Fire escape – ladder – or scaffold – Scaffold external of shaft
Reexamination Certificate
2002-05-07
2003-12-30
Thompson, Hugh B. (Department: 3634)
Fire escape, ladder, or scaffold
Scaffold external of shaft
C182S128000, C108S152000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06668977
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
A tree stand is a perch that may be attached to a tree, typically the tree trunk, for observing and hunting wildlife, pruning tree limbs, picking fruit, and other related activities.
A variety of conventional tree stands are presently available. Many conventional tree stands physically confine a perched observer to a specific orientation relative to the tree and thus inhibit the degree of maneuverability and field of view of the perched observer.
SUMMARY
Disclosed herein are tree stands that may be removeably and replaceably attached to tree trunks having a wide variety of diameters. Also disclosed herein are tree stands that may provide 360° platforms.
According to one exemplary embodiment disclosed herein, a tree stand may include a platform, a collar being removeably and replaceably attachable to a tree trunk and that may include multiple first receiving portions, and multiple support bars supporting the platform on the collar, at least one of the multiple support bars being removeably and replaceably insertable into at least one of the multiple first receiving portions.
In one aspect, the platform may span a planar angle of at least approximately 180°0.
In another aspect, the platform may include at least two platform portions being removeably and replaceably attachable to each other.
In another aspect, the platform may include an inner sidewall facing the tree trunk, an outer sidewall facing away from the tree trunk, and at least one platform portion pivotally mountable to at least one of the inner sidewall and the outer sidewall.
In another aspect, the platform may include multiple support ribs and expanded metal flooring disposed on the multiple support ribs.
In another aspect, the platform may include multiple second receiving portions, at least one of the multiple support bars being removeably and replaceably insertable into at least one of the multiple second receiving portions.
In another aspect, the collar may include two collar portions that are removeably and replaceably attachable to each other. The two collar portions may be hingedly attachable at a first end and releasably fastenable at a second end.
In another aspect, the collar may include an outer surface facing away from the tree trunk and multiple apertures extending inward from the outer surface. The collar may further include multiple mated fasteners for removeably and replaceably attaching the collar to the tree trunk.
In another aspect, at least one of the multiple mated fasteners may include a blunt face facing the tree trunk.
In another aspect, at least one of the multiple support bars may include an L-shape including a base and an elongated portion oriented substantially perpendicular to the base, the base being removeably and replaceably insertable into at least one of the multiple first receiving portions.
In another aspect, the elongated portion may be removeably and replaceably insertable into at least one of the multiple second receiving portions.
According to another exemplary embodiment disclosed herein, a tree stand may include multiple support legs. At least one of the multiple support legs may be pivotally mountable at a first end to the platform. At least one of the multiple support legs may be removeably and replaceably attachable at a second end to the tree trunk.
According to another exemplary embodiment disclosed herein, a tree stand may include a 360° platform, a collar being removeably and replaceably attachable to a tree trunk and that may include multiple receiving tubes, and multiple support bars supporting the platform on the collar. At least one of the multiple receiving tubes may be welded to an outer surface of the collar that faces away from the tree trunk. At least one of the multiple support bars may have an L-shape and may include a base and an elongated portion oriented substantially perpendicular to the base. The base may be removeably and replaceably insertable into at least one of the multiple receiving tubes.
Also disclosed herein are collars for removeably and replaceably attaching tree stands to tree trunks.
According to one exemplary embodiment disclosed herein, a collar may include a sidewall being removeably and replaceably attachable to a tree trunk and that may include multiple first receiving portions.
In one aspect, the sidewall may include two sidewall portions that may be hingedly attachable to each other at a first end and releasably fastenable to each other at a second end.
In another aspect, the sidewall may include multiple apertures extending inward from an outer surface facing away from the tree trunk and multiple mated fasteners for removeably and replaceably attaching the collar to the tree trunk.
In another aspect, the apertures may be disposed at substantially equidistant intervals around the sidewall.
In another aspect, the sidewall may include an inner surface facing the tree trunk, and the collar may include multiple nuts attached to the inner surface and surrounding the multiple apertures.
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Cabela's Archery 2001 Catalog (Cabela's, Inc., Sidney, Nebraska, 2001) pps 72-91, no month available.
Foley & Hoag LLP
Thompson Hugh B.
TS Treestands, LLC
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