Patent Publication Number: US-8122998-B2

Title: Device for transporting and erecting a hunting ladder stand

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Ladder stands are commonly used by deer hunters so as to be elevated above the ground to eliminate human odors that deer and other prey can detect at ground level. Ladder stands typically weigh 60-150 pounds, or more, and usually must be transported deep into the woods for setup against a tree. Due to the weight of the stand, a hunter usually has to make multiple trips to transport the stand components from his truck to a desired location in the woods. Then, it normally requires two people to tilt the ladder stand upwardly into position against the tree. Since the platform for the hunter is at the top of the ladder, the bulk of the weight of the stand is at the top. The stand must be secured with a safety strap to the tree, which requires that someone climb the ladder to the platform. If the ladder is unstable, such climbing is risky before the strap is secured. It is not uncommon for a hunter and ladder to fall before the stand is secured, with potential injury to the hunter. If the hunter is alone, the risk of injury is even greater. 
     Therefore, a primary objective of the present invention is the provision of a device for single-handily transporting and erecting a tree ladder stand by a hunter with safety. 
     Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a device which can be converted from a cart for hauling a tree stand to a pulley system for erecting the tree stand into position against a tree in the woods. 
     Still another objective of the present invention is the provision of a device for transporting and raising a tree stand which can be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled. 
     A further objective of the present invention is the provision of a device for transporting a hunting ladder stand manually or with an ATV. 
     Yet another objective of the present invention is the provision of a device which quickly and easily clamps to a tree for raising and lowering a hunter&#39;s ladder stand. 
     Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a device for transporting and positioning a tree ladder stand which is economical to manufacture, and durable and safe in use. 
     These and other objectives will become apparent from the following description of the invention. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is directed towards a device which can be used to transport and erect a tree ladder stand by the hunter alone. The device comprises a cart for hauling the stand, with the cart being converted into a hoist assembly which clamps to the tree for raising and lowering the stand. The cart includes a handle assembly and a wheeled axle assembly, with a plurality of poles forming the bed of the cart. The poles can be disassembled from the cart, and re-assembled end to end, with a clamp attached to the top of the poles so as to form the stand hoist assembly. A first pulley system actuates the clamp for attachment to the tree by the hunter on the ground. A second pulley system on the clamp controls a rope or cable attached to the top of the ladder stand for raising and lowering the stand, without assistance from a second person. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a view showing the disassembled components of the device of the present invention for transporting and erecting a hunter&#39;s tree ladder stand. 
         FIG. 2  is a view of the device assembled as a cart for transporting the tree stand. 
         FIG. 3  shows the cart with a tree stand mounted thereon. 
         FIG. 4  shows the clamp assembly of the device. 
         FIG. 4A  is an exploded view of the clamp assembly. 
         FIG. 5  show the device wherein the cart has been disassembled and partially re-assembled for raising and lowering the tree stand. 
         FIG. 6  is a view showing the ladder of the tree stand strapped to the re-assembled frame with the ladder stand on the ground in a position ready to be raised. 
         FIG. 7  is a view showing the tree stand in a partially raised position. 
         FIG. 8  is a view showing the tree stand in a fully raised position against the tree. 
         FIG. 9  is a partially exploded view of the axle portion of the device. 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the hitch assembly of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The device  10  of the present invention is shown in a disassembled state in  FIG. 1 . The device  10  includes multiple components which can be quickly and easily assembled and disassembled into a cart  12  ( FIG. 2 ), a hoist assembly  14  ( FIG. 4 ), and a pivotal base assembly  16  ( FIG. 5 ). The components of the device  10  include an axle assembly  18  with wheels  20 , a handle assembly  22 , and plurality of poles  24 A, B, C, D which form the bed  26  of the cart, and a rectangular frame  28  which forms the rear wall  30  of the cart  12 . The components of the device  10  further include a clamp assembly  32 , a T-bar  34 , and a pair of stakes  36 . The T-bar  34  may be telescoping for adjustable length. 
     The axle assembly  18  is best shown in  FIG. 9 , and it includes a cross bar  38  with a spindle  40  inserted in each end of the cross bar  38  and secured thereto with a bolt  42  and nut  44 . The wheels  20  are rotatably mounted on the ends of the spindles  40  and retained by a pin  46 . A pair of outer tubular shafts  48  extend forwardly from the cross bar  38  via mounting collars  50  which are attached to the cross bar  38  via the bolts  42 . A pair of inner tubular shafts are mounted on the cross bar  38  via collars  54 , and are secured through the cross bar  38  via T-bolts  56 , such that the spacing of the shafts  52  can be selectively adjusted. 
