Apparatus and method for supporting the trunk of a tree

An apparatus for supporting the trunk of a tree, comprising:

• a. an elongated shaft, said shaft having a lower shaft portion and an upper shaft portion, said upper shaft portion being telescopically mated with said lower shaft portion and slidably adjustable therewith;
• b. a fastening arm attached to an upper end of said upper shaft portion, said arm including a rigid housing and a flexible strap, said flexible strap having a first end attached to said rigid housing and a second end that is free, said rigid housing having an arm bore capable of receiving said upper end of said upper shaft portion, said arm further including a ratchet mechanism to secure said second end of said flexible strap to said rigid housing, forming a trunk-encompassing loop;
• and,
• c. a helical screw mounted on a lower end of said lower shaft portion, said helical screw having an axis coincident with a longitudinal axis of said lower shaft portion.

A fastening arm for interconnecting a support with a dependent object, comprising:

• a. a rigid housing having a proximate end and a distal end;
• b. a flexible strap having a first end and a second end, said first end being attached to said distal end of said housing;
• c. means for attaching said proximate end of said housing to a support;
• and,
• d. means for releasably securing said second end of said strap within said housing, wherein said strap forms a loop to encompass the dependent object.

A fastening arm for interconnecting a support with a dependent object, comprising:

• a. a rigid housing having a proximate end and a distal end, said distal end having a slot extending into said housing;
• b. a flexible strap having a first end and a second end, said first end being attached to said distal end of said housing, said second end being adapted to pass through said slot in said distal end of said housing, said strap further including a plurality of notches on at least one side, wherein said strap is capable of forming a loop to encompass said dependent object;
• and,
• c. a ratchet within said housing adapted to engage said notches on said strap and prevent movement of said strap in a direction from said proximate end toward and through said distal end of said housing, while allowing movement of said strap in a direction from said distal end toward and through said proximate end of said housing, said ratchet being releasable to otherwise permit adjustment and removal of said second end of said strap from said housing.

A helical screw, comprising:

• a. an elongated shank having a lower section of a first diameter and an upper section of a second diameter, said second diameter being greater than said first diameter, said lower section tapering to form a conical tip to facilitate penetration of said helical screw into the ground;
• b. a spiral rib disposed circumferentially around said shank, said spiral rib having a diameter greater than said second diameter, said spiral rib extending from an upper part of said conical tip upwardly over a portion of said shank;
• c. a spiral channel, said spiral channel being substantially co-extensive with said spiral rib and lying along a path located between adjacent threads of said spiral rib, said channel having a progressively increasing depth from a median portion of said upper section to said lower section;
• and,
• d. first and second shelves extending between said spiral channel and a wall of an adjacent said rib.

A method of installing an apparatus for supporting the trunk of a tree, comprising the steps of:

• a. positioning substantially vertically on the ground a lower end of a telescoping elongated shaft, said lower end being adapted to facilitate rotational penetration into the ground;
• b. applying both rotational force and downward force to said shaft by means of a lever arm to provide a moment arm about a longitudinal axis of said shaft to rotationally implant said lower end of said shaft into the ground;
• c. extending said telescoping shaft to an appropriate height;
• d. securing a fastening arm to said shaft and orienting said arm toward the trunk of a tree;
• and,
• e. looping said flexible strap around the trunk of the tree to be supported and securing said strap to said fastening arm.