CAMERA SUPPORTS

Abstract: There is disclosed a camera support (2) including a support post (32), a camera mounting means (40) and a seat support beam (38). The seat support beam (38) is rotatably attached to the support post (32) via rotation means (36). The seat support beam (38) extends in at least one substantially radial direction outward from and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the support post (32); the rotation means (36) is arranged to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the support post (32). The camera mount (40) is mounted on either the support post (32) or the seat support beam (38). The disclosed apparatus provides a camera support that has an advantage over the traditional method of supporting a camera in that the combined camera support, camera and camera operator are of considerably less height than a traditional support with a camera operator standing beside it.

Description: Camera Supports This invention relates to camera supports, and m particular to supports for cameras such as those used to record and transmit images for television broadcasts. The traditional method of supporting a camera whilst it is used to record images for broadcast is to mount the camera on a tripod or similar support at such a height that an operator of the camera could stand behind the camera. The exact structural nature of the tripod or similar support is dictated by the conditions local to the camera, and the ease of access to the position of the camera. The camera is mounted on the top of the support (when m use) and is provided with means to allow changes of orientation of the camera body relative to the support means. Such changes are mostly changes of inclination of the body relative to horizontal, and rotation about a substantially vertical axis . An adaptation of the traditional method of supporting the camera as described above is disclosed m GB-B-719293 m the name of Pye Limited. That discloses a support for a camera, with a beam attached to that support upon the end of which is a seat the beam may pivot m a substantially vertical plane about a substantially horizontal pivot The support for the camera includes means for detection of changes m orientation of the camera m both vertical and horizontal planes. The movement detection means control actuation means that cause a portion of the support that bears the beam to rotate about a vertical axis when they detect horizontal movement, and the beam bearing the seat to pivot about the horizontal axis when they detect vertical movement of the camera. This approach has disadvantages in that it is mechanically complex, thus leading to a high risk of mechanical failure; it requires a power source, thus rendering it inappropriate for some locations; and the support and associated motors and mechanisms are all visually large both in height and width, leading to a decreased visibility from areas behind the camera. The last disadvantage is particularly important if the camera stand is to be used in locations where there is a crowd of people watching an event that is being filmed. An alternative approach for use when the camera is to be used on a terraced surface has been proposed. This consists of providing the operator with a seat that is mounted on an arcuate pair of rails and provided with means to travel along those rails . On the concave side of the rails, there is space for the operator's legs, and a pole to support a camera. The rails and support pole are both attached to a base plate in a direct fashion in the case of the support pole, or via rail supports in the case of the rails. The weight of the operator, chair and rails are supported on a first level of the terrace, and the base plate is on a second lower level of the terrace. According to the present invention there is provided a camera support. The support includes a support post, a camera mounting means and a seat support beam, in which the seat support beam is rotatably attached to the support post via rotation means, the beam extends in at least one substantially radial direction outward from and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the support post, the rotation means is arranged to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the support post, and in which the camera mount is mounted ' on either the support post or the seat support beam. The motive force to cause rotation of the seat support beam about the is provided by the human user of the camera on the camera support, that is the cameraman . The camera support is preferably further provided with a seat with seat mounting means. The seat mounting means is adapted to mount the seat on the seat support beam. The seat mounting means is preferably configured to allow movement of the seat along at least part of the seat support beam and reversible locking of the seat to the seat support beam by way of seat locking means . In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the seat mounting means is a channel of substantially rectangular cross section and the seat support beam is also of substantially rectangular cross section. The inside dimensions of the channel comprising the seat mounting means being sufficiently larger than the outside dimensions of the seat support beam to allow the seat mounting means to be moved along the seat support beam. The seat locking means may be an appropriate locking means . Such means can include retaining pins, grub screws or eccentrically mounted cams. In a particularly preferred embodiment the locking means is a pin that may pass through at least one aperture in the seat mounting means and at least one locking aperture in the seat support beam. It is particularly preferred that the seat support beam is provided with a plurality of locking apertures along the length of the seat support beam so that the distance of the seat from the support post may be adjusted by the user of the camera support. This has the particular advantage that the camera support can be comfortable when used by operators of considerably different sizes. An advantage of the camera support according to the present invention over the traditional method of supporting a camera is that the combined camera support, camera and camera operator are of considerably less height than a traditional support with a camera operator standing beside it. This has the particular advantage that in certain situations, such as in sports stadiums where a camera is mounted on a terraced surface, the area behind the camera that is unusable by spectators because the camera