     The handle assembly  22  also includes a cross bar  58  with hand grips  60  on the outer ends thereof. Outer tubular shafts  62  are bolted or otherwise secured to the cross bar  58 , while inner tubular shafts  64  are adjustably mounted on the cross bar  58  via collars  66  and T-bolts  68 . 
     The poles  24  are releasably mounted on the free ends of the shafts  48 ,  52  of the axle assembly  18  and shafts  62 ,  64  of the handle assembly  22 , so as to form the bed  26  of the cart  12 , as best seen in  FIG. 2 . In the preferred embodiment, the poles  24  include a spring-biased detent, such as a valco button, on each end for receipt in holes  70  in the free ends of the shafts  48  uses a latch pin, nothing secures  52 ,  62 , and  64 . Thus, the poles  24  can be quickly and easily connected and disconnected to the actual axle  18  and handle assembly  22  without the use of tools. 
     As seen in  FIG. 9 , the axle assembly  18  has a pair of outer plates  72  extending rearwardly from the cross bar  38 , with a pair of tubular shafts  74  mounted to the plates  72  and extending upwardly, approximately perpendicular to the shafts  48 ,  52 ,  62 ,  64 . The stakes  36  each have a lower end which is received in the shafts  74  and secured thereto by pins or clips  76 . The outer legs  78  of the rectangular frame  28  are hollow for receipt on the upper ends of the stakes  36 , so as to form the back wall  30  of the cart  12 . 
     An optional hitch assembly  80  may be mounted to the front end of the cart  12  adjacent the handle assembly  22 . The hitch assembly  80  includes a cross arm  82  adapted to be releasably connected to the outer poles  24 , and a tongue  84  extending forwardly from the cross arm  82 . A saddle  86  mounted to the tongue  84  is pinned to the cross bar  58  of the handle assembly  22 , thereby creating a three point connection for the hitch assembly  80  onto the cart  12 . The forward end of the tongue  84  includes a yoke  88  with a hitch pin  90  for hitching the cart  12  to the frame of an all terrain vehicle (ATV) or other motorized vehicle. Thus, the hitch assembly  80  allows the cart  12  to be towed rather than manually pushed or pulled. The hitch assembly  80  is not connected to the inner poles  24 B, C, such that these poles remain free to adjust laterally, if desired, on the axle assembly  18  and handle assembly  22 . 
     The cross bar  82  of the hitch assembly  80  includes U-shaped locks  83  which pivot between open and closed positions. The locks are secured in the closed position by over-sized headed bolts  85  extending through a hole in the locks  83  and into a nut on the end of each cross arm  82 . The bolts  85  can be easily turned by hand, such that the hitch assembly  80  is quickly and easily mounted to the cart  12  without the use of tools. 
     The clamp assembly  32  is best seen in  FIGS. 4 and 4A , and generally includes a pair of jaws  92 ,  94  mounted upon a frame  96 . The first jaw  92  is fixed relative to the frame  96 , while the second jaw  94  is pivotally mounted to the frame  96  via a pivot axis  98 . The jaw  94  includes a hub  95  pivotally mounted on an axle  97  defining the pivot axis  98 . The jaw  94  is moveable between open and closed positions, but is biased to the open position by a spring  100  mounted on a rod  101  fixed at one end to a leg  103  on the jaw  94  and retained at the opposite end by a bracket  105  on the frame  96 . When the jaw  94  is closed, the spring  100  is compressed. A pulley system controls the movement of the jaw  94  between the open and closed positions. More particularly, a first pulley  110  is mounted to the legs  103  of jaw  94 , while a second pulley  112  is mounted to an extension  114  of the jaw  92 . A rope  116  is threaded through the pulleys  110 ,  112 , and has a first end  118  tied or secured to the frame  96 , and a free end  120  which extends downwardly to the hunter on the ground who can pull on the rope  116  to pivot the jaw  94  inwardly and thereby close the clamp assembly  32  around the tree. 
     The frame  96  of the clamp assembly  32  includes a downwardly extending post for mounting the clamp assembly  32  onto the center post  124  of the rectangular frame  28  on the cart  12 , as seen in  FIG. 2 . 
     The hoist assembly  14  includes an elongated leg  122  which is formed by the poles  24 , the rectangular frame  28 , and the T-bar  34 . More particularly, the poles  24  have one end with a larger diameter than the opposite end, such that the poles  24  can be attached end to end. The rectangular frame  28  also has center poles  124  which mounts to the lower most pole  24 A. The lower end of the center pole  124  of the rectangular frame  28  receives the upper end of the T-bar  34 , with the lower end of the bar  34  engaging the ground adjacent the tree. The T-leg on the lower end of the bar  34  prevents the leg  122  of the clamp assembly  32  from digging into the ground, and provides some stability for the hoist assembly  14  and the clamp assembly  32 . The pole  24 A also includes a cleat  126  around which the free end  120  of the rope  116  can be tied so as to maintain the jaw  94  in the closed position around the tree. The rectangular frame  28  minimizes twisting of the clamp assembly  32  on the tree. A strap  128  may be secured to the rectangular frame  28  or to the pole  24 A and around the tree to secure the lower end of the hoist assembly  14  to the tree. Thus, the clamp assembly  32  and the leg  122  form the hoist assembly  14  for raising and lowering the ladder stand, as described above. 
     The hoist assembly  14  also includes a reconfigured portion of the cart  12 . As seen in  FIG. 5 , the handle assembly  22  is mounted onto the axle assembly  18  by extending the inner shafts  52  of the axle assembly  18  into the inner shafts  64  of the handle assembly, and securing the connected shafts with clips  130 . The T-bolts  56  of the inner shafts  52  are loosened so that the inner shafts  52  can be rotated around the cross bar  38  of the axle assembly  18  so as to extend in a direction substantially opposite of the outer shafts  48 , as seen in  FIG. 5 . 
     The hunter&#39;s ladder stand  132  includes a ladder  134  formed by one or more ladder sections, and a platform  136 . The platform  136  includes a seat  138  and a rail  140 . The ladder stand  132  is conventional in construction and does not constitute part of the present invention. 
     The ladder stand  132  may be partially disassembled for mounting on the cart  12 , as best seen in  FIG. 3 . One or more straps  142  are used to secure the ladder stand  132  to the cart  12 . The cart  12  can then be pulled by an ATV or manually pushed or pulled into the woods to a desired tree. The ladder stand  132  is removed from the cart  12  and assembled. The base assembly  16  of the device  10  is positioned adjacent the tree and the stakes  36  forced into the ground in any convenient manner. The handle assembly  22  rests upon the ground, and the ladder sections  134  are secured by straps  142  to the axle assembly  18  and handle assembly  22 , as best seen in  FIG. 6 . The T-bolts  56  are not tightened, such that the handle assembly  22  is free to pivot upwardly. 
     A third pulley  144  is mounted on the frame  96  of the clamp assembly  32 . A second rope  146  is threaded through the pulley  144  (before the hoist assembly  14  is raised into position against the tree), with one end of the rope being connected to the platform  136  of the ladder stand  132 . The free end of the rope  146  can be pulled by the hunter on the ground so as to raise the ladder stand  132  single-handily into position against the tree. The free end of the rope  146  can then be tied around the cleat  126  on pole  24 A so as to temporarily secure the ladder stand  132  in an upright position against the tree. The hunter can then climb the ladder stand  132  and use additional straps to tie the platform  136  to the tree in a conventional manner, without the risk of the ladder stand  132  tipping or falling. 
     As an alternative to manually raising the ladder stand  132  using the rope  146 , an optional winch  148  with a cable  150  can be mounted on the rectangular frame  28 , as best seen in  FIG. 2 . One end of the cable  150  is secured to the winch  148 , with the cable extending through the pulley  144 , and the free end of the cable attached to the platform  136  of the ladder stand  132 . Then, the winch crank  152  can be turned by the hunter so as to raise the ladder stand  132  into position against the tree. The winch  148  may include reduction gears so that even a heavy ladder stand  132  can be raised by a small hunter, without assistance from another person. 
     When a hunter desires to remove the ladder stand  132  from the tree, the procedure is reversed, using either the rope  146  or the winch  148 . 
     It is understood that the cart  12  can also be used for transporting a deer or other animal shot by the hunter out of the woods. 
     The invention has been shown and described above with the preferred embodiments, and it is understood that many modifications, substitutions, and additions may be made which are within the intended spirit and scope of the invention. From the foregoing, it can be seen that the present invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives.