Leg Support Adapters having Adjustable Footpads for a Tree Stand and Tree Stands with Adjustable Footpads

Abstract

The present invention is a leg support adapter for a tree stand comprising a hollow cylindrical body having a first able to receive a leg of a tree stand and the second end having an adapter positioned about perpendicular to said hollow body. The adapter has a central threaded aperture for receiving a threaded shaft having a handle on one end and a footpad affixed to the other end. Other aspects of the present invention include a kit comprising at least three of the leg support adapters and a collapsible tree stand having leg supports with adjustable footpads.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

None

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

None

INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON COMPACT DISC

None

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(1) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to collapsible tree stands and adapters that may be affixed to existing tree stands. More specifically, collapsible tree stands having adjustable footpads for vertically aligning a tree once the tree is secured within the stand. The present invention also provides leg support adapters having adjustable footpads that may be affixed to the legs of an existing tree stand that allows proper vertical alignment once the tree is secured in the stand.

(2) Description of Related Art

A variety of tree stands are known in the art. Their configurations vary depending on their particular use. Those used in the industry for displaying trees for sale have a basic construction. Those used by consumers are usually more complicated and have design features that are esthetically pleasing.

Tree stands used in the industry for display are typically made of a circular metal plate having a central spike on which the tree is positioned with three legs welded onto the base of the plate. These legs are often prepared from rebar to reduce cost.

One of the simplest stands used by consumers provides leg supports that also bracket the tree trunk anchoring the tree in the stand. Examples of this type of tree stand are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,524,061 to Tennant et al., U.S. Pat. No. 1,811,918 to Danner, U.S. Pat. No. 1,848,556 to Berman, U.S. Pat. No. 2,650,783 to Stanley, U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,335 to Attar and U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,715 to Cone. Unfortunately, most tree trunks are irregular in shape making this type of tree stand difficult to adjust and achieve the desired vertical alignment once the tree is secured in the stand.

One of the most commonly used tree stands combines a water reservoir with means for securing the tree. Typically, the reservoir has four legs that are joined above and about the center of the bowl by a ring through which are threaded alignment bolts. Examples of this type of tree stand are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,014,896 to Hollander, U.S. Pat. No. 2,681,780 to Santoro, U.S. Pat. No. 3,661,349 to De Vries, U.S. Pat. No. 5,725,193 to Adams and U.S. Pat. No. 7,044,427 to Eckenswiller. In use, the tree is placed through the ring and the alignment bolts are rotated until they contact the trunk of the tree. Since most tree trunks have irregular surfaces, the process requires each bolt be rotated partially into the trunk of the tree, followed by a visual inspection to see the resulting alignment of the tree. This process is repeated until the desired vertical alignment of the tree is achieved. Unfortunately, this process is time-consuming and often frustrating.

The ability to align the tree after being secured within the stand is important for ease of use. A variety of ways of addressing this issue have been disclosed in the art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,444 to Murray discloses a stand having a central cup for receiving the tree whose exterior is spherical and fits into the base of the stand creating a ball and socket configuration. Once the tree is secured in the stand the trunk is rotated into the desired vertical orientation and locked into position by a locking screw. However, this can cause a problem if the trunk is bent or twisted by shifting the center of gravity such that the stand is no longer stable.

In U.S. Pat. No. 5,492,301 to Hauser, a tree stand is provided having an adjustable cup similar to U.S. Pat. No. 5,398,444 having extendable legs that addresses the instability problem identified in that device. The legs are provided in a tongue and groove configuration and are independently extendable to varying length for restabilizing the stand after alignment. Unfortunately, this does not provide the fine adjustment capability needed to achieve the desired vertical orientation.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,042,077 to Shoesmith discloses a tree stand with telescoping legs. The telescoping legs are provided in a “tube within a tube” configuration having defined apertures along their length to receive a locking means. Unfortunately, these defined apertures do not allow for the fine adjustment capability required to achieve the desired vertical orientation of the tree once secured in the stand.

Many of the stands known in the art are provided in a number of pieces that require assembly before use. Unfortunately, assembly can add another level of complexity for the consumer and why some tree stand provider sell stands that do not require assembly. However, these types of tree stands can range in size from about twelve inches to as much as twenty-four inches in diameter. Because of this, they require a significant amount of space for storage and display. Consequently, retailers often order smaller quantities or offer only one or two different types of tree stands.

