Abstract:
A tree stand including a frame member having a top portion, an aluminum mesh attached to the top portion of the rectangular frame member, wherein the aluminum mesh has die-cut, diamond-shaped openings. The method of manufacturing a platform for this tree stand includes cutting an aluminum sheet into a predetermined shape, die cutting holes into the aluminum sheet, applying pressure on the die-cut aluminum sheet, positioning the die-cut aluminum sheet over a frame member, and welding the die-cut aluminum sheet to the frame member, thereby constructing a platform for a tree stand.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
         [0001]    This invention relates generally to a tree strand having an aluminum mesh platform, and more particularly, to a tree stand formed of aluminum that is die-cut and then applied with pressure to form a mesh and an associated method of manufacturing.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    People who enjoy the outdoors, whether they are hunters, photographers, or naturalists, often require an elevated vantage point. A common mechanism to providing this elevated vantage point is through a tree stand. A tree stand typically has a lower platform for sitting or standing. This platform is attached to one end of a member that extends substantially vertically upward from the platform. The other end of the member has a seat attached thereto. There is typically a spike, or screw-type device, cleat or similar mechanism that is utilized to attach the member to the tree.  
           [0003]    There are a number of problems associated with typical tree stands. Usually, tree stands are constructed out of steel. This makes the tree stand very heavy so that it is difficult to lift-up into the tree. Also, due to this weight, extreme care must be taken to prevent the tree stand from falling out of the tree. Furthermore, the platform is merely a series of steel bars extending between the sides of a rectangular frame. In adverse weather conditions, these shiny steel bars will not provide very much traction for the person who is utilizing the tree stand. Moreover, steel is susceptible to corrosion when exposed to the elements.  
           [0004]    The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems set forth above.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0005]    In one aspect of this invention, a tree stand having an aluminum mesh platform is disclosed. The tree stand includes a frame member having a top portion, an aluminum mesh attached to the top portion of the rectangular frame member, wherein the aluminum mesh has diamond-shaped openings.  
           [0006]    In another aspect of this invention, a method for constructing a tree stand having an aluminum platform is disclosed. The method includes cutting an aluminum sheet into a predetermined shape, die cutting holes into the aluminum sheet, applying pressure on the die-cut aluminum sheet, positioning the die-cut aluminum sheet over a frame member, and welding the die-cut aluminum sheet to the frame member, thereby constructing a platform for a tree stand. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]    For a better understanding of the present invention, reference may be made to the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tree stand of the present invention including a platform, member and seat;  
         [0009]    [0009]FIG. 2 is an isolated view of a portion of the platform shown in FIG. 1. and indicated by a portion taken along circle  2 - 2 ;  
         [0010]    [0010]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a sheet metal cutting machine;  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a die-cutting machine; and  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a roller machine for applying pressure. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]    In the following detailed description numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details.  
         [0014]    Referring now to the drawings, and initially to FIG. 1, which illustrates a tree stand that is denoted generally by reference numeral  10 . The tree stand  10  includes a platform that is generally indicated by numeral  12 . The platform  12  includes a platform frame  14  that is “U”-shaped and having a series of cross-beams  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22 , and  24 , respectively, that extend between the sides of the U-shaped platform frame  14 . Although the number of cross beams can vary, the preferred number is five (5). An expanded mesh screen  30  is welded on top of the sides of the platform frame  14  and to the top of crossbeams  18 ,  20 ,  22  and  26 . The expanded mesh screen  30  is preferably formed in a series of diamond-shaped openings.  
         [0015]    As shown in FIG. 2, preferably, a weld is preferably made on the bottom of each expanded metal diamond-shaped opening making up the expanded mesh screen  30  on the left side of the U-shaped platform frame  14  as shown by welds  32 ,  34 ,  36  and  38 , respectively. In a similar manner, a weld is preferably made on the top of each metal diamond forming the expanded mesh screen  30  on the right side of the U-shaped platform frame  14 , which is not shown. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 2, a weld is preferably made on the side of each metal diamond forming the expanded mesh screen  30  on the crossbeam  24  as shown by welds  40  and  42 , respectively. In a similar manner, a weld is preferably made on the side of each metal diamond forming the expanded mesh screen  30  on the cross-beam  16 , which is not shown. There are strategically placed welds attaching the expanded mesh screen  30  to the intermediate crossbeams  20 ,  22  and  24 , preferably at every third diamond, with an illustrative, exemplary weld indicated by numeral  44 .  
