Equipment support system

Claim 2

A support system adapted to support a piece of equipment to give it improved stability against undesirable motion of the body to which the support system is connected, when said body is in motion, which system comprises support means for the piece of equipment which means is adapted to suport at least part of the weight of the piece of equipment and which means is adapted to be connected to the body, said support means substantially isolating the piece of equipment at a distance from the body, body connecting means for connecting the support means to the body and allowing for rotational movement of the support means virtually unrestricted by friction about a horizontal and a vertical axis relative the body when the body is in motion, whereby the piece of equipment has improved stability against undesirable motions of the body when in motion and equipment connecting means for connecting the support means with the piece of equipment and allowing rotational movement virtually unrestricted by friction about three axes of the piece of equipment relative to the support means, namely a first horizontal axis, a second horizontal axis angularly offset from the first and a vertical axis, said suport means comprising tension means which means are adapted to counteract the force of gravity against the piece of equipment, thus counterbalancing the pull downward of the weight of the piece of equipment.

Claim 3

The support system of claim 1 wherein the carring means is a brace.

Claim 4

The support system of claim 2 wherein the brace is adapted to be connected to the supporting means by the intermediary of a connecting means.

Claim 5

The support system of claim 1 wherein the first supporting arm includes a tension means.

Claim 6

The support system of claim 1 wherein the second supporting arm includes a tension means.

Claim 7

The support system of claim 1 wherein the support means comprise means which counteract the force of gravity gainst the piece of equipment, thus counterbalancing the pull downward of the weight of the piece of equipment.

Claim 8

The support system of claim 1 wherein the support means comprises a first and second supporting arm.

Claim 9

The support system of claim 7 wherein the first and second supporting arms are interconnected.

Claim 10

The support system of claim 8 wherein the supporting arms comprise an upper and lower link, which form the legs of a parallelogram arrangement.

Claim 11

The support system of claim 7 wherein the first supporting arm comprises a spring means, said spring means continuously biasing the end of the first arm that is remote from the body upwardly relative to the body, the bias of the spring means being substantially balanced by the weight of the piece of equipment to cause the piece of equipment to free float irrespective the movement of the body.

Claim 12

The support system of claim 7 wherein the second supporting arm comprises a spring means, said spring means continuously biasing the end of the second arm which is remote from the body upwardly relative to the body, the bias counteracting the weight of the piece of equipment.

Claim 13

The support system of claim 7 wherein the first and second supporting arm comprise a first and second spring means which biases the first and second arm respectively, relative to the body, whereby the weight of the piece of equipment is counteracted by the bias of the spring means.

Claim 14

The support system of claim 12 wherein the second spring means are of greater strength than the first spring means, thereby imposing increased forces on the first spring means.

Claim 15

The support system of claim 12 wherein the first and second spring means are adapted to pivot the first and second arms about any of their respective pivots in the same direction relative to the body.

Claim 16

The support system of claim 12 wherein at least one of the springs attaches to a support arm, which has an upper and lower link, in a location offset from both the upper link and the lower link.

Claim 17

The support system of claim 1 wherein the support means comprises spring means.

Claim 18

The support system of claim 7 wherein the first and second arm are connected at a medial block.

Claim 19

The support system of claim 1 wherein the virtually unrestricted frictional movement of the means connecting the support means to the body are allowed by a plurality of substantially frictionless pivots, which pivots do not contribute to counteract the weight of the piece of equipment.

Claim 20

The support system of claim 1 wherein the supports means comprise a plurality of substantially frictionless pivots which allow virtually unrestricted frictional movement of the support mean.

Claim 21

The support means of claim 1 wherein the tension means are resilient means.

Claim 22

The support system of claim 1 wherein the support means is adapted to be positioned forward relative to the body.

Claim 23

The support system of claim 1 which comprises guiding means having a position from which the piece of equipment can be guided to the selected position in space.

Claim 24

The support system of claim 1 which comprises handle means which is adapted to orient and move the piece of equipment.

Claim 25

The support system of claim 22 wherein the means comprise handle means adapted to orient and move the piece of equipment.

Claim 26

The support system of claim 22 wherein the guiding means is positioned spacially below the piece of equipment.

Claim 27

The support system of claim 24 wherein the handle means is positioned in a substantially same vertical place as the piece of equipment.

Claim 28

The support system of claim 1 which is adapted to be guided into the desired position in space with either one of the cameraman's hands.

Claim 29

The support means of claim 1 wherein the body connecting means comprises means for virtually unrestricted pivotable frictional movement about a horizontal axis.

Claim 30

The support means of claim 1 wherein the body connecting means comprises means for virtually unrestricted pivotable frictional movement about a vertical axis.

Claim 31

The support means of claim 1 which comprises also carrying means adapted to be positioned on the body when in motion.

Claim 32

The support means of claim 1 wherein the connecting means comprise a plate for pivotal rotation in a horizontal plane about a vertical pivot pin.

Claim 33

The support means of claim 31 wherein a plate is adapted to be connected to carrying means adapted to be positioned on the body.

Claim 34

The support system of claim 1 wherein the means for connecting the support means with the piece of equipment comprise means for for virtually unrestricted frictional movement about the first horizontal axis.

Claim 35

The support system of claim 1 wherein the means for connecting the support means with the piece of equipment comprise means for for virtually unrestricted frictionlal movement about the second horizontal axis.

