Improvements in Stands or Tables for Holding Photographic Cameras, also Applicable for Holding Music, Newspapers, or similar Objects.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Stands or Tables for Holding Photographic Cameras,
also Applicable for Holding Music, Newspapers, or similar Objects.
I, FREDERICK TAYLOR of 14 St. Petersgate, Stockport in the County of Cheshire,
Photographer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
Heretofore photographic camera stands have been principally formed of wood, and
very defective as regards adjustment.
My invention has for its object in the first place to construct ordinary photographic
stands principally of iron, whereby a much cheaper, neater, and simpler stand can be
produced, and also to provide means for facilitating an easy, sensitive, vertical, lateral,
circular, and inclined adjustment of the camera.
To this end I form the lower portion or base of the stand with three legs which are
cast on or fixed to a central boss.
The free ends of these legs are suitably curved and provided with suitable castors to
facilitate an easy moving about or lateral adjustment of tho stand.
The aforesaid boss receives a shank which at its upper end is provided with a
table and is arranged vertically adjustable in the said boss, so as to be retained in
any desired position by means of a spring bolt or lever, contained in the boss of
the base, which spring bolt enters teeth or a rack formed on the said shank, the
latter being of such a section as to allow only of a vertical adjustment.
I may here remark that the camera table may also be vertically adjusted and
retained in any desired position by means of pinion and rack gearing, and a handle.
To facilitate a ready securing of the camera to the table of the stand I form the
table near its edge with a slot to receive a bolt, the upper end of which I form with a
head projecting only on one side, and the lower end being provided with a thumb nut.
The said table I form of wood or with an iron frame, with or without a wooden top
suitably secured thereto, the underside of the table being provided or formed near the
middle and near the edges with lugs.
This table is suitably pivoted to a bracket having a boss fitting onto and being
ecured to the top of the aforesaid shank by means of a thumb screw fitting into

page_text: an annular recess formed in the said shank, or equivalent which will permit the
table to be fixed in position, or when released will be capable of swivelling on the
said shank.
To the underside of this table are suitably attached either one or two segmental
arms, the ends of which are made to pass respectively through one or two slots formed
in the boss of the bracket to which the camera table is fixed, by means of which and
a thumb-screw, any desired inclination can be given to the table.
For some purposes, as for instance, for copying photographs, I employ a supple-
mentary table capable of sliding on the aforesaid table only in a lateral direction,
which facilitates the camera being brought nearer to the object to be copied, than the
base of the stand would allow.
By suitably modifying the top or table of this stand it will serve equally well
as a music or reading stand.
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My invention relates in the second place to camera stands which are collapsible and
commonly known as tripod stands and has also for its object to make the table on
which the camera is fixed, circularly adjustable, as well as to provide means whereby
the same can be made larger or smaller in diameter, and the stand can be adjusted
with accuracy at any required height.
To this end I form the tripod head with a groove or grooves or with a stud for the
table to revolve in or on, respectively and form the latter with three radial arms either
hinged thereto or sliding therein.
The upper part of the legs of the stand, I connect to the tripod head by placing the
lugs cast on the latter, into slots formed respectively on the top of the upper part of
each leg, and binding the same together by means of thumb-screws, springs, or india-
rubber band.
To facilitate the vertical adjustment of the stand I mark on the upper parts of each
leg, a scale, the corresponding lower parts sliding on it, thus indicating the height of
the stand. The inner side of each of the top parts of the legs are hollowed out for the
purpose of receiving the lower parts of the legs, the two being connected together by a
band attached to the top of the lower legs, by means of a pin passing through a slot
formed in the said band.
The tops of each of the lower parts of the legs 1 form cam-like so that on being
turned one way it draws the said band tight against the upper part of the leg and on
being turned back it will release the legs and permit of vertical adjustment of the
camera, thus forming a simple and secure lock for the upper and lower parts of
the legs.
In order to facilitate the tripod stand being used out-door, as well as in-door I
suitably provide the lower extremities of the lower parts of the legs, each with a
changeable foot or end.
This, foot or end so formed as to present either a spike or end with an india-rubber
ball or other soft covering as may be required for different uses of tripods.
Dated this 1st day of Narah 1000
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
Agents to Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Stands or Tables for Holding Photographic Cameras,
also Applicable for Holding Music, News-papers, or similar Objects.
I, FREDERICK TAYLOR of 14^ St. Petersgate, Stockport in the County of Cheshire,
Photographer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
Heretofore photographic camera stands have been principally formed of wood, and
very defective as regards adjustment.
My invention has for its object in the first place to construct ordinary photographic
stands principally of metal, whereby a much cheaper, neater, and simpler stand can be
produced, and also to provide means for facilitating an easy, sensitive, vertical, lateral,
circular, and inclined adjustment of the camera.
And in order that my invention may be more fully understood I have caused to be
appended hereunto one sheet of drawings marked with letters of reference indicating
like parts in the various figures.
Figs. 1. 3. & 4 are side views, Fig. 2 a front view, Fig. 6 a plan, and Fig. 5 an
enlarged cross section at A-B of my improvements in photographic camera stands. etc.
In carrying out the first part of my invention and referring to Figs. 1 & 2, I
form the lower portion or base of the stand with three legs a which are cast on or
fixed to a central boss b.
The free end of these legs a are suitably curved and provided with suitable castors c
to facilitate an easy moving about or lateral adjustment of the stand.
The aforesaid boss 6 receives a shank d which at its upper end is provided with a
table e and is arranged vertically adjustable in the said boss b, so as to be retained in
any desired position by means of a spring bolt f. or lever contained in the boss b of
the base, which spring bolt enters teeth d or a rack formed on or secured to the
said shank b, the latter being of such a section as to allow only of a vertical adjustment.
I may here remark that the camera tablo e may also be vertically adjusted and
retained in any desired position by means of a pinion and rack gearing, and a
handle.
To facilitato a ready securing of the camera to the table of the stand I form
the table e near its edge with a slot, or provide the same with a slotted bracket el
to receive a bolt y or clamp, the upper end of which I form with a head projecting
only on one side, and the lower end being provided with a thumb-nut.
The said table e I form of wood or with a metal frame, with or without a wooden
top suitably secured thereto, the underside of the table being provided or formed
hear the middle and near the edges with lugs & h.
This table e is suitably pivoted preferably by means of the lugs, to a bracket i
aving a boss fitting onto and being secured to the top of the aforesaid shank d, by
means of a thumb screw k, fitting into an annular recess formed in the said shank d,
or equivalent which will permit the table e to be fixed in position, or when released
will be capable of swivelling on the shoulder d² of the said shank.

