US3064932A - Adjustable stand for cameras, lights and the like - Google Patents

Description

Nov. 20, 1962 J. D. HOLDERMAN ADJUSTABLE STAND FOR CAMERAS, LIGHTS AND THE LIKE '7 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 1, 1960 FIG JIM D. HOLDERMAN 1N VEN TOR.

Nov. 20, 1962 J. D. HOLDERMAN 3,064,932

ADJUSTABLE STAND FOR CAMERAS, LIGHTS AND THE LIKE Filed July 1, 1960 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 so I i 2 .1

JIM D. HOLDERMAN IN V EN TOR.

Nov. 20, 1962 J. D HOLDERMAN ADJUSTABLE STAND FOR CAMERAS, LIGHTS AND THE LIKE Filed July 1, 1960 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 JIM D. HOLDERMAN INVENTOR.

Nov. 20, 1962 .1. D. HOLDERMAN ADJUSTABLE STAND FOR CAMERAS, LIGHTS AND THE LIKE Filed July 1, 1960 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 JIM D. HOLDERMAN INVENTOR.

I vl/llll II \n J. 0. HOLDERMAN 3,064,932

AND THE LIKE Nov. 20, 1962 ADJUSTABLE STAND FOR CAMERAS, LIGHTS 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed July 1, 1960 JIM D. HOLDERMAN IN V EN TOR.

7 Sheets-Sheet 6 J. D. HOLDERMAN ADJUSTABLE STAND FOR CAMERAS, LIGHTS AND THE LIKE Nov. 20, 1962 Filed July 1, 1960 IN V EN TOR.

IIIIWE D.

Nov. 20, 1962 J, D. HOLDERMAN ADJUSTABLE STAND FOR CAMERAS, LIGHTS AND THE LIKE 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed July 1, 1960 FIG 2 2 INVENTOR.

in n. HQL EAM Stats nit This present invention comprises the essential parts necessary to provide a stand for cameras, photographic lights and the like and is so arranged that a person may operate the stand either for its erection and vertical adjustment or for dismounting and folding it, with the use of only one hand.

The photographic industry has supplied the commercial photographer and advanced amateurs with a tremendout wealth of available equipment so that in order to main tain his position the average photographer must make use of this equipment in part or he cannot achieve the level of photographic work which is now expected from the present day photographer. The photographer often has diflicult conditions imposed upon him. He is often barred from an area except at the time when pictures are to be taken so that he must prepare for the exposures of his photographic material in a minimum of time. 2

These restrictions are not arbitrarily placed upon the photographer but result from the fact that photographs may be desired for instance at a reception or a wedding or some social gathering where in deference to the assembled guests photographers are not wanted except at a period specifically set aside for them. The photographer who follows industrial developments many times can only take his pictures when a specific machine is stopped in its normal functioning and this can usually be accomplished only when a certain definite run has been completed and then his pictures must be very quickly taken in order that he does not impose too long a shut-down of production. These enumerated conditions and many analogous ones mean therefore that a photographer must transport his equipment to the scene of the picture and then be able to get his equipment quickly in position for properly lighting his subject and for supporting his photographic equipment. Too often conditions are such that he cannot lay his expensive camera equipment down while he adjusts the other required elements. It is to meet these common and arduous conditions that I have produced my present photographic stand which may be used to support the illuminating lights or the camera itself, or the equipment may be used in duplicate to serve both purposes. Under these conditions, with one arm and hand employed in carrying equipment, it is very desirable to have a stand or tripod arrangement that can be fully put in place and adjusted for height with only the remaining one hand. It is therefore believed that the present invention is a marked advancement in the photographic field.

The principal object of this present invention therefore is to provide a camera or photographic light stand which can be set up in an adjusted position, or may be taken down and returned to a carrying position by the use of only one hand of the operator.

A further object of this invention is to provide a stand or adjustable height having telescopic tubular sections which are locked in their adjusted position by spring action, and which in turn are released for adjusting, elevating or reducing to the carrying position by means of a lever which unburdens the locked tubes of the spring pressure.

