Tripod, particularly for photographic uses

• US 6,164,843 A
• Filed: 11/12/1998
• Issued: 12/26/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LINO Manfrotto & Company SPA (Vitec Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: LINO Manfrotto & Company SPA (Vitec Group PLC)
• Inventors: Battocchio, Gilberto
• Primary Examiner(s): Mathews, Alan A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BINDINGNAVELE, RAGHUVEER
• Application Number:
  US09/190,008
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 396/428, 354/293, 354/81, 354/288, D16/244, D16/5, 248/168, 248/178.1, 248/279, 248/178, 248/278, 248/280.1, 248/184, 248/122.1, 248/316.2, 352/243, 95/86, 403/218, 403/3, 46/16
• US Class Current: 396/419
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/08 around a vertical axis , e.g. panoramic heads F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/16 Details concerning attachment of head-supporting legs, with or without actuation of locking members thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/32 Undercarriages for supports with three or more telescoping legs
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/022 by friction
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/025 for translational movement

Abstract

The tripod includes a spider for the articulation of the legs and a support mounted in the spider with a first seat coaxial with the principal axis of the tripod and a second seat with an axis substantially perpendicular to the first seat so that a column of the tripod can be housed alternatively and removably either in the first seat or in the second seat.

Claims

1. An improved tripod comprising a spider having a principal axis, at least three legs converging in the spider and articulated thereto, a support in the spider with a first seat coaxial with the principal axis, and a column mounted in the first seat coaxially with the principal axis, characterized in that the support comprises a second seat with an axis perpendicular to the first seat, the column being housed alternatively and removably either in the first seat or in the second seat.

2. A tripod according to claim 1, in which the support has a clamping configuration with at least two jaws restrained axially in the spider, and clamping means are provided between the spider and the support for clamping the jaws onto the column.

3. A tripod according to claim 2, in which half of each seat is formed in one of the jaws and half of each seat is formed in the other jaw.

4. A tripod according to claim 2 in which the support is mounted for rotating about the principal axis in the spider.

5. A tripod according to claim 4, in which locking means are interposed between the support and the spider for locking the rotation of the support about the principal axis.

6. A tripod according to claim 4, in which the locking means for locking the rotation of the support are incorporated in the clamping means for clamping the jaws.

7. A tripod according to claim 6, in which the clamping means comprise a block movable in the spider in a radial direction and having two circumferentially-spaced points of contact with the jaws of the support, the spider defining, on the side diametrally opposite the block, a further two contact points for the jaws, opposite of the block, so that, for any angular position of the jaws about the principal axis, a radial load is produced between the jaws of the spider as a result of the radial tightening of the block against at least one of the jaws.