Plant husbandry – Tree supports – Props
Reexamination Certificate
2000-11-08
2002-05-21
Jordan, Charles T. (Department: 3644)
Plant husbandry
Tree supports
Props
Reexamination Certificate
active
06389743
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to tree supporting means, and more particularly to a tree supporting system that includes a non-elastic flexible belt which encircles the tree trunk with movable belt loops thereon, adjustable cables attached at one end to the loops, and ground anchors at the other end that are driven lengthwise into the ground and pulled into a flat transverse position in the ground.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
It has been customary for a long period of time when planting trees to drive one or more stakes into the ground and extend wires or cables between the trunk of the tree and the stakes. In some installations, elongate stakes are driven vertically into the ground fairly close to the tree, and the wires or cables are extended at appropriate elevations between the trunk of the tree and the stakes. Usually the portions of the wire or cable that extend around the trunk of the tree are covered by sections of rubber hose and the like.
In other installations, when planting tall trees, it is customary to drive a number of stakes into the ground at suitable distances radially spaced from the tree and extend guy wires between the trunk of the tree and the stakes, the wires and stakes being arranged in circumferentially spaced relation around the tree to afford rigid support thereto. Examples of this type of installation are illustrated in: Fletcher, U.S. Pat. No. 1,051,208, June, U.S. Pat. No. 3,040,477, and Fox, U.S. Pat. No. 4,319,428. These patents utilize either cables or rods which extend between hooks or loops in the opposite ends of the wires or rods.
Foresight Products, LLC, of Commerce City, Colo. manufactures a tree support system utilizing a ground anchor known as the “duckbill anchor” which is attached to a tree collar by a cable with a turnbuckle, however, this system requires a separate tree collar for each ground anchor and each tree collar is a length of cable covered by a section of rubber hose that extends around the trunk of the tree. The Foresight ground anchors are shown and described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,044,513 and 4,802,317, which are hereby incorporated by reference to the same extent as if fully set forth herein.
A major disadvantage of the Foresight tree support system and other tree support systems that utilize a plurality of wires or cables covered by rubber hose that are wrapped around a portion of the tree is that the wire or cable positioned in the hose tends to create undue pressure on the tree which can seriously stunt the growth of the tree.
The present invention is distinguished over the prior art in general, and these patents in particular by a tree supporting system that includes a non-elastic flexible tree collar belt which encircles the tree trunk with movable belt loops thereon, adjustable cables attached at one end to the loops, and ground anchors at the other end that are driven lengthwise into the ground and pulled into a flat transverse position in the ground. The belt and the belt loops are formed flat non-elastic webbing. The belt loops having an upper loop eye at an upper end slidably mounted on the belt and a lower loop eye at a lower end sized and shaped to receive an end of the cable. A cam type or ratchet type cinching buckle on the belt allows passage of one end of the belt therethrough for tightly cinching the belt about the circumference of the tree trunk and releasably grips the belt in the encircled position. The belt loops are selectively spaced apart in circumferential relation to one another on the belt in its encircled position prior to cinching it about the tree trunk and are secured against the circumference of the tree trunk in the circumferentially spaced relation when it is cinched and gripped by the buckle. Each ground anchor is driven into the ground in an upright position to the desired depth by a driving rod. The driving rod is removed, and the cable is then pulled upward to rotate the anchor until it is positioned transverse to the hole formed when it was driven into the ground. The cables extend radially outward and downward from the belt loops to the ground anchors to support the tree trunk from selected directions.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a tree supporting system that includes a non-elastic flexible belt formed of webbing which is releasably buckled around the trunk of a tree and has movable webbing belt loops thereon which will not damage the surface of the tree or create undue pressure which would mar or stunt the growth of the tree.
It is another object of this invention to provide a tree supporting system that includes a non-elastic flexible belt formed of webbing which is releasably buckled around the trunk of a tree and has webbing belt loops slidably mounted thereon which allow selective circumferential spacing relative to one another to afford optimum support thereto from selected directions.
Another object of this invention is to provide a tree supporting system that includes a non-elastic flexible belt formed of webbing which is releasably buckled around the trunk of a tree and has webbing belt loops slidably mounted thereon in combination with adjustable length cables attached at one end to the belt loops and ground anchors at their other ends.
Another object of this invention is to provide a tree supporting system that includes, in combination, a non-elastic flexible belt formed of webbing which is releasably buckled around the trunk of a tree with circumferentially adjustable webbing belt loops thereon and adjustable length cables attached thereto with ground anchors at their outer ends that are driven lengthwise into the ground beneath the surface and pulled into a flat transverse position in the ground to afford greater holding strength and resistance to pull stress loads than conventional stakes driven into the ground.
Another object of this invention is to provide a tree supporting system that includes, in combination, a non-elastic flexible belt formed of webbing which is releasably buckled around the trunk of a tree with circumferentially adjustable webbing belt loops thereon and cables attached thereto, each with a turnbuckle to allow selective tensioning of the cables to afford optimum support thereto from selected directions.
Another object of this invention is to provide a tree supporting system that is attractive in appearance and has no upstanding stakes that may cause injury to persons or lawn care equipment.
A further object of this invention is to provide a tree supporting system that can be easily and quickly installed and properly adjusted by unskilled labor.
A still further object of this invention is to provide a tree supporting system that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and rugged and durable in use.
Other objects of the invention will become apparent from time to time throughout the specification and claims as hereinafter related.
The above noted objects and other objects of the invention are accomplished by a tree supporting system that includes a non-elastic flexible tree collar belt which encircles the tree trunk with movable belt loops thereon, adjustable cables attached at one end to the loops, and ground anchors at the other end that are driven lengthwise into the ground and pulled into a flat transverse position in the ground. The belt and the belt loops are formed flat non-elastic webbing. The belt loops having an upper loop eye at an upper end slidably mounted on the belt and a lower loop eye at a lower end sized and shaped to receive an end of the cable. A cam type or ratchet type cinching buckle on the belt allows passage of one end of the belt therethrough for tightly cinching the belt about the circumference of the tree trunk and releasably grips the belt in the encircled position. The belt loops are selectively spaced apart in circumferential relation to one another on the belt in its encircled position prior to cinching it about the tree trunk and are secured against the circumference of the tree
Jordan Charles T.
Palo Francis T.
Roddy Kenneth A.
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