초록 ▼

A skywatcher's tripod has a seat mounted on a rider support that swivels 360 degrees on a base having upwardly foldable tripod legs. A post forms a forward end of the rider support. An extension arm configured to secure a tripod head for attachment of a surveillance device is axially slidable in a h

A skywatcher's tripod has a seat mounted on a rider support that swivels 360 degrees on a base having upwardly foldable tripod legs. A post forms a forward end of the rider support. An extension arm configured to secure a tripod head for attachment of a surveillance device is axially slidable in a holder that is pivotally secured to the upper end of the post for rotation towards the seated user. The user sights on targets from horizon to zenith depending on the rotated position of the holder and the extension of the arm. The seat folds against the post outboard of the folded tripod legs and is held in folded position by a folded leg that abuts a handle that extends from a bottom side of the seat. The rider support includes a swivel lock and a combination holder/extension arm lock.

대표청구항 ▼

I claim: 1. A compactly foldable skywatcher's tripod including a base defining a swivel axis, three leg members pivotally secured to said base at a common radius from said swivel axis for rotation about leg pivot axes orthogonal to said swivel axis, said leg members being spaced apart equidistant f

I claim: 1. A compactly foldable skywatcher's tripod including a base defining a swivel axis, three leg members pivotally secured to said base at a common radius from said swivel axis for rotation about leg pivot axes orthogonal to said swivel axis, said leg members being spaced apart equidistant from each other, each of said leg members having a free end configured for stationary placement on a ground surface, each of said leg members having a folded position standing upright parallel to said swivel axis encircling said base and an alternative unfolded position supporting said base at an elevation spaced above said ground surface, each of said leg members being provided with a means for holding the leg member in its folded and unfolded positions; wherein the improvement comprises: an L-shaped rider support comprising an elongate main member and an elongate post member secured to a forward end of said main member, said main member being pivotally secured to said base for rotation 360 degrees about said swivel axis, said rider support having a plane of symmetry that extends lengthwise of said main member and includes said post member and said swivel axis; an elongate seat support member positioned on a top side of and extending lengthwise of said main member and likewise centered on said plane of symmetry, said seat support member having a forward end pivotally secured to said main member near said post member for rotation about a seat pivot axis perpendicular to said plane of symmetry; a seat secured to a top side of said seat support member centered on said plane of symmetry, said seat support member and said seat having an unfolded position parallel to said main member and being pivotal together about said seat pivot axis to an upright folded position wherein a top surface of said seat is positioned against a rearward side of said post member; said leg members having a length such that in said unfolded position of said seat and said leg members, said seat is located wholly inboard of an imaginary straight line drawn between the free ends of any two of said leg members; said main member having a length as measured from said swivel axis to said post member such that (A) when said seat is in said folded position against said post member and (B) said post member is centered between two of said leg members so that a rearward end of said main member is thereby aligned with the third one of said leg members, a bottom surface of said seat minimally clears the nearest planes of foldability of said two leg members so that when said two leg members are standing upright in their folded position said seat when in folded position is located immediately outboard of said folded two leg members; said rearward end of said main member terminating short of the folded position of said third leg member; said post member having an upper end defining lug means extending forwardly of a forward side of said post member opposite from said rearward side of said post member, a single straight elongate extension arm slidably mounted in a holder, said extension arm and said holder having a common longitudinal axis located in said plane of symmetry, said holder being pivotally secured to said lug means for rotation about a holder pivot axis perpendicularly intersecting said plane of symmetry, said holder pivot axis being spaced apart from said forward side of said post member such that said holder is rotatable to a position holding said extension arm in a pivotally folded position parallel to said forward side of said post member; said extension arm having a fully retracted position in said holder and said extension arm having a length such that when said extension arm is in said fully retracted and pivotally folded position parallel to said forward side of said post member, a lower end of said extension arm terminates short of said leg members in their unfolded position; said upper end of said extension arm being configured to secure a tripod head adapted to hold a surveillance device; said post member having a length such that when said extension arm is in said fully retracted and pivotally folded position, a surveillance device carried on a tripod head that is secured to said upper end of said extension arm is located substantially at the eye level of a person when seated on said seat, such that, said person has a straight line of sight through said surveillance device at the horizon; an upper end of said holder being rotatable toward said seat and said extension arm being axially extendible to a position holding said carried surveillance device overhanging a seated user's head. 2. A compactly foldable skywatcher's tripod as recited in claim 1, further comprising: said seat support member having a rearward end portion that extends outboard of said base when said seat support member is in said unfolded position parallel to said main member; a handle fixed to said rearward end portion of said seat support member so as to depend from same when said seat support member is in said unfolded position, said rearward end portion of said seat support member extending far enough outboard of said base that clearance is provided between a free end of said handle and said leg members when said leg members are in their unfolded position; said handle having a length such that (a) when said seat is in said folded position against said post member and (b) said rider support is centered between two of said leg members such that said rearward end of said main member is aligned with the third one of said leg members and (c) said third leg member is in its folded position standing upright parallel to said swivel axis, said free end of said handle is close enough to said third leg member that said third leg member prevents unfolding of said seat while at the same time keeping said handle in its unfolded position for carrying said tripod. 