Abstract:
The belt buckle for a tree stand strap has holes in the frame of the buckle and the handle for accepting pins from a bracket attached to a tree stand such that the tree stand can be hung from the belt buckle that is used to tighten the strap around the tree. In this manner, several straps can be attached to several trees and the tree stand can be quickly and easily attached or detached to the buckles of the tree stand straps and moved from tree to tree. The pins through the buckles, handles and frame of the buckles locks the handle in place on the tree and prevents the belt from coming loose.

Description:
This application is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 11/072,807 filed Mar. 4, 2005 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,296,658. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to tree stands and more particularly to how to quickly and easily attach a tree stand to a tree with a strap and buckle secured to the tree and then inserting pins on a bracket attached to the tree stand into apertures in the buckle. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   There are many devices for supporting a tree stand in a tree. Many require straps or chains connected directly to the tree stand; however, these devices are difficult to attach to the tree when connected to the tree stand as the tree stand needs to be supported while being attached to the tree. Since tree stands are frequently attached to the tree at an elevated position it is difficult to attach the tree stand to the tree. 
   There are tree stand supports which have a chain or belt for attaching a bracket or frame to a tree and then attaching the tree stand to the bracket; however, these devices are generally expensive and not easy to carry around such that only one bracket is used with one tree stand. The brackets must also be made in a particular way to engage the tree stand rather than having a universal easy to carry around, inexpensive tree stand support which can be connected to any tree stand, such that a hunter can attach a tree stand support to a number of desired trees and then transport the tree stand between the tree stand supports on different trees for hunting at different locations by quickly and easily detaching the tree stand from one tree stand support and then attaching it to another tree stand support already attached to a tree. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The tree stand has a standard bracket attached to it for engagement with a buckle on a belt, which adjustably encircles a tree and can be tightened to the desired circumference to hold the belt and buckle securely on a tree. The buckle has apertures for engaging and holding pins on a bracket attached to the tree stand. The apertures are through the handle and frame portion of the buckle which when engaged by the bracket pins will not only hold the tree stand to the tree, but lock the handle of the buckle to the frame so that the belt cannot be loosened while the tree stand is on the buckle. 
   OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
   It is an object of the invention to quickly and easily attach or remove a tree stand strap and buckle on a tree. 
   It is an object of the invention to quickly and easily attach a tree stand to a tree. 
   It is an object of the invention to quickly and easily move tree stands to different pre-selected locations. 
   It is an object of the invention to make tree stand brackets inexpensively. 
   It is an object of the invention to make tree stand supports easily transportable and lightweight. 
   It is an object of the invention to make tree stand brackets, which can be attached to any tree stand. 
   It is an object of the invention to quickly and easily attach a tree stand bracket to a buckle on a belt around a tree. 
   Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a belt with a buckle having a pivot point of the buckle arm at one end of the buckle around a tree with pin apertures on one side of the pivot point. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the bracket attached to a single pole tree stand. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the bracket attached to a double pole tree stand. 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a first embodiment belt buckle with the pivot point of the buckle arm in the middle and pin apertures on both sides of the pivot. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a second embodiment belt buckle with the pivot point of the buckle arm in the middle which is also a pin aperture and a second pin aperture on one side of the pivot. 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a third embodiment having a three piece belt buckle with the pivot point of the buckle arm in the middle and pin apertures on either side of the pivot. 
       FIG. 7  is an elevation view showing a one piece frame buckle with the handle in the upward position. 
       FIG. 8  is an elevation view showing a one piece frame buckle with the handle in the closed position. 
       FIG. 9  is an elevation view showing a two piece frame buckle with the handle in the upward position. 
       FIG. 10  is an elevation view showing a two piece frame buckle with the handle in the closed position. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The tree stand support belt buckle  100  is used to support a tree stand  200  or  300  on a tree. The tree stand support belt buckle  100  has a belt  50  which encircles a tree and can be tightened so that the tree stand support belt buckle  100  is held firmly in place. The tree stand support belt buckles  100  and associated belts  50  are light weight and inexpensive so a hunter can use more than one tree stand support belt buckle  100  while hunting. The hunter can place several tree stand support belt buckles  100  in different locations such that all he has to do to move the tree stand  200 ,  300  is remove it from one tree stand support belt buckle  100  by lifting the tree stand  200 ,  300  from the buckle  100  and move the tree stand  200 ,  300  to the new location which also has a stand support belt buckle  100  attached to the tree and inserting the pins  20 ,  22  on bracket  25  on the tree stand into the apertures  10 ,  12  on the tree stand support belt buckle  100  on the other tree. Tree stand  200 ,  FIG. 2 , or tree stand  300 ,  FIG. 3 , can thus be moved to various pre-selected locations quickly and easily. 
     FIG. 1  shows a tree stand support belt buckle  100  with a belt  50  attached to a tree. The tree stand support belt buckle  100  has two apertures  10 ,  12  for inserting pins  20 ,  22  on bracket  25  therein to attach a tree stand bracket  25  to the tree stand support belt buckle  100 . 
