Supports – Stand – Understructure
Patent
1993-03-11
1994-10-04
Ramirez, Ramon O.
Supports
Stand
Understructure
192 486, 192 56R, 192109R, 2481882, F16M 1126
Patent
active
053519221
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention clamping means comprises:
a first member movable relative to a housing to effect clamping;
torque limiting drive means rotatable in one direction relative to the housing to effect the said clamping movement of the first member;
lost motion stop means rotatable by the drive means into a first stop position relative to the housing (in which continued rotation of the drive means is permitted) and into a second stop position spaced angularly from the first stop position, as a consequence of rotation of the drive means in an opposite direction, in which second stop position continued rotation of the drive means in said opposite direction is prevented.
The torque limiting drive means may comprise a knob, shaft and torque limiting clutch between the knob and the shaft.
The lost motion stop means may comprise an intermediate member rotatable on the shaft and driven by a unidirectional slipping clutch from the driven member of the torque limiting clutch, having an abutment thereon which is engageable with one or more abutments on or in the housing.
Although the invention is of primary use as a clamp for clamping telescoping features of an adjustable leg of a stand such as a tripod for cameras and the like, a clamping means embodying the invention is not in any way limited to such applications and may be incorporated into any clamp such as a clamp for scaffolding poles.
Without prejudice to the generality of the above another aspect of the invention comprises a tripod having at least one telescoping leg having relatively slidable members and a clamp constructed in accordance with the invention comprising a clamping device for securing the slidable members in any chosen position.
The invention also lies in a camera stand having at least one telescoping leg formed from at least two relatively slidable elongate members and a clamp constructed in accordance with the invention secured to one of the two relatively slidable members and clampable onto the other, so as to enable the two members to be secured in any desired telescoped position.
In one embodiment of the invention is a clamping device in which a first member is rotatable relative to a housing to rotate a second member relative to the housing which engages a third member for moving the latter into locking engagement with a fourth member, with respect to which the housing is slidable, drive between the first member and the second member is transmitted by a first drive means comprising a torque limiting clutch and reverse rotation of the second member relative to the housing is limited by the engagement of an intermediate member with stop means on or in the housing, the rotated position of the intermediate member relative to the second member being determined by a second drive means comprising a unidirectional clutch between the second member and the intermediate member which permits relative rotation between the second member and the intermediate member when the intermediate member has been rotated into engagement with the stop means due to rotation of the second member in a direction to move the third member into the said locking engagement but prevents relative rotation therebetween in the opposite sense, so that the second member is prevented from rotating in the said opposite sense by more than an angular amount sufficient to bring the intermediate member into engagement with the other side of the stop means.
This clamping device may additionally comprise locking means by which the intermediate member can be releasably locked into a desired angular position relative to the housing. The locking means may take the form of, for instance, a spring-loaded plunger associated with the housing, the plunger being capable of engaging with a recess provided in the intermediate member so as releasably to lock the intermediate member in the desired position. Such a locking means is useful to prevent the clamping device being released from a desired clamping position by the accidental application of a load to the
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Berger Derek J.
Ramirez Ramon O.
Vinten Group plc
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