         [0016]    The welding voltage can range between 370 to 395 volts, with a preferred range between 375 to 382 volts, and an optimal value being 380 volts. The preferred power level of the welding power supply is 30 kilowatts. Although a number of shielding gases may suffice, the preferred shielding gas is carbon dioxide. The preferred weld wire is aluminum mangamess that can have a diameter that ranges between 2.35 millimeters and 6 millimeters with the preferred range being between 3 to 4 millimeters. The preferred mode of welding is utilizing hand welds so that stick-out and pulsing is not a relevant issue of concern.  
         [0017]    Referring again to FIG. 1, in the middle of crossbeam  16  are located a first U-shaped channel piece  50  and a second U-shaped channel piece  52  that are attached thereto. This attachment is preferably by a first and second pair of bolts  51  and  53 , respectively, however, a wide variety of attachment mechanisms will suffice such as rivets, adhesives, and so forth. There is a first support member  54  and a second support member  56  that are preferably bolted to the first and second U-shaped channel pieces  50  and  52 , respectively. The preference for bolting is to allow the support members  54  and  56  to pivot, however, a wide variety of attachment mechanisms will also suffice such as pins, rivets, and so forth.  
         [0018]    The primary means for attaching or holding the tree stand  10  to a tree or other structural device is a belt  84 , preferably made of fabric. In the preferred embodiment, the belt  84  is wrapped around the tree or other structural device and fastened to a fastener (not shown) securing the tree stand  10  to the tree or other structural devices. The fastener can be attached to one end of the belt or to the tree stand  10  directly. The fastener can be the type found in automobiles. However, there are numerous belts or fasteners used for securing users or devices known to those skilled in the art that can be substituted.  
         [0019]    Between the first support member  54  and the second support member  56  is a bracket  58  that is either welded or attached thereto between the first and second support members  54  and  56 , respectively. As an additional or secondary means for attaching the tree stand  10  to the tree or other structure, there is a notch  60  that hooks over a screw-type device  62 , however, any spike, cleat or other mechanism that can firmly and fixedly attach the bracket  58  to a tree or other structure will suffice. The notch  60  and screw-type device  62  preclude the tree stand  10  from sliding or falling downwardly.  
         [0020]    There is a first support cable  64  that has one end portion attached to the first support member  54  with first attachment hardware  66 . The first support cable  64  has a second end portion attached to the outside of the U-shaped platform frame  14  by means of second attachment hardware  68 . There is a second support cable  70  that has one end portion attached to the second support member  56  with third attachment hardware  72 . The second support cable  70  has a second end portion attached to the outside of the U-shaped platform frame  14  with fourth attachment hardware  74  on the opposite side and parallel to the attachment of the first support cable  64  by means of second attachment hardware  68 .  
         [0021]    Attached to the top of the first and second support members  54  and  56 , respectively, is a cushioned seat  76  that is preferably attached by straps (not shown). The front portion of the cushioned seat  76  is held upright by means of a U-shaped support bracket  78 . The U-shaped support bracket  78  is attached to the outside of the first and second support members  54  and  56  by means of fifth and sixth attachment hardware  80  and  82 , respectively. The cushioned seat  76  preferably has two creases in it and wraps around the end of the U-shaped support bracket  78  and is attached to itself, preferably, but not necessarily, through sewn stitching.  
         [0022]    The first, second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth attachment means  66 ,  68 ,  72 ,  74 ,  80  and  82 , respectively, are preferably nuts and bolts, but any of a wide variety of hardware will suffice such as rivets, adhesives, and so forth.  
         [0023]    Referring now to FIG. 3, the first step in the process of creating the expanded mesh screen  30  is to cut either a portion of an aluminum roll or large piece of aluminum as designated by numeral  88  into select pieces that would cover the platform  12  of the tree stand  10 . The aluminum roll or large piece  88  is supported by a table  90  and is directed into a metal cutter that is generally indicated by numeral  92 . There is an upper blade  94  and a lower blade  96  and a device for moving the upper blade  94  with respect to the lower blade  96  to shear-off the aluminum  88  into pieces of aluminum platform material  98 . A rotating counter balance  99  facilitates this up and down movement of the upper blade  94  and lower blade  96 . A typical sheet metal cutting device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,583, that issued Jan. 24, 1978, which is incorporated herein by reference. The preferred thickness of the aluminum platform material  98  is six (6) millimeters, which provides a sharp contrast to three and one-half (3.5) millimeters for steel.  