There are a number of tree stands in the art that attempt to resolve this problem by providing stands in a collapsible configuration. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 2,500,215 to Swearingen discloses a tree stand with two leg supports affixed about their centers to the base of the stand that may be collapsed by drawing the legs together in a scissors motion. U.S. Pat. No. 2,786,641 to Applegate provides three legs affixed to the base of the stand. Two of the legs are rotatable about their connection to the base while the other is stationary. To collapse the stand the two rotatable legs are drawn to the stationary leg. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,058,707 to Lego a device containing three legs rotatably affixed to the sides of the stand may be collapsed by folding the legs together parallel to the collar. While all of these configuration provide a more compact tree stand for sale and storage none have the ability to provide the fine adjustment necessary to achieve the desired vertical orientation of the tree once it is secured within the stand.

U.S. Pat. No. 2,617,617 to Krastel et al. discloses a tree stand having a reservoir with four legs and a removable clamping bracket. In use, the base of the stand is leveled using the screw adjustments on the ends of the legs. The removable clamping bracket is secured to the trunk of the tree and then fitted in an aperture provided in the base of the reservoir. Unfortunately, there is no assurance that the bracket once secured to the trunk will provide the desired vertical orientation when fitted into the stand. In addition, because the leg adjustments are merely provided for leveling the base, they cannot provide the range of adjustment necessary for achieving the desired vertical orientation.

Therefore, there is a need for a tree stand or adapters that may be fitted onto existing tree stands that provides ease of use, the necessary fine adjustment capabilities to achieve the desired vertical orientation of the tree once secured in the stand and a convenient compact configuration for storage when not in use.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a leg support adapter for a tree stand. The adapter has a hollow cylindrical body and a threaded aperture on one end able to receive a threaded shaft with a handle on one end and a footpad on the other. The hollow cylindrical body has a diameter able to receive a leg of a tree stand. The threaded aperture is oriented to be approximately perpendicular to the cylindrical hollow body.

The footpad may be circular having an upper surface, a ground contacting surface, a perimeter edge and a tubular ascending skirt positioned about the center of the top surface. In addition, the footpad may have at least three support struts extending radially outward from the tubular ascending skirt to the perimeter edge.

The threaded central aperture may be angled about 90° to about 70° from the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical body. Preferably the angle is about 85° to about 80°.

A second aspect of the present invention is a collapsible tree stand. The collapsible tree stand has a central body in the form of a reservoir with a pin that extends upward on the interior and about the center of the reservoir base. There are at least three apertures and at least three pivotal connectors equally spaced along the perimeter edge. The apertures are able to receive adjustment screws that secure the tree in the stand. At least three legs having pivotal adapters on one end and central threaded apertures on the other are affixed to the at least three pivotal connectors of the central body. The central threaded apertures of each leg are oriented about perpendicular to the leg and about parallel to the pin of the central body. The central threaded apertures are able to receive threaded shafts having a handle on one end and a footpad on the other. The pivotal connection of the legs to the central body allow the legs to pivot together below said central body to provide more compact structure for storage or transport.

In one embodiment of this aspect of the invention, one of the legs has a pivotal adapter on one end and a circular foot affixed to the other end. In this configuration, the footpad is not adjustable but fixed.

A third aspect of the present invention is a kit for converting an existing tree stand into an adjustable tree stand. The kit contains at least three leg support adapters wherein two of the adapters have adjustable footpads and one adapter has a fixed footpad that is not adjustable. The kit may also include an instruction manual.

Other aspects of the invention are found throughout the specification.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 (A) is a perspective view and (B) is a side view of a leg support adapter for a tree stand of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is the leg support adapter for a tree stand of FIG. 1 showing the (A) front view and (B) back view.

FIG. 3 is the leg support adapter for a tree stand of FIG. 1 showing the (A) bottom view and (B) top view.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a collapsible tree stand having adjustable footpads of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Unless defined otherwise, all terms used herein have the same meaning as are commonly understood by one of skill in the art to which this invention belongs. All patents, patent applications and publications referred to throughout the disclosure herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety. In the event that there is a plurality of definitions for a term herein, those in this section prevail.

