Improvements in Tripod Stands for Photographic, Surveying, and other Purposes.
Year: 1888

page_text: Improvements in Tripod Stands for Photographic, Surveying,
and other Purposes.
I JOHN WILLIAM RAMSDEN of Park Lane Leeds in the County of York
photographer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of my Invention is so to construct Tripod-stands for photographic,
surveying and other purposes, that such stands can be opened out for use and closed
up for transport without the necessity of having to fasten or loosen any of the
parts of which such stands are composed. These improvements have special reference
to tripod stands with split or frame legs and which are thereby rendered lighter and
firmer than tripod stands as usually constructed; and also more readily and efficiently
adjustable on hilly or difficult ground.
The head of the stand consists of a three armed centre piece to which three short
links are hinged, the opposite ends of the links being hinged to joints or lugs by which
they are attached to the legs. The joints connecting the links to the centre piece
allow the links to hang down vertically (when the tripod is closed up), or to stand out
horizontally in the plane of the centre piece (when the tripod is opened out). Each
two adjacent side pieces of any two of the split legs are attached to one and the
same lug piece. These lug pieces consist of two vertical wings inclined towards each
other at an angle of 120 degrees. The adjacent wings of any two of the lugs are
parallel. The head thus contains 6 wings to which the 6 side pieces forming the
upper split portion of the legs are attached, or rather separately hinged.
The two side pieces forming the upper or split portion of a leg are made L shaped
in section, so as to enclose a T shaped space between them, and are connected together
at the bottom by clasps or rectangular hoops. The lower half of each leg is made
T shaped in section so as to fit and slide between the two pieces forming the other
upper portion. A flat spring is inserted between the hoops or clasps above mentioned
so as to bear against the lower sliding half of the leg, the pressure being such that the

page_text: lower sliding half of the leg, the pressure being such that the lower half of the leg
remains firmly in any position to which it may be drawn out; but yet not so as
rigidly to prevent the same being readily pushed in or drawn out when desired for
closing up the stand or for adjustment to suit height, level, or hilly ground.
Other portions of the tripod may be of ordinary construction.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tripod Stands for Photographic, Surveying,
and other Purposes.
I JOHN WILLIAM RAMSDEN of Park Lane Leeds in the County of York
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
The object of my Invention is so to construct tripod stands for photographic,
surveying and other purposes; that such stands can be opened out for use and closed
up for transport without the necessity of having to fasten or loosen any of the parts
of which such stands are composed. These improvements have special reference to
tripod stands with split or frame legs, and which are thereby rendered lighter and
firmer than tripod stands as usually constructed; and also more readily and efficiently
adjustable on hilly or difficult ground.
The head of the stand consists of a three armed centre piece, to which three short
links are hinged; the opposite ends of the links being hinged to joints or lugs by
which they are attached to the legs. The joints connecting the links to the centre
piece, allow the links to hang down vertically (when the tripod is closed up), or to
stand out horizontally in the plane of the centre-piece (when the tripod is opened out).
Each two adjacent side pieces of any two of the split legs are attached to one and the
same lug piece. These lug pieces consist of two vertical wings, inclined towards each
other at an angle of 120 degrees. The adjacent wings of any two of the lugs are
parallel. The head thus contains 6 wings, to which the 6 side pieces forming the
upper split portions of the legs are attached, or rather separately hinged.
The two side pieces forming the upper split portion of a leg are made L shaped in
section, so as to enclose a T shaped space between them; and are connected together
at the bottom by clasps or rectangular hoops. The lower half of each leg is made

page_text: when desired, for closing up the stand, or for adjustinent to suit height, level, or hilly
ground.
Other portions of the tripod may be of ordinary construction.
And in order that my Invention may be more readily understood, reference is given
to the accompanying drawings and to the letters and marks thereon.
DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 is a perspective view shewing a tripod stand constructed in accordance with
my Improvements. Fig. 2 is a front view to a larger scale of the upper part of such
tripod stand closed up for transport. Fig. 3 shews a view of the underside of the
head, and Fig. 4 the sliding connection between the upper and lower halves of the
legs. Both these latter Figs. are to a larger scale. The same reference letters are
used to indicate the same parts in the several views.
b
The head of the stand consists of a three armed centre piece a, to which three
short links bare hinged; the opposite ends of these links 6 being hinged to the
joints or lugs c by which they are attached to the legs d. The joints connecting the
links to the centre piece a, allow the link to hang down vertically, (when
the tripod is closed up, see Fig. 2); or to stand out horizontally, (when the tripod is
spread out, see Fig. 1.). Each two adjacent side pieces of any two of the split legs
are attached to one and the same lug piece e, as for example d", and d'₂ to e₁ or d₂ and
d's to e. These lug piecos e have each two vertical wings inclined towards each other
at an angle of 120 degrees. The adjacent wings of any two of the lugs (to which
the two pieces forming the upper part of one and the same leg d are attached,) are
therefore parallel. The head thus contains 6 wings to which the 6 pieces forming the
upper portion d of the three legs are attached, or rather separately hinged, by means
of the screw pins g.
The two side pieces forming the upper or split portion of each leg d are made
L shaped in section, so as to enclose a T shaped space between them; and are
connected together at the bottom by clasps or rectangular hoops h, or as shewn in the
drawings by a straight flat plate ¹, and à U bent plate 2. The lower half D of each
leg is made T shaped in section, so as to fit and slide between the two pieces d d
forming the upper portion. A flat spring i is inserted in a recess formed between the
two plates and 2 in one of the side portions d of the upper part of the leg, so as
to bear against the lower sliding half of the leg (D); the pressure being adjusted by
means of the set screw k, so that the lower sliding half of the leg remains firm in any
position to which it may be drawn out.
A screw passing through the centre piece a, serves for firmly attaching the camera,
theodolite, or other apparatus to the head 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 perforined, I declare that what I
claim is
1° In tripod stands, a head piece or base for the attachment of the instrument, consisting
of a centre piece a, hinged links b, and lngs and wing pieces (c and e formed in one
piece) substantially as herein set forth and shewn in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the
accompanying drawings.
2° The lug and wing pieces (e and e), each piece cast or formed whole, consisting
of 2 wings e at an angle of 120 degrees with each other (for the attachment of the
upper split halves d of the legs), and the hinged lugs c placed at an angle of
120 degrees with both the wings substantially as shewn in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 of the
accompanying drawings.

page_text: 3° The formation of the upper split portions of each leg of an L shaped cross
section, so as to enclose a T shaped space between them, and the lower sliding part D
of a corresponding T shaped cross section to fit, substantially as herein set forth and
shewn in Figs. 1, 2 and 4 of the accompanying drawings.
4° The sliding connection (with adjustable spring i), of the upper and lower portion
of each leg substantially as herein set forth and illustrated by Fig. 4 of the accom-
panying drawings.
5° The general arrangement and combination of the various parts, mentioned
in the foregoing claims, substantially as shewn in Fig. 1 forming my improved
tripod stand.