Improvements in Tripods or Supports for Cameras and other Objects.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Mar., 1894-Accepted, 5th May 1894
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Tripods or Supports for Cameras and other
Objects.
I, ENOCH WOOD PERRY, Junior, of 51 West 10th Street, New York City, in
the County of New York, and State of New York, United States of America,
Artist, 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, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
My invention relates to certain improvements in devices for detachably connecting
a photographic camera, or similar object, to its supporting stand or tripod ; and
has for its principal object to provide, on the tripod-top or platform, or on the
bottom or underside of the camera-box, a guide-way extended from an outer edge
of the tripod-top, or the camera bottom, inward to a central point and adapted to
quickly guide into position a clamping pin, screw, button, or other approved
fastening for detachably securing the camera-box to the triped or stand. The
invention has for another object to provide, preferably on the camera-box, an
improved clamping button that can be pressed inward and latched substantially
flush with the camera bottom when the camera is to be used apart from a tripod.
The invention consists in the features of construction and novel combinations of
parts for effecting with great ease, and without loss of time, a secure detachable
connection between a camera-box and its supporting stand as hereinafter more fully
set forth.
In the annexed drawings illustrating the invention :-
Fig. 1 is a plan of the platform or top of a tripod or camera supporting stand
having mounted thereon a clip composed of pivotted spring-pressed jaws adapted
to clasp a pin or button on the bottom of the camera box, said jaws being extended
to the edge of the tripod-top or platform and adapted, when open, to serve as a
guide-way for the pin or button and direct it quickly and unerringly into position.
Fig. 2 is a plan of the underside of a camera bottom with pin or button and
latching device.
Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 3,-3, of Fig. 1.
Fig. 4 is an edge view or elevation of the tripod top at the entering end to the
guide-way and clip.
Fig. 5 is a central transverse vertical section through the camera bottom and
tripod top showing the button engaged by the jaws of the clip, and exhibiting
portions of the tripod-legs.
Fig. 6 is a perspective of a thimble-bearing in which the button may be mounted
and which is provided with a spring latching device for securing the button in a
retracted position when the camera is to be used apart from the tripod.
Fig. 7 is a plan illustrating a modification of the guide-way and the clip jaws.
Fig. 8 is a plan showing the button unlatched.
Fig. 9 is a side elevation of Fig. 7.
Fig. 10 is a front elevation of the same.
Fig. 11 is a central transverse vertical section of the tripod-top with camera-box
in position.
Fig. 12 shows the under side of a camera-box provided with a guide way and
slotted bearing plate for a clamping pin or button mounted on a tripod or stand.
Fig. 13 is a plan of tripod top and attached clamping button or pin.
Fig. 14 is a partial elevation of a camera-box at the entering end of its
cuido aw

page_text: Fig. 15 is a central longitudinal section of the camera-box bottom and its guide-
way and bearing-plate.
Fig. 16 is a central transverse vertical section of the tripod top, camera box
bottom, and modified fastening devices illustrated in the four preceding figures.
Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates a tripod top or platform,
and 2 the bottom of a camera-box.
A clamping pin, screw, or button 3, of some suitable character, is usually
employed for making detachable connection between a photographic camera and its
supporting stand or tripod. This pin, screw, or button may be mounted either upon
the tripod-top or platform, or on the bottom of the camera-box. As the pin, screw,
or button on one of these parts, and the receiving clip or fastening device of the
other part, are concealed from view on bringing the camera and tripod together, it
is frequently very difficult to make a quick and accurate connection. For the
purpose of obviating this difficulty, I provide either on the tripod-top or platform,
or on the bottom of the camera-box, a guide-way 4 extended from an outer edge of
the tripod top, or the camera bottom, as the case may be, inward to a central point
where the pin, screw, or button is to be received and secured. This guide-way 4 is
made to extend from the edge of the tripod top, or edge of the camera bottom, to
the centre, so that by affording a more extended surface for entrance of the pin,
screw, or button, it may be unerringly guided or directed into position without
difficulty or unnecessary loss of time.
According to the preferred construction, illustrated in Figs. 1, 3, and 4, the
guide-way 4 is formed between the forwardly elongated arms 5 of a clip composed
of pivotal jaws 6, preferably mounted on the tripod top or platform. This guide-
way 4 leads to a circular socket or recess 7, formed in the pivotal jaws of the clip.
Arranged between and bearing on the rear arms 8 of the pivotal clip-jaws 6, is a
spring. 9 that normally throws said arms outward and thus causes the clip to be
closed firmly onto the clamping pin or button 3, Figs. 2 and 5, after the camera-box
has been placed in position. The rear arms 8 of the clip may be extended down-
ward to form handles 10 by which the clip jaws may be manipulated. The
tripod-top 1 may be centrally channelled or provided with blocks 11 at opposite
sides of the clip to serve as stops for the clip jaws and to make a substantially
flush surface for the bottom of the camera-box to rest on.
