Detachable pod for aerial photography

Claim 2

A camera containing pod for attachment to the underside of an aircraft having a cockpit with an unmodified aircraft exterior comprising: a pod having an exterior and an interior, said interior disposed so as to confront the unmodified underside of said aircraft during attachment to said aircraft, said pod having a thickness below said aircraft less than the thickness between said aircraft and a runway on which said aircraft can rest; means for removably securing said pod to the unmodified exterior of said aircraft including at least one strap, said strap passing around said pod at its lower end, and through the cockpit of said aircraft at its upper end; means for tightening said strap with said pod there between to the unmodified belly of said aircraft; an aperture provided in the bottom of said pod having an overlying camera mount for at least one camera thereon; a gimbal support for supporting said camera mount including at least one gimbal portion, said gimbal portion pivoted about substantially horizontal axes; at least one servomotor for angularly positioning said gimbal portion; a lower source for driving said servomotor including power communication means between said servomotor and said power source; at least a first gravity referenced switch attached to said gimbal portion for interrupting said power to said communication means between said servomotor and said power source; said gravity referenced switch opening upon a first disposition with respect to a gravity reference and closing upon a second disposition with respect to a gravity reference; and, circuit means upon closure of said gravity referenced switch for driving said servomotor to open said gravity referenced switch through motion of said gimbal portion whereby said camera mount is maintained in a preselected disposition to the gravity reference of said aircraft.

Claim 3

The invention of claim 1 and wherein said gravity referenced switch includes a mercury switch having an arcuate mercury mass supporting surface with an upwardly disposed radius of curvature along the lower portion thereof, a mass of mercury supported on said surface, and at least one pair of electrical contacts disposed at preselected points along said surface for permitting said mercury mass to complete an electrical connection between said contacts; and, means for mounting said mercury switch to provide for rotation of said mercury switch with respect to said gimbal portion to change said inverted arcuate mercury mass supporting surface with respect to the gravity reference of said aircraft to adjust the sensitivity of said switch.

Claim 4

The invention of claim 1 and including first and second gimbal portions pivoted about substantially perpendicular axes with a first axis oriented parallel to the transverse pitch axis of said aircraft, and a second axis disposed parallel to the longitudinal roll axis of said aircraft.

Claim 5

The invention of claim 3 and including means for mounting said gravity referenced switch to said first and second gimbal portions, respectively.

Claim 6

The invention of claim 2 and wherein said mercury switch includes paired electrical contacts at each end of said arcuate mercury mass supporting surface.

Claim 7

The invention of claim 1 and including means for rotating said camera mount on said gimbal support and remote control means operably connected to said camera mount for controlable rotation of said camera mount.

Claim 8

The invention of claim 1 and wherein said pod is hemispheric and substantially ellipsoidal in shape.

Claim 9

The invention of claim 1 and including means for rotating said camera mount on said gimbal support and remote control means operably connected to said camera mount for controlable rotation of Said camera mount.

Claim 10

A camera containing pod for attachment to the unmodified underside of an aircraft; a pod having a hemispheric and substantially ellipsoidal shaped exterior and a hollow interior, said pod disposed on the underside of said aircraft with said interior confronting the unmodified underside of said aircraft, said pod having a thickness below the underside of said aircraft less than the thickness between said aircraft and a runway on which said aircraft can rest; means for securing said pod to the underside of said aircraft; an aperture provided in the bottom of said pod having an overlying camera mount for supporting at least one camera thereof; a gimbal mount for supporting said camera mount including a first gimbal portion and a second gimbal portion, each said gimbal portion pivoted about a substantially perpendicular and horizontal axis; a first servomotor for angularly positioning said first gimbal portion; a second servomotor for angularly positioning said second gimbal portion; a power source for driving both said servomotors including first and second power communication means between said servomotors and said power source; at least first and second mercury switches attached to said first and second gimbal portions respectively for interrupting said first and second power communication means respectively between said first and second servomotors; each said mercury switch including an inverted arcuate mercury mass supporting surface having an upwardly disposed radius of curvature, a mass of mercury supported on said surface, and paired electrical contacts disposed at a preselected point along said surface for electrical closure by said mercury mass; first and second circuit means upon closure of said contacts of at least one of said mercury switches for driving said servomotors to open said mercury switches through motion of said gimbal portion whereby the camera mount is maintained in preselected disposition to the gravity reference of said aircraft; and, means for mounting said first and second mercury switches to said first and second gimbal portions; said mounting means providing for rotation of said mercury switches with respect to said gimbal portion to change said inverted arcuate mercury mass supporting surface with respect to the gravity reference of said aircraft to adjust the sensitivity of said switches.