page_text: To the underside of this table e are suitably attached by means of the lugs either
one or two segmental arms m, the ends of which are made to pass respectively
through one or two slots m formed in the boss of the bracket to which the
camera table is fixed, by means of which and a thumb-screw n any desired
inclination can be given to the table e, see dotted lines Fig. 1.
For some purposes, as for instance, for copying photographs, I employ a supple-
mentary table o capable of sliding on the aforesaid table only in a lateral direction,
which facilitates the camera being brought, more accurately, nearer to the object to
be copied, than the moving of the base of the stand would allow.
By suitably modifying the top or table e of this stand it will serve equally well
as a music or reading stand.
My invention relates in the second place to camera stands which are collapsible
and commonly known as "tripod stands" and has also for its object to make the
table e on which the camera is fixed; circularly adjustable, as well as to provide means
whereby the same can be made larger or smaller in diameter, and the stand can be
adjusted with accuracy at any required height.
To this end I form the tripod head with a circular groove or grooves or with a
studo for the table e to revolve in or on, respectively, and with three radial arms pl
either hinged thereto or sliding therein in grooves p² see Fig. 4.
P
The upper part of the legs a of the stand I connect to the tripod head by placing
the lugs p³ cast on or the latter itself, i.e. the arms p¹, into slots a formed respectively
in a socket a² secured on the top of the upper part of each leg a, and binding the same
together by means of thumb or other screws q, springs, or india-rubber band, one side
of the said slot a¹ being hinged at a³:
To facilitate the vertical adjustment of the stand 1 mark inside the upper part of
each leg a, a scale, the corresponding lower parts a² sliding on it, thus indicating the
height of the stand.
The inner side of each of the top parts a of the legs are hollowed out for the purpose
of receiving the lower parts a² of the legs, the two being connected together by a
band attached to the top of the lower legs a², by means of a pin passing through
a slot formed in the said band or two lugs a' formed on the top of the lower leg a² and
a band fixed to the lower extremities of the upper leg parts a.
The tops of each of the lower parts a² of the legs I form with a nose s, cam-like
see Fig. 5, so that on being turned one way it draws the said band tight against the
upper part a of the leg, and on being turned back it releases the legs and permits of
vertical adjustment of the camera, thus forming a simple and secure lock for the upper
and lower parts a & a² of the legs.
In order to facilitate the tripod stand being used out-door as well as in-door
I suitably provide the lower extremities of the lower parts of the legs a, each with a
changable foot or end t.
The foot or end t is so formed as to present either a spike t', or end with an india-
rubber ball or other soft covering t² as may be required for different uses of tripods.
On the side of the foot or end t an eye is formed by means of which it can be
fixed onto the end of the leg a, either spike t¹, or india-rubber covering t², downwards
as may be required.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what i
claim is :-
In stands or tables for holding photographic cameras, music, news-papers or similar
objects
-
1st. The metal baso or stand a in combination with a shank d arranged vertically
adjustable therein, and carrying at its upper extremity a table e substantially as and
for the purpose specified.
2nd. In combination with the shank d, specified in the preceding claim, the table e
pivoted to and capable of inclinatory adjustment on, the bracket i, fixed radially adjust-
able on the top of the shank d, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

page_text: 3rd. The combination with the table e, of a supplementary table o, capable of sliding
laterally thereon, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
4th. Providing or formning the side of the table e with a slotted bracket, or slot e¹
respectively for the reception of the clamp or screw 7, substantially as and for the
purpose specified.
5th. In tripod stands, Figs. 3, 4, & 5, forming the legs in two parts a & a², and
connecting the same together adjustably by means of a cam lock, substantially as and
for the purpose specified.
6th. The tripod head p formed with radially adjustable arms p', connected remov-
ably and hinge-like to the upper extremity of the legs a, substantially as & for
the purpose specified.
7th. Providing the lower extremities of the legs of the tripod with a changable
foot or equivalent t, substantially as and for the purpose specified.
Dated this 11th day of December 1888.
F. BOSSHARDT & Co.,
4, Corporation Street, Manchester,
Agents to Applicant.