Height-adjustable tree seat

Claim 2

In apparatus having means for supporting a person to ascend or descend a tree, pole, column or other cylindrical vertical member and having wheels carried on horizontal axes and frictionally engaging opposite sides of such vertical member, the improvement comprising lever means including a position control handle manually operable by the person so supported to rotate at least one of the wheels and thereby position such apparatus unassisted with himself thereon along the vertical member, and including also first ratchet means operatively interconnecting the lever means and one end of the positioning wheel axle, and second ratchet means operatively interconnecting the frame and the opposite end of the positioning wheel axle.

Claim 3

In apparatus for ascending and descending a tree, pole, column, or other generally cylindrical vertical member, a frame having means thereon For supporting a person, a positioning wheel mounted on a horizontal axle carried on the frame for frictional engagement of the peripheral surface of the wheel with one side of the cylindrical vertical member, at least two auxiliary wheels mounted on horizontal axles for rolling engagement with the generally opposite side of the cylindrical member, the auxiliary wheel axle being carried by the frame movably toward and away from the axis of the cylindrical member, at a location above the level of the axle of the positioning wheel, tensioning means biasing the auxiliary wheel axle toward the axis of the cylindrical member, and lever means for rotating the positioning wheel axle to rotate the positioning wheel in frictional engagement with the surface of the cylindrical member and thereby adjust the height of the frame and person supported thereon, including first ratchet means operatively interconnecting the lever means and one end of the positioning wheel axle and releasable clutch means and second ratchet means operatively interconnecting the frame and the opposite end of the positioning wheel axle.

Claim 4

In apparatus for ascending and descending a tree, pole, column, or other generally cylindrical vertical member, a frame having means thereon For supporting a person, a positioning wheel mounted on a horizontal axle carried on the frame for frictional engagement of the peripheral surface of the wheel with one side of the cylindrical vertical member, at least two auxiliary wheels mounted on horizontal axles for rolling engagement with the generally opposite side of the cylindrical member, the auxiliary wheel axle being carried by the frame movably toward and away from the axis of the cylindrical member, at a location above the level of the axle of the positioning wheel, tensioning means biasing the auxiliary wheel axle toward the axis of the cylindrical member, and lever means for rotating the positioning wheel axle to rotate the positioning wheel in frictional engagement with the surface of the cylindrical member and thereby adjust the height of the frame and person supported thereon, including first ratchet means operatively interconnecting the lever means and one end of the positioning wheel axle and releasable clutch means and second ratchet means operatively interconnecting the frame and the opposite end of the positioning wheel axle.

Claim 5

In apparatus for ascending and descending a tree, pole, column, or other generally cylindrical vertical member, a frame having means thereon for supporting a person, a positioning wheel mounted on a horizontal axle carried on the frame for frictional engagement of the peripheral surface of the wheel with one side of the cylindrical vertical member, at least two auxiliary wheels mounted on horizontal axles for rolling engagement with the generally opposite side of the cylindrical member, the auxiliary wheel axle being carried by the frame movably toward and away from the axis of the cylindrical member, at a location above the level of the axle of the positioning wheel, tensioning means biasing the auxiliary wheel axle toward the axis of the cylindrical member and comprising extensible and retractable means interconnected from the auxiliary wheel axles to part of the frame on the opposite side of the axis of the cylindrical member therefrom and a tension control handle for actuating the extensible-retractable means, and lever means for rotating the positioning wheel axle to rotate the positioning wheel in frictional engagement with the surface of the cylindrical member and thereby adjust the height of the frame and person supported thereon.

Claim 6

In apparatus for ascending and descending a tree, pole, column, or other generally cylindrical vertical member, a frame having means thereon for supporting a person, a positioning wheel mounted on a horizontal axle carried on the frame for frictional engagement of the peripheral surface of the wheel with one side of the cylindrical vertical member, at least two auxiliary wheels mounted on horizontal axles for rolling engagement with the generally opposite side of the cylindrical member, the auxiliary wheel axle being carried by the frame movably toward and away from the axis of the cylindrical member, at a location above the level of the axle of the positioning wheel, tensioning means biasing the auxiliary wheel axle toward the axis of the cylindrical member and comprising extensible and retractable means interconnected from the auxiliary wheel axles to part of the frame on the opposite side of the axis of the cylindrical member therefrom and a tension control handle for actuating the extensible-retractable means, and lever means for rotating the positioning wheel axle to rotate the positioning wheel in frictional engagement with the surface of the cylindrical member and thereby adjust the height of the frame and person supported thereon.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 3, including ratchet means operatively interconnecting the tension control handle to the extensible-retractable means.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein there are two such ratchet means, both reversible, the first ratchet means being connected directly to the tension control handle, and the second ratchet means being connected between the first ratchet means and the extensible-retractable means and set to ratchet upon increase in tension.

