Patents Assigned to Mitchell Associates
  • Patent number: 5195715
    Abstract: A tree holder, suitable for holding the trunk of a cut-off tree in an upright attitude includes a cup into which the lower end of the trunk is placed, the cup having a lip from which a skirt extends downwardly and outwardly. The skirt has the shape of a frustrum of a cone. Three legs are slidably attached to the skirt on its inside, and each leg can be slid toward and away from the vertex of the cone independently. Each leg is slid upwardly with respect to the skirt until the upper end of the leg is in firm contact with the trunk of the tree. At that point, the skirt and the leg are drawn together by tightening a threaded fastener, thereby clamping the leg to the skirt. The tree holder is notable for its simplicity of design and for its ability to accommodate asymmetric and crooked tree trunks.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: March 23, 1993
    Assignee: Mitchell Associates
    Inventor: Richard E. Cone