Tree stand ladder hitch assembly

A tree stand hitch assembly includes a ladder assembly having a tubular base member and a top section, a platform secured to the top section of the ladder assembly, and a non-pivoting, generally rectangular hitch adapted to be secured to the rear of a vehicle. Ladder assembly may be adjustably secured to the hitch. The orientation of the platform in relation to the top section of the ladder assembly may be adjusted. The ladder assembly may be folded or collapsed when not in use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed toward a hitch for a tree stand ladder and more particularly, toward a tree stand ladder that may be secured to a standard hitch.

Often when hunting or observing game, a hunter finds it advantageous to be located above the ground. In order to achieve this goal, a hunter may sit in a tree. At this elevated position, game may be easily observed without the hunter being detected. Various types of tree stands are known and used by hunters for this purpose.

An example of such a tree stand is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,590,738 to Hunt et al. This patent discloses a ladder with a platform attached to the top of the ladder. The ladder and platform may be secured to the tree. A problem with such a tree stand, however, is that it becomes burdensome to the hunter to carry such a ladder to a location that may be many miles away from his or her vehicle. Also, the ladder may not be very stable when placed on the ground adjacent the tree.

In order to alleviate the problem of having to carry the ladder, tree stand ladders have been constructed that are easily collapsed and transported by an all terrain vehicle to the desired location. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,368,127 to Phillips discloses a compact, portable tree stand that may be carried within a vehicle. However, such a tree stand still may be burdensome to unload and set up.

Several other devices seek to overcome the problems discussed above by using a hitch on a vehicle to load the ladder thereon so that the ladder need only be secured to the tree without having to remove the ladder from the hitch. U.S. Pat. No. 5,642,844 to Rector discloses a tree stand carrier for an all terrain vehicle that is connected to a conventional trailer ball hitch. However, securing a tree stand to such a hitch may be somewhat unstable and may not provide adequate support.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,236,062 to Laney and U.S. Published Patent Application No. 2002/0179369 to Wallace both disclose all terrain vehicles with some type of securing means attached thereto that may be used to secure a tree stand ladder to the vehicle. However, these structures are somewhat specialized and may be complicated to use. Therefore, they are rather impractical.

A need exists for a tree stand ladder hitch assembly that is easy to use, provides stability, and may be secured to a standard hitch.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is designed to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art discussed above. It is an object of the present invention to provide a hitch attached to an all terrain vehicle that may be used to secure a tree stand ladder thereto and that is easy to use.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a tree stand ladder hitch assembly where the hitch is a standard hitch.

In accordance with the illustrative embodiments demonstrating features and advantages of the present invention, there is provided a tree stand hitch assembly that essentially includes a ladder assembly having a tubular base member and a top section, a platform secured to the top section of the ladder assembly, a non-pivoting, generally rectangular hitch adapted to be secured to the rear of a vehicle, and means for adjustably securing the ladder assembly to the hitch. The tree stand ladder hitch assembly also includes means for adjusting the orientation of the platform in relation to the top section of the ladder assembly. The ladder assembly may be folded or collapsed when not in use.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments thereof taken in conjunction with the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference numerals have been used throughout the various figures to designate like elements, there is shown inFIG. 1a tree stand ladder hitch constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention and designated generally as10.

The tree stand ladder hitch of the present invention essentially includes a ladder assembly12having a tubular base member14and a top section16, a platform18secured to the top section16of the ladder assembly12, a non-pivoting, generally rectangular hitch20adapted to be secured to the rear of a vehicle22, and means for adjustably securing the ladder assembly to the hitch.

The ladder assembly12includes a plurality of rungs24a–24e, for example, a top section16to which the platform18is secured, and a tubular base member14. The platform18is secured to the ladder via pins26aand26bthat are inserted through apertures28aand28bthat are formed within the top section16of the ladder assembly12and on the platform18. (SeeFIG. 7.) In this embodiment the ladder assembly12is folded when not in use. (SeeFIG. 2.)

The ladder assembly12also includes means for adjusting the orientation of the platform18in relation to the top section16of the ladder assembly12. The means for adjusting the orientation of the platform18includes a tubular member32surrounding the top rung34of the ladder assembly12, a plurality of apertures36a–36f, for example, formed within the tubular member32, a plurality of apertures, shown as38aand38b, formed within the top rung34corresponding to the apertures36a–36fformed in the tubular member32, and pins40aand40bextending through the corresponding apertures in order to secure the platform18to the ladder assembly12. (SeeFIGS. 8 and 9.)

The platform18is generally square. Although other shapes may be used. The platform also has a curved section42that fits around the trunk44of a tree. (SeeFIG. 7.) A strap46is attached to the platform18and extends around the tree trunk44so that the platform18is secured to the tree. (SeeFIG. 6.)

The hitch20is comprised essentially of two parts. The first includes a generally elongated rectangular extension52that is securely fixed to the vehicle22. The second part of the hitch is comprised of a hollow, generally rectangular member48with a generally rectangular opening50that is secured to the base section54of the ladder assembly12. The generally elongated rectangular extension52telescopingly fits within the opening50. An aperture56is formed within the generally rectangular member48, a corresponding aperture58is formed within the extension52, and a pin60fits within the apertures56and58when the apertures56and58are aligned and secures the rectangular member48and the extension together52. (SeeFIG. 3.) As should be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, because the interfitting members48and52are both rectangular, the hitch20(in combination with the weight of the vehicle) functions to support the ladder assembly12and prevents rotation of the same about the axis of the hitch.

The means for adjusting the angle of the ladder assembly12includes a tubular member62attached to the hitch12and through which the base member54of the ladder assembly12extends. The base member54of the ladder assembly has a plurality of apertures64a–64d, for example, formed therethrough. The tubular member62has a corresponding plurality of apertures66a–66f, for example, formed therethrough, and pins68and70that fit within the corresponding apertures of the base member54and the tubular member62in order to adjustably secure the ladder assembly12to the hitch20.

In order to use the tree stand ladder, the ladder assembly12is unfolded and extended. (SeeFIG. 5.) The ladder assembly remains attached to the hitch20and to the vehicle which thereby provides support for the ladder. The angular position of the ladder may be adjusted using the pins68and70located on the hitch and tubular member as discussed above. (SeeFIG. 4.) The curved section42of the platform18is placed against the tree and the strap46is secured around the tree. (SeeFIG. 6.) The placement of the platform18against the tree may be adjusted using the pins40aand40blocated at the top section16of the ladder assembly12.

A second embodiment of the present invention is shown inFIGS. 10–12. The tree stand ladder hitch assembly110functions in the same manner as described in the first embodiment. However, in this embodiment the ladder assembly112is comprised of a plurality of telescoping members that can be extended or collapsed rather than folded as in the first embodiment when the ladder is not in use. (SeeFIG. 11.) Otherwise, the ladder assembly is secured to the hitch120which is secured to the rear end of a vehicle122in the same manner and the platform118is attached to the ladder assembly112in the same manner as in the first embodiment. (SeeFIG. 10.)