and operator are in the line of sight, is considerably reduced. An additional advantage is that whereas in the traditional method a camera operator may be expected to stand behind his camera for several hours for a long event the operator of a camera mounted on the camera support of the present invention is seated. This leads to the cameraman being able to operate the camera for longer periods without undue fatigue . In a preferred embodiment of the present invention the rotation means attaching the seat support beam to the support post is an annular bearing. The annular bearing is sealed so as to prevent the ingress of water and dirt into the bearing. Preferably, the bearing is de-mountable so that if any problems arise with the bearing it can be serviced or replaced. A particularly preferred type of bearing is a housed bearing unit available from BSL Limited, under reference UCFX15/48.ASA. The annular bearing, or the seat support beam and the support post may include a friction means that introduces a predetermined amount of resistance to the rotation of the annular baring. This makes the camera support easier to use than if the only resistance to rotation is the low resistance of the bearing . The rotation means used m the camera support according to the present invention is preferably arranged to allow rotation of 360° around the support post. In certain circumstances such a degree of rotation may be undesirable and physical stop means may be attached to the support post or rotation means so limiting the angle through which the rotation means may rotate. This is particularly important where the camera support of the present invention is being used adjacent to an edge or drop and it is not desirable that the camera operator be held over that edge. The camera support of the present invention may preferably also be provided with a foot plate, the foot plate being attached m a fixed position relative to and at least partially surrounding the support post. The foot plate preferably lies in a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the support post and at a position on the support post such that an operator sitting m a seat supported on the seat support beam may comfortably place his feet on the foot plate. It is particularly advantageous that a foot plate be provided because it allows the camera operator to control the rotation of the seat support beam by his feet on the foot plate. Th s leaves the hands of the operator free for operation of the camera. An advantage of providing a foot plate over, m particular, simply allowing the camera operator to place his feet on the surface upon which the camera support is supported, is that it can ensure that there are no obstructions that would cause the camera operator to catch his feet whilst rotating the seat support beam. It is particularly preferred that the foot plate surrounds at least 150° of the support post. It is particularly preferred that the foot plate is provided with grip enhancement means on the face of the plate proximal to the camera mounting means. Such grip enhancing means may be any way of increasing the grip of the operator such as a friction enhancing surface treatment or, most preferably, a series of ridges on the surface. Those ridges may preferably extend radially relative to the camera support post . The end of the support post remote from the camera mounting means may be provided with means for engaging the surface upon which the camera support is supported. Such engagement means can be m the form of a plate with a plurality of apertures to enable bolting of the plate to the support surface, or, for example, three radially outwardly extending legs, said legs being spaced at approximately 120° to each other. Other surface support engaging means can be employed to suit the particular nature of the surface, or the position of the camera support. Alternatively, the end of the support post remote from the camera mounting means may be engaged with the foot plate. The foot plate is, in one embodiment, provided with at least one, and preferably at least three, ground engaging means. The ground engaging means are preferably adjustable so that the distance between the foot plate and the ground may be individually altered for each ground engaging means. This allows the foot plate to be levelled when the ground engaging means engage with an uneven, non-level, ground surface . The foot plate and the support post may releasably engaged with each other by releasable locking means. For example, nuts and bolts. Alternatively, the support post and foot plate may be integral . Each ground engaging means may be mounted directly onto the foot plate, or may be mounted on lateral support beams. Said lateral support beams may be mounted on the foot plate in a fashion that allows the lateral beams to be moved between a first retracted position wherein substantially the entirety of the beam lies adjacent to the foot plate, to an extended position wherein the ground support engagement means engage with the ground at a position away from the foot plate. The mounting means may be via a channel along which the lateral support beams may travel. Alternatively, they may be pivotally engaged with the foot plate; the pivots being so orientated that the lateral beams rotate about an axis substantially perpendicular to the foot plate. In a further alternative, the lateral beams may be telescopic with one end portion fixed to the foot plate. The camera mounting means is most preferably a camera mounting plate provided with appropriately positioned apertures to engage mounting means on a camera. The mounting means on the camera will generally allow the camera to be, when in use, rotated about a substantially vertical axis, and rotated at least to a predetermined amount about a horizontal axis. This allows the horizontal orientation and the vertical inclination or declination of the camera to be changed. In a first preferred embodiment, the camera mount is mounted on the support post, preferably on the upper end of the support post. In this embodiment, the support post may include means for raising or lowering the height of the camera mounting means relative to the height of the seat support beam. A benefit of this embodiment is that the camera and the seat support beam have substantially the same vertical axis of rotation as that of the seat support beam. In an alternative embodiment, the seat support beam may be mounted on the end of the support post remote, in use, from the ground. The seat support beam is preferably mounted so