A further object of this invention is to provide an adjustable height column made up of a plurality of pairs of concentrically disposed tubes.

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A further object of this invention is to provide a adjustable supporting column embodying a plurality of tubes which are locked in their adjusted position by a partial revolution of one of the concentric tubes with respect to its engaging tube.

A further object of this invention is to provide an adjustable height stand employing a tripod base which may be extended to operating position by pressure on the apex or juncture of the legs and which will fold into the carrying position by gravity when the same is raised from a supporting surface and the operating levers are depressed.

Further objects, advantages and capabilities will be ap parent from the description and disclosure in the drawings, or may be comprehended or are inherent in the device.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a stand made after the teachings of this present invention and illustrating, in dashed lines, one adjusted position of the head of the same.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the stand of FIG- URE 1 showing the manner in which the tripod legs are collapsed when lifted from a supporting surface. The legs are shown in dashed lines in an intermediate position during this operation.

FIGURE 3 is a vertical, fragmentary, sectional view taken along the axis of the tubular section of my stand.

FIGURE 4 illustrates, in perspective and also in exploded relationship, the handles which operate to unlock the securing means of my tripod.

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view in plan taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the tubular portion of my stand and showing the operating levers of FIGURE 4 in both their normal positions.

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6 but showing ing the operating levers in their compressed positions.

FIGURE 8 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of FIGURE 3 and illustrating my tube construction in its locked position.

FIGURE 9 is a view similar to FIGURE 8 and illustrating my tube construction in its unlocked position.

FIGURE 10 is an enlarged, fragmentary, sectional view taken along the vertical axis of my stand similar to FIG- URE 3 and showing a modified form of the main tubular structures with the same broken away in the central portion.

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view taken from a low position illustrating the sliding cross head member, also illustrated in FIGURE 5, to which the tripod legs are pivotably secured.

FIGURE 12 is a perspective View, with the parts broken away in part and in exploded relationship, illustrating one satisfactory type of tubing locking means.

FIGURE 13 is a bracketed view in perspective, illustrating all of the coacting parts forming one tubing assembly which uses an arrangement of keys and keyways.

FIGURE 14 illustrates a typical arrangement of inner and upper parts adapted to provide the spring operating means for locking my extension tube means and shown with an extra upwardly extending tube.

FIGURE 15 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on an enlarged scale of a modified form similar to FIG- URE 3 but illustrating the use of sleeves secured to the ends of the tubes to provide clearance throughout the length of the tubes.

FIGURE 16 is a typical cross section taken along the line 1616 of FIGURE 15.

FIGURE 17 is a cross sectional view as though taken along the line 1616 of FIGURE 15 but showing a modified form wherein a plurality of cam grooves and locking means are shown.

FIGURE 18 is a cross sectional View as though taken along the line 1616 of FIGURE 15 and illustrating a longitudinal fluting to provide clearance and insure a freer working of the tubes.

FIGURE 19 is a perspective view of the type of bushing employed inside of the tubes of FIGURE 15.

FIGURE 20 is a perspective view of the type of bushing employed on the outside of the leg tubes of FIG- URE 15.

FIGURE 21 is a bracketed perspective view illustrating an inexpensive construction for my tripod tube members together with the modified sleeve structure for use there with.

. FIGURE 22 is a cross sectional view, on an enlarged scale, taken along the plane of line 2222 of FIG- URE 21.

In the drawings, throughout which similar reference characters indicate like parts, 22 designates generally the telescoping assembly of extension tubes. The sliding crosshead member 24 is disposed to slide on the outer tube 26 of group 22 and has the upper ends of the tripod legs 28 pivotably secured thereto. Struts 29a are pivotably secured to each of legs 28 intermediate their ends, and to the lower end of tube 38 by means of pivot fitting 39. A lock screw 30 which bears on pressure block 31 is disposed to lock crosshead 24 in its adjusted position. As illustrated in FIGURE 3 tubes 35 and 36 provide an operating tube assembly.