Claim 9

Apparatus enabling a person to be self-propelled upward or downward along a tree, pole, column, or other generally cylindrical vertical member and comprising a frame having means thereon for seating a person facing away from the cylindrical member, a positioning wheel mounted on a horizontal axle carried on the frame for frictional engagement with one side of the cylindrical vertical member, a pair of auxiliary wheels mounted spaced apart on horizontal axles oriented at an obtuse angle to one another and carried by swing arms on the frame movable toward and away from the axis of the cylindrical member on the opposite side thereof from the positioning wheel axle and at a level above the axis of the cylindrical member for rolling engagement of the auxiliary wheels with the opposite side of the cylindrical member, tensioning means operatively interconnected to the swing arms to bias the auxiliary wheel axles toward the axis of the cylindrical member and thereby force the positioning wheel into essentially non-slipping frictional engagement with the cylindrical member, a manually actuatable position control handle for so rotating the positioning wheel axle, reversIble ratchet means operatively interconnecting the control handle to one end of the positioning wheel axle, irreversible ratchet means and manually actuatable clutch means releasably interconnecting the opposite end of the positioning wheel axle to the frame.

Claim 10

Apparatus enabling a person to be self-propelled upward or downward along a tree, pole, column, or other generally cylindrical vertical member and comprising a frame having means thereon for seating a person facing away from the cylindrical member, a positioning wheel mounted on a horizontal axle carried on the frame for frictional engagement with one side of the cylindrical vertical member, a pair of auxiliary wheels mounted spaced apart on horizontal axles oriented at an obtuse angle to one another and carried by swing arms on the frame movable toward and away from the axis of the cylindrical member on the opposite side thereof from the positioning wheel axle and at a level above the axis of the cylindrical member for rolling engagement of the auxiliary wheels with the opposite side of the cylindrical member, tensioning means operatively interconnected to the swing arms to bias the auxiliary wheel axles toward the axis of the cylindrical member and thereby force the positioning wheel into essentially non-slipping frictional engagement with the cylindrical member, a manually actuatable position control handle for so rotating the positioning wheel axle, reversIble ratchet means operatively interconnecting the control handle to one end of the positioning wheel axle, irreversible ratchet means and manually actuatable clutch means releasably interconnecting the opposite end of the positioning wheel axle to the frame.

Claim 11

In apparatus having a frame and means thereon for supporting a person to ascend or descend a tree, pole, column, or other cylindrical vertical member and having wheels carried on horizontal axes and frictionally engaging opposite sides of such vertical member, the combination of a position control handle manually operable by the person so supported to rotate at least one of the wheels and thereby raise such apparatus with himself thereon along the vertical member, first ratchet means interconnecting the lever means and the positioning wheel axle, and second ratchet means interposed between and operationally interconnected to the positioning wheel axle and the frame, the first ratchet means being reversible but the second ratchet means being unidirectional and adapted to retain rotation of the positioning wheel axle to raise the apparatus along the vertical member.

Claim 12

In apparatus having a frame and means thereon for supporting a person to ascend or descend a tree, pole, column, or other cylindrical vertical member and having wheels carried on horizontal axes and frictionally engaging opposite sides of such vertical member, the combination of a position control handle manually operable by the person so supported to rotate at least one of the wheels and thereby raise such apparatus with himself thereon along the vertical member, first ratchet means interconnecting the lever means and the positioning wheel axle, and second ratchet means interposed between and operationally interconnected to the positioning wheel axle and the frame, the first ratchet means being reversible but the second ratchet means being unidirectional and adapted to retain rotation of the positioning wheel axle to raise the apparatus along the vertical member.

Claim 13

Apparatus according to claim 7, including normally engaged clutch means interposed between the positioning wheel axle and operationally interconnected to the positioning wheel axle and the frame, but disengageable to nullify the second ratchet means.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 8, including a handle manually operable to disengage the clutch means.

Claim 15

Apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the first ratchet means is connected to one end of the positioning wheel axle, the second ratchet means is connected to the opposite end of the positioning wheel axle, and the clutch means is connected to the second ratchet means and the frame.