Claim 36

The support system of claim 1 wherein the means for connecting the support means with the piece of equipment comprise means for for virtually unrestricted frictional movement about a vertical axis.

Claim 37

The support system of claim 1 wherein the connecting means comprises a yoke which permits movement of the piece of equipment about the first horizontal axis.

Claim 38

The support system of claim 1 wherein the connecting means is a gimbal.

Claim 39

The support system of claim 7 wherein the support means comprises a forward and a a rearward portion, which forward and rearward portions are in longitudinal, justaposed relationship.

Claim 40

A support system adapted to support a piece of equipment to give it improved stability against undesirable motion of the body to which the equipment is connected when said body is in motion, which system comprises support means for the piece of equipment, which means is adapted to terminate at least part of the weight of the piece of equipment and which means is adapted to be connected to the body, said support means substantially isolating the piece of equipment at a distance from the body, and said support means allowing the piece of equipment to be guided to a position in space in a range of selected positions, and body connecting means for connecting the support means to the body and allowing for rotational movement of the support means virtually unrestricted by friction about a horizontal and a vertical axis relative the body when the body is in motion, whereby the piece of equipment has improved stability against undesirable motions of the body when in motion, and equipment connecting means for connecting the support means with the piece of equipment and allowing rotational movement about three axes of the piece of equipment relative to the support means virtually unrestricted by friction, namely a first horizontal axis, a second horizontal axis angularly offset from a first and a vertical axis, and linking means interconnecting the body connecting means and the equipment connecting means.

Claim 41

A support system adapted to support a piece of equipment to give it improved stability against undesirable motion of the body to which the equipment is connected when said body is in motion, which system comprises support means for the piece of equipment, which means is adapted to terminate at least part of the weight of the piece of equipment and which means is adapted to be connected to the body, said support means substantially isolating the piece of equipment at a distance from the body, and said support means allowing the piece of equipment to be guided to a position in space in a range of selected positions, and body connecting means for connecting the support means to the body and allowing for rotational movement of the support means virtually unrestricted by friction about a horizontal and a vertical axis relative the body when the body is in motion, whereby the piece of equipment has improved stability against undesirable motions of the body when in motion, and equipment connecting means for connecting the support means with the piece of equipment and allowing rotational movement about three axes of the piece of equipment relative to the support means virtually unrestricted by friction, namely a first horizontal axis, a second horizontal axis angularly offset from a first and a vertical axis, and linking means interconnecting the body connecting means and the equipment connecting means.

Claim 42

The support system of claim 39 wherein the linking means comprises tension means.

Claim 43

The support system of claim 40 wherein the linking means comprises several tension means.

Claim 44

The support system of claim 39 which comprises several linking means.

Claim 45

The support system of claim 42 wherein several linking means are connected by a tension means.

Claim 46

The support system of claim 43 wherein several linking means are connected by several tension means.

Claim 47

The support system of claim 42 wherein the linking means are pivotably connected.

Claim 48

The support means of claim 39 wherein the system comprises a guiding means for guiding the piece of equipment to a position in space.

Claim 49

The support system of claim 39 wherein the linking means are connected by a plurality of substantially frictionless pivots which allow for virtually unrestricted frictional movement, whereby the pivots do not contribute to counteract the weight of the piece of equipment.

Claim 50

A support system adapted to support and stabilize a piece of equipment to give it improved stability against undesirable motion of the body to which the support system is connected when said body is in motion, which system comprises support means for the piece of equipment which means is adapted to support at least part of the weight of the piece of equipment and of isolating the piece of equipment at a distance from the body substantially independently of its motion, said support means comprising body connecting means for connecting the support means to the body and allowing for rotational movement virtually unrestricted by friction of the support means about a horizontal axis and a vertical axis relative the body when the body is in motion, and equipment connecting means for connecting the support means with the piece of equipment and allowing movement virtually unrestricted by friction about the three axes of the piece of equipment relative to the support means, namely a first horizontal axis, a second horizontal axis angularly offset from a first and a vertical axis, and linking means interconnecting the body connecting means and the equipment connecting means and force means, which means is counteracting the force of gravity on the piece of equipment, thus having a counter pulling effect on the pull downward of the weight of the piece of equipment.

Claim 51

A support system adapted to support and stabilize a piece of equipment to give it improved stability against undesirable motion of the body to which the support system is connected when said body is in motion, which system comprises support means for the piece of equipment which means is adapted to support at least part of the weight of the piece of equipment and of isolating the piece of equipment at a distance from the body substantially independently of its motion, said support means comprising body connecting means for connecting the support means to the body and allowing for rotational movement virtually unrestricted by friction of the support means about a horizontal axis and a vertical axis relative the body when the body is in motion, and equipment connecting means for connecting the support means with the piece of equipment and allowing movement virtually unrestricted by friction about the three axes of the piece of equipment relative to the support means, namely a first horizontal axis, a second horizontal axis angularly offset from a first and a vertical axis, and linking means interconnecting the body connecting means and the equipment connecting means and force means, which means is counteracting the force of gravity on the piece of equipment, thus having a counter pulling effect on the pull downward of the weight of the piece of equipment.

Claim 52

The support means of claim 48 which comprises resting means for resting the support means on the body when in motion, said resting means being connected to the body connecting means.

Claim 53

The support means of claim 48 wherein the force means is compressible and extensible.