         [0024]    Referring now to FIG. 4, the piece of aluminum platform material  98  is placed on a table  102  and then fed into a die-cutting machine that is generally indicated by numeral  104 . The die-cutting machine  104  includes a moveable pressure bar  106  that reciprocates up and down over a base frame  105 . The dies  108 ,  110  and  112 , respectfully are removably attached by bolts  114 ,  116  and  118 , respectfully. The dies  108 ,  110 , and  112  create diamond-shaped or rhombus-shaped holes, having six (6) borders in the aluminum platform material creating angled slits or openings, which are not exactly vertical, in the aluminum platform material  98  when the dies  108 ,  110  and  112  strike the aluminum platform material and strike the punch support  120 . The maximum speed is cutting 125 times to create 62.5 lines of holes in about 1.43 meters since two hole punches are required to create one full hole line. The perforated aluminum platform material leaving the die-cutting machine  104  is generally indicated by numeral  122 . Examples of die-cutting equipment include U.S. Pat. No. 3,977,281, issued Aug. 31, 1976; U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,583, issued Jan. 24, 1978; U.S. Pat. No. 5,487,634, issued Jan. 30, 1996; and U.S. Pat. No. 3,937,113, issued Feb. 10, 1976, all of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference.  
         [0025]    Referring now to FIG. 5, a pressure roller mechanism is generally indicted by numeral  123 . Pressure is applied to the perforated aluminum platform material  122  by a first pressure roller  124  that is adjacent to a second pressure roller  126 . The first pressure roller  124  has a first end portion  132  and a second end portion  136  and the second pressure roller  126  has a first end portion  134  and a second end portion  138 . The first end portion  132  of the first pressure roller  124  and the first end portion  134  of the second pressure roller  126  are held together in relation to each other by a first support mechanism  128 . The second end portion  136  of the first pressure roller  124  and the second end portion  138  of the second pressure roller  126  are held together in relation to each other by a second support mechanism  130 . The first support mechanism  128  is held in position by a first support column  140  and a second support column  142  and the second support mechanism  130  is held in position by a third support column  144  and a fourth support column  146 . There is a first connecting support bracket  148  that connects the first support column  140  to the third support column  144  and a second connecting bracket  150  that connects the second support column  142  to the fourth support column  146 . Pressure is adjustably applied to the first end portion  132  of the first pressure roller  124  and the first end portion  134  of the second pressure roller  126  through a first rotatable fly wheel  152  that moves a first linear screw  154  up and down to apply pressure through the first support mechanism  128 . Moreover, pressure is adjustably applied to the second end portion  136  of the first pressure roller  124  and the second end portion  138  of the second pressure roller  126  through a second rotatable fly wheel  156  that moves a second linear screw  158  up and down to apply pressure through the second support mechanism  130 . There is at least One Hundred (100) metric tons applied per square meter by the first pressure roller  124  and the second pressure roller  126 , with the preferred pressure being One Hundred and Eighty (180) metric tons per square meter. The preferred rate of rotation for both the first pressure roller  124  and the second pressure roller  126  is 1.65 meters per second. The thickness of the perforated aluminum platform material  122  is preferably, but not necessarily, reduced from about six millimeters to about 4 millimeters or a reduction of at least twenty-five percent (25%) and preferably one-third of the thickness from the perforated aluminum platform material  122  as transformed into the final aluminum platform  160  in preparation for welding, as previously discussed. The final aluminum platform is supported by a support table  162 .  
       Industrial Applicability  
       [0026]    The present invention is advantageously applicable in creating a platform for a tree stand that provides reduces cost, corrosion and provides greater traction.  
         [0027]    The present invention provides a platform  12  for a tree stand  10  formed of low cost and corrosion-resistant aluminum that is first cut into aluminum pieces  98  and then die-cut to form diamond shaped openings to create mesh of perforated aluminum platform material  122 . Pressure rollers  124  and  126  flatten the perforated aluminum platform material  122  into a final aluminum platform  160  that is then welded onto a U-shaped platform frame  14  having cross-beams  16 ,  18 ,  20 ,  22  and  24 .  
         [0028]    Other aspects, objects and advantages of the present invention can be obtained from a study of the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims.