Patent Publication Number: US-2007095614-A1

Title: Adjustable tree seat for hunters

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/730,119 filed Oct. 25, 2005, which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates to a tree seat which may be adjustably attached to a tree trunk, post or the like, to support a seat for a hunter at an elevated height and includes a footrest and adjustable support to separate the seat from the footrest.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      A variety of tree stands for use by hunters have been proposed. These generally include a seat member which may be supported at an adjustable height along a tree trunk, post or the like. Certain of these tree stands incorporate platforms upon which the hunter may stand or support his feet when seated.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention is directed toward such a tree stand which is simple in construction and versatile in application. It incorporates a support member which may be attached to a vertical member such as a tree trunk or the like by adjustable straps which surround the vertical member. The support retains a base including a vertically aligned tubular member having an open top. A seat post telescopes within the tubular member and has a plurality of adjustment holes formed along its length. It may be adjustably supported at a chosen height with respect to the base by a pin that extends through a hole in the base and into one of the adjustment holes in the seat post.  
      A seat for the hunter is carried at the top end of the post and may preferably take the form of a padded bicycle seat. A platform on which the hunter may stand or may support his feet while seated is pivotably supported to the bottom of the base for motion in a vertical plane and is retained by support straps that have one end fixed to the base and one end fixed to the platform. This allows the platform to be extended at a right angle to the base for use or folded up so that it extends along the seat base and the seat post for carrying or storage purposes. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
      Other objects, advantages and applications of the invention will be made apparent in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention. The description makes reference to the accompany drawings in which:  
       FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of a preferred embodiment of my tree stand with a hunter seated on the stand;  
       FIG. 2  is a side view of a preferred embodiment of my tree stand with the platform extended laterally; and  
       FIG. 3  is a front view of my tree stand.  
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      Referring to the drawings, a preferred embodiment of my invention constitutes a tree seat, built about a planar vertical base member  10 . The base member is adapted to be secured to a tree trunk  12  by two or more adjustable straps  14 . The straps have free ends  16  which may be secured together by Velcro fasteners, buckles or the like. The straps  14  are adapted to loop about the tree trunk  12 , a vertical post such as a telephone pole, or the like. The straps pass through slots in the base  10  and/or in a vertically aligned tubular base member  18  which is secured to the base  10  so as to be aligned against and bear against the tree trunk  12 .  
      The tubular member  18  has an open end and is adapted to receive an elongated tubular seat post  20  which telescopes within the tubular member  18 . The seat post  20  has a plurality of holes  22  formed at spaced intervals along its length. One of the holes may be aligned with a hole formed near the top of the tubular member  18  and a pin  24  may be inserted from the exterior of the tubular member  18 , through one of the holes  22 , to lock the seat post  20  at a controlled extension above the tubular member  18  in the base  10 .  
      The seat post  20  supports a seat  26  which may be a flat platform or a bicycle-type seat with a forward extending crotch support section. The bicycle seat is preferably padded so as to provide a comfortable support for the hunter, generally indicated at  28 , who may thus be supported on the seat in an elevated height along the tree trunk or post  12 .  
      The hunter&#39;s feet may be supported on a platform  30  which has one end pivotably attached to the lower end of the base  10 . The platform  30  may be supported in an operative, horizontal position, as indicated in the drawings, by means of a pair of straps  32  which each have one end fixed to an elevated point on the base  10  and the other ends affixed to opposed side edges of the platform  30  near its free edge. The straps  32  and the pivot connection allow the platform  30  to be elevated parallel to the tube  18  and the seat post  20 , for the purpose of making the seat post portable for carrying to and from the place of use and for storage.  
      It is therefore seen that the adjustable tree seat of the present invention is simple in construction so as to be reliable in operation and low in cost, and may be easily supported when disposed with the foot support folded upwardly in carrying position.