Camera focusing means

Claim 2

In a television camera, a frame having a guide means, an image tube, an image tube carrier guided by said means for movement along a predetermined, linear path of travel for shifting and carrying therewith said image tube between an infinity focusing position and a near-object focusing position, a manually operable member mounted on said frame for turning manipulation by an operator during televising operations to cause said image tube carrier to move said image tube along said path between said infinity position and said near object position, a shaft fixed to said manually operable member and mounted for turning with operation of said manually operable member during televising, and means connecting said shaft and said carrier for converting a rotational movement of said shaft to a linear movement of said carrier, said means moving said image tube carrier through a predetermined distance with a turning of the manually operable member through a predetermined angular movement when the said carrier is at or adjacent said near-object focusing position and moving said carrier through a lesser distance for the same amount of angular movement when said carrier is at or adjacent the infinite focusing position whereby focusing of said camera is facilitated.

Claim 3

An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the means connecting said shaft to said carrier includes eccentric means movable by said shaft through a path eccentric to the axis of said shaft, and in which the component of movement of said eccentric means parallel to the direction of carrier travel for a given turning movement of said shaft is greatest when the carrier is adjacent the near object focusing position.

Claim 4

An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 in which said means connecting said shaft to said carrier includes a link pivotally connected at one end to said carrier and connected at its other end to said eccentric means.

Claim 5

An apparatus in accordance with claim 3 in which said eccentric means includes a disc fixed to and rotatable about a longitudinal axis for said shaft and the pivotal connection of said link is rotatably mounted on said disc at a position which is offset from the axis of said shaft.

Claim 6

An apparatus in accordance with claim 4 in which a pivot pin with a tapered surface is disposed to pivotally mount the link to said disc and the link is provided with an opening which cooperates with the tapered surface and the apparatus further includes a spring biasing the link so that the wall forming said opening remains fully engaged with the tapered surface whereby said pivotal mount is automatically adjusted for wear and backlash is eliminated.

Claim 7

An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the means connecting said shaft to said carrier includes a gear mechanism having a meshed rack and gear operable by said shaft to convert its angular movement into linear movement for said carrier.

Claim 8

An apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which said means connecting said shaft to said carrier includes a disc fixed at its center to said shaft and in which a gear is mounted on said disc eccentrically of the longitudinal axis of said shaft and in which a link is connected to said carrier and carries a rack meshed with and driven by said gear.

Claim 9

An apparatus in accordance with claim 7 in which means bias said rack and gear into engagement and in which means are provided to guide said rack for movement along a path substantially parallel to the path of carrier travel.

Claim 10

An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 in which means are provided to lock said carrier against movement from a given focus.

Claim 11

An apparatus in accordance with claim 2 in which said frame and said shaft are provided with mating conical surfaces and in which a spring biases said shaft longitudinally to abut said mating surfaces and thereby hold said shaft against radial and longitudinal movement.

Claim 12

An apparatus in accordance with claim 4 in which said link is adjustable in length so that the infinity and near object positions of the carrier may be adjusted.

Claim 13

In a television camera, a housing having front, rear and sidewall, a rotatable lens turret having a lens positioned on said front housing wall, an image tube, an image tube carrier disposed adjacent said lens, means in said housing to guide said carrier for travel relative to said lens and to maintain the optical axes of the lens and said image tube aligned, and a focus control means including a manually turnable member for turning by a camera operator during a televising operation and for converting rotational movement of said member into a linear movement of said carrier, said focus control means further including an eccentric interconnecting said manually turnable member and said carrier, said eccentric being disposed to have an increasing component of movement in the direction parallel to said carrier movement during initial movement of said carrier from an infinity focusing position for said carrier.

Claim 14

In a television camera, a housing having front, rear and sidewall, a rotatable lens turret having a lens positioned on said front housing wall, an image tube, an image tube carrier disposed adjacent said lens, means in said housing to guide said carrier for travel relative to said lens and to maintain the optical axes of the lens and said image tube aligned, and a focus control means including a manually turnable member for turning by a camera operator during a televising operation and for converting rotational movement of said member into a linear movement of said carrier, said focus control means further including an eccentric interconnecting said manually turnable member and said carrier, said eccentric being disposed to have an increasing component of movement in the direction parallel to said carrier movement during initial movement of said carrier from an infinity focusing position for said carrier.

Claim 15

In a television camera, a housing having front, rear and sidewalls a rotatable lens having a lens positioned on said front housing wall, an image tube, an image tube carrier disposed for movement relative to said lens, means for guiding said image carrier for rectilinear movement within said housing, means in said housing to guide said carrier for travel relative to said lens and to maintain optical axes of the lens and said image tube in alignment, a manually turnable member accessible at one of said sidewalls of said housing for turning by a camera operator during a televising operation, a shaft fixed to said manually turnable member and mounted for turning therewith, means for converting said turning movement of said shaft into linear movement of said Carrier and image tube and including eccentric means fixed to said shaft for rotation therewith, link means connected at one end to said eccentric means and at an opposite end to said carrier for moving said carrier along said guide means with turning of said shaft and said eccentric means, said means for converting said turning movement providing an increasing component of movement in the direction parallel to said carrier movement for focusing when an object is adjacent a near-object focusing position than when the object is at or adjacent an infinite focusing position; and means for frictionally exerting forces on said shaft and link means to maintain the positions of said converting means and said shaft relative to each other to prevent backlash and looseness which would interfere with precise movement of said carrier with turning of said shaft.

Claim 16

In a television camera, a housing having front, rear and sidewalls a rotatable lens having a lens positioned on said front housing wall, an image tube, an image tube carrier disposed for movement relative to said lens, means for guiding said image carrier for rectilinear movement within said housing, means in said housing to guide said carrier for travel relative to said lens and to maintain optical axes of the lens and said image tube in alignment, a manually turnable member accessible at one of said sidewalls of said housing for turning by a camera operator during a televising operation, a shaft fixed to said manually turnable member and mounted for turning therewith, means for converting said turning movement of said shaft into linear movement of said Carrier and image tube and including eccentric means fixed to said shaft for rotation therewith, link means connected at one end to said eccentric means and at an opposite end to said carrier for moving said carrier along said guide means with turning of said shaft and said eccentric means, said means for converting said turning movement providing an increasing component of movement in the direction parallel to said carrier movement for focusing when an object is adjacent a near-object focusing position than when the object is at or adjacent an infinite focusing position; and means for frictionally exerting forces on said shaft and link means to maintain the positions of said converting means and said shaft relative to each other to prevent backlash and looseness which would interfere with precise movement of said carrier with turning of said shaft.