In the drawings three generally modified forms of the invention are shown in FIGURES 3, and 15. These different species of the invention are best adapted to various ways of making the interconnecting and interlocking telescoping tubes. Cost normally dictates the form of manufacture employed.

Referring to FIGURE 3 and to FIGURES 5, 8 and 9, a coacting curved wedge 64 and a similarly curved cam groove 65 are employed to lock the coacting pair of tubes together by a limited rotation thereof. The amount of rotation is indicated in the two extreme positions as shown in FIGURES 8 and 9 and these terminate at the upper end or lower end as illustrated in FIGURE 12 to prevent separation of the tubes as they are extended.

Referring to FIGURE 10 a key 43 and keyway 41 is employed and these are proportioned so as to either run out at the end or to stop short of the end as illustrated in FIGURE 13 in order to provide end abutments to prevent the tubes separating as they are extended. In both of these forms it must be possible to assemble the locking means and as illustrated in FIGURES 12 and 13 this can be done. Referring to FIGURE 15, sleeves 74 and 76 are doweled to the proper end of the tubes which are much heavier than previously shown, as would be necessary in large tripods.

The telescopic tube combinations have outer or inner tubes secured to the lower element as blocks 32 or the tripod leg strut anchor 39 and screw 39a which secures it to the innermost tube 38 as shown in FIGURE 13. Three struts 29 are provided each pivotably secured at one end to said crosshead block and at their other ends to said stop block for securing said legs in fixed adjusted positions.

The outer tube 26 forms a sheath for the balance of the tube assembly and is provided at its lower end with a stop block 32 which forms a collapsed position abutment for the inner tubes 34, 35, 36, 37, and 38. The upper end of the telescopic tube assembly 22 is provided with an interior terminal block 42 which is secured to the upwardly extending tube 35 by suitable screws 44 in the form shown in FIGURE 10. Encircling the upper portion of the central extra extension tube 40 is an anchor means 46 for the upper end of a torsion spring 50 which may be tubular or a rod as shown in FIGURES 10 and 3 respectively. Spring anchor means 46 is threadedly secured at its upper end to the camera or light platform 48, and the torsion spring providing spring bias which serves as the means for locking the various telescopic tubes to each other at all times except when counter rotation effort is applied to spring 50. It will be noted that spring 50 is anchored into block 42 shown in FIGURE 10 at its upper end and in an extended flange portion 51 of the lower end of tube 46. Screws 52a and 54a pass through the upper end of tube 36 and the actuating tube 35 and are threadedly secured in the flange portion 51 of spring anchor 46.

The main purpose of spring 50 is to provide a biasing means which will normally rotate each tube a small amount, except tube 36, and lock the various telescopic tubes together and maintain them in the locked position during periods of use. To set up the tripod or to take it down for transportation means must be provided for neutralizing the biasing effect of spring 50 and this has been conveniently arranged by the means illustrated in FIGURES 3, 4, 6, 7, 10 and 12. The manual energizing means for relieving the spring biasing of spring 50 is accomplished by the two hand grip levers 52 and 54 which are diametrically positioned from each other. These are pivoted at their lower end by means of openings 55 which are a snug working fit on the through bolt 56 in the form shown in FIGURE 3 or by screws 52a and 54a in the form shown in FIGURE 10. The upper ends have only one opening as 58 and 59 and these preferably engage respectively detent- like screws 60 and 61 secured to terminal block 42, illustrated in FIGURE 3.

Referring particularly to FIGURE 3 it is to be noted that spring 50 is anchored in member 51 at its lower end and member 51 is held in a nonrotative manner with tube 36 which has a rectangular opening 63 on each side to accept bolt 56. Grip members 52 and 54 are loosely pivoted and positioned at their upper ends on detents 60 and 61 so that there is room for reasonable angular displacement between openings 58 and 59 and detents 60 and 61. The detent bolts 60 and 61 are fixedly secured to top fitting 48 or in the form shown in FIGURE 10 to the top fitting 42 by screws 44.

