US4177967A — Guidance arm for tripod apparatus

Claim 1

Independent Claim 176 words

Apparatus for controlling a universal movement head of support means as a result of movement of an individual using the support means, said support means for substantially stably supporting the universal movement head and any device such as a camera attached thereto independently of the individual using the support means, comprising in combination: control means for controlling movement of the movement head independently of hand movement of the individual, said control means comprising an arm grip structure having a generally planar contact portion extending generally parallelly between the upper torso and the upper arm of the individual, the contact portion defining an arm contact area of sufficient size to firmly retain the contact portion parallel with and against the upper torso with only upper arm pressure thereagainst; and connection means for operatively connecting said control means to the movement head and adapted for positioning said control means with respect to said movement head to maintain continuous contact of said control means with a portion of the upper torso during movement of the individual using said apparatus.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 176 words

Apparatus for controlling a universal movement head of support means as a result of movement of an individual using the support means, said support means for substantially stably supporting the universal movement head and any device such as a camera attached thereto independently of the individual using the support means, comprising in combination: control means for controlling movement of the movement head independently of hand movement of the individual, said control means comprising an arm grip structure having a generally planar contact portion extending generally parallelly between the upper torso and the upper arm of the individual, the contact portion defining an arm contact area of sufficient size to firmly retain the contact portion parallel with and against the upper torso with only upper arm pressure thereagainst; and connection means for operatively connecting said control means to the movement head and adapted for positioning said control means with respect to said movement head to maintain continuous contact of said control means with a portion of the upper torso during movement of the individual using said apparatus.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 71 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein: said support means comprises a tripod, said control means comprises shoulder contacting structure adapted for abutting the shoulder front of the individual using the tripod, and said connection means operatively transversely spaces the arm grip and shoulder contacting structures with respect to said universal movement head to contact the shoulder and extend between the torso and upper arm of the individual using the tripod.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 25 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said control means further includes a guidance arm piece which defines the arm grip and shoulder contacting structures.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 58 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said control means further comprises a guidance arm piece including a curved portion adapted for contacting the front of the shoulder and defining the shoulder contacting structure, and an extension extending from the curved portion defining the arm grip structure adapted to be gripped between the arm and the upper torso.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 30 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein said arm grip extension generally includes an enlarged terminal end portion defining the contact portion and adapted to facilitate gripping by the arm.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 23 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said connection means includes means for operatively pivotably connecting said control means to the movement head.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 40 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said connection means comprises: an extension member transversely extending and connected to said control means, and universal assembly means for operatively connecting said extension member for universal movement to the universal movement head.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 162 words

Apparatus for controlling universal movement of a tripod head of a tripod as a result of movement of an individual using the tripod, comprising in combination: control means for controlling movement of the tripod head independently of hand movement of the individual, said control means comprising guide means adapted for abutting the shoulder of the individual using the tripod; and connection means for operatively connecting said control means to the tripod head and adapted for positioning said guide means with respect to said tripod head to contact the shoulder of the individual using the tripod, said connection means further comprising: an extension member connected to said guide means, an elongated shaft member adapted for operative attachment to one end of the tripod head and to extend away from the tripod head, and universal assembly means for operatively connecting said extension member for universal movement to said elongated shaft member at a distance along said elongated shaft member spaced from the tripod head.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 162 words

Apparatus for controlling universal movement of a tripod head of a tripod as a result of movement of an individual using the tripod, comprising in combination: control means for controlling movement of the tripod head independently of hand movement of the individual, said control means comprising guide means adapted for abutting the shoulder of the individual using the tripod; and connection means for operatively connecting said control means to the tripod head and adapted for positioning said guide means with respect to said tripod head to contact the shoulder of the individual using the tripod, said connection means further comprising: an extension member connected to said guide means, an elongated shaft member adapted for operative attachment to one end of the tripod head and to extend away from the tripod head, and universal assembly means for operatively connecting said extension member for universal movement to said elongated shaft member at a distance along said elongated shaft member spaced from the tripod head.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 42 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein: said extension member is elongated and connected at a selected position along its length to said universal assembly means, and said universal assembly means receives said extension member transversely with respect to said shaft member.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 50 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 9 wherein: said guide means includes an elongated projection member adapted to extend operatively forward from the shoulder of the individual using the tripod, and said extension member includes means for retaining said projection member at selected positions along the length of said projection member.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 38 words

Apparatus as recited in claim 8 wherein said universal assembly means comprises a ball member operatively connected to said shaft member to rotate therearound and operatively connected to pivot said extension member with respect to said shaft member.

Claim 14

Independent Claim 165 words

A method of using a universal movement head of a tripod in photographing objects, said use being achieved by a photographer using a camera, comprising the steps of: positioning the tripod for use, attaching the camera to the universal movement head of the tripod, providing a guidance arm, operatively universally attaching the guidance arm to the tripod head to control movement of the tripod head and camera by movement of the guidance arm, abutting the upper torso of the photographer and the guidance arm independently of the hands of the photographer, maintaining the guidance arm in continuous firm abutting contact with the upper torso of the photographer by gripping the guidance arm independently of the hands of the photographer, and pivoting the upper torso of the photographer from side to side about the hips to transmit substantially only the pivoting upper torso movement through the guidance arm to change the angular orientation of the camera on the tripod head independently of use of the hands.

Claim 15

Independent Claim 165 words

A method of using a universal movement head of a tripod in photographing objects, said use being achieved by a photographer using a camera, comprising the steps of: positioning the tripod for use, attaching the camera to the universal movement head of the tripod, providing a guidance arm, operatively universally attaching the guidance arm to the tripod head to control movement of the tripod head and camera by movement of the guidance arm, abutting the upper torso of the photographer and the guidance arm independently of the hands of the photographer, maintaining the guidance arm in continuous firm abutting contact with the upper torso of the photographer by gripping the guidance arm independently of the hands of the photographer, and pivoting the upper torso of the photographer from side to side about the hips to transmit substantially only the pivoting upper torso movement through the guidance arm to change the angular orientation of the camera on the tripod head independently of use of the hands.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 78 words

A method as recited in claim 12 wherein the guidance arm provided includes an arm grip portion having a generally flat surface, and said method further comprises the steps of: inserting the flat surface of arm grip portion generally parallelly between the arm and upper torso of the photographer, and gripping the flat surface of arm grip portion by pressing the arm grip portion against the upper torso of the photographer with arm movement independently of the hands.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1982-12-10	1983-06-11	1983-12-11	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1986-12-10	1987-06-11	1987-12-11	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1990-12-10	1991-06-11	1991-12-11	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Guidance arm for tripod apparatus

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