The phrase “angled” as used herein refers to the angle of orientation of one element with respect to another element of the invention. For example, when the angle of the adapter on the end of the hollow cylindrical body is from 90° to about 70°, this means that the adapters longitudinal axis is oriented from about 90° to about 70° to the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical body.

The term “pivotal adapter” as used herein refers to a means for connecting one element of the invention having the means to another element so that the first element may be pivoted with respect to the other. For example, one end of each leg element has a means for pivotally connecting with the central body that allows the legs to be pivoted together providing a compact configuration for storage when the stand is not in use.

The term “pivotal connector” as used herein refers to a means for receiving a pivotal adapter that allows the element containing the adapter to be pivoted with respect to the element providing the pivotal connector. For example, in one embodiment the central body has a pivotal connector along its perimeter edge for receiving the pivotal adapter of the leg allowing the leg to be pivoted with respect to the central body.

1. Leg Support Adapter

One aspect of the present invention is a leg support adapter for a tree stand 10. The adapter 10 has a hollow cylindrical body 4 and a threaded aperture 2 on one end able to receive a threaded shaft 6 having a handle 8 on one end and a footpad 3 on the other. The hollow cylindrical body 4 has a diameter able to receive a leg of a tree stand. The threaded aperture 2 is oriented to be approximately perpendicular to the cylindrical hollow body 4.

A. Hollow Cylindrical Body

The hollow cylindrical body 4 may be prepared from a variety of metals or high tensile strength polymeric materials and the material selected will depend on the tree stands weight capacity. One skilled in the art may readily determine the desired gauge based on the weight capacity required. For example, a thinner gauge metal may be used for smaller lighter weight trees while a heavier gauge metal would be desirable for larger more massive trees. In most cases, the thickness of the metal used will generally be thinner than polymeric materials used for the same weight capacity.

The internal diameter of the hollow cylindrical body 4 will vary depending on the dimension of the tree stand leg it will receive. For conventional commercial use where the tree stand legs are prepared from rebar the internal diameter will be sufficiently large to allow the rebar to be easily inserted into the hollow cylindrical body 4. Depending on the size of the rebar used this diameter may vary from about 15 mm to about 30 mm. To provide a secure fit and reduce the movement of the adapter on the leg, a flexible insert may be used. This insert may be provided within the hollow cylindrical body 4 along its entire length or at one or more locations along its length. The flexible insert may be made of a variety of elastic materials such as, for example, rubber, synthetic rubber and neoprene.

B. Adapter

The adapter 2 is provided on one end of the hollow cylindrical body 4 at an angle about perpendicular to the body's longitudinal axis. The adapter 2 may be provided in a variety of configurations. The adapter 2 may be form molded as one piece with the cylindrical tubular body 4 or may be prepared separately and fused to one end of the cylindrical hollow body 4. In one embodiment, the adapter 2 is prepared from the same material as the cylindrical hollow body 4. A variety of methods known in the art may be used to fuse the adapter 2 to the hollow cylindrical body 4. For example, if both the adapter 2 and hollow cylindrical body 4 are made of metal, they may be fused by welding or brazing. Alternatively, if the adapter 2 and hollow cylindrical body 4 are made of polymer they may be joined by heat fusion or adhesive.

The angle of the adapter 2 on the cylindrical body 4 is determined based on the longitudinal axis of the adapter 2 with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hollow cylindrical body 4. This angle may vary from about 90° to about 70°. Preferably this angle is between about 80° to about 85°. The desired angle will depend on the angle of the legs with respect to the body of the tree stand on which the adapters 2 will be used. It is preferable that the longitudinal axis of the adapter 2 be about 90° to the surface on which the tree stand will be placed during use.

The surface of the adapter's 2 central aperture may be threaded or an insert containing threads may be affixed within the central aperture. The insert may be made of the same material as the adapter 2 or may be different. For example, the adapter 2 could be prepared from a polymeric material and the insert could be made of a metal such as brass. The number of threads per inch will depend on the magnitude of the adjustment desired. An increased number of threads per inch will provide more refined adjustments while fewer threads per inch will provide larger adjustments for the same rotation. In one embodiment the number of threads may be as little as 3 to as much as 30 per inch.