that it passes over the top of the seat support post and extends in a substantially radial fashion in both directions relative to the central axis of the support post. The seat support beam, in this embodiment, has a first end zone upon which a seat for a cameraman may be mounted. At or adjacent to the end of the seat support beam remote from that first end zone there is mounted a camera mounting plate. The mounting plate is thus offset from the axis about which the seat support beam rotates . Cameras that are appropriate for mounting on apparatus according to the present invention are, in general, relatively heavy. A camera may, for instance, weigh in excess of 30 kilograms. In this sort of camera the mounting means provided on the camera will be mounted in a position that substantially coincides with or is closely adjacent to the centre of gravity of the camera when normally orientated. This causes the camera to balance, or nearly balance, on its mount and renders manipulation of the orientation of the camera relatively easy. The embodiment of the present invention that - incorporates an off set camera mount on the seat support beam, on the opposite side of the support post to the seat for a cameraman has a particular advantage: the centre of gravity of the camera is located on the camera mounting means the camera and the cameraman at least partially counterbalance each other. That counterbalancing of the camera and the cameraman means that , when in use , and when the seat support beam and thus the cameraman and camera are rotating about the axis of the support post, the dynamic forces experienced by the seat support post and/or the junction of the seat support post/and the surface to which it is mounted (the support post junction) are lessened. The support post and the support post junction are also subject, to considerably smaller degrees of turning moment than would be experienced if the camera mounting plate were not offset. This allows the apparatus of the present embodiment to be smaller in dimensions than when the camera mounting plate is not offset . In an alternative embodiment, the camera mounting means is engaged with the seat support beam in a such a fashion as to allow it to be moved along the seat support beam and fixed in a desired position. This enables the apparatus of the present invention according to this embodiment to be tuned so that the cameraman and camera substantially balance each other. In this embodiment, the orientation of the camera may either be adjusted by the cameraman by manipulating the camera relative to the camera mounting plate, or the cameraman may, using his feet, reorientate the camera by reorientating, in the horizontal plane, the seat support beam. This particular embodiment is particularly preferred where the camera support means of the present invention is adapted to be free-standing, easily transportable and to rotate through 360°. This is because it allows the apparatus of the present invention to have a smaller base plate than would otherwise be necessary because of the reduction of the overall turning moment generated on the support post. The axial length of the support post can be made adjustable in a known fashion. A particularly preferred means of adjusting the length is to form the support post from two or more telescoping elements . The elements being lockable in position relative to each other. This allows the height of the camera relative to the height of the seat to be adjusted; the height of the seat support beam relative to the foot plate to be adjusted; or both. The present invention will be further described and explained with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a perspective view of an embodiment of the camera support of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a side elevation of the camera mount of figure 1 when the seat support beam is turned through 90° from the position shown in figure 1 ; Figure 3 shows a plan view of the camera support of figure 2. Figure 4 shows a side elevation of a second embodiment of the camera support of the present invention; and Figure 5 shows a plan view of the camera support of Figure 4. With reference to figures 1, 2 and 3, a camera support (2) includes a support post (4) which has a camera mounting plate (6) attached to a first end. Attached to the second end of support post (4) remote from camera mounting plate (6) is a base plate (8) . Base plate (8) is provided with four apertures (10) through which bolts may be passed to secure base plate (8) to a support surface. Support post (4) and base plate (8) are joined in standard fashion and the joint provided with a plurality of flanges (12) . Said flanges strengthen the joint between base plate (8) and support post (4) . A little distance along support post (4) from base plate (8) a foot plate (14) is secured to support post (4) . Foot plate (14) is substantially semi-circular and surrounds at least 150° of support post (4) . Foot plate (14) is substantially planar and is provided with an upstanding toe rail (16) along its curved edge. Foot plate (14) is attached to support post (4) so that the plane of foot plate (14) is substantially perpendicular to the central axis of support post (4) . Foot plate (14) is provided with six radially extending ribs (18) that provide an operator with enhanced grip on the foot plate. Located between foot plate (14) and camera mounting plate (6) on support post (4) an annular bearing (20) is attached to support post (4) . Bearing (20) is adapted to rotate substantially about the longitudinal axis of the camera support . Most preferably the annular bearing is sealed to prevent the ingress of liquid or dusts. Attached to annular bearing (20) is a first end of a seat support beam (22) . The second end of support beam (22) is free . Support beam (22) extends substantially radially outward from support post (4) and is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of support post (4) . Mounted on seat support beam (22) is a seat (24) via a seat mounting means (26) . Seat support beam (22) is a beam of substantially rectangular cross section and seat mounting means (26) is a substantially rectangular cross sectioned channel, the internal dimensions of which are sufficiently larger than the external dimensions of beam (22) to allow channel (26) to slide along beam (22) . Seat support (26) may further be provided with a locking means (not shown) for reversibly locking seat mounting means (26) in position relative to support beam (22) . Most preferably the locking means