3. A compactly foldable skywatcher's tripod as recited in claim 1, further comprising: said extension arm being straight and being square in cross-section so that its four sides each have the same given width, the said given width of each of said sides being for reference purposes herein designated the width of said extension arm and said width being uniform over the full length of said extension arm; for reference purposes herein, first two sides of said extension arm opposite from each other being designated side surfaces and the other two sides opposite from each other being designated a top surface and a bottom surface of said extension arm; said holder comprising first and second elongate congruent planar side members, each of said holder side members having a given width greater than said width of said extension arm and each of said holder side members having a length greater than said given width of said holder side members, said holder side members being positioned adjacent said opposite side surfaces of said extension arm with the longer side of each of said holder side members positioned so as to extend lengthwise of said extension arm; as a consequence of said given width of each of said holder side members being greater than said given width of said extension arm, each of said holder side members defining a bottom margin that is located adjacent to said bottom surface and extends lengthwise of said extension arm, and each of said holder side members defining a top margin that is located adjacent to said top surface and extends lengthwise of said extension arm, said holder side members thereby having a pair of corresponding bottom margins and a pair of corresponding top margins; a means rigidly securing together said corresponding bottom margins and a means rigidly securing together said corresponding top margins such that (a) said side surfaces of said extension arm are slidably confined between said holder side members and (b) said top and bottom surfaces of said extension arm are slidably confined between the said means securing together the said corresponding top margins and the said means securing together the said corresponding bottom margins; said holder pivot axis perpendicularly intersecting said corresponding bottom margins between upper and lower ends of said bottom margins; each of said holder side members being provided with a first slit extending parallel to said extension arm beginning at a first end of the holder side member and extending part way of the length of the holder side member past said holder pivot axis, said first slit being located between said extension arm and said bottom margin; each of said holder side members being provided with a second slit extending parallel to said extension arm beginning at said first end of the holder side member and extending part way of the length of the holder side member past said holder pivot axis, said second slit being located between said extension arm and said top margin; on each of said holder side members said first and second slits creating an elongate depressible segment of the holder side member having a width approximating said given width of said extension arm, each of said depressible segments being resiliently depressible against the adjacent side surface of said extension arm; said lug means comprising a pair of lug members fixed to said upper end of said post member, said lug members having corresponding planar free end portions that extend further forwardly of said forward side of said post member and are spaced apart parallel to and equidistant from opposite sides of said plane of symmetry; said holder being mounted between and being pivotally secured to said free end portions of said lug members such that said common longitudinal axis of said holder and said extension arm is located within said plane of symmetry; said holder pivot axis perpendicularly intersecting said free end portions of said lug members spaced apart from said forward side of said post member such that said holder can be rotated to a folded position that positions said holder and said extension arm parallel to said forward side of said post member; each of said corresponding free end portions of said lug members being provided with a screw-threaded hole, said screw-threaded holes being aligned on a common hole-center axis that perpendicularly intersects said free end portions of said lug members and passes through the said depressible segment of each of said holder side members at all rotated positions of said holder, said hole-center axis being thereby radially removed from said holder pivot axis; at least one thumbscrew, said thumbscrew having a screw-threaded end that is received in one of said screw-threaded holes so as to be turnable against the adjacent depressible segment of said holder and thereby jam said last-recited depressible segment against the adjacent side surface of said extension arm, thereby simultaneously stopping pivotal movement of said holder and axial movement of said extension arm; when said holder is in said pivotally folded position holding said extension arm parallel to said forward side of said post member, said screw-threaded end of said thumbscrew being turnable against said adjacent depressible segment near said first slit; and, when said holder is fully rotated towards said seat, said screw-threaded end of said thumbscrew being turnable against said adjacent depressible segment near said second slit. 4. A compactly foldable skywatcher's tripod as recited in claim 1, further comprising: said base having a planar top surface; said post member being fixed to said main member; said main member and said post member each having a lateral side on a same side of said rider support; an elongate steel rod that is stiff but capable of some degree of flexure, said rod being pivotally secured to said lateral side of said main member for rotation about a rod pivot axis that is perpendicular to said plane of symmetry and is located between said swivel axis and said post member nearest said swivel axis, said rod pivot axis demarcating a rearward segment of said rod that extends from said rod pivot axis to a rearward terminal of said rod that is adapted to abut said planar top surface of said base as a consequence of rotation of said rearward segment of said rod about said rod pivot axis in a direction toward said top surface of said base; said rod pivot axis further demarcating a forward segment of said rod that extends from said rod pivot axis to a forward terminal of said rod that is positioned alongside said lateral side of said post member, said forward terminal of said rod being graspable by a person seated on said seat to effect rotation of said rearward segment of said rod, said forward segment of said rod being long enough to permit flexure of said forward segment and being longer than said rearward segment in order to multiply leverage for jamming said rearward terminal of said rod against said top surface of said base; a rod holding bracket fixed to and extending laterally from said lateral side of said post member in engagement with said forward segment of said rod near said forward terminal of said rod, said rod holding bracket being provided with first and second detent notches within which said forward segment of said rod is alternatively positionable, said first detent notch being most distant from said rod pivot axis and serving to hold said rod in a first rotated position that holds said rearward terminal spaced apart from said top surface of said base so that said rider support is thereby freely rotatable about said swivel axis, said second detent notch being located nearer said rod pivot axis and serving to hold said rod in a second rotated position that holds said rearward terminal jammed against said top surface of said base so that said rider support is thereby stopped from rotating about said swivel axis, said first and second detent notches being spaced far enough apart from each other that relocation of said forward segment of said rod from said first detent notch to said second detent notch requires application of a force to said forward terminal that is great enough to force said flexure of said forward segment of said rod.