Reference is now made to FIGURES 6 and 7. In FIGURE 6 the hand grip members 52 and 54 are shown in their free position and under the biasing of spring 50. When, however, the hand grip members are squeezed to gether as by the hand of the operator in picking up the device, the effect shown in FIGURE 7 is achieved. Here it will be noted that the axis of detents 60 and 61 has been appreciably displaced from the axis of bolt 56, as will be noted by comparison with FIGURE 6. It is for this reason that, because of the angularity that is notable in FIGURE 7, there must be reasonable clearance in the engagement of detents 60 and 61 with grip members 52 and 54. The effect of this change of axis is to rotate tube 35 with respect to tube 36 and to thus, in effect, physically uncoil the torsion spring 50 for a small amount. This has the effect of unlocking the various tubes that have been locked together by the spring biasing and the tubes are therefore free to slide with respect to each other for the range of adjustment provided, thus making it possible to achieve the main purpose of this invention, namely that merely by the control of the position of hand grip members 52 and 54 by one hand the operator has the ability to set up his tripod or to take it down all with one hand. It will be necessary of course to have relief in other positions so that this rotary movement be tween tubes 35 and 36 can be achieved and to this end it is necessary to provide segmental openings in tube 35 as indicated at 63. In order to achieve the locking effect between the various tubes the amount of rotation is not great, as will be noted particularly from a study of FIGURES 8 and 9 wherein FIGURE 8 shows the locked position and FIGURE 9 the released position.

A rather wide range of locking means is available as is well illustrated in the prior art and the form nominated for use is best determined after the method of making the various tubes has been decided upon. Cost and durability are normally the determining fatcors which reflect the materials used and the methods employed. There are several methods available; one is the extrusion of the tubes which means that curved wedge 64 and cam groove 65 can be provided throughout the length of the tubes at no additional cost. It is however necessary to employ the softer metals that can be formed under the extrusion opertaion. For certain uses it is possible to provide these pieces as die castings.

Where cost is a matter of real concern as it is in most manufactured items, the form of tube shown in FIG- URES 21 and 22 illustrates one of the most desirable constructions in that sheet materials are used and the tube formed from the flat sheet with a definite overlap as at 68 normally provides a camming surface 69 and abutments at 70 and 71 respectively.

The form shown in FIGURE 12 employs three tubes. Innermost is tube 35 having the transverse slot 63, the longitudinal shoulder 67, the cam surface 27 and a transversely positioned abutment 27a at the lower end of the tube.

Tube 34, of increased diameter, has an upper interior transverse abutment 25a for coaction with abutment 27a to prevent separation of the tubes during their extension. Tube 34 further is provided with a longitudinal shoulder 67, the cam surface 23 and a lower exterior transverse abutment 23a.

Tube 26 of still further increased diameter has an interior transverse abutment 29a for coaction with abutment 23a to prevent separation of the tubes in their extension. Finally tube 26 has a stop block secured inside its lower end by a suitable screw means.

The transverse abutment is provided in the form shown in FIGURE 13 by the cam keyway 4-1 and the end 41a thereof. In the form of FIGURE 15 collars 74 and 76 provide transverse abutments for similar use. Depressing levers 52 and 54- by grasping them with one hand, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 2 compresses or winds up spring 511 and rotates the two, three tube assemblies, toward each other although the inner tube key-way mecha nism as generally illustrated in FIGURES 3, 5, 8 and 9 which show coacting cam surfaces 64 and 65, remain substantially stationary. The lever action rotates the outer tubes and moves the wedge or cam surfaces out of their locked positions, the shoulder 66 of the wedge abuts the shoulder 67 of the cam 64 and thus transmits the rotation to the next tube 35. In a like manner all the tubes of all the leg assemblies are unlocked by a single application of pressure to levers 52 and 54, but the tubes do not necessarily move together synchronized as pairs either rotationally or vertically. Tubes 35 and 36 will move vertically together as a pair because they are both connected to bolt 56. However, tubes 34 and 37 will in general move together as a pair throughout the maximum extension but if head 48 is extended to only one extension, tube 34 may come up while tube 37 may remain down. The vertical movement of the pairs of tubes may not always be exactly together, but the vertical movement of the outer assemblies as a group will always coincide with the vertical movement of the inner assemblies as a group.

