Abstract:
The present invention generally relates to an offset treestand stabilizing bracket and to a treestand employing same. The treestand stabilizing bracket of the invention greatly enhances the safety of the treestand by minimizing the slipping and/or shifting of same during usage, especially when attached to trees that are crooked and/or not vertical.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to an offset treestand mounting bracket and to a treestand employing same. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Treestands are well known to hunters and other outdoor enthusiasts as providing a platform for increased field of vision and for lessening the likelihood of alerting the wildlife being observed. One group of treestand of growing popularity is referred to as portable treestand. Portable treestands for hunting are demountably attached to a tree trunk to provide an improved vantage point. Such treestands are available in an extremely wide variety of types, providing a myriad of sizes, shapes, materials of construction, mounting mechanisms and other features. Key among the important features to be considered by a hunter in choosing a treestand are weight, simplicity of construction and use, and above all, safety. 
     Fixed-position and some other types of stands usually have a platform which includes structure for engaging the tree, such as bar, toothed member or V-shaped yoke, and a supporting member from which the stand hangs or is otherwise supported. The supporting structure for these stands is typically a strap, brace or other device which attaches to or around the tree and extends downwardly to support the platform. The user stands on the platform and his or her weight is supported by the supporting structure. 
     Unfortunately, treestands sometime slip, shift or loosen, which may cause the user to fall during use as the user shifts his or her weight. This problem is most acute when the user moves to the portion of the platform most proximate the tree, and/or when the treestand is affixed to a tree that may not have a straight and uniform trunk. In such situations, the user&#39;s weight may overcome the forces which hold the tree-engaging portion and the supporting structure to the tree. Due to the number of hunting accidents related to treestand use, there is a need for a more stable treestand having a reduced likelihood shifting and/or slipping during usage. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to an offset treestand mounting bracket and to a treestand employing same. The offset treestand mounting bracket of the invention is designed to straighten out otherwise crooked trees, greatly enhancing the safety of the treestand by minimizing the slipping and/or shifting of same during usage. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention generally relates to an offset treestand mounting bracket and to a treestand employing same. The offset treestand bracket of the invention comprises at least two engagement areas that comprise a total of at least three contact points for engaging a tree. The offset bracket of the invention assures at least two solid contact points with a tree, keeping the platform level and straight even when the tree isn&#39;t, thereby greatly enhancing the safety of the treestand. 
     The offset treestand mounting bracket of the invention functions by a structure that is surprisingly simple, compact and easy to use. Moreover, the preferred embodiment of the offset bracket hereof is adaptable for use with a wide variety of commercially available tree stands and requires minimal or no retrofitting or modification thereof for use. Alternatively, the offset bracket of the present invention could be permanently attached to a treestand as it is originally manufactured. Finally, a treestand equipped with the offset treestand bracket hereof may be anchored to the tree without injury to the trunk or any other portion thereof. 
     The offset treestand bracket of the invention includes a main frame or anchor portion having multiple contact points for contacting and engaging a tree and an attachment means for mounting the offset bracket to the platform or frame member of the treestand. The treestand then contains attachment means for attaching the treestand to a tree securely, whereby upon attachment to said tree, at least two of the contact points of said offset bracket fully and securely engage the tree providing a secure and stable platform for the sportsman. The offset mounting bracket of the invention is ideally suited for treestands that are demountably attached to the trunk of a tree, wherein said trunk is crooked and does not present a perfectly vertical surface for mounting a treestand. In such situations, the mounting bracket of the invention allows for the secure mounting of a treestand in an essentially horizontal position, even when the trunk of the tree to which the stand is mounted deviates substantially from the vertical plane. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the offset treestand bracket of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a view of the offset treestand bracket of the present invention attached to a center rigid post of a typical treestand assembly. 
         FIG. 3  is a view of a treestand with offset bracket attached to a tree. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1  the offset bracket of the invention includes an frame or anchor portion  1  having multiple engagement areas  2  wherein each engagement area  2  contains at least two offset contact points  2  for contacting and engaging a tree, and an attachment means  4  for mounting the offset bracket  1  to the platform or center rigid post or posts of a typical treestand assembly. The bracket typically has a recess area  5  through which the attachment means passes, said recess area  5  specially adapted to accept the center rigid post element of a typical treestand assembly. The bracket can be of solid construction, or can have openings  6 , and can be constructed of various materials including, but not limited to steel, plastic, various metal alloys, carbon composites, metal castings, and the like. In a preferred embodiment, the offset bracket of the invention comprises an aluminum extrusion. 
       FIG. 2  is a view of the offset treestand bracket of the present invention attached to the center rigid post of a typical treestand assembly. More specifically, the recess area  5  is specifically adapted to accept the center rigid post(s) of the treestand assembly, and is secured thereto by the referenced attachment means  4 , which is typically a bolt or screw, although welds or other means of attachment can be employed. Said center rigid post (or posts) of a typical treestand assembly is typically tubular, rectangular, or approximately square in structure. Regardless of the geometric shape of the center rigid post (s), the recess area  5  of the offset bracket can be specially adapted to accept the center post(s) of the treestand in question.  FIG. 2  also shows the offset bracket of the invention having three distinct engagement areas having 2 contact points each, wherein the contact points of each engagement area lie in the same plane. It is also evident that the offset bracket of  FIG. 2  has three engagement areas each lying in different plane. 