comprises one or more removable retaining pins which may engage with one or more apertures (not shown) in the support beam. Locking the seat by using those apertures allows the operator of the camera to determine how far seat (24) is to be from support post (4) . The length of support post (4) and the relative positions along support post (4) of the annular bearing (20) and foot plate (14) are arranged so that when an operator is sitting in seat (24) the operator's feet are comfortably supported by foot plate (14) . The optimal height of seat (24) relative to camera support base (6) is determined by the relative dimensions of the camera and the expected operator. Seat post (4) may constitute an inner and outer sleeve (4a) and (4b) . Sleeve (4a) generally being fixed to sleeve (4b) via grub screws (not shown) so that the overall length of support post (4) may be adjusted. In use, an operator sits on seat (24) and a camera is mounted on camera mounting plate (6) . The camera is provided with means that allows the inclination and orientation of the camera to be adjusted by the operator and also with means to attach the camera to camera mounting plate (6) . When the camera operator is filming something that travels around (such as the ball in a game of Rugby Union) the operator can keep the camera pointing at that object, and himself behind the camera by using his legs to rotate annular bearing (20) and hence seat (24) and seat support beam (22) by pushing against foot plate (14) . The apparatus of the present invention is particularly advantageous because although figures 1 - 3 only illustrate foot plate (14) surrounding support post (4) by approximately 180°, foot plate (14) could surround support post (4) by anything up to 360°. The operator will be able to travel fully around the support post and film an object wherever it is. A further advantage is that because foot plate (14) is provided, the nature of the- surface upon which the camera support is mounted is not overly important . With reference to figures 4 and 5, a camera support (30) includes a support post (32) and a foot plate (34) . A first, lower, end of the support post (32) is rigidly attached to the foot plate (34) . The means of attachment are any appropriate means such as bolting or welding. The end of the support post (32) remote from the foot plate (34) has, mounted about it or on it, an annular bearing (36) . The bearing (36) is so positioned on the support post (32) that a first face of the bearing (36) that is substantially perpendicular to the axis about which the bearing rotates is m a plane that does not intersect with any of the support post (32) . Attached to that first face, by means of bolts, is a seat support beam (38) . Fixed to a first end of seat support beam (38) is a camera mounting plate (40) . Camera mounting plate (40) is appropriately configured to engage with mounting means provided on a television camera (not shown) . Mounting plate (40) can be configured to engage with appropriate mounting means for whatever camera is desired to be mounted. Camera mounting plate (40) is so positioned on seat support beam (38) that the centre of gravity of a camera engaged with mounting plate (40) is vertically above a part of seat support beam (38) . In the region of the end of seat support beam (38) remote from camera mounting plate (40) is a seat (42) that engages with seat support beam (38) by way of seat mounting means (44) . Seat mounting means (44) allows seat (42) to be moved along at least part of seat support beam (38) . As may be seen from Figure 4, the seat support beam (38) is attached to the annular bearing (36) at a location between camera mounting plate (40) and seat (42) . This results m the camera and the cameraman at least partially counterbalancing each other when the camera supporting means (30) is m use. Foot plate (34) has six channels (46) attached to the face of foot plate (34) remote from the support post (32) . Located within each of channels (46) and slidable along at least part of said channel is a lateral support beam (48) . Lateral support beam (48) or channels (46) are provided with means, not shown, to prevent their sliding completely out of their channels (46) . Each lateral support beam (48) may, however, be freely slid between a position where it is substantially wholly within channel (46) and a position where it is at least partially extended out of channel (46) to the position as shown in Figure 5. The distance travelled between those two positions is determined by the mechanical forces that are experienced in the portion of channel (46) and of beam (48) that overlie each other when lateral beam (48) is fully extended out of channel (46) and the properties of the materials of which beam (48) and channel (46) are made. Engaged with the ends of each lateral beam (48) that extends out of a channel (46) is a foot means (50) . Foot means (50) are comprised of a base plate (52) , a threaded bar (54) and a handle means (56) . Foot means (50) engages with a lateral beam (48) by way of a threaded portion in beam (48) that inter-engages with threaded bar (54) . In use, the foot means (50) are each adjusted so that foot plate (34) is substantially horizontal. A benefit of the embodiment of the present invention shown m Figures 4 and 5 is that if the connection between the support beam (38) and annular bearing (36) , and the connection between the support post (32) and the foot plate (34) are both made by reversible engagement means, such as nuts and bolts, the apparatus of the present invention can be easily dissembled and packed into a relatively small s ze for transportation and storage. This is particularly beneficial because it would allow a camera support means as shown m Figures 4 and 5 to be transported m a normal sized vehicle such as a car. It also allows the apparatus to be carried to the appropriate position before being constructed without difficulty. A further particular advantage of the present invention according to either embodiment is that the overall height of the camera and camera support is small . This means that m positions where the camera and camera operator are located m front of one or more spectators the camera and operator will not provide such an obstruction to the view as previously has been the case. This is particularly beneficial m situations where the spectators are seated and are paying per seat. This is because the invention of the present application will allow more seats behind a camera operator than would previously have been the case.

