Abstract:
A tree stand having one or two C-shaped platform sections removably and supportably positionable on one or two mounting brackets, with each platform section being foldable in half for ease of transport and storage, and including a hinged portion for enabling access to the stand from below.

Description:
FIELD 
     This disclosure relates to the field of tree stands for hunting. More particularly, this disclosure relates to a tree stand having features which give the stand a greater platform area, make the stand flexible in its adaptation to a tree including having the option of mounting the stand in a 180 or a 360 degree configuration, portable, and easily removed or installed. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Tree stands enable a hunter to position themselves above the ground as to not make them prone to detection by animals during hunting or observation. Various models of tree stands exist in the prior art that serve various goals. Some models are designed to be permanently attached to the same tree for extended periods of time. Others allow the hunter to climb with the stand and therefore reposition the stand during each hunt. 
     Most traditional tree stands limit the user to one stationary position, thus limiting their view to one side of the tree. While some of these traditional designs have been portable and easy to set up, they fall short in the amount of standing area that they provide. Some tree stands which encircle a tree have been proposed, however these designs are typically less portable, more difficult to install, and difficult to climb into. These circular tree stands require support from the ground, or require an opening in the floor in order for the hunter to enter into the tree stand. Additionally, the encircling tree stands are only capable as functioning in one configuration without the ability of being mounted in another configuration. Accordingly, there is a need for a tree encircling stand that allows for portability, easy installation and removal from the tree, allows for installation of half the 360 degree platform independently, and has the ability to be adjustably configured to fit various tree sizes. 
     The present disclosure advantageously provides tree stands for hunting that have a greater platform area, have the ability to be installed in a 180 degree independent configuration, are portable, and are easily removed and installed. 
     SUMMARY 
     The above and other needs are met by a hunting tree stand mountable to a tree. In one embodiment, the stand includes a first mounting bracket removably securable to the tree; and a first generally C-shaped platform section removably and supportably positionable on the first mounting bracket 
     The first platform section includes a fixed position portion and first and second adjacent portions, an edge of the first adjacent portion being hingedly positioned adjacent an edge of the fixed position portion by a first hinge, and an edge of the second adjacent portion being hingedly positioned adjacent an edge of the first adjacent portion by a second hinge opposite the fixed position portion. 
     The first hinge permits the first platform section to be folded substantially in half for ease of storage and transportation. The second hinge permits the second adjacent portion to be folded upwardly relative to the first adjacent portion to enable a user climbing up the tree to gain access to the platform section from below the platform section. 
     A second mounting bracket and C-shaped platform section may be paired with the first platform section and mounting bracket to provide an encircling platform that encircles the tree. The structure of the platform sections also enables installation on a variety of tree sizes to provide partial or full encircling platforms. 
     Thus, tree stand system according to the disclosure advantageously provides a portable and compact system that enables configuration of either a 360 degree platform or an independent 180 degree semi-platform removably mounted to a tree. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Further advantages of the disclosure are apparent by reference to the detailed description when considered in conjunction with the figures, which are not to scale so as to more clearly show the details, wherein like reference numbers indicate like elements throughout the several views, and wherein: 
         FIGS. 1   a  and  1   b  are perspective views of the tree stand according to the disclosure having a 360 degree platform and a bracket mounting system for attachment to a tree. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates the stand of  FIG. 1   a  reconfigured by removal of some of the components to provide an independent 180 degree platform area. 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of the configuration of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 4  and  FIG. 5  are a close-up front and back views of a bracket mounting assembly. 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view of two independent platform sections. 
         FIG. 7  shows folding of a platform section for ease of storage and transport. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to the drawings, the disclosure relates to a tree stand  10  configured as having platform sections  12   a  and  12   b  suspended from a tree T, or other generally cylindrical structure, such as a pole, by mounting brackets  14   a  and  14   b , respectively. The platform sections  12   a  and  12   b  cooperate to provide a platform  16  that fully encircles the tree T. Additional supports  18   a  and  18   b  may be utilized with the platform section  12   a.    
     With reference to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the platform section  14   a  may be installed alone on the tree T using the mounting bracket  12   a  to provide a tree stand structure that partially encircles the tree T, preferably providing about 180 degrees of encirclement of the tree T. 