       FIG. 3  is a view of a treestand  10  with offset bracket  1  attached to a tree  100 . The treestand  10  typically includes a supporting platform rigid construction. The platform  12  is typically made of strong lightweight materials, such as structural aluminum. A popular assembly includes a platform supporting framework made out of structural aluminum or steel. The supporting framework is then covered with a thin rigid layer of floor material including, but not limited to sheets of wood, plastic and/or expanded metal grids. 
     An especially preferred platform is cast from aluminum. 
     The platform may be used in a wide variety of treestand constructions. The treestand shown in  FIG. 3  is a non-climbing type, but the platform  12  is adaptable for use in so called “climbing” treestands which may be moved, by the action of the hunter standing or sitting thereon, upwardly along the trunk of a tree to a final desired position. The platform  12  of the treestand  10  is attached adjacent to its inner edge by a lower hinged connection to a rigid center post  14 . Alternatively, the treestand in question may have more than one rigid post  14 , and the bracket  1  of the invention can be adapted to fit dual or multiple posts, if necessary. Alternatively, more than one bracket can be employed, i.e., one for each rigid post of the treestand in question. A seat  16  is attached by upper hinged connection to the upper end of the center post  14 . The seat  16  may be constructed similarly to the platform, but of a substantially smaller size. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , a pair of contact points  3 A and  3 B of bracket  1  are selectively engaged with a tree portion  102 . The elongated post  14  can be offset at an angle α, or generally non-parallel to the tree portion, which as shown is non-vertical; and the platform  12  can be generally in a horizontal plane P. Where the tree portion  102  is vertical, a user can mount the treestand  10  so that a pair of contact points  3 B and  3 C are selectively engaged with the tree portion  102 . The platform  12  can be generally horizontal, and the elongated post  14  can be generally aligned with the tree portion  102 . Likewise, if the tree portion  102  was of another non-vertical configuration, a user can mount the treestand  10  with the contact points  3 C and  3 D selectively engaging the tree portion to achieve a similar leveling effect. 
     In a preferred embodiment the seat also comprises an aluminum casting. 
     The primary mounting attachment for the treestand comprises an attachment means  18 , preferably a rope, strap, chain and/or cable, attached at one end to the seat  16  adjacent the upper hinged connection and/or the center/supporting posts  14  of the treestand  10  and extending around the tree trunk to a similar attachment at its other end adjacent the opposite side of the upper hinged connection. The inner edge of the seat  16  includes the improved offset mounting bracket of the invention which is provided having at least two areas for attachment to said tree, wherein each such area has at least two points for contacting or engaging said tree, and is positioned such that when attached to a tree, downward movement of the treestand, i.e., by pulling down on the treestand, puts the attachment means in tension, and causes the said at least two engagement points of the bracket of the invention to securely engage and/or to bite into the tree. In addition, or alternatively, the offset bracket  1  is positioned such that the downward movement of the seat and/or platform from an initial vertical position against the tree trunk, puts tension in the rope or attachment means and causes at least two contact points of the offset bracket to securely engage or bite into the tree, thereby providing for secure attachment to said tree. 
     The main supporting platform is maintained in a generally horizontal position with a pair of supporting elements, typically, steel or cable supports, each of which is connected by its upper end to the center post just below the upper hinged connection and by its lower end to the lateral edge of the platform at a point outwardly from the tree trunk. The inner edge of the platform is typically provided with a large V-shaped notch which is also provided with teeth on its tree-engaging face to help hold the treestand securely in position once the rope connection has been securely locked around the tree trunk. Alternatively, the V-shaped notch of the platform can be replaced with the offset bracket of the present invention. 
     In one embodiment, the offset treestand bracket of the invention comprises at least three offset contact points for contacting and securely engaging said tree, wherein said at least three contact points define two engagement areas on said bracket. Regarding this embodiment, the center offset contact point lies in the same plane with either (but not both) the contact point to the left, or the contact point to the right of said center contact point. In other words, each engagement area contains at least two contact points in the same plane. 
     In another embodiment, the offset treestand bracket of the invention comprises at least four offset contact points that define three engagement areas of said offset bracket. In this embodiment, each engagement area has at least two contact points in the same plane. 
     In still another embodiment the offset treestand bracket of the invention comprises a first pair of contact points and a second pair of contact points for contacting and securely engaging a tree, wherein said first and second pair of contact points share at least one contact point. Alternatively, the bracket comprises a third pair of contact points, wherein said third pair of contact points and one of said first and second pair of contact points share at least one contact point. Each pair of contact points defines one engagement area, wherein each engagement area has two contact points in the same plane. 
     The invention also contemplates various treestands containing the bracket of the invention. 
     Various modes of carrying out the present invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.