US2854203A - Christmas tree holder - Google Patents

Description

Sept. 30, 1958 (3.15. GRUBE 2,854,203

caszs'rms TREE HOLDER Filed Oct. 13, 1954 IN VEN TOR.

4- o I 14, CLARENCE-G. Gauea BY FlC-aa 6 v W WK A-r-roRm-w United States Patent 2,854,203 cmrsTMAs TREE HOLDER Clarence G. Grube, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application October 13, 1954, Serial No. 461,971

2 Claims. (Cl. 24848) This invention relates to a Christmas tree holder.

Objects of this invention are to provide a Christmas tree holder which consists essentially of three main sections or three main units, viz., a cup-like body portion, a plurality of bracing portions detachably carried by the body portion and a plurality of leg or foot portions also adapted to be carried by the body portion and to lock the bracing portions or members in place.

Further objects are to provide a Christmas tree holder which is so made that the cup-like body portion is conical and will readily nest and in which both the bracing members and the leg or foot members are readily detached from the body portion and may be easily packed with the nested body portions so as to take up a minimum of space in packaging and shipping.

Further objects are to provide a construction which may be very simply made and which requires a minimum of material and which is made .of stock material.

Further objects are to provide a Christmas tree holder which may be readily assembled and which when assembled will firmly and adequately support a Christmas tree against tipping.

An embodiment of this invention is shown in the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a side view of the Christmas tree holder with a part broken away and in section.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of the lower end of a bracing member or arm.

Figures 4, and 6, are fragmentary sectional views on the lines 4-4, 55, 66, of Figure 2.

Referring to the drawings it will be seen that the Christmas tree holder comprises a conical or cup-shaped body portion 1 which may be stamped or spun from sheet metal and which is adapted to hold water and to receive and brace the lower portion of the Christmas tree.

The body portion carries a plurality of brackets, preferably three in number, and indicated by the reference character 2. These brackets may be spot welded or otherwise secured to the body portion as indicated at 3 in Figure 2 and are provided with inwardly pressed portions 4 which bear against the body portion and brace the bracket against twisting strains which might tend to dislodge the bracket from the body portion. Each bracket is provided with an upper and a lower lip or tongue indicated respectively by the reference characters 5 and 6. These lips are apertured. The upper lip has a T-shaped aperture provided with a transverse portion 7 and an outwardly extending square portion or rectangular or stem portion 8. The lower lip 6 is provided with a rectangular aperture 9 whose width is the same as the portion 8 of the aperture in the upper lip 5 and Whose total length is the sum of the radially measured length of the combined portions 7 and 8 of the aperture in the upper lip 5. This is clearly shown in Figures 4 and 5.

The Christmas tree holder is provided with three bracing spring-like arms 10 each of which is provided Ice with a downwardly extending portion terminating in a small tongue 11 at its lower end and with inwardly bent 4 portions overhanging the body portion and having curved upper portions 12 adapted to bear against the trunk of the Christmas tree.

The leg portions or foot portions consist of square or I rectangular members 13 which have upwardly extending portions 14 adapted to pass through the apertures in the lower and upper lips 6 and 5 after the members 10 have been positioned. In assembling the Christmas tree holder the bracing arms 10 have their downwardly extending portions arranged to project downwardly through the transverse part 7 of the aperture in the upper lip 5 and with the lower tongue 11 pasing into the rectangular aperture 9 of the lower lip 6. It is to be noted that shoulders 15 are provided for the members 10 on opposite sides of the tongue 11. These shoulders bear against the lower lip 6 and thus determine the position of the bracing members 10. After the bracing members 10 have been assembled the-upwardly extending portions 14 of the foot or leg portions 13 are passed upwardly through the aperture 9 in the lower lip 6 and through the portion 8 of the aperture in the upper lip 5. These upwardly extending portions 14 thus serve to lock the members 10 in place.

-It will be seen that a very simple, easily constructed, and easily assembled Christmas tree holder has been provided by this invention.

-It will be seen further that all portions of the Christmas tree holder may be made from stock material preferably the bracing members 10 which are somewhat springy and are made from cold rolled stock material. Also, it is preferable to make the foot portions or leg portions 13 from hot rolled square or rectangular stock material.

These Christmas tree holders are particularly designed to be readily shipped or packaged within a minimum of space. It is to be noted that the body portions or conical cup-shaped portions may be nested if a large number of Christmas tree holders are placed in the same package and under all conditions in packaging or shipping the leg portions and the bracing portions are detached from the body portions and will lie flat and may be easily stacked or positioned one against the other thus further lessening the amount of space required for packaging and shipping.

Although this invention has been described in considerable detail, it is to be understood that such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting, as the invention may be variously embodied and is to be interpreted as claimed.

I claim:

1. A Christmas tree holder comprising a cup-shaped body portion adapted to receive the base of a tree, a plurality of brackets secured in spaced relation to the outer side of said body portion, each bracket having an upper and a lower lip provided with apertures, a plurality of spring-like bracing arms each having a curved upper portion adapted to engage the trunk of the tree and having a downwardly extending portion projecting through the aperture of the upper lip and a lower portion projecting into the aperture of the lower lip, and a plurality of legs having outwardly extending foot portions and having upwardly extending portions projecting through the apertures in the upper and lower lips and locking the bracing arms in place, said bracing arms and said legs being of dissimilar material.

2. A Christmas tree holder comprising a conical, cupshaped body portion adapted to receive the base of a tree, a plurality of brackets secured in spaced relation to the outer side of said body portion and each provided with an upper and a lower lip, the upper lip having a T-shaped aperture therethrough and the lower lip having a rectangular aperture therethrough, a plurality of spring-like r 3. bracing anms each having a curved portion adapted toengage the trunk of the tree and having a downwardly extending portion projecting through the transverse portion of the 1?;shaged aper ureandhavinga lower ongu zprw ieq ng in q. hez ec ngulan p r ure and-havingazshoulder re ting RQHL he: lower-lip, alndj -ag pluralitygof legs recangular;in rosssec i nandha ingz outwardly. extending foot portions and having upwardly extendingportions projecting; through the rectangular aperture Iandjl through thehstemportion of;the T-shaped-"aperture and lockingthe bracing arms in place.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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