Automatic artificial tree
First Claim
1. An automatic artificial tree comprising at least one main section, said main section comprising vertically extending support means, a plurality of branch holders of hollow construction mounted to said support means, coaxially thereof, a plurality of branches pivoted to said branch holders for projecting radially and generally perpendicularly of said support means when said main section is in its normal upright position but free to fold to a collapsed position generally parallel to said support means when said main section is upside-down, each branch holder comprising a branch holding ring and a tubular spacer, depending from said ring in fixed relationship thereto, each branch holding ring comprising a generally planar disc-shaped body of rigid material, with a central hole for including said support means, a coaxial fulcrum ring on the upper surface of said disc-shaped body, a plurality of radially extending branch receiving slots on said upper surface below said fulcrum ring, said slots having laterally confining means, each branch having the tip of its inner end bent upwardly behind said fulcrum ring at such an angle that upon movement of the tree to an upright position, the bent inner end is free to swing down about the fulcrum ring until the branch rests in its respective slot.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
An automatic artificial Christmas tree using an improved one-piece plastic molded branch holding ring and spacer combination for use with twisted wire stem branches or other suitable metal wire branches without the need to resort to individual branch attaching connectors. According to the disclosed method of assembly, the branches used have a straight wire stem. The stem of each branch is first inserted into a branch receiving radial slot of a branch holder. Its free end is then raised upwardly from the horizontal position to the vertical or beyond to form a hook for pivotally connecting the branch to the holder.
70 Citations
10 Claims
- 1. An automatic artificial tree comprising at least one main section, said main section comprising vertically extending support means, a plurality of branch holders of hollow construction mounted to said support means, coaxially thereof, a plurality of branches pivoted to said branch holders for projecting radially and generally perpendicularly of said support means when said main section is in its normal upright position but free to fold to a collapsed position generally parallel to said support means when said main section is upside-down, each branch holder comprising a branch holding ring and a tubular spacer, depending from said ring in fixed relationship thereto, each branch holding ring comprising a generally planar disc-shaped body of rigid material, with a central hole for including said support means, a coaxial fulcrum ring on the upper surface of said disc-shaped body, a plurality of radially extending branch receiving slots on said upper surface below said fulcrum ring, said slots having laterally confining means, each branch having the tip of its inner end bent upwardly behind said fulcrum ring at such an angle that upon movement of the tree to an upright position, the bent inner end is free to swing down about the fulcrum ring until the branch rests in its respective slot.
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10. In an automatic artificial tree, a plurality of vertically nested branch holders mounted to a common support pole, each branch holder being a one-piece plastic molded component and having a tubular spacer and a branch receiving ring at the upper end of said spacer, said branch receiving holder consisting of a relatively thick disc-shaped portion having a central aperture in communication with the central hole of its spacer, a coaxial nesting socket for receiving the lower end of the spacer of a branch holder, if any, directly thereabove, about twelve radially extending branch receiving slots into said disc-shaped body, extending to a common plane which contains the bottom surface of said nesting socket, an integral fulcrum ring bridging said branch receiving slots a sufficient distance outwardly of said support pole, each branch holder also having laterally confining means between said fulcrum ring and said nesting socket, said laterally confining means presenting two vertically extending surfaces at the inner end of every branch receiving slot, said automatic artificial tree also comprising a plurality of branches pivotally connected to said branch holders, each branch having a metal wire stem whose inner tip is bent upwardly behind said fulcrum ring between said laterally confining means to form and acute angle with the adjacent portion of said stem.
Specification