Tilt-pan head for cameras

• US 4,653,709 A
• Filed: 04/11/1986
• Issued: 03/31/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Arthur J. Paldino
• Original Assignee: Arthur J. Paldino
• Inventors: Paldino, Arthur J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Foss, J. Franklin
• Assistant Examiner(s): Talbott, David L.
• Application Number:
  US06/850,537
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: 248/183, 248/177, 248/178, 248/179, 248/180, 248/181, 248/182, 248/176, 248/278, 248/288.3, 248/288.5, 248/1 F, 248/1 H, 248/1 I, 354/293, 354/294, 403/55, 403/53, 403/84, 403/74, 403/76, 403/90
• US Class Current: 248/183.2
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/041 Allowing quick release of the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/18 with mechanism for moving the apparatus relatively to the stand
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2014 around a vertical axis F16M11/2035 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32008 Plural distinct articulation axes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/32024 Single adjustment for plural axes

Abstract

The present invention provides a tilt-pan head for controlling the movement of instruments in which panning and tilting motions are required. Each function, the pan drag, the tilt drag, the pan locking and the tilt locking are controlled by four coaxially mounted knurled control rings that are stacked one on top of the other, and independently rotatable to control an individual applicable function.

Claims

1. An improved tilt-pan head device wherein tilt frictional drag, panning frictional drag, panning lock, and tilting and means adapted to mount said device on a support base, a hollow central cylindrical control column, a control shaft running longitudinally through said column, frictional means secured at the top of said control shaft and biased upwardly, a pair of hemispheres releaseably secured together and slidingly secured to said control column, a mounting plate secured to the top surface of said hemispheres and adapted to retain an adapter plate thereon, said hemispheres cradled on an annular dished plate moveable about a horizontal axis and about a vertical axis, four control rings stacked horizontally one upon the other and about said cylindrical control column, and between said support base and said dished plate, a first of said control rings having cammed interior surfaces, slide assemblies within said first control ring biased away from said control column and moveable to engage said control column with frictional means to produce a panning drag upon rotation of said first control ring, a second control ring having a cammed interior surface, slide assemblies within said second contol ring biased away from said control column and moveable to engage said control column with frictional means to lock panning motion upon rotation of said second control ring, a third control ring, an arced inclined plane on the upper surface thereof, at least one vertical pin means resting on said inclined plane and extending upwardly, and biased downwardly away from engagement with said hemispheres but moveable upwardly to engage said hemispheres and inhibit both tilting and panning movements, a fourth control ring, gear means within said fourth control ring operable when said fourth control ring is rotated to engage a floating gear means on the threaded lower portion of said control shaft, whereby rotation of said fourth control ring will lower said shaft and engage frictional means at the top of said shaft with said hemispheres to produce tilt drag upon rotation of said fourth control ring.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said control rings are arranged in the order:

said first control ring, said second control ring, said third control ring, said forth control ring, one under the other in the foregoing order, with a common axis.