Abstract: The disclosure relates to a camera mounting tripod having a hub with three legs hinged at one end thereof to the hub at equi-spaced locations around the hub to swing between a folded condition in which the legs lie alongside one another and an erect position in which the legs diverge from one another. An automatic releasable latching device is provided on one of the legs to engage end housings on the other two legs to hold the legs in the folded position.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a clamp (18) for an elongate member (16) comprising a housing (25) through which an elongate member may extend, a clamping member (33) to engage the elongate member and a locking mechanism for pressing the clamping member against the elongate member. The locking mechanism has a rotatable input (37, 41) about a defined axis and a rotary cam means (35, 39) for converting rotation of the input into linear movement of the clamping member in said axis to effect and release engagement of the clamping member with the elongate member.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a mounting for an optical apparatus having an optical axis. The mounting has a base and a support for the optical apparatus which provide movement about one or more orthogonal axes and having damping means between the moving and non-moving components for the or each axis. The mounting further having means to determine movement (&thgr; relative) of the damping means at each moving component as a measure of intended movement of the mounting, means to determine actual movement (&agr; absolute) of the mounting and means responsive to any difference detected between the intended and actual movements to apply a corrective movement to the optical apparatus.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a spreader mechanism for supporting the legs (11) of a tripod erect, comprising a hub (13) having a central axis, three arms (14) pivotally mounted on the hub at positions equi-spaced around the hub to swing with respect to the hub axis between extended and folded positions. A drive mechanism (19, 22) coordinates movement of the arms so that all three arms remain in the same relationship to the hub axis throughout the range of movement of the arms, and a locking device (26, 29, 30, 3, 32) locks the drive mechanism against movement at any position throughout the range of movement of the arms. The locking device may be released held by a push button operated mechanism (50, 51, 36, 34) to allow adjustment of the spreader member and the holding means is deactivated to allow engagement of the locking device to lock the arms in a selected position of adjustment.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a method of forming a joint between an elongate member (10) and a socket comprising the steps of forming a socket (16) in a body (11) to receive an end of a member with a clearance (14) except at the mouth of the socket. An annular recess (17) is formed around the socket and an injection passage (18) for adjesive extends through the body into the recess. An end of a member is located in the socket and adhesive is injected through the passage into the recess to spread throughout and fill the clearance between the member end and socket to set and lock the member end in the socket.

Abstract: A system for performing a variable function such as a variable spring resistance comprises a plurality of selectively operable spring devices and movable actuator means for selecting/deselecting devices over a range of movement of the actuator means. The actuator means includes stepped drives for selecting/deselecting at least one of the spring devices at a predetermined ratio with respect to another of the devices whereby spring devices can be selected to operate individually or in combination by movement of the actuator means to provide multiple levels of spring resistance.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a camera mounting tripod having a huh with three legs hinged at one end thereof to the huh at equi-spaced locations around the hub to swing between a folded condition in which the legs lie alongside one another and an erect position in which the legs diverge from one another. An automatic releasable latching device is provided on one of the legs to engage end housings on the other two legs to hold the legs in the folded position.

Abstract: A system for performing a variable function such as a variable spring resistance comprises a plurality of selectively operable spring devices and movable actuator means for selecting/deselecting devices over a range of movement of the actuator means. The actuator means includes stepped drives for selecting/deselecting at least one of the spring devices at a predetermined ratio with respect to another of the devices whereby spring devices can be selected to operate individually or in combination by movement of the actuator means to provide multiple levels of spring resistance.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a tiltable mounting for a TV camera or the like comprising a base (11), a camera support (16) mounted on the base to tilt about a first horizontal axis to either side of a neutral, upright position, and a counterbalancing mechanism (12) for holding the support with a payload upright or in any rotational position to which it is moved from said upright position. The counterbalancing mechanism comprising an elongate guideway (29) having one end coupled to the support at an eccentric location (23) to said first horizontal axis. A guide (27) with which the guideway (29) is slidably engaged is pivotally mounted on the base about a further horizontal axis spaced from said first axis such that tilting movement of the mounting about the first axis from the neutral position causes the guideway to slide with respect to the guide.

Abstract: The disclosure related to a rotary counterbalancing mechanism comprising a rotatable input (19, 22), a pair of aligned linearly movable outputs (24, 25), means (23) to convert rotation of said input into sinusoidal oscillation of said outputs between minimum and maximum displacement positions and 90° out of phase with each other and spring means (29) for resisting said oscillating movement of the outputs away from said minimum positions. The means to convert rotary motion of the input into linear movement of said two outputs comprise a rotatable cam (23) mounted to rotate about a fixed axis and the outputs comprise two cam followers (30) engaging the cam on opposite sides thereof and mounted for linear movement along a common line of action with each other which passes through the axis or rotation of the cam, said spring means (29) acting on the respective followers biasing the followers towards the cam to resist rotation of the cam.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a rotary drag device having relatively rotatable members one (4) of which has a stack (5) of closely spaced, thin-walled flexible annular plates (20) peripherally mounted thereon to provide annular running faces and a viscous fluid filling the spaces between the plates, and the other (6) of which members has a stack (8) of segmental plates (33) having part-annular running faces interleaved with the annular plates to slide between the plates with relative rotation of the members. Slits (26, 27) in the annular plates permit release of viscous fluid from between the plates as fluid pressure rises ahead of the segmental plates with increasing relative speed between the members.