The basic accomplishment is: with an inner and outer assembly of interconnecting and interlocking telescoping tubes a user can lock or unlock all the tubes with one action administered from one end of the entire assembly.

Referring to FIGURES 15 through 20, a modified form of cam means 73 and abutment means 75 is illustrated in which two types of sleeves 74 and 76 are secured to the ends of the telescoping tubes. These sleeves form the cams and abutment portion of the tubes and are secured thereto by dowels 78. The various sleeves, whether secured inside the tube as is sleeve 72 of FIGURE 21, when in place, or outside the tube, are positioned or are of a thickness to insure clearance between the tube walls.

6 In FIGURE 18 tubes 26a, 34a and 35a are exteriorly fluted to reduce surface contact with each other and to provide a collecting space for dirt which will be contained therein until there is an opportunity to clean the tubes.

FIGURES 12, 13 and 21 illustrate three different forms of abutments and cams which are satisfactory in use and which respond to spring biasing by spring 50 to normally cause them to lock against endwise movement. The form of FIGURE 12 has cam surfaces 23, 25, 27 and 29 machined into the metal tubing with the respective abutment surfaces 23a, 25a, 27a and 29a. The form of FIGURE 13 employs coacting keyways 41 with the closed end 41a providing an abutment and keys 43 and the form of FIGURE 21 has the tube rolled from sheet metal to provide the cam surfaces 69, the interior abutrnents 71 and the exterior abutments 7t Manner of Use When the stand is collapsed as in carrying, and the legs 23 are in the folded position it may be put into use by merely squeezing together the two levers 52 and 54 at the top of the stand and the stand can be put into immediate operation. In the beginning it may be assumed that the weight of the stand is supported by resting it upon the floor. Then with the levers depressed, bearing downward will cause the legs to extend so as to form a tripod base to support the structure. With the locking levers 52 and 54- still depressed, the user then merely raises the head of the unit to the desired level and the various tubes, which are concentrically disposed, will be free to extend to the desired height. When the desired adjustment is effected, the locked levers are then released and spring means 50 within the upper portion of the tripod will turn the engaged and actuating tube to suecessively lock the various parts in their extended and adjusted position. To collapse the stand the locking levers 52 and 541 are pressed inwardly, unlocking the various tubes and the head lowered to its iowermost position and with the locking levers still depressed, the entire unit is raised from the floor and the legs 28 will fold of their own weight so that the device is restored to its transport or carrying position.

It follows that if a tube is allowed to telescope inside of the other and not allowed to rotate, then forced rotation will set up a binding action between the tubes and they will no longer slide with respect to each other. Control over the release and locking of the tubes is achieved by having a spring 50 so placed as to tend to position the tubes rotatively and with exterior means, as handles 52 and 54, which, when squeezed together will overcome the effect of the spring and permit the free sliding of the tubes.

Having the locking of the tubes controllable by handles 52 and 54- makes it possible to put the stand into use or to fold it up for carrying by using one hand only, thus achieving the principal object of this invention.

It is believed that it will be clearly apparent from the above description and the disclosure in the drawings that the invention comprehends a novel construction of an adjustable stand for cameras, photographic lights and the like.

Having thus disclosed by invention, I claim:

1. A tripod stand for cameras, comprising: an outer tube providing a sheath for a plurality of telescopic and retractable tubes; at stop block secured in the lower end of said sheath; a crosshead member sllidably disposed on said sheath and having locking means for securing it in adjusted position on said sheath; three legs pivotably secured to said crosshead member; three struts pivotably secured in spaced relationship at one end to said crosshead block and at their other ends to said stop block; a pair of telescopic tubes slidably and rotatably secured inside said sheath; the innermost tube of said pair serving as an actuating tube; said pair of tubes having coacting longitudinal rotary locking means and transversely disposed abutments at one end of each tube to limit the extension thereof; a torsion spring, for spring biasing said tubes into their locked position, operatively secured at the upper end of said tripod and internally thereof; a spring anchor means disposed internally of the tubes to be actuated and provided with a spring anchor opening for the lower end of said torsion spring; an interior teri'ninal block secured to the upper end of said actuating tube and providing an anchor for the upper end of said torsion spring; a pair of diametrically positioned hand grip levers pivotably secured to said spring anchor means at their lower ends and to the upper end of said actuating tube and said interior terminal block at their upper ends and said handgrip levers, when gripped, overcoming the spring biases and unlocking said longitudinal rotary locking means.

