Supports – Stand – To hold a particular article
Patent
1996-07-26
1998-05-05
Ramirez, Ramon O.
Supports
Stand
To hold a particular article
248168, 248407, F16M 1104
Patent
active
057464073
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a tripod which is provided with a center column for vertical movement and is suitable for taking a picture from a low angle.
BACKGROUND ART
An example of tripods of this type has such a configuration that the center column, on which a camera is mounted, is moved up and down by turning a gear engaged with rack teeth and that the height of the camera for taking a picture, in other words the angle of its view, is adjusted by adjusting the height of the center column.
According to a typical configuration of a conventional tripod of this type, a key way is formed in the center column so that the center column is capable of moving straight up or down with respect to the main body, and the main body, which has this vertically movable center column, is provided with a key to be caught in said key way. Further, a flange which is capable of catching the key of the main body is provided at each end of the center column, i. e. at the top and the bottom thereof, thus restraining the vertical movement of the center column and preventing it from slipping off of the main body during its vertical movement.
In case of a tripod having the configuration as above, setting a large range for the vertical movement of the center column presents a problem in taking picture from a low angle, with the camera set at a lower position; when the legs attached to the main body are spread to set the camera at a lower position or when the center column is lowered with the legs thus spread, a long portion of the center column projects downward from the main body and abuts against the ground, thus preventing the camera to be moved to a lower position.
As an example of a means offered for solving this problem is a configuration which calls for dividing the center column into two parts: the upper column member and the lower column member which are joined together in the normal circumstances, and removing the lower column member when taking a picture from a low angle, thereby reducing the length which the center column projects downward from the main body so that the camera can be set at a lower position.
In this configuration of the center column divided into two parts, wherein rack teeth are formed on the center column along its axial direction, it is necessary to adjust the positions of the upper and lower column members so as not to cause the upper and lower rack teeth to get out of alignment in the circumferential direction when joining the upper column member and the lower column member. For this purpose, one of the rack members may be provided with a joint to catch the connecting end of the other rack member, while the other rack member may be provided with a positioning pin to be caught in a catching groove which is formed in the aforementioned joint, in the axial direction of the joint.
However, as such a configuration as above has to provide a positioning pin projecting from a column member, the number of parts is increased, complicating the assembly work as well as making it more difficult to handle.
Furthermore, when the lower column member is separated from the upper column member, the upper column member may accidentally slip off of the main body, because the upper column member is not provided with a flange at its bottom to restrict its upward movement. In this regard, the above configuration presents other problems in that there is the danger of a camera, a camera platform and the like which are mounted on the upper column member falling off and being damaged and that such a tripod is inconvenient to handle because it is difficult to reattach the center column which has fallen off.
In order to solve the above problems, an object of the invention is to provide a tripod suitable for taking pictures from a low angle, said tripod having a vertically movable center column divided into two parts which are capable of being connected to each other and easy to handle.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
An apparatus according to the invention is provided with a main body to which three leg rods are piv
REFERENCES:
patent: 3051425 (1962-08-01), Homrighausen
patent: 4627602 (1986-12-01), Sporck
patent: 4706916 (1987-11-01), Cullmann
patent: 4903930 (1990-02-01), Jann
patent: 5531413 (1996-07-01), Wolf
Baxter Gwendolyn W.
Nihon Velbon Seiki Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
Ramirez Ramon O.
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