D. Adjustable Foot

The adjustable foot comprises a threaded shaft 6 having a handle 8 on one end and a footpad 3 on the other. The threaded shaft 6 is able to be received by the central aperture of the adapter 2 and will have the comparable number of threads per inch. Generally, the shaft 6 will be made of the same material as the threads provided in the central aperture. Therefore, if the threads are made of a polymeric material the threaded shaft 6 will be made of that same material to prevent undue wear on the adapter 2 and/or the threaded shaft 6 when using two different materials. The threads may be provided along the entire length of the shaft 6 or only a portion of its length.

A handle or knob 8 is provided on one end of the threaded shaft 6 to allow for easy hand adjustment. The handle 8 may have a variety of configurations known to those skilled in the art. For example, the handle 8 may be provided in a wingnut configuration allowing for adjustments to be made by the fingertips. Alternatively, the handle 8 may be a circular disc that can be turned easily with the palm of the hand. The handle 8 may be secured to the threaded shaft 6 by a variety of methods known in the art. For example, if the handle 8 and threaded shaft 6 are made of polymeric materials they may be joined using heat fusion or adhesive. Alternatively, if handle 8 and threaded shaft 6 are made of metal they may be joined by solder or welding and if they are made of different materials they may be joined using adhesive of by press fitting.

The footpad 3 may be provided in a variety of shapes and configurations known to those skilled in the art. In one embodiment, the footpad 3 is disc shaped having a convex base that contacts the surface on which the tree stand is placed. This configuration reduces the amount of contact with the surface as well as the corresponding stress resulting from that contact.

The footpad 3 has a tubular skirt 5 ascending from the center of its top surface and at least three support struts 7 extending radially outward from the skirt 5 to its perimeter edge. These support struts 7 help to more evenly distribute the weight on the footpad 3 reducing the chance for damage. The number of struts 7 will depend on the amount of weight the tree stand is intended to support. If the weight is significant, the number of struts 7 may be increased or if the weight is minimal their number may be reduced. For example, if the tree stand is designated for trees from 125 cm to 250 cm in height, the number of struts 7 may be from 3 to 4. However, if the stand designed to accommodate trees from 375 cm to 625 cm in height, the number of struts 7 may be from 6 to 8.

The ascending skirt 5 provides structural support for the connection between the threaded shaft 6 and footpad 7. The ascending skirt 5 is cylindrical providing an aperture for receiving one end of the threaded shaft 6. The aperture may be threaded to receive the threaded shaft 6. Alternatively, the end of the threaded shaft 6 may not be threaded and may be press fit into the aperture of the ascending skirt 5. If desired, the footpad 7 may be secured permanently to the threaded shaft 6. This may be accomplished by a variety of methods known in the art. For example, if the footpad 7 and threaded shaft 6 are made of polymeric materials they may be joined using heat fusion or adhesive. Alternatively, if footpad 7 and threaded shaft 6 are made of metal they may be joined by solder or welding and if they are made of different materials they may be joined using adhesive of by press fitting.

In one embodiment, a portion of the base of the adapter's central aperture is enlarged to be able to receive the ascending skirt 5 of the footpad 7. This configuration allows the leg support adapter 10 to have a broader range of motion.

In another embodiment, a leg support adapter 10 is provided that does not have an adjustable footpad 7. In this configuration, the adapter 10 is provided with all or a portion of the central aperture enlarged to be able to receive the ascending skirt 5 of the footpad 7. The footpad 7 may be removably or permanently affixed within the base of the adapter central aperture. For example, the ascending skirt 5 may be press fit into the base of the central adapter aperture or it may be secured with adhesive. This leg support adapter 10 is designed to be used with at least two other adjustable leg support adapters 10 on a single tree stand and may be provided in a kit.

2. Kit

The leg support adapters 10 may also be provided as a kit. The kit contains at least three leg support adapters 10, two being adjustable. When using the leg support adapters 10 of the present invention it is not necessary that all supports be adjustable. Consequently, at least one of three adapters may be fixed, which helps to reduce the resources necessary to prepare and assemble adapters.

