Climbing device

Claim 2

A small, readily portable step which can be used with a plurality of similar small, readily portable steps to provide a number of circumferentially displaced steps located at progressively higher levels along the trunk of a tree to assist a person climbing said tree and which comprises: a tree-engaging portion that is releasably disposable in engagement with said trunk of said tree and that is generally vertically directed, a foot-receiving portion that has one edge thereof immediately adjacent said tree-engaging portion and thus immediately adjacent said trunk of said tree and that has the opposite edge thereof extending outwardly from said tree-engaging portion and thus extending outwardly from said trunk of said tree and that is generally horizontally directed, and a flexible band that is releasably disposable around said trunk of said tree to releasably hold said tree-engaging portion immediately adjacent said trunk of said tree and to hold at least a part of said tree-engaging portion in engagement with said trunk of said tree, a hinge pin pivotally securing said foot-receiving portion to said tree-engaging portion, said hinge pin being immediately adjacent, and providing full support for, said one edge of said foot-receiving portion, said foot-receiving portion being selectively pivotable about said hinge pin toward said tree-engaging portion to dispose said foot-receiving portion in generally parallel relation to said tree-engaging portion and thereby permit said step to occupy a relatively small space, said foot-receiving portion being selectively pivotable about said hinge pin away from said tree-engaging portion to enable said foot-receiving portion to be generally horizontally directed while said tree-engaging portion is generally vertically directed, and abutting surfaces on said foot-receiving portion and on said tree-engaging portion adjacent said hinge pin that coact to limit the extent to which said foot-receiving portion can be pivoted away from said tree-engaging portion.

Claim 3

A small, readily portable step which can be used with a plurality of similar small, readily portable steps to provide a number of circumferentially displaced steps located at progressively higher levels along the trunk of a tree to assist a person climbing said tree and which comprises: a tree-engaging portion that is releasably disposable in engagement with said trunk of said tree and that is generally vertically directed, a foot-receiving portion that has one edge thereof immediately adjacent said tree-engaging portion and thus immediately adjacent said trunk of said tree and that has the opposite edge thereof extending outwardly from said tree-engaging portion and thus extending outwardly from said trunk of said tree and that is generally horizontally directed, and a flexible band that is releasably disposable around said trunk of said tree to releasably hold said tree-engaging portion immediately adjacent said trunk of said tree and to hold at least a part of said tree-engaging portion in engagement with said trunk of said tree, a hinge pin pivotally securing said foot-receiving portion to said tree-engaging portion, said hinge pin being immediately adjacent, and providing full support for, said one edge of said foot-receiving portion, said foot-receiving portion being selectively pivotable about said hinge pin toward said tree-engaging portion to dispose said foot-receiving portion in generally parallel relation to said tree-engaging portion and thereby permit said step to occupy a relatively small space, said foot-receiving portion being selectively pivotable about said hinge pin away from said tree-engaging portion to enable said foot-receiving portion to be generally horizontally directed while said tree-engaging portion is generally vertically directed, and abutting surfaces on said foot-receiving portion and on said tree-engaging adjacent said hinge pin that coact to limit the extent to which said foot-receiving portion can be pivoted away from said tree-engaging portion, said abutting surfaces on said foot-receiving portion and on said tree-engaging portion permitting said foot-receiving portion to rotate approximately 270* about said hinge pin from a position in generally parallel relation with said tree-engaging portion to a position generally at right angles to said tree-engaging portion.

Claim 4

A small, readily portable step which can be used with a plurality of similar small, readily portable steps to provide a number of circumferentially displaced steps located at progressively higher levels along the trunk of a tree to assist a person climbing said tree and which comprises: a tree-engaging portion that is releasably disposable in engagement with said trunk of said tree and that is generally vertically directed, a foot-receiving portion that has one edge thereof immediately adjacent said tree-engaging portion and thus immediately adjacent said trunk of said tree and that has the opposite edge thereof extending outwardly from said tree-engaging portion and thus extending outwardly from said trunk of said tree and that is generally horizontally directed, and a flexible band that is releasably disposable around said trunk of said tree to releasably hold said tree-engaging portion immediately adjacent said trunk of said tree and to hold at least a part of said tree-engaging portion in engagement with said trunk of said tree, a hinge pin pivotally securing said foot-receiving portion to said tree-engaging portion, said hinge pin being immediately adjacent, and providing full support for, said one edge of said foot-receiving portion, said foot-receiving portion being selectively pivotable about said hinge pin toward said tree-engaging portion to dispose said foot-receiving portion in generally parallel relation to said tree-engaging portion and thereby permit said step to occupy a relatively small space, said foot-receiving portion being selectively pivotable about said hinge pin away from said tree-engaging portion to enable said foot-receiving portion to be generally horizontally directed while said tree-engaging portion is generally vertically directed, and abutting surfaces on said foot-receiving portion and on said tree-engaging adjacent said hinge pin that coact to limit the extent to which said foot-receiving portion can be pivoted away from said tree-engaging portion, said abutting surfaces on said foot-receiving portion and on said tree-engaging portion permitting said foot-receiving portion to rotate approximately 270* about said hinge pin from a position in generally parallel relation with said tree-engaging portion to a position generally at right angles to said tree-engaging portion.