Claim 11

A camera containing pod for attachment to the unmodified underside of an aircraft; a pod having a hemispheric and substantially ellipsoidal shaped exterior and a hollow interior, said pod disposed on the underside of said aircraft with said interior confronting the unmodified underside of said aircraft, said pod having a thickness below the underside of said aircraft less than the thickness between said aircraft and a runway on which said aircraft can rest; means for securing said pod to the underside of said aircraft; an aperture provided in the bottom of said pod having an overlying camera mount for supporting at least one camera thereof; a gimbal mount for supporting said camera mount including a first gimbal portion and a second gimbal portion, each said gimbal portion pivoted about a substantially perpendicular and horizontal axis; a first servomotor for angularly positioning said first gimbal portion; a second servomotor for angularly positioning said second gimbal portion; a power source for driving both said servomotors including first and second power communication means between said servomotors and said power source; at least first and second mercury switches attached to said first and second gimbal portions respectively for interrupting said first and second power communication means respectively between said first and second servomotors; each said mercury switch including an inverted arcuate mercury mass supporting surface having an upwardly disposed radius of curvature, a mass of mercury supported on said surface, and paired electrical contacts disposed at a preselected point along said surface for electrical closure by said mercury mass; first and second circuit means upon closure of said contacts of at least one of said mercury switches for driving said servomotors to open said mercury switches through motion of said gimbal portion whereby the camera mount is maintained in preselected disposition to the gravity reference of said aircraft; and, means for mounting said first and second mercury switches to said first and second gimbal portions; said mounting means providing for rotation of said mercury switches with respect to said gimbal portion to change said inverted arcuate mercury mass supporting surface with respect to the gravity reference of said aircraft to adjust the sensitivity of said switches.

Claim 12

The invention of claim 9 and wherein said mercury switches include paired electrical contacts at either end of said inverted arcuate mercury mass supporting surface.

Claim 13

The invention of claim 9 and wherein said camera mount is disposed to mount a camera out of the airstream passing said pod as disposed below the belly of said aircraft.

Claim 14

A camera containing pod for attachment to the underside of an unmodified aircraft exterior comprising: a pod having a rounded exterior and hollow interior, said pod disposed so that said interior confronts the unmodified underside of said aircraft, said pod having a thickness below said aircraft less than the thickness between said aircraft and a runway on which said aircraft can rest; means for removably securing said pod to the unmodified exterior of said aircraft including at least one strap passing around said pod at its lower end; said aircraft having a cockpit at its upper end through which said strap may be passed; means for tightening said strap with said pod there between to the unmodified belly of said aircraft; an aperture provided in the bottom of said pod having an overlying camera mount for at least one camera thereon; a gimbal support for supporting said camera mount including at least one gimbal portion, said gimbal portion pivoted about substantially horizontal axis; at least one servomotor for angularly positioning said gimbal portion; a power source for driving said servomotor including power communication means between said servomotor and said power source; at least a first gravity referenced switch attached to said gimbal portion for interrupting said power to said communication means between said servomotor and said power source; said gravity referenced switch opening upon a first disposition with respect to a gravity reference and closing upon a second disposition with respect to a gravity reference; and, circuit means upon closure of said gravity referenced switch for driving said servomotor to open said gravity referenced switch through motion of said gimbal portion whereby said camera mount is maintained in a preselected disposition to the gravity reference of said aircraft.

Claim 15

A camera containing pod for attachment to the underside of an unmodified aircraft exterior comprising: a pod having a rounded exterior and hollow interior, said pod disposed so that said interior confronts the unmodified underside of said aircraft, said pod having a thickness below said aircraft less than the thickness between said aircraft and a runway on which said aircraft can rest; means for removably securing said pod to the unmodified exterior of said aircraft including at least one strap passing around said pod at its lower end; said aircraft having a cockpit at its upper end through which said strap may be passed; means for tightening said strap with said pod there between to the unmodified belly of said aircraft; an aperture provided in the bottom of said pod having an overlying camera mount for at least one camera thereon; a gimbal support for supporting said camera mount including at least one gimbal portion, said gimbal portion pivoted about substantially horizontal axis; at least one servomotor for angularly positioning said gimbal portion; a power source for driving said servomotor including power communication means between said servomotor and said power source; at least a first gravity referenced switch attached to said gimbal portion for interrupting said power to said communication means between said servomotor and said power source; said gravity referenced switch opening upon a first disposition with respect to a gravity reference and closing upon a second disposition with respect to a gravity reference; and, circuit means upon closure of said gravity referenced switch for driving said servomotor to open said gravity referenced switch through motion of said gimbal portion whereby said camera mount is maintained in a preselected disposition to the gravity reference of said aircraft.