Foldable Christmas tree stand

A Christmas tree stand that is permanently assembled, yet is foldable, when unfolded it supports a Christmas tree in an upright position, and when folded it occupies a compact planar space for convenient handling, storage, and shipping, the Christmas tree stand comprising:

• a central leg formed to define and lie wholly within a single plane, the central leg having a substantially vertical shaft disposed about a substantially vertical axis;
• a first side leg formed to define and lie wholly within a single plane, the first side leg having a substantially vertical shaft disposed about a substantially vertical axis, wherein the shaft of the first side leg is disposed in parallel adjacent relation to the shaft of the central leg, and wherein the shaft of the first side leg is pivotally attached to the shaft of the central leg, thereby allowing the first side leg to pivot relative to the central leg;
• a second side leg formed to define and lie wholly within a single plane, the second side leg having a substantially vertical shaft disposed about a substantially vertical axis, wherein the shaft of the second side leg is disposed in parallel adjacent relation to the shaft of the central leg, wherein the shaft of the second side leg is pivotally attached to the shaft of the central leg, thereby allowing the second side leg to pivot relative to the central leg;
• a fastener assembly fixedly attached to one or more of the legs of the Christmas tree stand, the fastener assembly adapted for releasably engaging the trunk of a tree;
• a locking assembly fixedly disposed about the shaft of the first side leg, the locking assembly having a first unlocked position and a second locked position, wherein the locking assembly locks the first side leg against pivotal rotation relative to the central leg when the first side leg is in the unfolded position;
• a locking assembly fixedly disposed about the shaft of the second side leg, the locking assembly having a first unlocked position and a second locked position, wherein the locking assembly locks the second side leg against pivotal rotation relative to the central leg when the second side leg is in the unfolded position;
• and
• said fastener assembly further comprising a plurality of lugs fixedly attached to the first and second side legs of the Christmas tree stand, said lugs having holes formed therethrough, and a plurality of screws disposed through the holes, said screws adapted to engage the trunk of a Christmas tree to secure the same to the Christmas tree stand.

A Christmas tree stand that is permanently assembled, yet is foldable, when unfolded it supports a Christmas tree in an upright position, and when folded it occupies a compact space for convenient handling, storage, and shipping, the Christmas tree stand comprising:

• a central leg having a substantially vertical shaft disposed about a substantially vertical axis;
• a first side leg having a substantially vertical shaft disposed about a substantially vertical axis, wherein the shaft of the first side leg is disposed in parallel adjacent relation to the shaft of the central leg, the first side leg being movable from a folded position to an unfolded position;
• a second side leg having a substantially vertical shaft disposed about a substantially vertical axis, wherein the shaft of the second side leg is disposed in parallel adjacent relation to the shaft of the central leg, the second side leg being movable from a folded position to an unfolded position;
• fastening means attached to at least one leg of the Christmas tree stand, said fastening means adapted to releasably engage the trunk of a Christmas tree;
• and
• the legs of the Christmas tree stand being pivotally interconnected by a locking assembly that comprises:
• a first elongate sleeve having a substantially vertical axis, the first sleeve being co-axially disposed around the shaft of the first side leg, wherein a first sleeve so disposed is fixedly attached to the shaft of the first side leg;
• a second sleeve having a substantially vertical axis, the second sleeve being co-axially disposed around the shaft of the first side leg, vertically adjacent the first sleeve, wherein a second sleeve so disposed is fixedly attached to the shaft of the central leg, wherein the first sleeve interlocks with the second sleeve to prevent relative rotation between the first and second sleeves when the first sleeve is urged from a first unlocked position to a second locked position while the stand is in the unfolded position therein locking the first side leg against pivotal rotation relative to the central leg when the first side leg is in the unfolded position;
• a third sleeve having a substantially vertical axis, the third sleeve being co-axially disposed around the shaft of the second side leg, wherein a third sleeve so disposed is fixedly attached to the shaft of the second side leg;
• and
• a fourth sleeve having a substantially vertical axis, the fourth sleeve being co-axially disposed around the shaft of the second side leg, vertically adjacent the third sleeve, wherein a fourth sleeve so disposed is fixedly attached to the shaft of the central leg, wherein the third sleeve interlocks with the fourth sleeve to prevent relative rotation between the third and fourth sleeves when the third sleeve is urged from a first unlocked position to a second locked position while the stand is in the unfolded position therein locking the second side leg against pivotal rotation relative to the central leg.

A Christmas tree stand that is permanently assembled, yet is foldable, when unfolded it supports a Christmas tree in an upright position, and when folded it occupies a compact space for convenient handling, storage, and shipping, the Christmas tree stand comprising:

• a central leg having a substantially vertical shaft;
• at least two side legs including a first side leg and a second side leg, each side leg having a substantially vertical shaft, wherein the shaft of each side leg is disposed in parallel adjacent relation to the shaft of the central leg, wherein the side legs are movable from a folded position to an unfolded position;
• fastening means attached to at least one leg of the Christmas tree stand, said fastening means adapted to releasably engage the trunk of a Christmas tree;
• and
• the legs being pivotally interconnected by a locking assembly comprising:
• a first elongate sleeve having a substantially vertical axis, the first sleeve being co-axially disposed around the shaft of the first side leg, wherein a first sleeve so disposed is fixedly attached to the shaft of the first side leg;
• a second sleeve having a substantially vertical axis, the second sleeve being co-axially disposed around the shaft of the first side leg, vertically adjacent the first sleeve, wherein a second sleeve so disposed is fixedly attached to the shaft of the central leg, wherein the first sleeve interlocks with the second sleeve to prevent relative rotation between the first and second sleeves when the first sleeve is urged from a first unlocked position to a second locked position while the stand is in the unfolded position therein locking the first side leg against pivotal rotation relative to the central leg when the first side leg is in the unfolded position;
• a third sleeve having a substantially vertical axis, the third sleeve being co-axially disposed around the shaft of the second side leg, wherein a third sleeve so disposed is fixedly attached to the shaft of the second side leg;
• and
• a fourth sleeve having a substantially vertical axis, the fourth sleeve being co-axially disposed around the shaft of the second side leg, vertically adjacent the third sleeve, wherein a fourth sleeve so disposed is fixedly attached to the shaft of the central leg, wherein the third sleeve interlocks with the fourth sleeve to prevent relative rotation between the third and fourth sleeves when the third sleeve is urged from a first unlocked position to a second locked position while the stand is in the unfolded position therein locking the second side leg against pivotal rotation relative to the central leg.