In connecting the camera to its tripod or supporting stand, the operator will
grasp the handles 10 and compress them against the action of the spring 9 so as to
open the clip-jaws and spread the forwardly extended arms apart. These arms 5
extend to the edge of the tripod top or platform and when thus spread apart will
form a guide-way 4 having converging sides extending from the extreme edge of
the top 1 to the centrally located socket or clip recess 7 where the pin, screw, or
button 3 is to be received and secured.
As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the inner sides of the arms 5 and clip jaws 6 arc
preferably under cut or bevelled to correspond with a similarly bevelled or under
cut surface of the button head 3, Fig. 5. While the arms 5 are held open or apart
the sense of touch will enable the button 3 to be readily entered into the guide-
way 4 between said arms and be thereby quickly guided or directed without fail to
the clip socket or recess 7 which will be closed onto the button by the tension of
the spring 9 so soon as the clip handles 10 are released. The diameter of the
bevelled head of the pin or button 3 is a little greater than the diameter of the
socket or recess 7 in the clip-jaws, so as to give the clip a firmer grasp. By again
compressing the clip handles 10, the button 3 can be lifted out of engagement with
the clip-jaws whenever it is desired to disconnect the camera from the tripod or
supporting stand.
The pin or button 3 is preferably mounted in a thimble 12, Figs. 5 and 6, having
a countersunk flange 13 through which it may be secured to the bottom of a
camera-box. As shown in Fig. 5, the sbank of the pin or button may be provided
with a slot 14 of sufficient size to permit a vertical play of the button on a
transverse supporting pin 15 that is passed through said slot and secured in the

page_text: sides of the thimble. By means of a spring 16 arranged in the thimble 12, the
button 3 is normally forced outward so that the button head will be caused to
protrude in position to enter the guide-way 4 and be engaged in the socket 7 of
the clip.
When, however, it is desired to use the camera separate from a tripod, a level
supporting surface may be obtained on the underside of the camera-box bottom,.by
forcing the button 3 inward and securing it by a spring latch 17, mounted in the
centrally countersunk portion of the thimble flange. The latch 17 is pivotted at
one end as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, and, by the pressure of a spring 18, is held
against the shank of the button 3, as shown in Fig. 5, while the button remains
projected in operative position. By pressing the button back into the thimble 12,
the bevelled surface of the button head will act as a cam to force the latch 17-
aside, against the action of the spring 18, until the button is fully depressed and
then the spring 18 will carry the latch 17 across or onto the face of the button and
fasten it in retracted position. On opposite sides of the pivotted latch 17, are stop
pins 19 to limit the latch movements.
In Figs. 7, 9, 10 and 11, I have illustrated a modification of the guide-way for the
pin or button. By this modification the elongated forwardly extended arms of the
clip-jaws 6 are dispensed with and the guide way 4 is formed between the opposing
sides of the blocks 11 that may be attached either to the tripod top or to the camera
box bottom. In this construction the forward shortened ends of the clip jaws 6
may be bevelled in converging lines 20, Fig. 7, approximately coinciding with the.
inclination of the opposite sides of the guide-way. The form of the pin or button 3;
Figs. 8 and 11, to be used with this guide-way, may be the same as hercinbefore
described. The blocks or walls 11, forming the opposite sides of the guide-way 4,
need not be extended any farther than is necessary to provide a continuous guide
way from the edge of the tripod top to the button receiving socket or recess 7 of
the clip jaws. At the outer sides of the clip-arms 8, may be placed stop pins 21,
Fig. 7, to limit the outward movement of said arms.
The guide-way 4 and the clip 6, or some other device for engaging the pin or
button 3, may be arranged on the under side of the camera box bottom, if preferred.
Such construction is shown in Figs. 12, 14, 15, and 16. By referring to Figs. 12
and 15 it will be seen that the guide-way 4 is extended inward from one edge of
the camera box bottom to a central point in the under side thereof. For the
purpose of engaging the pin or button 3, Figs. 13 and 16, a bearing plate 22 is
countersunk into and secured to the underside of the camera box bottom across the
inner or narrow end of the guide-way 4, as shown in Fig. 12.
The forward central
portion of this bearing plate 22 is provided with an open ended slot 23 which is
more narrow than the inner end of the guide-way 4, and of just sufficient width to
permit the passage of the shank of the pin or button 3, the head of which is confined
in the narrow part of the guide-way immediately above the bearing plate when
the camera box and tripod are brought together and connected. In this form of
construction the pin or button 3 is preferably provided with a screw-threaded
shank 24 having a handle 25 fixed to one end, and the said screwshank is arranged
to work in a stationary nut 26 secured to the tripod top or platform. After the
head of the pin or button has been guided into position in the inner or narrow
portion of the guide-way 4, with the shank 24 in the open ended slot 23, the pin or
button should be turned by means of its handle 25 in the proper direction to cause
the screw shank 24, working in the nut 26, to draw down the head of the pin or
button into clamping engagement with the bearing plate 22 at opposite sides of the
slot 23 therein. The tripod or part 1 to which the pin or button is attached, and
the camera-box, or part 2 having the guide way and bearing plate, are thus quickly
connected and may be as easily detached whenever desired.
