by lifting and tilting the platform or seat so as to remove the tension from the associated tension member. Previously, tension members consisted of rope, cable, or chains which, while flexible enough to encircle the tree backside, also drooped downwardly as the associated stand element was being raised. This drooping interferes with the upward movement of the element as it catches the tree backside and the operator must reach behind the tree and raise the tension member to overcome such drooping action. While climbing tree stands provide excellent versatility and safety, the tendency of the tension member to droop when untensioned produces a highly undesirable operational characteristic.  
         OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    It is an object of the invention to provide a climbing tree stand utilizing a flexible tension member which does not droop or laterally defect under gravitational forces upon removal of the tension therefrom.  
           [0006]    Another object of the invention is to provide an inexpensive, easily usable, high strength tree stand tension member which is substantially free of drooping upon the release of the tension forces, and which may be inexpensively manufactured.  
           [0007]    An additional object of the invention is to provide a tension member for a climbing tree stand having a safe and easily operable anchor to the stand platform which permits the operator to easily adjust the tension member to the size of the supporting tree and wherein the operator is able to readily observe the connection of the tension member lock.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0008]    Climbing tree stands normally include two elements, a lower foot engaging platform element and an upper seat and occupant restraining element. Both elements attach to the tree or pole to which they are mounted and function identically, i.e. the elements constitute a lever having a fulcrum abutting against the tree under compression while a flexible tension member encircling the back side of the tree with respect to the element restrains the element from downward pivoting about its fulcrum to maintain the element in a generally horizontal position regardless of the amount of weight being supported thereby.  
           [0009]    The elements each include rectangulartubular members inclined with respect to the general plane of the elements. These tubes incline upwardly away from the location of the associated element with the tree whereby the tension member located within the tubes encircles the back side of the tree well above the point at which the element contacts the tree under compression.  
           [0010]    It is necessary that the tension member be flexible enough to encircle the back side of the tree, regardless of its diametrical dimension. However, as the element is moved upwardly when the tension is removed from the tension member, it is not desired that the tension member droop downwardly due to gravitational forces thereon between its points of connection to the element. Accordingly, the tension member, in accord with the invention, is formed of a metallic homogeneous bar, usually about at least one-quarter inch in diameter, which, while capable of being flexed longitudinally sufficiently to encircle the desired tree diameter dimension, is stiff enough not to significantly droop under the influence of gravitational forces between the locations that the bar is affixed to the associated element. Accordingly, the non-drooping aspect of the tension member prevents the tension member from interfering with the vertical movement of the elements, as is the case with prior art devices, and yet the high strength characteristics desired of the tension member are easily achieved.  
           [0011]    As the diameter of the tree to which the stand is affixed may widely vary, it is important that the length of the tension member be readily adjusted, but such adjustment must not be at the cost of safety. In accord with the invention, adjustment is achieved by swaging an enlarged collar to each end of the bar. The collar is capable of being inserted into the end of the elements&#39; tubes, and holes are provided in the element tubes through which a lock pin can be inserted. The collar includes an inner abutment shoulder or end which will engage a lock pin and prevent the end of the tension member from being pulled from the element tubes. As the position of the lock pin is readily observable by the operator, the condition of the lock pin is quickly ascertained and adjustment of the tension member relative to the tubes can be quickly initially made, and can be adjusted during the climb, if necessary. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    The aforementioned objects and advantages of the invention will be appreciated from the following description and accompanying drawings wherein:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is an elevational perspective view of the elements of a climbing tree stand in accord with the invention,  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken through a tension member along Section  2 - 2  of FIG. 3,  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the end portion of a tension member,  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a sectional view through an element tube along Section  4 - 4  of FIG. 5,  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is an elevational sectional view along Section  5 - 5  of FIG. 4, and  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is an elevational view through the tension member collar along Section  6 - 6  of FIG. 3.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0019]    With reference to FIG. 1, a typical support for a tree stand in accord with the invention is the tree  8  upon which the lower tree stand element  10  and the upper tree stand element  12  are mounted in the illustrated relationship.  
         [0020]    Each of the elements includes a rear inner edge  14  and a front outer edge  16  and lateral sides  18 . The inner rear edges  14  of each element include V-shaped sections  20  which partially encompass the adjacent side of the tree  8 , and preferably, teeth or serrations, not shown, are defined on the sections  20  so that the elements will dig into the tree in a mechanical manner.  
         [0021]    The lower element  10  includes a pair of spaced lateral tubes  22 , FIG. 1, affixed to the element above the lateral sides  18 , and in a similar manner, the upper element  12  includes upper tubes  24  attached above the lateral sides  18 . As will be appreciated from FIG. 1, and FIGS. 4 and 5, the tubes  22  and  24  are of a rectangular configuration, usually square, and the length of the tubes are obliquely related to their associated element such that the tube ends located above the rear edges  14  are significantly spaced above the associated element rear edge for a reason described below.  
         [0022]    Each of the tubes  22  and  24  includes an end hole in line with the tube interior, and the tube end holes  26  receive the ends of the lower tension member bar  30  and the tube end holes  28  receive upper tension member bar  32  as will be appreciated from FIG. 1.  