   There are two popular styles of tree stand: the single pole style  200  as shown in  FIG. 2  and the double pole style  300  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The bracket  25  may be of many different designs. Here the bracket  25  is designed to fit on both the single  200  and double pole  300  tree stands. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the bracket  25  has four bolt holes  26  for attachment of two U bolts  28  through the bracket  25  and around the pole  210  to attach the bracket  25  to the pole. Alternatively, bolts through the pole may be used to attach the bracket  25  to the pole  210 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , tree stand  300  has bracket  25  attached to a cross member  310  between the two poles  301  and  302  by bolts through bolt holes  26 . In either case the brackets  25  are attached to the tree stand with a simple to attach method such that any tree stand can be equipped with bracket  25  quickly and easily. 
   In the embodiments shown, the tree stand support belt buckle  100  adjusts the belt  50  to the desired length and locks the belt  50  in place by the handle  30  being placed in the closed position on the frame  40 . There can be many styles of belt buckle  100 . 
     FIG. 1  shows a generic buckle  100  with two apertures  10 ,  12  on the frame  40  for engaging the pins  20 ,  22  on bracket  25 . The handle  30  is pivotally connected to the frame  40  at hinge  31  which may be held in place by pin  35 . The handle  30  has apertures  32 ,  33  which align with apertures  10 ,  12  to accept pins  20 ,  22  of bracket  25  thus locking the handle  30  in place on frame  40 . In this embodiment the apertures  10  and  12  are on the same side of pivot point  31 . Note the frame  40  may have a curved back portion to better engage the tree. 
   Many different styles of buckles may be used.  FIG. 4  shows another embodiment of a buckle  100 . The buckle  100  as shown has a U-shaped frame  40  with a front panel  41 , a first side wall  42 , a second side wall  43 , and a handle  30  pivotally connected to the frame  40 . The handle  30  has a pivot point  31  which may be held in place on the frame  40  by rivets (not shown) or by a pin  35 . In this embodiment the apertures for the pins  20  and  22  are the apertures  10 ,  12  through the walls  42  and  43  of frame  40  to attach the bracket  25  to the buckle  100 . The apertures  10 ,  12  for pins  20 ,  22  run through the frame  40  at walls  42  and  43  and at aperture  32  through walls  36 ,  38  of handle  30 . The pin  20  locks the handle  30  to the frame  40  so that the belt is held tightly in place while the tree stand is attached to the buckle  100 . In this embodiment, the pins  10  and  12  are on opposite sides of the pivot point  31 . 
   In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 5 , the frame design is similar to that of  FIG. 4 ; however, the pin  35  is now a tube  37  and pin  20  passes through the lumen  39  of tube  37  instead of aperture  10  in frame  40 . 
   In  FIG. 6 , the frame has two portions  140  and  142  pivotally connected by a tube  145  with a lumen  135 . The handle  30  is also pivotally connected by tube  145  to the handle. Apertures  110  and  112  receive the pins  20 ,  22  on bracket  25 . Aperture  132  in handle  130  aligns with aperture  112  on frame portion  142 . Alternatively tube  145  may be replaced by a pin. 
   In  FIG. 1  the pivot point  31  for the handle  30  on frame  40  is at pivot  31  and the apertures  10  and  12  go through the frame and apertures  32 ,  33  go through the handle the to attach the bracket  25  by pins  20 ,  22  through the respective apertures in the handle and the frame. 
   The type of buckle  100  used in embodiments of  FIGS. 4 and 5  are similar to the buckles and belts of the type as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,118,833 which is attached hereto and incorporated herein by reference, to show adjustable length belt buckles with handles and frames which can be used in herein.  FIGS. 7 and 8  show a belt  50  and buckle design with frame  40  and handle  30 . The frame  40  has apertures  10  and  12  for accepting pins  20 ,  22 . Alternatively one of apertures  10  or  12  cooperates with tube  37  with lumen  39  to accept pins  20 ,  22  on bracket  25 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8  an aperture  80  in frame  40  aligns with aperture  86  in handle  30  to accept locking pin  82  with cotter pin  84  to lock the belt in position when the handle is closed on the frame. In this manner the belt will remain secured to the tree without the pins  20 ,  22  on bracket  25  through apertures  10 ,  12 ,  32  or apertures  39 ,  12 ,  32 , or apertures  10 ,  39 . 
   In another embodiment a buckle having a two piece frame as in applicant&#39;s copending application Ser. No. 11/072,807 filed Mar. 4, 2005 may be used to better attach the buckle  100  around the tree. As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the frame has 2 pieces  140  and  142  pivotably connected in the middle by a pin, rivet or tube  145 . The pins  20  and  22  on bracket  25  may now fit through apertures  110  and  112  or though tube  145 , lumen  135  and either  110  or  112  as can be understood from the above described embodiment for a one piece frame. 
   Alternatively  FIGS. 9 and 10  may have an additional aperture  114  on frame member  140  such that pins  20 ,  22  on bracket  25  engage apertures  110  and  114  on frame member  140  to hold the tree stand,  200 ,  300  to the belt buckle  100 . 
   As shown herein, the belt buckle with apertures therethrough can now be used in conjunction with a bracket on a tree stand for attaching a tree stand to a tree, thus simplifying the attachment and eliminating extra parts which have been needed in the prior art. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10  the apertures  110 ,  114  on the outside edge of the frame  140  are far enough from the tree that bark, branches and other impediments on the tree will not interfere with the apertures  110 ,  114  and the insertion of pins  20 ,  22  therein. 
   Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.