An Improved Head for Tripods for Photographic Cameras or other Apparatus.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd June, 1894-Accepted, 28th July, 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
An Improved Head for Tripods for Photographic Cameras or other
Apparatus.
I, JOHN EDWARD TOUCH, of Connaught Mansions, 34 Victoria Street,
Lendon, S.W., Engineer, 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 :-
My invention relates to an improved head for tripods for photographic cameras
or other apparatus, and has for its object the construction of the tripod head in
such a manner that it will fold compactly together, along with the legs, without the
necessity of separating the head from the legs.
In ordinary forms of camera tripods where the legs are permanently attached to
the tripod head, the legs when folded do not lie close to each other, but are held
apart by the head, which increases the bulk and makes the legs liable to be broken
when travelling. If the head is made to separate from the legs for packing, it is
liable to be lost and there is also delay in erecting and folding the tripod. To
avoid these disadvantages and gain compactness and less liability to injury when
the tripod is folded, I construct the head of tripod as illustrated in the
accompanying drawings in which :—
Figure 1 is an end view of the head
Figure 2 is a side view of the same.
Figure 4 is a side view of the head
Figure 5 is a plan of the same.
and part of the legs, folded when not in use.
Figure 3 is a plan of the same.
and part of the legs, erected ready for use.
Figure 6 is a side view of the head showing the method of fastening the head
when it is unfolded ready for use.
Figure 7 is a sketch showing the head partly folded.
Referring to the figures it will be seen that if the entire top surfaces of A, B
and C were all level with each other, the hinge E would have to partly project
above the surfaces to allow the parts B and C to turn over and lie Hat together,
in the same manner as the hinge D projects below the bottom of A and B.
The hinge E if projecting in that manner would prevent the camera or other
apparatus resting on a level surface. I avoid this by making the half-surfaces J, K
and L level with, or slightly above, the top of hinge and by making the half-
surfaces N and O low enough to allow the part K to fit against N and the part L
to fit against O when the head is folded. The half-surface M, which comes on
the outside when the head is closed, is also made low, so as to keep the parts H
and F of the fastening which holds A and C together when the tripod is in use,
below the level of the surfaces on which the camera or other apparatus rests. The
inside surface of the projection F and the part against which it fits are inclined so as
to allow the parts to come together easily and draw up tight when fixed. Another
projection G, on the bottom of A, secures greater rigidity of tripod when required
for the larger sizes of cameras or other apparatus.
When the tripod is opened out ready for use the screw P, which holds the camera
or other apparatus, passes up through the centre of the head in the usual manner.
X, Y and Z are the top ends of the legs of the tripod.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
The tripod head made in pieces having their upper surfaces partly raised and
partly lowered and jointed together in such a manner as to fold compactly together.

page_text: without being detached from the legs, substantially as described herein and
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of June 189
J. EDWARD TOUCH,
Applicant.