In use the adapters are removed from their packaging. One adapter is placed on each leg of the existing tree stand by inserting the leg into the open end of the hollow cylindrical body. If inserts are provided within the body, it may require more pressure to insert the legs. The tree stand with the leg adapters in place may now be placed on the ground and the adapters aligned so that the footpads are generally parallel to the surface of the ground. The tree may now be secured to the stand and the footpads adjusted by hand to achieve the desired vertical orientation. Alternatively, the tree stand with the leg adapters in place may be secured to the trunk of the tree before placing the tree upright. Once upright, the footpads are adjusted until the desired vertical orientation is achieved.

3. Tree Stands

Another aspect of the present invention is a collapsible tree stand 10 (FIG. 4). In this aspect, the tree stand 10 has a central body 28 with at least three pivotal connectors 34 equally spaced along its perimeter edge. A pin 30 affixed about the center of and extending perpendicular to the central body 28 for receiving the base of the tree trunk. At least three legs 32 are pivotally affixed to the pivotal connectors 34 of the body 28. At least two of the three legs 32 have a central threaded aperture 14 on the opposite end. The longitudinal axis of the central threaded aperture is about perpendicular to the leg 32 and about parallel to the pin. A threaded shaft 18, secured within the central threaded aperture 14 has a handle 20 on one end and a footpad 22 on the other. When not in use the legs 32 may be pivoted together below the central body 28 to provide a compact configuration for storage.

A. Central Body

The central body 28 may be made from a variety of metals or high tensile strength polymeric materials and the material selected will depend on the weight capacity that the stand is designed to support. Consequently, a thinner gauge metal may be used for smaller lighter weight trees. Correspondingly heavier gauge metal would be desirable for larger more massive trees. In most cases, the thickness used for a metal construction will generally be less than that used for polymeric materials for the same weight capacity.

The central body 28 is provided in the form of a reservoir able to retain water. There are three threaded apertures 36 evenly spaced along the perimeter edge that are able to receive three adjustment bolts 40. The threaded apertures 14 are oriented in a plane comprising the perimeter edge of the body 28 so that when the adjustment bolts 40 are rotated they make contact with the tree trunk and stabilize the tree in the stand 10. In addition, there are at least three pivotal connector means 34 along the perimeter of the body 28 to receive the pivotal adapters 42 of the at least three legs 32. The pivotal connectors 34 and pivotal adapters 42 may be provided in a variety of configurations known to those skilled in the art that allow the legs 32 to be drawn together in a collapsed configuration.

B. Pin

The pin 30 may be provided in a variety of configurations that help to secure the tree in the stand by piercing the base of the tree trunk. To avoid rusting, the pin 30 may be prepared from stainless steel, brass or bronze. The pin is positioned about the center and generally perpendicular to the central body 28. The length may vary and range from 20 mm to about 80 mm depending on how the base of the tree trunk has been prepared. Shorter pin 30 length may be used when the tree trunk has is not modified and larger pins 30 may be used when the tree trunk is provided with a borehole.

C. Legs

The legs 32 may be made of a variety of materials. The type of material selected will depend on the size and weight of the tree to be secured within the tree stand 10. Preferably the legs 32 are made of metal and may be prepared from cylindrical, square or triangular rod stock or folded into the desired shape from sheet stock. The gauge of the sheet stock used to prepare the legs 32 will depend on the weight the tree stand is intended to support. For heavier trees a thicker gauge sheet material may be used.

The length of the legs 32 will vary depending on the height and weight of the tree to be secured within the stand 10. In general, the taller and/or heavier the tree the longer the legs 32. For example, if the tree is 125 cm to 150 cm in height, the legs 32 may extend from the central body 28 to provide a circular base profile of between 30 cm to 45 cm in diameter. For a tree of 8 to 12 feet the stand 10 may extend to circular base profile of about 50 cm to 60 cm in diameter.

On one end of each leg 32 is an adapter 42 that allows the legs 32 to be pivotally connected to the central body 28. The pivotal adapter 42 means may be prepare in a variety of configurations known to those skilled in the art that allow the legs 32 to pivot about the central body 28 and aligning parallel to each other.

