IMPROVEMENTS IN CAMERA TRIPODS OR SUPPORTS
Year: 1884

page_text: I WILLIAM WATTS of Norman Villa Burlington Road Withington in the County
of Lancaster, Silversmith do hereby declare the nature of the said invention for
"IMPROVEMENTS IN CAMERA TRIPODS OR SUPPORTS," to be as follows:―
My Invention relates to the portable folding tripods or stands employed to
sustain Cameras when in use and has for its principal object to render such stands
more portable and compact when folded and out of use. To this end I so construct
the parts as that when folded the stand may be made to assume the shape of a
walking stick. I make each of the three sections of the stand of such a shape as
that when arranged together the sections form a round or cylindrical body. Each
section consists of two parts one part being fitted to slide within the other. In
practice I should make the one part of metal as for example of drawn brass tubing
and the other part of a suitable tough and light wood. Each tubular part is
formed at its upper end to engage with the tripod top to which the camera is
secured. This top is formed with three spring clip arms which have grooves to
receive wire or metal staples on the tops of the sections Sliding sleeves, screws,
or other means tighten the clips upon the staples. For convenience of manufacture
I may make the said top of two stamped pieces of sheet brass riveted or secured
together in the central part. The upper ends of the sections are arranged to be
held together by means of a suitable cap sleeve or ring. In one construction I so
form the upper end of each section as that when the sections are fitted together a
socket is formed which can be tapped so that a knob, handle or cap provided with
a sleeve to enclose the upper ends of the section can be screwed on to the top of
the cluster. When so fitted the stand can be used as a walking stick or staff or
alpenstock. The lower end of the staff is also provided with a removable cap or
ferule. The wooden parts can be slid outward so as to extend,cach section. The
upper or inner end of each of the wooden parts is slit and a spring is inserted 80
that the said part slides within the tube with an elastic friction. A cross wire or
studs coming into contact with the ends of wires soldered in the tube or any other
suitable stops prevent the wooden part from being entirely withdrawn. I do not
confine myself to the use of wood for the parts which slide within the tubes nor to
the round or cylindrical form of the folded stand although I consider such form to
be most suitable and convenient.
201
anamh 1001

page_text: I WILLIAM WATTS of Norman Villa Burlington Road Withington in the
County of Lancaster, Silversmith do hereby declare the nature of the said invention
for "IMPROVEMENTS IN CAMERA TRIPODS OR SUPPORTS" and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement and accompanying drawings:-
My Invention relates to the portable folding tripods or stands employed to
sustain Cameras when in use and has for its object to rendor such stands more
portable and compact when folded and out of use. To this end I so construct the
parts as that when folded the stand may be made to assume the shape of a walking
stick. I make each of the three sections of the stand of such a shape as that when
arranged together the sections form a round or cylindrical body. Each section
consists of two parts one part being fitted to slide within the other. In practice
I should make the one part of metal as for example of drawn brass tubing and the
other part of a suitable tough and light wood. Each tubular part is formed at
its upper end to engage with the tripod top to which the camera is secured. This
top is formed with three spring clip arms which have grooves to receive wire or
metal staples on the tops of the sections. The upper ends of the sections are
arranged to be held together by means of a suitable cap, sleeve or ring.
wooden parts can bo alid outward so as to extend each section. The upper or inner
end of each of the wooden parts is slit and a spring is inserted so that the said part
alides within the tube with an elastic friction.
The
In order that my Invention may be fully understood I will when describing the
same refer to the sheet of drawings which has been prepared to accompany this
Specification.
In the said drawings Fig: 1 represents the tripod legs as when packed for
transport and Fig: 2 represents the tripod as when arranged for use. Fig: 4
represents a side view and Fig: 5 a plan of the tripod top. Ench leg of the tripod
consists principally of two parts a and b. The part a is of a tubular form and by
preference is made of drawn brass or metal tubing of the cross sectional form
indicated in Fig: 3 wherein it will be seen that each tube is of such a form as
that three tubes will fit together to form a cylinder. The part b. is made of lance
wood or of hickory or of a suitable light and tough wood or material and the said
part is made of a cross sectional form to correspond with the forin of the part a.
A portion of the length of the part b. is made of such a cross sectional form as that
it can slide within the part a. The remainder say from the shoulder 1 in Fig: 2
to the lower end is or may be tapered the extreme end being filled with a spiked
ferule c. Fig 6 is a sectional view of a portion of one of the tripod legs. In
the upper end of the part b. a slot d. is cut and in this slot a flat spring e.
is placed this spring tending to separate the two parts which are divided by
the said slot so that the part b. is caused when moved to or fro within the
part a. to slide with a frictional resistance. By these means the length of
each leg can be adjusted and the parts will retain their adjusted relative positions.
The part b. is prevented from being drawn out of the tube a. by means of a
cross wire f. which when the leg is extended to its full length comes in contact
with stops which are soldered into the tube at g. y. The upper end of each
tube a is provided with a metal staple h. for tho attachment of the tripod

page_text: top. The said top which is represented in Figs: 4 and 5 is formed with three arms
and the outer end of each arm is formed as a spring jaw to take hold of the staple h.
For convenience of manufacture I make this top from two pieces which are punched
and stamped or shaped to the required form and are then riveted, soldered, brazed
or connected by their central parts so as to permit the jaws at the outer ends of the
limbs to be sprung apart to receive the staples. The top is provided with levers i. i.
whereby the jaws can be clamped or tightly closed. To put the parts together the
staple on the top of each leg is inserted in one or other of the jaws which spring
open to receive and close upon the staples when entered. The levers i. i. are then
pressed in the direction which will cause them to clamp the jaws. The height of
the tripod is regulated by drawing outward the parts b. to their full extent or to
the extent required and when the ground slopes the legs may be made of different
lengths so as to bring the top level. Screws, sliding sleeves or other suitable means
may be used for closing or clamping the jaws. A modification is shown in Fig: 7
wherein the jaws are clamped by means of a lever k. which is acted upon by
a second lever . which can be secured to the inside of the leg by means of a thumb
screw so as to stiffen the connection. When the stand is to be packed for transport
the clamping levers or parts are loosened and the top is removed. The parts b. are
then pushed up within the parts a. as far as they will go and the three legs are
brought together as indicated by Fig: 3. Caps m. and n are then placed on the
top and bottom so as to hold the parts together. By preference the cap m is made
to lock upon the staples or to be screwed or otherwise secured to the tops of the
legs and the cap n. is made to serve as an ordinary walking stick ferule so that the
combined parts may be used in lieu of a walking stick or as an alpen stock. Any
suitable form of cap, knob or handle may take the place of the cap m. If not
required for use as a walking stick the parts may be strapped or bound together.
I do not confine myself to the method of attaching the tripod top nor to the
formation of the said top as any suitable top may be used with the legs of the
formation described and indicated. I do not confine myself to the use of wood for
the parts which slide within the tubes nor to the round or cylindrical form of the
folded stand although I consider such form to be most suitable and convenient, but
if preferred it might be hexagonal or of any other suitable form so long as the three
legs fit together in the indicated manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what, manner. the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. The combination of parts constituting a camera tripod or stand formed, fitted
and arranged substantially as set forth and indicated herein before and in and by
the accompanying drawings.
2. In a camera tripod the telescopic legs of the formation indicated by Fig: 3
substantially as and for the purpose set forth and indicated.
3. In a camera stand the formation of the telescopic legs so that when shut up
and fitted together they form a walking stick or alpenstock substantially as set
forth and indicated.
4. In a camera stand the camera top formed with spring jaws to engage with
staples on the tops of the tripod legs substantially as set forth and indicated.