     With continued reference to  FIG. 2 , the platform section  14   a  is generally C-shaped and includes a generally U-shaped inner peripheral sidewall  20  provided by discrete sidewall sections  20   a ,  20   b , and  20   c , and an outer peripheral sidewall  22  having angled faces  22   a - 22   f . A plurality of frame members  24  extend between portions of the sidewalls  20  and  22 , such that the sidewalls  20  and  22  and the frame members  24  provide a strong and rigid frame structure. In this regard, a floor  26  is connected to and supported by the frame members  24  so that a suitable floor is provided over the frame members  24  such that a user may walk across and be supported by the platform section  14   a . Members  28  may be located and secured adjacent a lower portion of the free ends of the section  14   a  for receiving the additional supports  18   a  and  18   b.    
     The platform section  14   a  may be made of lightweight but sufficiently strong aluminum sheet materials, with the floor  26  made of aluminum grating. Other materials, such as wood and composites may be used, the use of a high strength to weight material being preferred for ease of portability. 
     The platform section  14   a  includes a fixed position portion  30  that represents a portion, such as about half, of the platform section  14   a , and a pair of adjacent portions  32  and  34  that represent the other half of the platform section  14   a . The floor  26  for each of the portions  30 - 34  will be provided by discrete floor sections, one for each of the portions  30 - 34 . An edge of the portion  32  is hingedly positioned adjacent an edge of the portion  30  by a hinge  36 . An edge of the portion  34  is hingedly positioned adjacent an edge of the portion  32  (opposite the portion  30 ) by a hinge  38 . The hinge  36  permits the platform section  14   a  to be folded in half for ease of storage and transportation, with the floor  26  of the portions  32  and  34  overlying and facing the floor  26  of the portion  30  as shown in  FIG. 7 . The hinge  38  permits the portion  34  to be folded upwardly relative to the portion  32  as seen in  FIG. 6  to enable a user climbing up the tree to gain access to the platform section  14   a . Mounting pins  40  and  42  are provided on the sidewall sections  20   a  and  20   b , adjacent the portions  30  and  32  of the frame section  14   a . The mounting pins  40  and  42  permit the platform section  14   a  to be removably mounted onto the mounting bracket  12   a.    
     The platform section  14   b  is a mirror-image of and substantially identical to the platform section  14   a  and is identified with the same reference numbers in primes, except portions of sections  30 ′ and  34 ′ of the section  14   b  are configured to overlap the sections  30  and  34  of the section  14   a . This overlap allows for the platform sections  14   a  and  14   b  to be adjustably positioned and enable the tree stand  10  to adjustably fit trees of various diameters. Thus, section  34 ′ is of reduced thickness to fit over the section  34 , and the section  30 ′ has a reduced thickness end portion  48  configured to fit over the free end of the section  30 . 
     With reference to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , front and rear perspective views of the mounting bracket  14   a  are provided. The mounting bracket  14   b  is identical to the mounting bracket  14   a . The mounting bracket  14   a  (and mounting bracket  14   b ) includes a pair of vertical support bars  50   a  and  50   b . The vertical support bars  50   a  and  50   b  are secured to each other through multiple support crossbars  52   a ,  52   b ,  52   c ,  52   d , and  52   e . Attached to the lower portion of vertical support bars  50   a  and  50   b  are the mounting pockets  54  and  56  which are configured to mountably receive the pins  40  and  42  of the platform section  12   a . Tree engagement points  58  are located at lower portions of the support bars  50   a  and  50   b  on the back side of the support bars  50   a  and  50   b  for engaging the tree T to inhibit lateral movement of the mounting bracket  14   a  when installed on the tree T. 
     A seat bar  60  is hingedly attached to the vertical support bars  50   a  and  50   b  and configured such that it may be raised to a storage position and lowered to a seated position. When the seat bar  60  is in the raised position it, it is oriented such that the bar  60  is parallel to the vertical support bars  50   a  and  50   b  thereby increasing the amount of space available for standing on the tree stand  10 . When the seat bar  60  is in the lowered or seated position, it is oriented such that the bar is at an approximately 45 degree angle to the vertical support bars  50   a  and  50   b  allowing the hunter to rest on the seat with their back against the tree T. The seat bar  60  is configured such that a seating fabric  62  is attached on one end to the seat bar  60  and on the other end to a bar  64  located at the top portion of the vertical support bars  50   a  and  50   b  on the mounting bracket  14   a . The seating fabric  62  provides a seat for the hunter while occupying the tree stand. 
     Returning to  FIG. 2 , the mounting bracket  14   a  is preferably attached to the tree T by using buckle straps  66  and  68  removably attached to the vertical support bars  50   a  and  50   b  of the mounting bracket  14   a . The straps  66  and  68  preferably encircle the circumference of the tree T before attaching to a second point on the vertical support bars  50   a  and  50   b . The straps  66  and  68  may attach the mounting bracket  14   a  independently to the tree T or may be configured to attach both the mounting brackets  14   a  and  14   b . That is, if the mounting bracket  14   b  is also installed, it may have its own straps in the same manner, or a pair of the straps may be used to attach both of the mounting brackets  14   a  and  14   b . It is understood that a cable or like material may be used in place of a strap for securing the mounting brackets  14   a  and  14   b  to the tree T. 