On the other end of each leg 32 is an adapter having a central cylindrical aperture 14 at an angle about perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the leg 32. The adapter may be provided in a variety of configurations. In one embodiment, the adapter is prepared from cylindrical hollow tubing and welded or fused onto the end of the leg 32. Alternatively, the adapter may be form molded as one piece with the leg 32 or prepared from the sheet stock used to form the leg 32. If prepared from sheet stock it may be formed separately and then affixed to the leg 32 or may be prepared as one piece with the leg 32 by bending the end of the leg 32 into a cylindrical tube forming a central aperture 14.

The angle of the central aperture 14 is determined based on the longitudinal axis of the central aperture with respect to the longitudinal axis of the leg 32. This angle may vary from about 90° to about 70°. Preferably this angle is between about 80° to about 85°. The desired angle will depend on the angle of the legs 32 with respect to the body 28 of the tree stand 10 on which the adapters will be used. It is preferable that the longitudinal axis of the adapter be about 90° to the surface on which the tree stand will be placed during use.

The surface of the central aperture 14 of the adapter may be threaded or an insert containing threads may be affixed within the central aperture 14. The insert may be made of the same material as the adapter or may be different. For example, the adapter could be prepared from a polymeric material and the insert could be made of a metal such as brass. The number of threads per inch will depend on the magnitude of the adjustment desired. An increased number of threads per inch will provide more refined adjustments while fewer threads per inch will provide larger adjustments for the same rotation. In one embodiment the number of threads may be as little as 3 to as much as 30 per inch.

D. Adjustable Foot

The adjustable foot comprises a threaded shaft 18 having a handle 20 on one end and a footpad 22 on the other. The threaded shaft 18 is able to be received by the central aperture 14 of the adapter and will have the comparable number of threads per inch as those provided by the adapter. Generally the shaft 18 will be made of the same material as the threads provided in the adapter. Therefore, if the threads are made of a polymeric material the threaded shaft 18 will be made of that same material to prevent undue wear on the adapter and/or the threaded shaft 18 when using two different materials. The threads may be provided along the entire length of the shaft 18 only a portion of its length.

A handle or knob 20 is provided on one end of the threaded shaft 18 to allow for easy hand adjustment. The handle 20 may have a variety of configurations known to those skilled in the art. For example, the handle 20 may be provided in a wingnut configuration allowing for adjustments to be made by the fingertips. Alternatively, the handle 20 may be a circular disc that can be turned easily with the palm of the hand. The handle 20 may be secured to the threaded shaft 18 by a variety of methods known in the art. For example, if the handle 20 and threaded shaft 18 are made of polymeric materials they may be joined using heat fusion or adhesive. Alternatively, if handle 20 and threaded shaft 18 are made of metal they may be joined by solder or welding and if they are made of different materials they may be joined using adhesive of by press fitting.

The footpad 22 may be provided in a variety of shapes and configurations known to those skilled in the art. In one embodiment, the footpad 22 is disc shaped having a convex base that contacts the surface on which the tree stand 10 is placed. This configuration reduces the amount of contact with the surface as well as the corresponding stress resulting from that contact.

The footpad 22 has a tubular skirt 24 ascending from the center of its top surface and at least three support struts 26 extending radially outward from the skirt 24 to its perimeter edge. These struts 26 provide additional strength and more evenly distribute the weight on the footpad 22 to reduce potential damage. The number of struts 26 will depend on the amount of weight the tree stand 10 is intended to support. If the weight is significant, the number of struts 26 may be increased or if the weight is minimal, their number may be reduced. For example, if the tree stand 10 is designated for trees from 125 cm to 250 cm in height, the number of struts 26 may be from 3 to 4. However, if the stand 10 designed to accommodate trees from 375 cm to 625 cm in height, the number of struts 26 may be from 6 to 8.

The ascending skirt 24 provides structural support for the connection between the threaded shaft 18 and footpad 22. The ascending skirt 24 is cylindrical providing an aperture for receiving one end of the threaded shaft 18. The aperture 14 may be threaded to receive the threaded shaft 18. Alternatively, the end of the threaded shaft 18 may not be threaded and may be press fit into the aperture of the ascending skirt 24. If desired the footpad 22 may be secured permanently to the threaded shaft 18. This may be accomplished by a variety of methods known in the art including heat fusion or adhesive.

