Improvements in Attachments for Connecting Photographic Cameras, Surveying Instruments, and the like to their Stands or Tripods.
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Sept., 1896-Accepted, 17th Oct., 1996
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Attachments for Connecting Photographic
Cameras, Surveying Instruments, and the like to their
Stands or Tripods.
I, DANIEL HENRY THEOPHILUS PEPLOE, of 36 Mark Lane, in the City of
London, Gentleman, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to he performed to be particularly described and ascertained
in and by the following statement :-
The object of this invention is to provide means by which photographic cameras,
surveying instruments, and the like, can be secured to their stands, or tripods, with
greater facility than hitherto; their removal also being effected very readily.
According to my invention I provide in the underside of the camera, or other
instrument or in an attachment thereto, a slot, or opening, for receiving a stud, or
head, carried by the stand, or tripod, and I provide also on the said stand a surface
beneath the said slot, or opening, the said stud, or head, or the said surface, being
provided with means by which they may be moved towards each other so as to
grip between them the part of the camera, or other instrument, or of the attachment
thereto, which lies between the said head, or surface.
I will explain with reference to the accompanying drawings the best arrangements
with which I am acquainted for carrying my invention into effect.
Figs. 1 and 2 are sectional elevations of part of a camera or other instrument and
the upper part of a stand or tripod provided with an arrangement according to my
invention. Fig. 1 showing the parts connected and Fig. 2. showing them
disconnected.
The bottom of the camera or other instrument is marked A. It is provided with
a slotted plate a the slot being formed with an end sufficiently large to receive the
head 6 on a screwed stem B. The narrower part of the slot is sufficient to receive
the stem B but will not allow the head b to pass through it. The screwed stem B
works in a screw nut formed for it in the plate C to which the legs of the tripod
are connected at D. Secured to the screwed stem B beneath the plate C is a
thumb piece b. When the camera, or other instrument, is to be secured to the
stand, or tripod, the enlarged part of the slot in the plate a, is passed over the
head of the screwed stem B, the bottom of the camera, or other instrument,
being recessed, or left free, so that the head can pass through the slot, and so that,
when the camera, or instrument, is slidden sideways, the stem passes into the narrow
part of the slot, and the head into the space above it. By then screwing down the
stem B in the nut in the plate C-the parts of the plate a at the sides of the
narrow part of the slot are gripped securely between the underside of the head b
and the upper surface of the plate C.
Figures 3 and 4 are similar views of an arrangement for use with smaller stands
where the space between the upper ends of the legs of the tripod (attached at D)
is not sufficient to allow of the ready manipulation of the screw between them, and
In this case
Figure 5 is a plan shewing the plate a but with the part A removed.
the screw stem B is fixed in the top of the tripod cap or plate and the nut C²
works upon the screw B and is provided with thumb pieces c or other means for
readily turning the said nut C so that by raising it, it will cause the parts of the
plate a on either side of the narrow portion of the slot to be gripped between the
under side of the head 6 and the upper side of the nut C³.

page_text: The arrangement may be considerably modified without departing from the
nature of my invention for example such an arrangement can be employed with
the parts, shown on the tripod or stand, secured to the camera, or the like, the slot
being in the plate, or cap, at the top of the tripod, or stand, and, instead of making
the screw B rotate, the portion thereof which is in the narrow part of the slot in
the plate a may be formed so that the screw B will not rotate in the said part
of the slot and the thumb piece may work upon the screw B to draw the parts
together as shewn in Figures 6 and 7; Figure 6 being a section similar to Figure 1
and Figure 7 a plan.
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 :-
1. For attaching photographic cameras, surveying instruments, or the like to
their stands, or tripods, the combination with a slot as described on the one part,
of a stud or head; and an opposed surface, on the other part; and means for
forcing them together substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
2. The several arrangements and combinations of parts constituting means for
attaching photographic cameras surveying instruments, or the like, to their stands,
or tripods; substantially as herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1 and 2
Figures 3, 4 and 5 and Figures 6 and 7 of the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 12th day of September 1896.
JOHNSONS & WILLCOX,
47 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C., Agents.