ADJUSTABLE CHRISTMAS TREE STAND

• US 3,661,349 A
• Filed: 03/30/1970
• Issued: 05/09/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert W De Vries
• Original Assignee: Robert W De Vries
• Inventors: De Vries, Robert W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schultz, William H.
• Application Number:
  US05/023,685
• Time in Patent Office: 771 Days
• Field of Search: 248/44,45,46,48,133,140,142,179,181
• US Class Current: 47/40.5
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2033/1266 Stackable, foldable, collapsible, nestable or sale packaged
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 2033/1286 comprising watering means, e.g. a water reservoir
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/1213 comprising a single handle or pedal for releasing, tensioning or locking of clamping members
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/1226 comprising a ball joint or similar fulcrum surface for straightening the tree

Abstract

The tree stand is collapsible for storage, and includes means to positively latch the tree shaft receptacle in adjusted positions of tilt, thereby minimizing the risk of accidental release of the receptacle and possible overturning of the assembly.

Claims

1. A stand for tilting and supporting an elongate shaft in a vertical or selectively inclined position, said stand comprising in combination:

a body member;

a shaft receptacle universally mounted upon said body member, said receptacle having an open top receptive of a shaft end to be supported;

receptacle latching means including an elongate foot pedal having an outer end and an inner end, and means supporting said pedal intermediate the ends thereof for rocking movement relative to the body member;

a sieve-like substantially flat foraminous member movable with and fixed relative to said receptacle;

retaining means including a pin carried by and movable with said foot pedal, to enter and engage with any such apertures of the foraminous member as may be aligned with said pin incident to adjusting the tilt angle of the receptacle and means for selectively maintaining said retaining pin in an aligned aperture and yielding means tending constantly to withdraw the retaining pin from the aligned aperture.

2. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein the receptacle includes an imperforate bottom wall, and the foraminous member is a separate part fixed to the receptacle in spaced relation with said bottom wall.

3. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein tHe foraminous member is in the form of a plate of substantially inflexible material having a multiplicity of preformed apertures therein spaced from one another over the plate area.

4. The combination as defined in claim 2, wherein the foraminous member is in the form of a plate of substantially inflexible material having a multiplicity of preformed apertures therein spaced from one another over the plate area.

5. The combination as defined in claim 1, wherein said body member includes a plurality of supporting legs movable between an operative extended position for supporting the stand upon a surface, and an inoperative collapsed position at which said legs are folded inwardly toward the receptacle axis.

6. The combination as defined in claim 5, wherein is included means for selectively maintaining said retaining pin in an aligned aperture of the foraminous member.

7. The combination as defined in claim 5, wherein one of said supporting legs is slotted longitudinally and the foot pedal extends through said slot;

and included is means for selectively securing the foot pedal in a biased position near one end of said slot.

8. The combination as defined in claim 5, wherein the receptacle includes means for anchoring therein the inserted shaft.

9. The combination as defined by claim 5, wherein is included a leg reinforcing structure comprising a plurality of elongate rigid braces each having an outer end and an inner end;

an open annular brace frame the opening of which is dimensioned to surround the receptacle; and

means pivoting the outer end of each brace upon a leg, and the inner end of each brace upon the annular brace frame.

10. The combination as defined by claim 9, wherein the rocking support means for the foot pedal is carried by said brace frame.

11. The combination as defined by claim 10, wherein said rocking support means comprises a separable connector to facilitate bodily displacement of the foot pedal from said brace frame.

12. The combination as defined by claim 10, wherein one of the said supporting legs is slotted longitudinally and the foot pedal extends through said slot;

and the combination includes means for selectively securing the foot pedal in a biased position near one end of said slot.

13. The combination as defined by claim 12, wherein the means last mentioned is carried by said slotted leg.

14. The combination as defined by claim 1, wherein the receptacle is made fluidtight to store a quantity of fluid about the inserted shaft.

15. The combination as defined by claim 3, wherein the receptacle is made fluidtight to store a quantity of water.

16. The combination as defined by claim 6, wherein the receptacle is made fluidtight for the storage of water.

17. The combination as defined by claim 13, wherein the receptacle is made fluidtight for the storage of water.