In one embodiment, a portion of the base of the adapter's central aperture 14 is enlarged to be able to receive the ascending skirt 24 of the footpad. This configuration allows the leg support adapter to have a broader range of motion.

In another embodiment, a leg support adapter is provided that does not have an adjustable footpad 22. In this configuration the adapter is provided with all or a portion of the central aperture enlarged to be able to receive the ascending skirt 24 of the footpad 22. The footpad 22 may be removably or permanently affixed within the base of the adapter central aperture 14. For example, the ascending skirt 24 may be press fit into the base of the central adapter aperture 14 or it may be secured with adhesive.

4. Use

In use the adjustable tree stand is remove from its packaging and/or storage case. The legs are pivoted into the open position and the stand is placed on the floor. The tree is then secured to the stand by the adjustment screws and the footpads adjusted by hand to achieve the desired vertical orientation. Alternatively, the tree stand may be secured to the trunk of the tree before placing the tree upright. Once upright the footpads are adjusted until the desired vertical orientation is achieved.

The information set forth above is provided to give those of ordinary skill in the art a complete disclosure and description of how to make and use the embodiments of the device and methods, and are not intended to limit the scope of what the inventor regards as his invention. Modifications of the above-described modes (for carrying out the invention that are obvious to persons of skill in the art) are intended to be within the scope of the following claims. All publications, patents, and patent applications cited in this specification are incorporated herein by reference.

Claims

1. A leg support adapter for a tree stand comprising:

a hollow cylindrical body having a first end and a second end, said first end able to receive a leg of said tree stand, said second end having an adapter, said adapter having a threaded central aperture positioned about perpendicular to said hollow cylindrical body;

a threaded shaft able to be received by said threaded central aperture;

a handle affixed to one end of said threaded shaft; and

a footpad affixed to the other end of said threaded shaft.

2. A leg support adapter for a tree stand according to claim 1, wherein said footpad is circular and comprises a top surface, a ground contacting surface, and a perimeter edge, said ground contacting surface being convex; a tubular skirt ascending from the center of said top surface and at least three support struts extending radially outward from said tubular skirt to said perimeter edge.

3. A leg support adapter for a tree stand according to claim 1, wherein said threaded central aperture is angled from about 90° to about 70° to said hollow cylindrical body.

4. A leg support adapter for a tree stand according to claim 1, wherein said threaded central aperture is angled from about 85° to about 80° to said hollow cylindrical body.

5. A collapsing tree stand comprising:

a central reservoir body having an interior base, an exterior wall and upper perimeter edge, said upper perimeter edge having at least three evenly spaced apertures and at least three pivotal connectors equally spaced along said exterior wall;

at least three adjustment screws to be received by said apertures of said central reservoir;

a pin affixed about the center of and extending perpendicular to said upper surface of said central reservoir body;

at least three legs, said legs having a pivotal adapter on one end for affixing to said at least three pivotal connectors of said exterior wall of said central reservoir body and a central threaded aperture on the other end positioned about perpendicular to said leg and about parallel to said pin;

a threaded shaft able to be received by said central threaded aperture;

a handle affixed to one end of each said threaded shaft; and

a circular foot affixed to said other end of each said threaded shaft, wherein said pivotal connection of said legs to said central reservoir body allows said legs to pivot together below said central reservoir body when lifted.

6. A collapsing tree stand according to claim 5, wherein one of said legs comprises a pivotal adapter on one end and a circular foot affixed to the other end.

7. A collapsing tree stand according to claim 5, wherein one of said at least three legs comprises a pivotal adapter on one end for affixing to said pivotal connectors of said exterior wall and a second adapter on the other end, said second adapter having a footpad affixed thereto.

8. A kit comprising at least three leg support adapters according to claim 1, wherein one leg support adapter comprises an hollow cylindrical body having a first end and a second end, said first end able to receive a leg of said tree stand, said second end having an adapter, said adapter positioned about perpendicular to said hollow cylindrical body; and a circular footpad affixed to one end of said adapter and instruction manual.