Support head.

The present invention relates to a tripod head for receiving an optical apparatus with a cylindrical housing having at one end a connecting device for a tripod, comprising a flat symmetrical body, which is movably arranged in the housing, and with a locking means to clamp the body.

In a tripod head of this type of body is a ball with a lug for connection of the optical device and the locking device consisting essentially of a slotted annular clamping part with a the ball contour adapted recess in which a ball portion is located, and a clamping screw for pressing the clamping member the ball to the ball the housing clamp respect.

The disadvantages of this tripod head are to be seen essentially in that, particularly with large-format cameras, the required clamping effect on the ball is not be applied in an inclined image or lens carrier that the housing is deformed in the region of the clamping screw and that the optical device can not be vibration-free mounted ,

The invention of the underlying object is to provide a tripod head, in which the disadvantages mentioned do not occur and exposed to the pivoting movement with increasing pivot angle a greater attenuation and the pivot position is defined set.

This object according to the invention is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1.

Be achieved with the invention advantages are to be seen essentially in the fact that a reliable clamping action is achieved by the force acting in the direction of the housing body clamping force and the swiveling movements occurring at the optical device to be effectively damped.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention a first and second flat symmetrical body are provided, the first and second bodies are perpendicular to each other and transversely pivotally mounted to the housing axis, wherein at least one body has a connecting section for the optical device, and the second body is a further locking device assigned.

The thus resultant advantages can be seen in the fact that by separate defined pivoting movements, the optical device is leicher adjustable and is maintained free of vibration through the parking facilities.

In another embodiment, the body has two identically shaped sections which are formed on a line lying, two housings are provided, which are pivotally mounted on a respective portion and to a right angle to each other arranged axes, and each section is associated with a locking device.

This embodiment has the advantage that it is simple and is particularly suitable for vibration-free mounting of optical devices with low weight.

In the following the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:<ul><li>Fig. 1 shows a section through a preferred embodiment of an inventive tripod head,</li><li>Fig. 2 shows a section through another embodiment of the inventive tripod head,</li><li>Fig. 3 shows a modified embodiment of the locking device and</li><li>Fig. 4 is a schematic representation of a pivoted body.</li></ul>

The tripod head includes a cylindrical housing 1 having a connecting device 2 for a Statiy which is mounted at one end of the housing, a first body 3 and a second body 4 with a terminal portion 5, for an optical device, which is pivotally mounted in the housing and a first and second locking means 6, 7 which are associated with the first or second body 3, the fourth

At the other end of the housing a bearing section 8 is formed for the first body 3rd The first body 3 pivotally about a transverse axis of the housing 9 the hollow shaft 10 is mounted. In the first body 3 has a cylindrical recess 11 and a bearing portion 12 for the second body 4 is formed. The second body 4 is provided with a slot 13 and disposed in the first body 3 so that it is pivotable transversely to the hollow shaft 10 and guided along the hollow shaft 10th At the free end of the connecting section 5, a camera plate 14 is disposed. Further, a bore 15 for a threaded bolt (not shown) is provided for fixing the optical device in the section. The first and second bodies 3, 4 are rotationally symmetrical body and disposed in the rest position so that their axes of rotation coincide.

The locking device 6 for the first body 3 comprises an annular clamping part 16, which is guided with the cylindrical surface on the inside of the housing 1, a support ring 17, which rests with one end face on the connecting device 2 and the outside of the other end side with a radially rising inclined surface is provided, two slide parts 18 which are on the one hand bear against the clamping member 16 and on the other hand, is provided with an inclined surface, and an actuating device 19 which is in engagement with the slide parts 18th The sloping surfaces on the support ring 17 and the slide parts 18 have opposite inclinations with the same angle of inclination. The support ring 17 and the slide members 18 are successively arranged lying with their inclined surfaces, so that radial displacement of the slide parts 18 causes a displacement of the clamping member 16 towards the first body. 3 This radial displacement of the slide members 18 is effected by the adjusting device 19, which consists of a spindle 20 and a rotary knob 21st To this end, each a threaded hole provided in the slide parts 18 and the spindle 20 are threaded sections with linksgängigem or rechtsgängigem thread 22, 23 is formed, on which the slide parts are screwed 18th The spindle 20 is on one side led out of the housing 1 and is provided at this end with a knob 21st The spindle 20 is guided in an elongated hole 24 whose center line runs parallel to the housing axis 9 to enable the displacement of the spindle 20 upon detection of the first body. 3

The locking device 7 for the second body 4 is configured similar to the locking device 6 for the first body 3, but differs in the design of the adjusting device. This locking device comprises an annular clamping part 25 which is guided with lateral surface on the inside of the recess 11, a support ring 26 which is provided on one end side with an inclined surface and is fixed to the periphery in the recess 11 in the first body 3 so that the inclined surface within the recess is located and rises radially outwardly, two slide parts 27 which are on the one hand bear against the clamping member 25 and on the other hand, is provided with an inclined surface, and an actuating device 28 which is in engagement with the slide parts 72nd The arrangement of the clamp member 25, the support ring 26 and the slide parts 27 to one another is the same as the locking device 6 for the first body 3, can be thus omitted a description.