I would have it understood that the guide-way and the clip or bearing plate, or
analogous fastening, may be located on either of the parts to be connected, whether
the tripod top or the camera box bottom, while the pin or button will be mounted
on the other one of said parts.

page_text: The guide way 4, whether formed by the arms of the clip 6, as shown in Fig. 1,
or directly in the tripod top as in Fig. 7, or in the bottom of a camera-box as in
Fig. 12, should, in either case, intersect or be extended from the edge of the part
in or on which it is located and thus afford a ready entrance for the pin or button
on the other part so that the camera-box can be quickly and firmly engaged or
connected with its supporting stand or tripod without any delay or troublesome
manipulation of fastening devices.
The guide-way 4, leading from the outside edge of the tripod top or camera-
bottom to the centre, may be of any width, depth, or form, but is preferably
V-shaped, or provided with converging sides as shown.
Although the guide-way 4 and clips 6, Figs. 1, 5, 7, and 11, are preferably
located on the tripod top, and the button 3 and its thimble 12 on the camera, these
positions may be reversed as already indicated. The button 3 may be retained in
its thimble 12 in a variety of ways other than that shown in Fig. 5, as by a pin
fixed to the shank or stem of the button and working in slots in the thimble walls,
or a fixed collar on the button stem engaged in a recessed portion of the thimble, or
otherwise.
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 1
claim is :-
1. The combination with the top of a tripod or stand and the under side of a camera,
or other object, of a guide-way extended from the outer edge of one of said parts
inward to a central or approximately central point and adapted to quickly guide a
pin or button mounted on the other part into engagement with a clip or fastening
device on the part provided with said guide-way, substantially as described.
2. The combination with a camera, or other object, a supporting stand, a pin or
button on one of said parts, and a clip on the other part to engage said pin or
button, of a guide-way extended inward from the outer edge of the part to which
the clip is attached, for guiding the said pin or button quickly into engagement
with the clip, substantially as described.
3. The combination with a camera, or other object, a supporting stand, and a
pin or button on one of said parts, of a clip composed of pivotted jaws mounted on
the other one of said parts and having arms extended to the outer edge of said
part and forming a guideway to direct the pin or button into position to be clamped
by the clip, substantially as described.
4. The combination with a camera, or other object, a supporting stand, and a
pin or button attached to one of said parts and provided with a bevelled head, of a
clip composed of spring pressed jaws mounted on one of said parts and provided
with a socket or recess to receive said pin or button and having arms extended
from said socket to the outer edge of the part supporting the clip to form a guide-
way for directing the pin or button into position to be clamped by the clip, the
underside of the said socket and guide arms being bevelled to correspond with the
head of the pin or button, substantially as described.
5. The combination with a camera, or other object, a supporting stand, a pin or
button on one of said parts, and a fastening device on the other part to engage said
pin or button, of a guide-way having inwardly converging sides and extended from
the outer edge of the part to which the fastening device is attached inward to a
central or approximately central point to guide the pin or button into engagement
with the fastening device, substantially as described.
6. The combination with a camera, or other object, and a supporting stand or
tripod, of a longitudinally movable pin or button mounted in the under side of the
camera, or like object, and adapted to protrude below below the same or be pressed
inward and flush with the bottom of the part to which it is attached, a fastening
device on the top of the tripod or stand to engage the protruding pin or button,
a guide-way extended from the outer edge of the tripod top or stand to guide the
pin or button quickly into engagement with said fastening device, and a spring

page_text: latch to hold the pin or button in a depressed position flush with the camera bottom
when the camera, or like object, is to be used apart from the tripod, substantially
as described.
7. The combination with a camera, or other object, and a supporting stand or
tripod, of a longitudinally movable pin or button mounted in the under side of the
camera, or like object, and provided with a spring by which it is normally
protruded, a clip composed of pivotted spring pressed jaws mounted on the tripod
top or stand and adapted to engage the pin or button, a guide-way extended from
the other edge of the tripod top inward to guide the pin or button quickly into
engagement with the clip, and a latch to secure the pin or button in a depressed
position when the camera, or like object, is to be used apart from the tripod,
substantially as described.
8. My improvements in tripods or supports for cameras and other objects,
substantially as hereinbefore described and shown with reference to the annexed
drawings.
ERNEST DE PASS,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 6, Victoria Street, Nottinghamı,
Agent for the Applicant.