Abstract: An extendable leg for a stand or similar appliance having elongate members (13,14,15) interconnected to extend and retract with respect to each other includes a first member (13), intermediate member (14) and a final member (15). The intermediate and final members have releasable locking devices (16,17,18) adjacent to one end of the leg engagable with the first and intermediate members respectively. Remote release devices (19) are provided for releasing the locking devices from the other end of the leg to permit when released, the first member to the extended with respect to the intermediate member and the intermediate member to be extended with respect to the final member.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a vertically operating linear actuator for a multi-stage extendible column for carrying a cinematograph or TV camera. A load representing the weight imposed by the multi-stage column with its camera is indicated at (10), a vertically extending gas strut at (11) and a base (12). A piston rod (15) of the strut carries a rotatable disc mounted on a pivot pin eccentrically to its geometric center to provide a varying radius of rotation between the offset center and disc periphery (21). A tether (22) extends over the disc and is secured at one end to an anchorage (23) on the base and the other end supports the load (10). The effective force applied by the strut to the weight (10) will be determined by the effective radii of the disc (20) at points where the tether engages the disc.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a camera pedestal comprising a rolling base (10), a vertically extending column (11) mounted on the base and having a camera mounting (12) at its upper end. The base comprises a chassis (16) having steerable wheel units (17) on which the chassis runs, a body (18) on which the column is mounted, screw-jack (25) supporting the body for vertical adjustment on the chassis, and a skirt (14) depending from the periphery of the body and encircling the chassis to sweep cables and other such obstructions from the path of the pedestal. The gap between the lower periphery of the skirt and the ground is minimised by adjustment of the body vertically with respect to the chassis by means of the screw-jacks.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a viscous damper of the labyrinth ring type for incorporation in a mounting for a TV or video camera for damping pan or tilt movement of the camera. The damper has a stator (10) having a multiplicity of upstanding concentric annular fins (12) and a rotor (17) having a corresponding multiplicity of concentric annular fins (32) projecting downwardly which interleaf with clearance with the upstanding flanges of the stator, the space between the fins being filled with a viscous fluid to provide a resistance to relative movement between the rotor and stator. The rotor is adjusted with respect to the stator by a motor driven lead screw. A speed sensor measures speed of the rotor with respect to the stator and torque applied to the camera by the hand control to pan or tilt the camera is measured by a strain gauge associated with the hand control. A control system is provided for the motor embodying a microprocessor preprogrammed with one or more algorithms coordinating torque and speed.

Abstract: A spreader unit for controlling a multi-legged stand is presented comprising a hub having a central axis and a plurality of arms hinged to the hub to swing in radial planes with respect to the hub axis. A control shaft is mounted in the hub for rotation about the axis with a reversible gear drive between the shaft and arms so that rotation of the shaft swings the arms with respect to the hub in unison and vice versa. A control for locking the shaft against rotation with respect to the hub is provided to hold the arms in required spread positions with respect to the hub.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to an extendible arm for a camera stand or the like, comprising an outer elongate rigid sleeve and an inner elongate rigid sleeve telescopically slidable with respect to the outer sleeve to extend therefrom by a variable amount. One end of the inner sleeve disposed within the outer sleeve has a detent mechanism for locking the inner sleeve in any of a number of positions of extension with respect to the outer sleeve and a release member for the detent mechanism is provided at the other end of the inner sleeve which projects from the outer sleeve with a connection between the release member and detent mechanism extending through the inner sleeve for remote operation of the detent mechanism by the release member.

Abstract: A pedestal for a TV, video, or cinematograph camera having a base mounted on steerable wheel units. The carrier comprises a counter-balanced arm mounted on the base for rotation about a vertical axis and tiltable about a horizontal axis, the steering mechanism is coupled to the arm and steerable wheel units so that rotation of the arm about the vertical axis causes a corresponding steering movement of the wheel units and the direction in which the steerable wheel units are steered is in alignment with the horizontal direction of the arm so that as the base is moved by an operator in a horizontal direction, the pedestal follows that direction.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a counter-balanced load carrier comprising a multi-stage telescopic arm (10). One stage (24) adjacent one end of the arm is mounted for rotation about a horizontal axis (29) in a carrier (17,21) mounted for rotation by a vertical axis (20) on a mobile base (11). The adjacent end stage (23) of the arm carries a counterweight and the end stage (28) at the other end of the arm carries a support (32) for a TV or video camera. The respective stages of the arm are interconnected by a cable or like mechanism to extend and retract together maintaining a fixed ratio between the radius of the payload support and the horizontal axis and the counterweight and the horizontal axis so that the arm remains counterbalanced throughout its range of extension and retraction. The cable mechanism also acts on the camera support on said end section of the arm to maintain the support horizontal throughout the range of tilting of the arm.