Artificial Christmas tree with foldable branching and method of making same

• US 4,093,758 A
• Filed: 05/31/1977
• Issued: 06/06/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Industrial Park Machine & Tool Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Industrial Park Machine & Tool Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Weskamp, Robert J., Barclay, Robert H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lesmes, George F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Epstein, Henry F.
• Application Number:
  US05/801,652
• Time in Patent Office: 371 Days
• Field of Search: 428/7, 428/8, 428/9, 428/12, 428/15, 428/17-20
• US Class Current: 428/8
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/06 Artificial Christmas trees

Abstract

Artificial Christmas tree, including a trunk with a plurality of transversely extending axially spaced holes. A pivotal mounting member, preferably U-shaped, is press fitted into each hole with a front end portion of each extending outwardly from the trunk. A branch is pivoted on each member by means of a securing element extending between the legs of the U-shaped front end portion, about each extends an arcuately formed end portion of the branch.

Claims

1. In an artificial Christmas tree of the type including a central trunk and a plurality of branches pivotally movable to and from positions outstanding from said trunk and from and to positions substantially co-axial with said trunk, the improvement comprising an improved means for pivotally mounting at least one of said branches on said trunk, said improved means comprising:

the provision of a hole in said trunk;

a pivotal mounting member having a rear end portion press fitted into said hole, a front end portion extending outwardly from said trunk and a pivot member mounted on said front end portion rearwardly of the front end thereof;

said front end portion of said pivot mounting being U-shaped, said pivot member extending between the legs of said U in spaced relation with the bight thereof, said one branch having its rear end pivotally mounted about said pivot member whereby, when said branch is pivotally moved to its outstanding position, it engages the front end of said front end portion to be held thereby in said outstanding position;

said U-shaped front end portion having a pair of aligned apertures for mounting said pivot member, one of said apertures having a larger diameter than the other, and said pivot member being formed of elastically deformable material and comprising a head having a diameter larger than said one aperture, a shank having a head end portion of diameter smaller than said one aperture and larger than the other and a tapered tail end portion, said shank further including a circumferential groove at the junction of said head and tail end portions of width greater than the length of said other aperture wherein said pivot member is an integral member injection molded from plastic, the edge of said groove on the tail end portion having a diameter greater than the diameter of said other aperture, said shank further having a slot extending across said shank from the tail end thereof to at least the plane of the edge of said groove on the head end portion of said shank, said slot being of sufficient width to permit inward flexing of said tapered end of said shank so that it can clear said other aperture when forced therethrough, whereby when said pivot member is moved longitudinally through said one aperture the tail end portion can be forced through said other aperture until said groove registers therewith, whereupon said tail end portion will elastically expand to dispose the portion of said leg surrounding said other aperture into said groove to hold said pivot member in said position.

2. In an artificial Christmas tree of the type including a central branch trunk and a plurality of branches pivotally movable to and from positions outstanding from said trunk and from and to positions substantially co-axial with said trunk, the improvement comprising an improved means for pivotally mounting at least one of said branches on said trunk, said improved means comprising:

the provision of a hole in said trunk;

a pivotal mounting member having a rear end portion press fitted into said hole, a front end portion extending outwardly from said trunk and a pivot member mounted on said front end portion rearwardly of the front end thereof, said pivot mounting member being U-shaped along its entire length and having a front end portion wherein each of the legs thereof include an upstanding ear, said ears being provided with mutually registered apertures, said pivot member being a securing element secured to said mounting member by extending through said registered ear apertures;

the rearmost edge portion of said ears sloping downwardly towards the rear end of said pivot mounting member at an angle substantially less than 90°

, the rearmost edge of said rear end portion of said pivotal mounting member being at an angle to the vertical;

one of said registered ear apertures having a larger diameter than the other, and said securing element being formed of elastically deformable material and comprising a head having a diameter larger than said one aperture, a shank having a head end portion of diameter smaller than said one aperture and larger than the other and a tapered tail end portion, said shank further including a circumferential groove at the junction of said head and tail end portions of width greater than the length of said other aperture wherein said pivot member is an integral member injection molded from plastic, the edge of said groove on the tail end portion having a diameter greater than the diameter of said other aperture, said shank further having a slot extending across said shank from the tail end thereof to at least the plane of the edge of said groove on the head end portion of said shank, said slot, being of sufficient width to permit inward flexing of said tapered end of said shank so that it can clear said other aperture when forced therethrough, whereby when said pivot member is moved longitudinally through said one aperture the tail end portion can be forced through said other aperture until said groove registers therewith, whereupon the tail end portion will elastically expand to dispose the portion of said leg surrounding said other aperture into said groove to hold said pivot member in said position;

said one branch having its rear end pivotally mounted about said securing element whereby when said branch is pivotally moved to its outstanding position, it engages the front end of said front end portion to be held thereby in said outstanding position.

3. In an artificial Christmas tree of the type including a central trunk and a plurality of branches pivotally movable to and from positions outstanding from said trunk and from and to positions substantially co-axial with said trunk, the improvement comprising an improved means for pivotally mounting at least one of said branches on said trunk, said improved means comprising:

a pivotal mounting member, means for connecting said pivotal mounting member to said trunk with the front end portion extending outwardly from said trunk, a pivot member mounted on said front end portion rearwardly of the front end thereof;

said front end portion of said pivot mounting being U-shaped, said pivot member extending between the legs of said U in spaced relation with the bight thereof, said one branch having its rear end pivotally mounted about said pivot member whereby, when said branch is pivotally moved to its outstanding position, it engages the front end of said front end portion to be held thereby in said outstanding position;

said U-shaped front end portion having a pair of aligned apertures for mounting said pivot member, one of said apertures having a larger diameter than the other, and said pivot member being formed of elastically deformable material and comprising a head having a diameter larger than said one aperture, a shank having a head end portion of diameter smaller than said one aperture and larger than the other and a tapered tail end portion, said shank further including a circumferential groove at the junction of said head and tail end portions of width greater than the length of said other aperture wherein said pivot member is an integral member injection molded from plastic, the edge of said groove on the tail end portion having a diameter greater than the diameter of said other aperture, said shank further having a slot extending across said shank from the tail end thereof to at least the plane of the edge of said groove on the head end portion of said shank, said slot being of sufficient width to permit inward flexing of said shank so that it can clear said other aperture when forced therethrough, whereby when said pivot member is moved longitudinally through said one aperture the tail end portion can be forced through said other aperture until said groove registers therewith, whereupon said tail end portion will elastically expand to dispose the portion of said leg surrounding said other aperture into said groove to hold said pivot member in said position.