Patent ID: 8025262

Claim:
A tripod assembly comprising: a vertically movable body vertically movable relative to a connecting portion to which upper ends of legs of the tripod assembly are pivotally coupled; and a collet portion fixed to an upper end of the vertically movable body and including a cup-shaped collet which is flexible and formed with a plurality of slits extending radially, wherein the collet receives a semispherical bowl leveler, a cup-shaped inside surface of the collet making contact with a semispherical surface of the bowl leveler, wherein the bowl leveler is combined with the collet portion by a bolt and is free to tilt back/forth and sideways as guided by the collet, wherein an upper end portion of the vertically movable body is provided with a collar at a place outside the collet, the collar being vertically movable relative to the vertically movable body, wherein the collar includes an abutment portion on an inside surface thereof, the abutment portion being capable of being abutted against an outside surface of the collet, and wherein upward movement of the collar brings the abutment portion into abutment against the outside surface of the collet for flexing the collet inwardly, while the collet is pressed against the semispherical surface of the bowl leveler at the inside surface thereof, thereby retainingly fixing the bowl leveler in a horizontal position.