         [0023]    The lower tubes  22  include a plurality of equally spaced holes  34  defined on the top and bottom portions of the tubes  22 , while the upper tubes  24  include aligned and axially spaced holes  36 , FIG. 1, formed in the vertical portions of the tube  24 . Lock pins  38  extend through aligned pairs of holes  34  or  36 , as shown in FIG. 5, to adjustable position the ends of the tension bars  30  and  32  as described below. The lock pins  38  are mounted on clips or the like to prevent being withdrawn from the associated holes until desired.  
         [0024]    The lower element  10  constitutes the floor of the tree stand while the upper element  12  encircles the occupant. Accordingly, the element  10  includes a plurality of spaced floor slats  40  affixed to the lateral sides  18  of the element  10  to define a standing platform, and a seat  42  is defined on the upper element  12 , FIG. 1, and a padded seat roll  44  is preferably mounted upon the outer front edge  16  of the upper element  12  for the comfort of the operator during climbing and descending.  
         [0025]    The tension bars  30  and  32  are identical, each consisting of a homogeneous metal cylindrical core  46 , preferably of high strength steel, and usually of approximately one-quarter inch in diameter. The bar core  46  is stiff, but flexible, and can be readily bent around the tree  8  as shown in FIG. 1. Preferably, the bar core  46  is covered throughout most of its length by a synthetic plastic sheath  48  which protects the core from moisture and weathering, and also reduces the likelihood of the bar from reflecting light which may result in frightening the game.  
         [0026]    Each end of the bars  30  and  32  is stripped of its cover  48  as to be bare for several inches as indicated at  50 , FIGS. 3 and 4. The cover end is indicated at  52 , FIGS. 3 and 4, and as will be appreciated from FIGS. 3 and 4, a cylindrical sleeve  54  is placed upon the bare end of the bare core by means of the sleeve hole  55  which closely receives the bar bare end. The swaging of the sleeve  54  upon the associated bar end  50  is of such a degree as to prevent relative movement between the sleeve and the bar core within the tensile rupture strength of the bar core. The inner shoulder or end of the sleeve  54  is indicated at  56 , and functions as an abutment shoulder for engagement with lock pin  38  as described below.  
         [0027]    In use, a lock pin  38  holding an end of a tension bar  30  and  32  is removed so that the end of the tension bar can be removed from its associated tube  22  or  24 . Thereupon, the lower element  10  is positioned to the tree  8  in the manner as shown in FIG. 1 wherein its rear edge  14  and V-shaped sections  20  engage the front portion of the tree. The tension bar  30  is then wrapped about the tree  8  and its free end inserted into the tube end hole  26  located in the lower tube  22 . The end of the bar  30  is inserted sufficiently into tube  22  so that the bar  30  snugly circumscribes the rear portion of the tree  8  as in FIG. 1. This positioning of the bar  30  will locate the end of the bar and its associated sleeve  54  relative to a pair of aligned holes  34 . The diameter of the holes  34 , the diameter of the lock pin  38 , and the diameter of the bar core  46  are so proportioned that the lock pin  38  may easily be inserted through aligned holes  34  in the manner as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5. As will be appreciated, the lock pin  38  is located between the cover end  52  and the sleeve end  56 . Tension within the bar  30  causes the sleeve end  56  to engage the lock pin  38  as shown in FIG. 4, and further axial movement of the sleeve  54  to the left, FIG. 4, is positively prevented. The adjustment of the tension bar  30  is now completed, and the element platform functions as a lever fulcrumed about edge  14  but prevented from downward tilting by tension member  30 .  
         [0028]    The upper element  12 , in a similar manner, is connected to the tree  8  as shown in FIG. 1. The user then stands within the upper element  12  placing his weight upon the lower element  10 . In such a position, the user can lift the upper element  12  edge  16  removing the V-sections  20  from the tree  8 , and removing the tension forces on the bar  32  thereby permitting the element  12  to tilted, lifted and raised upon the tree  8 . Thereupon, the operator sits upon the seat pad  44  of the upper element  12  causing the element  12  to bear the operator&#39;s weight and the operator reaches down and pivots the lower element  10  edge  16  upwardly removing the tension on the bar  32  and permitting the element  10  to be raised a few inches. This procedure is repeated until the elements  10  and  12  have achieved the desired elevation. The operator then will sit upon the seat  42  and is now in a hunting stance.  
         [0029]    When it is desired to return to the ground level, the above procedure is reversed, alternating shifting of the weight of the hunter between elements  10  and  12  permitting the tree stand to lower to the ground.  
         [0030]    During the above climbing or descending procedure, the removal of tension from the bars  30  and  32  does not cause these bars to “droop” at the unsupported portions of the bars circumventing the back side of the tree  8 , as is the case when the tension member is formed of cable, chain, rope, or the like. The elimination of this droop is due to the fact that the tension members  30  and  32  have a solid metal core  46  causing the bars to have sufficient stiffness as to prevent such drooping, and in this manner, the tension member bars do not have to be manually adjusted to overcome the droop, as is the case with other types of tension members. The advantages derived from the use of the solid homogeneous cores  46  of the bars  30  and  32  render the climbing stand much easier to use, and much safer to use, as compared to previous climbing tree stand constructions.  
         [0031]    It is appreciated that various modifications to the inventive concepts may be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.