Hunter{3 s tree stand

Claim 2

A hunter''s tree stand including a generally horizontal support platform including opposite inner and outer ends, an elongated brace structure pivotally supported at one end from the outer end portion of said platform for swinging relative to the latter about an axis extending transversely of said brace structure and said platform between a first collapsed position with said brace structure closely underlying and substantially paralleling said platform and the other end of said brace structure projecting outwardly of the inner end of said platform and a second operative positon with said other end of said brace structure inclined downwardly from said platform and terminating downwardly in generally vertical alignment with the inner end of said platform, means anchored to said inner end of said platform and adapted to be secured about a tree trunk against which said inner end of said platform is abutted, the other end of said brace structure including means adapted to frictionally engage a lower portion of said tree trunk below said platform, said brace structure including interconnected longitudinal opposite side members, the ends of said opposite side members adjacent the outer end of said platform including transverse pivot pin portions projecting laterally outwardly therefrom toward each other and pivotally supported from the outer end portion of said support platform, said outer end portion of said support platform including a transverse angle member, the opposite end portions of said angle member including angle member sections opening theretoward and secured to the open side of said transverse angle member a spaced distance inwardly of the opposite ends of said transverse angle member, the adjacent ends of said pivot pins being received between the confronting surfaces of said angle member sections and the opposing surfaces of the opposite end portions of said transverse angle member, and abutment flanges carried by the opposite end portions of said transverse angle member and closely opposing the remote ends of said pivot pins.

Claim 3

A hunter''s tree stand including a generally horizontal support platform includng opposite inner and outer ends, an elongated brace structure pivotally supported at one end from the outer end portion of said platform for swinging relative to the latter about an axis extending transversely of said brace structure and said platform between a first collapsed position with said brace structure closely underlying and substantially paralleling said platform and the other end of said brace structure projecting outwardly of the inner end of said platform and a second operative positon with said otHer end of said brace structure inclined downwardly from said platform and terminating downwardly in generally vertical alignment with the inner end of said platform, elongated flexible tether member means anchored to said inner end of said platform and adapted to be secured about a tree trunk against which said inner end of said platform is abutted, the other end of said brace structure including means adapted to frictionally engage a lower portion of said tree trunk below said platform, elongated abutment members spaced along said inner end of said platform on opposite sides of the transverse center thereof and pivotally supported from said platform for angular displacement about axes extending transversely of said platform and spaced intermediate the opposite ends of said abutment members for swinging movement between folded positions closely underlying and generally paralleling said support platform and operative substantially vertical positions with the upper ends of said abutment members abutted against the end edge portions of said inner end of said support platform and the lower ends of said abutment members depending downwardly below said inner end of said platform, the surface portions of said abutment members facing outwardly of said inner end of said platform when said abutment members are in said operative vertical positions being adapted for frictionally engaging a tree trunk against which said inner end of said platform is abutted, said tether member being passed about the sides of said abutment members facing toward said outer end of said platform when said abutment members are in the operative vertical positions thereof.

Claim 4

A hunter''s tree stand including a generally horizontal support platform includng opposite inner and outer ends, an elongated brace structure pivotally supported at one end from the outer end portion of said platform for swinging relative to the latter about an axis extending transversely of said brace structure and said platform between a first collapsed position with said brace structure closely underlying and substantially paralleling said platform and the other end of said brace structure projecting outwardly of the inner end of said platform and a second operative positon with said otHer end of said brace structure inclined downwardly from said platform and terminating downwardly in generally vertical alignment with the inner end of said platform, elongated flexible tether member means anchored to said inner end of said platform and adapted to be secured about a tree trunk against which said inner end of said platform is abutted, the other end of said brace structure including means adapted to frictionally engage a lower portion of said tree trunk below said platform, elongated abutment members spaced along said inner end of said platform on opposite sides of the transverse center thereof and pivotally supported from said platform for angular displacement about axes extending transversely of said platform and spaced intermediate the opposite ends of said abutment members for swinging movement between folded positions closely underlying and generally paralleling said support platform and operative substantially vertical positions with the upper ends of said abutment members abutted against the end edge portions of said inner end of said support platform and the lower ends of said abutment members depending downwardly below said inner end of said platform, the surface portions of said abutment members facing outwardly of said inner end of said platform when said abutment members are in said operative vertical positions being adapted for frictionally engaging a tree trunk against which said inner end of said platform is abutted, said tether member being passed about the sides of said abutment members facing toward said outer end of said platform when said abutment members are in the operative vertical positions thereof.