Claims: Claims 1. A camera support including a support post, a camera mounting means and a seat support beam, m which the seat support beam is rotatably attached to the support post via rotation means, the beam extends m at least one substantially radial direction outward from and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the support post, the rotation means is arranged to rotate about the longitudinal axis of the support post, and m which the camera mount is mounted on either the support post or the seat support beam. 2. A camera support according to claim 1 m which motive force to cause rotation of the seat support beam about the is provided by the human user of the camera on the camera support . 3. A camera support according to claim 1 or 2 which includes a seat with seat mounting means for mounting the seat on the seat support beam, said seat mounting means being configured to allow movement of the seat along the seat support beam, and reversible locking of the seat to the support beam by seat locking means . A camera support according to claim 3 m which the seat may be locked to the support beam at one of a number of predetermined distances from the support post . A camera support according to any of the preceding claims m which the rotation means is an annular bearing . 6. A camera support according to any of the preceding claims which also includes a foot plate, said foot plate being attached to and at least partially surrounding the support post, the foot plate lying m a plane substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the support post. 7. A camera support according to claim 6 m which the foot plate surrounds at least 150° of the support post. 8. A camera support according to claim 6 or 7 m which the foot plate is provided with grip enhancement means on the face of the foot plate proximal the camera mounting means. 9. A camera support according to claim 8 m which the grip enhancing means are ridges extending radially relative to the support post. 10. A camera support according to any of the preceding claims m which the end of the support post remote from the camera mounting means is provided with a support surface engaging means . 11. A camera support according to claim 10 when dependent on any of claims 6 to 9 m which the surface engaging means comprises the footplate and at least one support surface engaging means, said support surface engaging means being attached to the footplate. 12. A camera support according to claim 11 in which there are at least three support surface engaging means . 13. A camera support according to claim 10 when dependent on any of claims 6 to 9 in which the surface engaging means comprises the footplate, at least one support surface engaging means and a corresponding number of lateral support beams, and in which each support surface engaging means is attached to a lateral support beam, said lateral support beams being attached to the foot plate, and at least one of said lateral support beams being attached to the footplate in a fashion that allows the lateral beams to be moved between a first retracted position wherein substantially the entirety of the beam lies adjacent to the foot plate, to an extended position wherein the ground support engagement means engage with the ground at a position distant from the foot plate. 14. A camera support according to any of the preceding claims in which the foot plate and the -support post may releasably engaged with each other by releasable locking means . 15. A camera support according to any of the preceding claims in which the camera mounting means is a camera mounting plate. 16. A camera support according to any of the preceding claims in which the seat support beam is mounted on the end of the support post remote, in use, from the ground so that it passes over the top of the seat support post and extends in a substantially radial fashion in diametrically opposite directions relative to the central axis of the support post . 17. A camera support according to claim 16 in which the seat support beam has a zone upon which a seat for a cameraman may be mounted adjacent a first end of the beam, and at or adjacent the second end of the seat support beam a camera mounting plate is engaged with the seat support beam. 18. A camera support according to claim 17 in which the camera mounting plate is adapted to engage with the seat support beam at any position between the second end of the seat support beam and the support post .

Inventors: MORGAN WAYNE, MORGAN, WAYNE
Applicants: MORGAN WAYNE, MORGAN, WAYNE
Application year: 1999
Main classification: F16M11
IPC codes: F16M11