The actuating device 28 includes a spindle 29, which is one-sided led out of the housing 1, a knob 30 which is fixed to the spindle, and two slider members 31, which communicate with the slide parts 27th The slide elements 31 a threaded sleeve 32 with an internal thread and a web 33 which projects radially from the threaded sleeve. A threaded sleeve is provided with a right hand thread and the other threaded sleeve with a left-handed inner thread. The spindle 29 is 35 provided with a right-handed and one left-hand threaded portion 34 on which threaded portions the slide elements 32 are screwed with their threaded sleeves 32 are guided in the hollow shaft 10 at the periphery. The hollow shaft 10 is further provided with a slot 36 through which the fins protrude 33 and prevents rotation of the slider elements 31 during rotation of the spindle 29th Thus, the slider elements 31 are successively or moved apart when the spindle is rotated.

Trained as a rotating body body represent an oblate spheroid, that is, about the form of the globe in the field of the Aequatorlinie the diameter D_G comprises (Fig. 4). Referring to FIG. 1, the clamp member 6 has a recess which is adapted to the shallower portion of the body 3. The first body 3 is arranged in the housing 1 in a normal position so that its axis of rotation coincides with the housing axis and intersecting the nine Aequatorlinie hollow shaft 10 is pivotable. Through the design and arrangement of the first body 3 is achieved that the clamping effect is enhanced with increasing pivot angle through which enlarging scope of the present at the terminal portion 16 first body. 3 Thus, the pivoting movement is damped one hand and on the other hand prevents in a serious optical device unintentional pivotal movement occurs.

The second body 4 is also a body of revolution and stock up on the neck 5, the same contour. This second body 4 is arranged in the first body 3 in a basic position that its axis of rotation coincides with the housing axis. 9 The operation of the second body 4 is analogous to that of the first body 3 and is therefore not described. The first and second bodies 3, 4 (not shown) may be provided at the surface areas which are in contact with the bearing portions 8 and 12, with a coating. but it is also possible to provide a bearing ring (not shown) and of a suitable material.

The terminal device 2 for the tripod (not shown) includes a split ring 41 with a conical hole at the center and an external thread on the circumference. In the housing 1, a female threaded portion is formed, in which the ring 41 is screwed. The terminal device 2 further includes a frusto-conical insert 42, the inclination of the conical bore is adapted, and which has in the center with a threaded sleeve 43 internally threaded, and a lid 44 which is fastened by means of countersunk screws 46 on the insert 42nd The connection means 2 is screwed with the ring 41 in the housing 1, the insert 42 and the cover 44 on the ring 41 are rotatable and thus serves the panoramic pivoting.

For locking the panoramic swiveling an adjusting screw 48 is provided, which is screwed into a threaded bore which is provided in the region of the ring 41 in the housing first This screw 47 of the ring 41 can be pressed against the use 42nd

The embodiment shown in Fig. 2 includes a body 51 which is a body of revolution. The body 51 has two sections 52 and 53, which represent a flattened ellipsoid of revolution, ie, it has approximately the shape of the globe, having the largest diameter in the range of Aequatorlinie. In each section 52, 53 an axis is mounted 54 and 55 which are perpendicular to each other and arranged transversely to the axis of rotation. The axles are on both sides before the sections 52 and 54th Each portion is a housing 56 and associated with a locking device 57, the embodiment is similar to those in connection with FIG. 1 described. Each housing 56 has a connecting device 58, which as equal to 1 described in connection with FIG..

In the embodiment of FIG. 2 is a connection device 58 is secured with a set screw 59 against rotation and used to connect the optical device, while the other terminal device 58 is connected to the tripod and the panoramic tilting serves. For this purpose, according to the invention, a clamping screw 60 is provided. In order to achieve the clamping effect of the ring 61 is slotted so that the ring 61 can be compressed by the clamping screw 60th In the connecting device 58 for the optical device, the clamping is carried out by the stud 59th

The sections 52 and 53 of the body 3 are provided with cylindrical recesses in order to reduce body weight.

Instead of the two-piece body the sections 52 and 53 correspondingly formed body can be provided which are pivotally connected together and separated by a spacer.

As FIG 3 shows, the locking device can be modified 70 by the annular clamp member 71 at an end face having 72 adapted recess and at the other end side of the inclined surface 73 of the body and facing away from the slide members 74 on which the connection means 75 lying side having side the inclined surface 76th In this case, 75 of the clamping member 71 is determined by the displacement of the slide parts immediately moved towards the body 72 and achieve the clamping action. This shifting of the slide parts 75 is effected by an adjusting device 77 with a spindle 78 and a knob 79. The spindle 77 has a right- and left-handed threaded portion 80, 81 and indeed analogous to the locking device for the first body in FIG. 1.

With reference to FIG. 4, the effect of the body shape will be explained. As already mentioned, the body has the shape of a globe, in the area of ​​the largest diameter D Aequatorlinie the_G Has. If a body or housing is pivoted about the angle, a part of the extended portion of the body will cause in the recess in the clamp member a greater clamping effect in this area. Thus creating greater damping is achieved, so that the focus of the strap on body apparatus or device may be the swing outside the ball circumference.