Christmas tree stand with elastic element that engages power transmission element

Tree stand for receiving a lower portion of a trunk of a tree, comprising

• a foot piece,
• a receiving part for receiving the trunk lower portion coaxially with an axis of the receiving part,
• the receiving part comprising retaining elements arranged about said axis,
• a tensioning device,
• a force transmission device operatively connecting the tensioning device to the retaining elements to move said retaining element from a release position, in which the trunk is not retained by the retaining elements, then to a support position, in which the retaining elements engage the trunk with relatively little force thereby to permit alignment of the trunk in the receiving part, and then to a retaining position, in which the retaining elements securely clamp the trunk with sufficient force to prevent realignment of the trunk in the receiving part,
• said force transmission device comprising a flexible connecting device which is loadable by tension,
• and the tree stand further comprising an elastic buffer element operatively connected to the force transmission device thereby to act as an elastic resistance so that, in the alignment position the force transmission device presses the retaining elements against the trunk with a predetermined, adjustable force that is less than the force with which the force transmission device presses the retaining elements against the trunk in the retaining position so that, in the alignment position the trunk is supported substantially upright but is realignable.

Tree stand for receiving a lower portion of a trunk of a tree, comprising

• a foot piece,
• a receiving part for receiving the trunk lower portion coaxially with an axis of the receiving part,
• the receiving part comprising retaining elements arranged about said axis,
• a tensioning device,
• a force transmission device operatively connecting the tensioning device to the retaining elements to move said retaining elements from a release position, in which the trunk is not retained by the retaining elements, then to a support position, in which the retaining elements engage the trunk with relatively little force thereby to permit alignment of the trunk in the receiving part, and then to a retaining position, in which the retaining elements securely clamp the trunk with sufficient force to prevent realignment of the trunk in the receiving part,
• said force transmission device comprising a flexible connecting device which is loadable with tension,
• the flexible connecting device comprising two cables each having an end adapted to be pulled, the cables each being operatively connected to a respective different group of the retaining elements,
• said force transmission device further comprising a rocker rotatable about an axis substantially parallel to the receiving part axis and located substantially diametrically opposite the tensioning device, the cable ends being attached to the rocker,
• and the tree stand further comprising an elastic buffer element operatively connected to the force transmission device thereby to act as an elastic resistance so that, in the alignment position the force transmission device presses the retaining elements against the trunk with a predetermined, adjustable force that is less than the force with which the force transmission device presses the retaining elements against the trunk in the retaining position so that, in the alignment position the trunk is supported substantially upright but is realignable.