Claim 5

The combination of claim 1 including an adjustable length second tether member secured between the inner end portion of said platform and said other end of said brace structure.

Claim 6

The combination of claim 1 wherein said support platform includes a perimeter frame and an expanded metal panel supported from and extending across said perimeter frame.

Claim 7

A hunter''s tree stand including a generally horizontal support platform including opposite inner and outer ends, an elongated brace structure pivotally supported at one end from the outer end portion of said platform for swinging relative to the latter about an axis extending transversely of said brace structure and said platform between a first collapsed position with said brace structure closely underlying and substantially paralleling said platform and the other end of said brace structure projecting outwardly of the inner end of said platform and a second operative position with said other end of said brace structure inclined downwardly from said platform and terminating downwardly in generally vertical alignment with the inner end of said platform, elongated flexible tether member means anchored to said inner end of said platform and adapted to be secured about a tree trunk against which said inner end of said platform is abutted, the other end of said brace structure including means adapted to frictionally engage a lower portion of said tree trunk below said platform, said brace structure including convergent longitudinal opposite side members, a transverse brace member secured between the convergent ends of said opposite side members of spaced distance from their terminal ends, said terminal ends beng sharpened for biting into a tree turnk, the divergent ends of said opposite side members including transverse pivot pin portions projecting laterally outwardly therefrom toward each other and pivotally supported from the outer end portion of said support platform, said outer end portion of said support platform including a transverse angle member, the opposite end portions of said angle member including angle member sections opening theretoward and secured to the open side of said transverse angle member a spaced distance inwardly of the opposite ends of said transverse angle member, the adjacent ends of said pivot pins being received between the confronting surfaces of said aNgle member sections and the opposing surfaces of the opposite end portions of said transverse angle member, and abutment flanges carried by the opposite end portions of said transverse angle member and closely opposing the remote ends of said pivot pins.

Claim 8

A hunter''s tree stand including a generally horizontal support platform including opposite inner and outer ends, an elongated brace structure pivotally supported at one end from the outer end portion of said platform for swinging relative to the latter about an axis extending transversely of said brace structure and said platform between a first collapsed position with said brace structure closely underlying and substantially paralleling said platform and the other end of said brace structure projecting outwardly of the inner end of said platform and a second operative position with said other end of said brace structure inclined downwardly from said platform and terminating downwardly in generally vertical alignment with the inner end of said platform, elongated flexible tether member means anchored to said inner end of said platform and adapted to be secured about a tree trunk against which said inner end of said platform is abutted, the other end of said brace structure including means adapted to frictionally engage a lower portion of said tree trunk below said platform, said brace structure including convergent longitudinal opposite side members, a transverse brace member secured between the convergent ends of said opposite side members of spaced distance from their terminal ends, said terminal ends beng sharpened for biting into a tree turnk, the divergent ends of said opposite side members including transverse pivot pin portions projecting laterally outwardly therefrom toward each other and pivotally supported from the outer end portion of said support platform, said outer end portion of said support platform including a transverse angle member, the opposite end portions of said angle member including angle member sections opening theretoward and secured to the open side of said transverse angle member a spaced distance inwardly of the opposite ends of said transverse angle member, the adjacent ends of said pivot pins being received between the confronting surfaces of said aNgle member sections and the opposing surfaces of the opposite end portions of said transverse angle member, and abutment flanges carried by the opposite end portions of said transverse angle member and closely opposing the remote ends of said pivot pins.

Claim 9

The combination of claim 5 including elongated abutment members spaced along said inner end of said platform on opposite sides of the transverse center thereof and pivotally supported from said platform for angular displacement about axes extending transversely of said platform and spaced intermediate the opposite ends of said abutment members of swinging movement between folded positions closely underlying and generally paralleling said support platform and operative substantially vertical positions with the upper ends of said abutment members abutted against the end edge portions of said inner end of said support platform, the surface portions of said members facing outwardly of said inner end of said platform when said abutment members are in said operative vertical positions being adapted for frictionally engaging a tree trunk against which said inner end of said platform is abutted.

Claim 10

The combination of claim 6 wherein said tether member is passed about the sides of said abutment members facing toward said outer end of said platform when said abutment members are in the operative vertical positions thereof.

Claim 11

The combination of claim 7 including an adjustable length second tether member secured between the inner end portion of said platform and said other end of said brace structure.