Firearms – Implements – Rests
Reexamination Certificate
2001-04-26
2003-04-08
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Firearms
Implements
Rests
C043S001000, C047S041010, C047S041120
Reexamination Certificate
active
06543175
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the art of concealment, and more particularly to a portable, collapsible stand for holding and supporting natural foliage (tree branches, etc.) for use as camouflage for the hunter or observer of wild game.
2. Description of the Related Art
Hunters have long realized the importance of concealing themselves from game which is being hunted, and/or other potentially dangerous animals. More recently, increased interest in photographing or merely observing wild animals in their natural habitats, has led to the further development of camouflage of various types. While hunters (and others) may make use of various scents or other effects in an effort to conceal themselves from animals, perhaps the most important type of camouflage or concealment, is that achieved by visual means.
Accordingly, hunters have developed innumerable visual camouflage techniques, ranging from merely concealing oneself behind some natural cover (trees, brush, rocks, etc.), to wearing animal skins or constructing a blind of natural materials. One problem with such inanimate visual camouflage, is that its location is fixed and cannot be moved as the hunter or observer seeks a more advantageous position or follows the game as it moves. Many hunters or observers will cut and deploy natural foliage to form a makeshift blind at their location. While the foliage forming such a temporary blind is readily movable, it does not necessarily provide a realistic appearance. Also, it may be difficult to imbed the cut ends of the branches and twigs into the underlying surface, if the surface is hard or rocky. Thus, the hunter or observer merely lays the foliage in place upon the underlying surface, with the generally horizontal orientation of the branches providing an appearance quite unlike their natural appearance as a living plant.
Accordingly, a need will be seen for a portable stand for holding and supporting a plurality of natural foliage branches in a reasonably realistic array, in order to provide realistic camouflage for a hunter or wildlife observer. The present stand is quite portable, with the foliage support portion folding compactly against the flat base for storage when not in use. The present device is quite compact when folded, for convenient portability.
A discussion of the related art of which the present inventor is aware, and its differences and distinctions from the present invention, is provided below.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,151,192 issued on Mar. 21, 1939 to David H. Crosser, titled “Flower And Candle Holder,” describes a device comprising a base with a plurality of elongated spirally formed flower and candle supporting members of resilient material having their lower end portions embedded in the base and extending divergently upwardly and outwardly therefrom. The spring-like candle holder members of the Crosser device are deployed in a generally circular pattern about the circular horizontal base of the device, rather than forming a fan-like pattern disposed generally in a single vertical plane, as is the case with the foliage holding elements of the present camouflage holder. In any event, the Crosser device is not foldable for convenient portability and storage, as is the case with the present camouflage holder invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,033,504 issued on May 8, 1962 to Kathleen V. Cronin, titled “Tree Branch Holder,” describes a bracket for securing additional branches to the trunk of a tree, as in an artificially constructed Christmas tree or the like. The Cronin device comprises a sleeve having a substantially closed end with an opposite open end for receiving a tree branch or the like. The closed end has a screw hole therethrough for attaching the device to the trunk of a tree. The opposite open end includes a series of barbs therearound for gripping a branch. The Cronin device is only capable of holding one branch at a time and the only support is provided by screw attachment to another branch, unlike the plural branch support provided by the present camouflage stand invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,193,852 issued on Jul. 13, 1965 to Fred A. Murrmann, titled “Blind Holder,” describes an elongate, hollow tube having a plurality of apertures at spaced longitudinal and circumferential locations. Individual plant stalks, branches or the like may be inserted randomly through opposed passages in the tube. The tubes may be suspended from hooks to hang from the gunwale of a boat or about the waist of a hunter, etc. However, the Murrmann holder does not provide any means of positively anchoring the device to the underlying surface, as provided by the present camouflage holder. Moreover, the Murrmann device is relatively bulky, due to the length(s) of the tube(s). The present device provides a very compact base with a folding support extending therefrom, with the support also having a compact size due to the radial array of branch holders extending therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,813,441 issued on Mar. 21, 1989 to Charles F. Kepley, titled “Camouflage Device For Hunter's Seat,” describes an extension for attaching to the foot rest of a conventional tree stand, as used by hunters and wildlife photographers, etc. The extension has an elongate crossmember extending therefrom, with the crossmember having a series of sockets therein for holding cut shrubbery or the like for camouflage. The elongate crossmember presents the same storage problems as the elongate tubes of the '852 Murrmann U.S. Patent discussed immediately above. As noted above, the present camouflage holder with its folding, radially disposed branch holder, provides an extremely compact device for convenient transport and storage when not in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,052 issued on Aug. 6, 1991 to Joe E. Crisp et al., titled “Clamp Assembly System,” describes a system for supporting camouflage around a hunter using a tree stand. The Crisp et al. clamp assembly comprises a series of clamps which are screwed to the wooden tree stand seat, with each clamp having adjustable jaws for securing a tree branch or the like therein. Each of the jaws is arcuately adjustable for orienting the branch held therein, as desired. The Crisp et al. clamps are each separate units, capable of holding only a single branch each. Moreover, they must be assembled to a tree stand seat, board, or other suitable support, whereas the branch holders of the present camouflage holder are integrated with and foldably attached to the base structure.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,628,487 issued on May 13, 1997 to John S. Huber, titled “Fixture For Camouflage,” describes a device formed of a single, short length of thin wall tubing or conduit, etc. The tube is flattened in the center with the two ends then bent to form a generally V-shaped configuration, with the two arms extending from the flattened center portion. A bolt or the like is inserted through the crease between the two arms at the apex of the V, for securing the device to another structure as desired. The Huber camouflage holder is only capable of holding two branches, whereas the present holder can hold a much larger number of branches. Moreover, the Huber device must be immovably attached to another structure for support, while the present branch holder includes a base to which the branch holder portion is foldably attached.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,669,403 issued on Sep. 23, 1997 to Michael M. Belcher et. al., titled “Hunting Blind Adapted To Be Mounted In A Tree,” describes a generally cylindrical frame having an open top and bottom, with the sides of the frame being covered by a fabric sheet camouflage material. The Belcher et al. device can be disassembled for storage and transport, and includes various features providing for adjustability. However, the Belcher et al. blind does not provide any means for supporting natural tree or shrubbery branches, as provided by the present camouflage holder.
U.S. Design Pat. No. 402,170 issued on Dec. 8, 1998 to D. Blake Cox, titled “Tree Limb Holder,” illustrates a device comprising a central cylindrical tube
Brantley Larry W.
Hayes Bret
Waddey & Patterson
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