Horizontally supported planar surfaces – Attached laterally of support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-27
2001-03-27
Chen, Jose V. (Department: 3624)
Horizontally supported planar surfaces
Attached laterally of support
C182S187000, C182S129000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06205935
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a shelf-like platform or receptacle that is attachable by means of a crank shaped bolt that is threaded directly into the trunk of a tree. The crank shaped bolt support preferably is an integral piece with a tapering threaded lag bolt, a crank arm and a non-round shelf-mounting part. The shelf-mounting part engages in a complementary opening in the shelf or similar supporting platform, thus holding the shelf or platform in a desired orientation, normally horizontal.
2. Prior Art
A wide variety of tree stands for hunters are known, all generally comprising some sort of platform that can be placed at a height above the ground, and on which a hunter can stand or sit while waiting for passing game. Game animals such as deer are alert to threats at ground level. The instincts of such prey animals may cause them to expend all their attention at ground level, where they might expect to encounter natural predators such as wolves or puma. The animals may neglect to look for threats at a higher elevation, and can fail to notice a hunter in plain view because the hunter is on a tree stand at an elevation above the ground. Hunters also prefer a high vantage point, above brush that might obscure his or her view of deer or other approaching game.
Various forms of tree stands are used, but all address similar needs. The tree stand should be securely attachable to a tree, but preferably is only temporary at a given location. For safety, a tree stand should be secure and stable when mounted, especially because firearms may be used and could inadvertently discharge if jarred or dropped. A larger platform is generally more safe and comfortable than a smaller one.
The object of the tree stand is to provide an elevated support, normally well above the height of the hunter. The stand may include mechanical fixtures for lifting and climbing, and may have depending flanges or toothed or spurred structures that bear against and/or dig into the trunk of the tree, either at the elevation selected for hunting or at a point from which the hunter pushes off when climbing with the stand. Trunk encircling belts, chains, curving abutment bars and other trunk parts may be included and may be disposed at different elevations relative to the supporting platform.
To suit the foregoing needs, it might arguably be advantageous for a tree stand to have a large platform area, to be made of strong materials, to be outfitted with various accoutrements and mechanical assists for climbing and affixation to the tree at a selected elevation, and to have appointments for comfort such as seat padding, a backrest, other chair structure or similar means for the hunter's comfort and convenience. In practice, however, the durability, size and complexity of the tree stand are kept to a minimum. Aspects that contribute strength, convenience, additional function or comfort, also contribute size and weight. The tree stand normally is carried to the hunting area by the hunter, often a substantial distance and frequently through woods that may be difficult to traverse with heavy or bulky equipment. The stand must be readily lifted and/or maneuvered into place by manual action of the hunter. As noted above, the stand is preferably deployed well above the ground. As a result, the typical tree stand has a simple flat platform on which the hunter stands or sits. The stand has the minimum structure possible and is made as light and compact as possible. Tree stands also sometimes rely on the hunter's weight to hold the stand at a fixed elevation, the weight being applied by appropriately leveraged structures to cause a portion of the tree stand to bite into the tree.
Getting the tree stand into place at an elevated location, and also getting onto the tree stand together with all the equipment that will be necessary or desirable for hunting (or for simply waiting) may be a difficult proposition for the hunter. Depending on the type of tree stand, the hunter may be more or less challenged when attempting to affix the tree stand at the desired elevation, or when attempting to mount a tree stand that has been affixed by other means, or when attempting to remain on the tree stand platform when waiting for passing game.
Tree stands are known which form tree climbing aids that the hunter uses to climb to a desired hunting elevation. Such a stand, for example, can have a relatively lower horizontal platform on which the hunter is to stand or sit while hunting, and a frictional bar that engages the opposite side of the trunk from the platform, at a higher position than the platform. The edge of the platform facing the tree trunk can be sharp or toothed so as to bite slightly into the tree bark. So long as the hunter's weight rests on the platform and the abutment engages the trunk on the opposite side from the platform and at the higher position, there is a resultant force on the platform to bear laterally inwardly and bite into the trunk. This fixes the elevation of the tree stand on the trunk.
This type of stand is most apt from tree trunks without low branches. Means are provided for the hunter to manipulate the stand while supporting his weight on the tree, apart from the stand. For this purpose the platform can be affixed to the hunter's feet via straps or similar receptacles. The hunter grasps or hugs the tree trunk to support his weight, as if to shinny up the trunk. The hunter flexes his legs and tilts the tree stand forward, disengaging the platform and the opposite higher abutment from the trunk, and lifting the stand incrementally upward. The hunter straightens his legs and the stand, and allows his weight to bear back against the platform. The opposite side abutment stops frictionally against the tree and the platform bites into the trunk on the near side, fixing the stand to the tree at the new higher elevation. The hunter continues climbing in this manner, or to descend the hunter reverses the process, proceeding in an inchworm fashion to ascend or descend the tree trunk.
Obviously, the hunter would prefer to climb the tree only once in this manner, and to come down only when ready to leave. The inching technique is time consuming, laborious and possibly noisy. If something is dropped after climbing to the desired elevation, the hunter cannot leave the stand in place, descend to recover the item and climb back up to the stand. The stand is needed for inchwise climbing or descending the tree in the absence of branches. The hunter's weight also may be needed to keep the stand engaged in fixed elevation rather than to slide down the trunk.
Tree stands also are known that are used by first climbing the tree without assistance, and carrying along the tree stand, for example in the form of a back pack as in U.S. Pat. No. 4,582,165—Latini; U.S. Pat. No. 4,776,503—Sink; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,186,276—Craig. Instead of carrying the stand, the hunter can tie a rope to the tree stand when on the ground, carry an end of the rope when climbing to the desired elevation, and then pull the stand up. This involves either climbing the tree with the encumbrance of the stand, or threading the stand through any branches that may foul it when drawing the stand up into position. One can only carry so much at a time when climbing. After climbing the tree and attaching the stand, the hunter may need to climb down again to retrieve further equipment to be carried up before the hunter can occupy the stand for hunting. This involves a lot of climbing up and down. The climbing can be a chore, because the optimal hunting location is rather high, for example twenty feet (
6
meters) or so above the ground.
It is also known to mount a tree stand relatively permanently to a tree and to use it several times or for more than one hunting season. Inasmuch as the installation is for several uses, it is cost effective to provide a large and/or elaborate stand, and to go to some effort to mount it securely to the tree trunk. For example the stand may be customized to the diame
Chen José V.
Duane Morris & Heckscher LLP
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