2. An adjustable stand for cameras, photographic lights and the like which is arranged so that it may be set up for use or taken down, through the use of one hand only, comprising: an inner and outer assembly of two or more interconnecting and interlocking telescoping extension tubes, each disposed and implemented for use as part of a coacting group, said tubes having coacting transverse abutments and longitudinal cam means providing limited rotation between a locked and a released position; means for rotating and locking all the tubes of a group into a multiple extension supporting assembly; a crosshead dis posed to encircle and slide on said assembly of tubes and having peripherally and radially disposed pivot means; three tripod legs pivotably secured to said pivot means; means to limit the spread of said legs; manually operated means for overcoming said means for locking said tubes and controlling the rotation of said tubes, said manually operated means for controlling the rotation of said tubes having a torsion spring coaxially disposed with said tubes and providing rotative force to bias said tubes into their locked relationship and diametrically disposed 'coacting hand grip members at the upper end of said tube assembly and adapted to unlock said tubes when pressed together by relieving the tubes of the said spring biasing and permitting longitudinal movement of the tubes.

3. An adjustable stand for cameras, photographic lights and the like which is arranged so that it may be set up for use or taken down, through the use of one hand only, comprising: an inner and outer assembly of two or more interconnecting and interlocking telescoping extension tubes, each disposed and implemented for use as part of a coacting group, said tubes having coacting transverse 'abutmen'ts and longitudinal cam means providing limited rotation between a locked and a released position; means "for rotating and locking all the tubes of a group into a multiple extension supporting assembly, a crosshead disposed to encircle and slide on said assembly of tubes "and having peripherally and radially disposed pivot means;

three tripod legs pivotably secured to said pivot means; strut means to limit the spread of said legs; manually operated means for overcoming said means for locking said tubes and controlling the rotation of said tubes, said manually operated means to control the rotation of said tubes having spring means operatively disposed with said tubes and providing rotative force to bias said tubes into their locked relationship and hand-grip means at the upper end of said tube assembly for unlocking said tubes when pressed inwardly and thereby relieving the tubes of the biasing provided by said spring means.

4. Means for operating a camera tripod, comprising: an operating tube assembly having an inner tube and an outer tube having means for locking the same together on partial rotation; a pivot bolt positioned by said inner tube; a torsion spring within said inner tube disposed to bias said tube assembly to its locked position and secured at its upper end to means engaging said outer tube and secured at its lower end to means operatively engaging said inner tube; means provided in said outer tube permitting the rotation of said bolt in a horizontal plane Without moving said outer tube; lever means pivoted at its lower end to said inner tube engaging means and at its upper end operatively secured to said outer tube, thus facilitating the rotation of said outer tube with respect to said inner tube when the upper end of said lever means is pressed toward the longitudinal axis of said tube assembly to unlock the same.

5. Means for operating a camera tripod, comprising: an operating tube assembly having an inner tube and an outer tube; an interior terminal block secured to said outer tube; a pivot bolt positioned by said inner tube; a torsion spring within said inner tube disposed to bias said tube assembly to its locked position and secured at its upper end to said terminal block and secured at its lower end to means operatively engaging said pivot bolt; openings provided in said outer tube permitting the rotation of said bolt in a horizontal plane without moving said outer tube; lever means pivoted at one end to said bolt and at its other end operatively secured to said outer tube, thus facilitating the rotation of said outer tube with respect to said inner tube when the upper end of said lever means is pressed toward the longitudinal axis of said tube assembly to unlock the same.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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