Patent ID: 8567731

Claim:
A tripod-supporting device for supporting a tripod which includes a table for supporting an instrument thereon, and three legs jointed to said table, comprising: a support member attachable to the lower end of said leg so as to support said tripod; and an attachment in the form of a hole or groove which is formed in one of said three legs or formed in a member attached to one of said three legs; wherein said support member includes a fit-in portion to be fitted in said attaching means, so that said support member penetrates said member in a predetermined direction and an elongate portion provided extending from said fit-in portion in a predetermined direction; the distal end of said elongate portion is placed on the ground by rotating said support member around the axis extending in said penetrating direction, with said fit-in portion fitted in said attachment; and said elongate portion is so disposed as to extend in a direction from said fit-in portion to the ground, toward which direction the tripod is liable to overturn, when the distal end of said elongate portion is placed on the ground; wherein said attachment is made of said groove; said groove includes a bottom portion which receives said fit-in portion, and an inlet/outlet portion which communicates with an exterior space of said groove and an interior space of said bottom portion and has a width smaller than that of said bottom portion; and said fit-in portion has such a shape that allows the fit-in portion to pass through said inlet/outlet portion only in a predetermined direction.