AN IMPROVED STAND FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Jean Frédéric Plücker, Capitaine d'Artillerie, of
Antwerp in the Kingdom of Belgium for an Invention of AN IMPROVED
STAND FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Jean Frédéric Plücker at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th July 1882.
JEAN FRÉDÉRIC PLUCKER Capitaine d'Artillerie of Antwerp in the Kingdom of
Belgium, "AN IMPROVED STAND FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS."
.
This Invention consists in an improved construction of tripod or stand for
photographic cameras. This improved stand is very portable as it is of exceedingly
light construction and is capable of being readily collapsed within a very restricted
compass. It is provided with a ball and socket joint for the adjustment of the
camera at any angle or position required. The legs of the stand are telescopic,
each being made in three sections (more or less) of brass or other tubing sliding the
one within the other, the lower end of each section (except the innermost one)
being provided with a clip formed by slitting the end of the tube lengthwise
making it slightly conical externally and surrounding it with a sliding band or
collar whereby the section next below may be tightly gripped and prevented from
sliding. The lowermost section of each leg terminates in a foot formed of a
semitubular piece of metal provided with lateral projections inserted in the end of
the tubular section which is collapsed at the extremity or brought to a corre-
sponding semitubular form and rivetted or soldered thereto. The legs of the stand
are pivoted in a head piece between ears formed of an assemblage of V shaped
pieces, each of which forms one ear of each of two adjacent pairs, the several
pieces being held together below by a plate and above by a collar embracing lugs
formed on them, the collar being a flange on the underside of a segment of a
sphere forming the male part of a ball and socket joint, the female part of which
is a concave socket corresponding in sphericity to and fitting on the male part.
This socket is by a central hook or other attachment connected to a screw passing
axially through the male part and the plate beneath and screwing into a tubular
stem situated at the underside centrally between the legs of the stand, the said
stem being provided with a thumb piece pivoted so as not to prevent the folding
of the legs close together and by which the screw may be tightened up in order to
bind the ball and socket tightly together and fix the camera after adjustment.
The socket is formed with a screw on top upon which the camera is fixed.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Jean Frédéric Plücker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
6th January 1883.
JEAN FRÉDÉRIC PLUCKER, Capitaine d'Artillerie of Antwerp in the Kingdom of
Belgium "AN IMPROVED STAND FOR PHOTOGRAPHIC CAMERAS
"
This Invention consists in an improved construction of tripod or stand for
photographic cameras. This improved stand is very portable as it of exceedingly
light construction and is capable of being readily collapsed within a very restricted
compass. It is provided with a ball and socket joint for the adjustment of the
camera at any angle or position required.
In order that the Invention may be more readily understood I have illustrated
it in the accompanying Drawings and will proceed to describe it in detail with
reference thereto.
Figure 1 is an elevation of the stand extended for use and Figure 2 represents
it contracted for carrying.
Figure 3 is a central vertical section on a larger scale of the ball and socket joint
of the head piece for connecting the three legs of the tripod together and adjusting
the position of the camera. Figure 4 is a longitudinal section also on a larger
scale of one of the clamping joints of the telescopic sections of the legs and
Figure 5 is a section, end, and face view of the foot of one of the legs:
The legs of the stand are telescopic, each being made in three sections a b c
(more or less) of brass or other metallic tubing, sliding the one within the other,
the lower end of each section (except the innermost oue c) being provided with a
clip formed by slitting the end of the tube lengthwise and making it slightly
conical externally as shown in Figure 4, and surrounding it with a sliding band or
collar d whereby the slit conical end may be caused to tightly grip the section next
within or below and prevent it from sliding, the band d having a split screw shank
carrying a nute to tighten up the band and retain it in place. The lowermost
section o of each leg terminates in a foot formed of a semitubular piece of metal f
provided with lateral projections or ears f¹, the semitubular stem ƒ being inserted
in the end of the section c which is bent inwards or collapsed at the extremity so
as to bring it to a semitubular form corresponding to and closely embracing that of
the part which is secured therein by rivetting or soldering. The lateral
projections f¹ serve also as thumb pieces to enable the inner section to be readily
grasped and drawn out. The legs of the stand are pivotted in a head piece between
ears g formed of an assemblage of three V shaped pieces, each of which forms one
ear of each of two adjacent pairs, the several pieces being held together below by
pins i entering holes in the ends of a three armed plate h and above by a collar k
embracing lugs g¹ formed on them. The legs work on pivot pins secured in the
ears g by screws and nuts or by rivetting and the upper or pivoted end of the
tube of which the upper section a of each leg is formed, is flattened to fit between
the ears g and filled with a core of wood to afford a bearing surface for the joint.
The collar k is an inwardly projecting flange on the underside of a segment of a
hollow sphere forming the male part of a ball and socket joint. The female part
of this ball and socket joint is a concave socket or shell m corresponding in
sphericity to and fitting on the male part upon which it is clamped tightly in
any desired position by means of the following attachments. n is a central hook
or eye detachably connected to an eye or hook on the upper end of a screw
threaded link o which passes axially through the male part of the joint and the
plate & beneath and has screwed upon it a female screw formed in the end of a
เ

page_text: tubular stemp which screws up against the underside of the plate hand is situated
centrally between the legs of the stand. The said stem p is provided with a cross
head or thumb piece r by which the screw may be tightened up in order to bind
the ball and socket tightly together and fix the camera after adjustment, the said
thumb piece being pivoted in a slot in the end of the stem so that it may be
brought into line therewith and not prevent the legs of the stand folding close
together.
The socket m is formed with a screw 8 on top upon which the camera is fixed.
Having described the nature of the said Invention and the manner of performing
the same I declare that what I claim as the Invention to be protected by the
herein before in part recited Letters Patent is <-
'
1st. A telescopic folding tripod stand for photographic cameras constructed
substantially as herein described and shown in the drawings.
2nd. The construction of the head piece and ball and socket joint for supporting
and adjusting the camera on a tripod stand substantially as herein shown and
described.
3rd. The construction of the clamping joint for uniting the telescopically sliding
sections of the legs of a camera tripod or stand, such joint consisting in the com-
bination of the slit and coned end and its tightening band substantially as shown
and described.
4th. The construction of the feet of the tubular telescopic legs of a camera stand
substantially as shown and described.
In witness whereof I the said Jean Frédéric Plücker have hereunto set my
hand and seal this first day of January in the year of our Lord One
F. PLÜCKER (L.S.)
Capitaine d'artillerie belge.