US2689701A - Christmas tree stand - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 21, 1954 J. I... WHITAKER CHRISTMAS TREE STAND Filed Sept. 18. 1952 Fig. 4

i Jesse L. Whitaker 3 INVENTOR.

Patented Sept. 21, 1954 CHRISTMAS TREE STAND Jesse L. Whitaker, Great Falls, Mont, assignor of forty per cent to John F. Gretton, Great Falls, Mont.

Application September 18, 1952, Serial No. 310,153

(Cl. {MS-47) 2 Claims.

The present invention relates to a Christmas tree stand which is regarded as a novel contribution to the art in that it is characterized by certain structural distinctions which, taken together, provide what is doubtless an improved stand.

It is common to the art to provide a stand having a base of one type or another, means for attachment to the trunk of the tree which is centered in respect to the base, and various types of so-called diagonal braces or arms having attachment at their outerends to the base and inclining toward and suitably secured at their inner ends to the tree trunk. Stands and holders therefore vary from one another in respect to special structural adaptations which, generally speaking, may be classified as refinements and betterments some of which appeal to manufacturers, other to retailers and users, and so on. The object here is to structurally, functionally and otherwise improve upon similarly constructed and performing tree holding stands and, in doing so, to provide a construction in which manufacturers and users will find their respective requirements and needs satisfactorily met.

In carrying out a preferred embodiment of the invention, the base means is characterized by an annular wall which is of sufficient diameter and vertical height that, when placed on the floor or other surface, coacts in providing a receptacle into which sand and gravel may be placed to serve as a ballast. Means is suitably fixed at the center of this base means and has a spur or prong which centers and partly supports the trunk of the tree. Circumferentially spaced equi-distant braces are employed and are joined with the annular wall and have means at their inner ends to clamp against the tree trunk.

More specifically, novelty is predicated upon the braces which are longitudinally extensible and contractible in form, which are hinged at their outer ends to the annular wall and have their telescoping inner end portions provided with pivotally mounted heads having prongs for cooperative association with the trunk of the tree.

Objects and advantages in addition to those enumerated will become more readily apparent from the following description and the accompanying sheet of illustrative drawings.

In the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a Christmas tree base or stand constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view on an enlarged scale taken on the plane of the line 2'2 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Figure l; and,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary bottom plan view.

Referring now to the drawings by Way of reference numerals and accompaying lead lines, the base means is characterized as before stated by one or more essential components. The principal one is that which has been referred to and is again mentioned here as an annular endless upstanding wall or rim 6. This is of suitable lightweight stock or material and may be some two feet in diameter and perhaps six or eight inches in vertical height. When it rests on the floor it i cooperates with the floor in providing a receiver into which sand or gravel may be placed for use as ballast means. A second part of the base means, and this is usually employed, is a, cruciform component which is actually made up of a pair of centrally interconnected members which are notched and interconnected at their respective centers as shown in Figure 2. The members are referred to by the numerals B and I9. They fit within the inner peripheral limits of the wall or rim means For strength it is perhaps desirable to include a third component in the base means and this takes the form of a shallow inverted pan, the disk portion of which is denoted at I2 and theannular rim portion by the numeral Hi. The latter is welded or otherwise joined (not detailed) to the inner peripheral surface of the bottom of the wall 6. If desired, hole means [6 may be provided for cooperation with a complemental hole l8 and these several holes may be employed to accommodate an electricity conductor or wire (not shown) for conveniently delivering electric current from a source to fixtures, lights, etc., on the Christmas tree.

It will be evident that the base means is essentially characterized by the annular wall 6 and with the other components 8 and I0 and I2 added, the base becomes a receiver or container for sand, gravel or other heavy material used as a ballast and to assist in supporting the Christmas tree, the trunk of which is denoted in phantom lines by the numeral 20.

The extensible and retractible braces are denoted by the numerals 22 and these are at circumferentially spaced equi-distant points and each is the same in construction. Each brace comprises a socket member 24 which is pivoted or hinged at 28 between spaced parallel cars 28 mounted at the junctural portions of the arms 30 and 32 of the angle brackets 34. The vertical arms are fastened at 36 to the wall 6 and the lower horizontal arms are fastened as at 38 to the disk part of the inverted pan or bottom member I2. There is an extensible and retractible rod 49 fitting into the socket member and held in place by a thumb screw 42. A head 44 is provided and this is hingedly mounted at it on the rod and has pointed prongs 48-48 which are suitably arranged and which are adapted to be embedded in the trunk of the tree as shown, generally speaking, in Figure 3.

The anchor means for the lower end of the tree trunk comprises a circular or similar plate 59 secured to the base means and having an upstanding pin 52 with a pointed upper end 54 to anchor itself in the tree trunk.

It will be clear that by filling the receiver with sand, gravel, or the like, or with water (should the receiver be made waterproof) the desired retentive properties and stability are had. Prior to loading the'receiver, the tree, trunk is anchored on the pin means 52 and then the braces or arms are properly adjusted and the assembling and retaining heads are arranged with the spurs 45-48 sticking into the tree trunk. These pantype support bases and stands for Christmas trees are, of course, old and well known. In the circumstances, the manner of use is substantially self-evident.

t is thought that persons skilled in the art to gg which the invention relates will be able to obtain a clear understanding of the invention after considering the description in connection with the drawings. Therefore, a more lengthy description is regarded as unnecessary;

Minor changes in shape, size and arrangement of details coming within the field of invention claimed may be resorted to in actual practice, if desired.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

l. A Christmas tree stand comprising a relatively shallow inverted pan embodying a horizontal fiat disc portion and an annular depending rim portion adapted to rest on the floor or other support surface, a vertical annular wall having its lower portion encircling and secured to the rim portionof the pan and its remaining portions rising to a plane well above the plane of said disc portion and cooperating therewith in defining base means, a cruciform member fitted into said pan and stabilizing the disc portion and having the ends of its arm portions secured to said depending rim, a plurality of angle brackets having complemental portions secured to the interior surfaces of said wall and disc portion and situated at circumferentially spaced points, each angle bracket embodying spaced parallel ears, and a plurality of extensible and contractable braces, each brace embodying a socket member hingedly mounted at its outer end between the ears of the cooperating bracket, a rod telescopically slidable in said socket member, and a head hingedly mounted on the inner end of the rod member, said head having prongs which are adapted to embed themselves in the trunk of the tree.

2. A Christmas tree stand comprising a relatively shallow inverted rigid pan embodying a horizontal fiat disk portion and a marginal annular depending rim portion, the latter being adapted to rest on a floor or other stationary support surface, a vertical annular wall having its lower portion completely encircling and secured to the rim portion of said pan and its intermedi-- ate upper portion rising to a plane well above the plane of said disk portion and cooperatingwith the latter in defining base means, a cruelform member fitted into said pan in contact with the underneath side of said disk portion and having the ends of its arm portions contacting and secured to the interior surface of said depending rim, and a plurality of longitudinally extensible and contractible braces arranged at equidistant circumierentially spaced points and having their outer ends hingedly attached to the marginal portion of said disk portion and junctural portion of said annular wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 772,905 Polly Oct. 18, 1904 1,091,000 Lyman Mar. 24, 1914. 1,554,656 Presey Sept. 22, 1925 2,296,217 Maloney Sept. 15, 1942 2,471,124 Smith May 24, 1949 2,532,931 Miller Dec. 5, -01

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