Patent ID: 8282055

Claim:
A tripod head comprising an inclination apparatus ( 2 ) with a universal joint, which includes a ball joint ( 5 ) that is mounted so that it can swivel in a bearing housing ( 3 ) and accommodated between two slide bearings in the bearing housing ( 3 ), of which one of the slide bearings ( 7 ) is mounted in the bearing housing ( 3 ) so that it can shift axially in a spacing direction of the slide bearings ( 7 ), the universal joint is arranged between connecting points situated at ends of the inclination apparatus ( 2 ) facing away from each other, of which one is adapted to be connected with a camera, a spotting scope, a pair of binoculars or similar optical instrument, or a holding device, and the other is adapted to be connected with at least one tripod leg or similar holder, the bearing housing ( 3 ) includes a clamping ring ( 9 ) that can expand at a gap and has an inclined surface ( 12 ) that tapers relative to a longitudinal central plane toward the ball joint ( 5 ), and the inclined surface ( 12 ) interacts with a complementarily shaped counter-inclination ( 13 ) on the axially shifting slide bearing ( 7 ).