     The mounting bracket  14   a  also includes a leveling system  70  to maintain the platform section  12   a  in a substantially level or other desired position. The leveling system  70  includes a pair of threaded bolts  72  and  74  associated with the support bars  50   a  and  50   b , respectively. The bolt  72  includes a tree contact end  76  having a broad base and sharpened end and an opposite head  78 . The bolt  72  passes through aligned smooth apertures  80  of support bar  50   a  and the extension of the tree contact end  76  relative to the support bar  50   a , and hence toward or away from the tree T, is controlled by an adjustment knob  82  rotatably mounted within a bracket  84  on the support bar  50   a . The knob  82  includes a threaded bore through which the bolt  72  is threaded and a knurled exterior such that a user may turn the knob  82  and cause the bolt  72  to rotate, moving the tree contact end  76  toward or away from the tree T. The bolt  74  is similarly mounted and movable relative to the support bar  50   b . A tree engaging member  86  connects between the tree contact end  76  of the bolt  72  and a corresponding tree contact end of the bolt  74 . The tree engaging member  86  may be a narrow length of a flexible aluminum or plastic strip and contoured to a generally wide U-shaped orientation to engage and conform to the tree T. 
     A brace  88  is hingedly connected to an outward facing brace tab  90  located on the lowermost crossbar  52   e  of the mounting bracket  14   a . The brace  88  may be an elongate rod having a longitudinal slot cut into one end sized to fit over the brace tab  90 . The brace tab  90  may include a central aperture and the longitudinal slot of the brace  88  may have aligned corresponding apertures such that when the brace  88  is located on the tab  90 , a pin or the like may be inserted through the apertures to hingedly mount the end of the brace  88  to the tab  90 . The brace  88  is of a length so as to engage the bottom of the platform section  14   a  and help brace the platform section  14   a  in a substantially level orientation. The end of the brace  88  that engages the bottom of the platform section  14   a  may also be configured to engage a pre-formed receiver on the platform section  14   a  if desired, such as a receiver such as the tab  90  and held in place as by a pin. 
     In addition to the brace  88 , additional bracing may be provided by use of the supports  18   a  and  18   b  which mount to the members  28  of the platform section  14   a . In this regard, the supports  18   a  and  18   b  include a mounting member  92  and a brace  94  secured thereto. The mounting member  92  may be adjustably secured to the members  28  of the platform section  14   a  as by fasteners. The brace  94  is an elongate rod that is fixedly mounted to the mounting member, as by welding, and extends at an angle of about 45 degrees to engage the tree T. 
     To adjust the level of the platform section  12   a  installed on the tree T with the mounting bracket  14   a , the adjustment knob  82  is rotated either clockwise or counter-clockwise, which causes the tree contact end  76  of the bolt  72  to either thread toward or away from the tree T, changing the length of bolt  72  that extends beyond the vertical support bar  50   a  to either increase or decrease. When this length is increased, the top portion of the mounting bracket  14   a  moves further from the tree T while the lower portion of the bracket  14   a , anchored by the engagement points  58  remains stationary. The increased distance between the top portion of the mounting bracket  14   a  and the tree T causes the platform section  12   a  to tilt in either direction, the platform section  12   a  remaining substantially perpendicular to the vertical support bar  50   a . When the length of the bolt  72  extending beyond the vertical support bar  50   a  is decreased, the top portion of the vertical support bar  50   a  moves closer to the tree T relative to the lower portion of the vertical support bar  50   a , causing the platform section  12   a  to tilt in the opposite direction. The use of two separate platform sections  12   a  and  12   b , and the use of the two mounting brackets  14   a  and  14   b , along with the overlap of the platform sections  12   a  and  12   b  advantageously enables the level of the platform sections  12   a  and  12   b  to be independently adjustable. 
     Accordingly, it will be appreciated that the tree stand system  10  enables a portable and compact system that enables configuration of either a 360 degree platform or an independent 180 degree semi-platform removably mounted to a tree. The system is also advantageously configured to allow for the platforms to be adjusted to a substantially level position. 
     The foregoing description of preferred embodiments for this disclosure has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications or variations are possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiments are chosen and described in an effort to provide the best illustrations of the principles of the disclosure and its practical application, and to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the disclosure in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the disclosure as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally, and equitably entitled.