GB2316302A - Single column support stand - Google Patents

Abstract

A stand, eg for lighting, has a vertical support column 11 fixed to a base 12 which is adapted to receive auxiliary vertical legs 17 in sockets 14 a , 14 b whereby the stand may be placed on non-flat surfaces. Additional horizontal foot extensions (15, Fig 1) may slide into the ends of the frame members 13 a - c to give extra lateral stability. The column 11 may include extension members 11 a , 11 b and carry sockets 16 in which unused foot or leg extensions can be stored.

Description

UNIVERSAL STAND This invention relates to a stand, particularly but not exclusively for the mounting thereon of one or more lights, a photographic umbrella with flashgun or photographic light unit or the like.

It is well known to mount a light or a camera on a stand and conventionally such stands normally take the form of an upright support column having attachment means at its upper end for a light or the like and a tripod arrangement at its lower end to enable the stand to be mounted in a stable condition.

Stands of this nature are used in a variety of locations and situations varying from studio locations in which they can readily to be set up in a stable configuration to scenes of accidents or crimes, which may be indoor or outdoor, or used by vehicle mechanics, and in which a stable configuration for the mounting of the stand may be more difficult to achieve.

It is an object of the invention to provide a stand that can be mounted in a stable configuration in the vast majority of situations that are likely to be met and which has a multi-functional facility, i.e. can aptly be described as a 'universal' stand.

Accordingly the invention provides a stand for the mounting of an artide, the stand comprising a vertical support column attached at one end to a foot portion and attachable at its other end to means to attach the article, the foot portion comprising a horizontal frame member, the horizontal frame member having attachment means for auxiliary vertically-extending legs.

As indicated above, the article may be, for example, a light, a photographic umbrella with flashgun or a photographic unit.

Thus, for example, the foot member may be a frame of generally 'H'-configuration in plan with the support column extending from the centre of the cross-bar of the 'H' and at rightangles thereto. Sockets may be attached to the arms of the 'H' to receive auxiliary legs also extending at right angles to the plane of the frame. Thus when the stand is desired to be mounted on uneven ground, for example, on a staircase, the pair of arms of the frame extending in one direction from the cross-piece of the 'H' may be mounted on one stair tread and a pair of auxiliary legs may be attached one to each of the arms extending in the opposite direction from the cross-piece. The height of the legs may be adjusted in their respective sockets so that they contact a lower tread of the staircase with the support column upright. By this means a stable configuration can be achieved for the stand on the stairs.

It will be appreciated that the frame member of the foot portion need not be 'H'-shaped in plan. It may be of any suitable shape, as desired, provided that it can provide an adequate base for the stand on a horizontal floor and can receive the support column and the auxiliary legs. Thus it may be, if desired, of square, rectangular, circular or other plan shape but should preferably have a cross-member (equivalent to the cross-bar of the 'H') so that the support column can be attached thereto.

It will also be appreciated that by 'vertical' and 'horizontal' in the context of this application is meant in relation to a horizontal floor or ground on which the stand is to be mounted and that some variation from truly horizontal and truly vertical will frequently be encountered in practice.

The support column may be releasably attached to the foot portion or permanently secured thereto. The support column may itself be in one or more sections which assemble together to its full extent and, in a preferred embodiment, the stand is readily dismantleable from its constituent members so that it can be placed in a box or other carrying means for transportation and for storage.

In a preferred embodiment the foot portion also has means to receive feet extensions.

Thus, in the case of the aforementioned 'H'-frame member, one or both pairs of the arms of the H may be extended in length by the attachment thereto at their free ends of the feet extensions. By this means, the stand may be counterbalanced against a tendency to tip over if a heavy article is attached at the upper end of the support column or if, as is frequently desired, a light or photographic umbrella with flash unit or photographic light unit etc. is attached to the end of an arm attached to and projecting at an angle, e.g.

horizontally, from the top of the support column.

The components of the stand are preferably made of metal, especially hollow tubular metal, which may be of rectangular or square cross-section. Any sockets to receive extension members may similarly be of hollow section. Feet extensions, for example, may readily be inserted in the open ends of hollow frame members to achieve the length of extension desired.

The upright support column may also cany sockets attached, e.g. in the mid-region of its length so that extension members such as the above-mentioned feet extensions may conveniently be stored and carried in these sockets when not in use.

It will be appreciated that a variety of fittings may be attached to the support column to maximise the utility of the stand. For example, a transverse arm to carry one or more lights may be attached or a fitment for a light reflector for a photographic umbrella with flashgun or photographic light unit. Such arms may be slideable transversely relative to the support column in order to change the position of the light etc. relative to the frame.

Specific embodiments of the invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of stand of the invention; Figure 2 is a similar view to Figure 1 of a modified stand; Figure 3 shows the foot portion of the stand of Figure 2; Figure 4 is a similar view of the stand of Figure 1 in position on steps; Figure 5 to 8 show similar perspective views to Figure 1 with the stand in a variety of configurations.

In the drawings all embodiments are shown made of square hollow section steel tube.

In Figure 1 a stand 10 has a support column 11 integrally-welded at its lower end to the cross-bar 12 of an H-shaped frame member forming the foot portion 13 of the stand.

Each arm of the pair of arms 13A,13B of foot portion 13 is provided with a verticallyextending short socket 14A,14B in which may be positioned, when desired, verticallyextending auxiliary legs, as described below.

Feet extensions 15A,15B,15C,15D are shown ready for insertion into the ends of arms 13A,13B,13C and 13D respectively when required.

The height of support column 11 is extended by attachment at its upper end of an extension 11A which is further extended by an extension 11B. The height of the stand may, thereby, conveniently be altered, as needed.

Extension 11A has welded to two of its opposite faces in the mid-region of its length two sockets 16 extending parallel to the extension, i.e. vertically when the stand is upright on a horizontal floor. These sockets may be used, for example, to hold two feet extensions or auxiliary legs when they are not in use, again as described below.

The upper end 11C of extension 11B can receive, for example, a light, a photographic umbrella with flashgun or a photographic light unit or an extension piece, e.g. a T-bar, on which such items can be mounted.

Figures 2 and 3 shows a similar stand 20 to Figure 1 and like parts are numbered in the '20' series corresponding to the '10' series of Figure 1. As can be seen stand 20 is of basically the same construction as stand 10 except that support column 21 is longer than support column 11 and support column extension 21A is shorter than extension 11A.

Moreover, sockets 26 on support column extension 21A are shown holding members 27, which may be used as auxiliary legs, feet extensions or other extension means.

Figure 4 shows the stand of Figure 1 in use on steps or part of a staircase 18. Cross-bar 12 and arms 13C,13D of the H-frame rest on an upper step 18A. Arms 13A and 13B extend outwardly above the next lower step I 8B and auxiliary legs 17 extend vertically through sockets 14A and 14B on arms 13A,13B to rest with their lower ends on step 18B.

In Figure 5 is shown a stand 30 having a support column 31 attached at its lower end to the cross-bar 32 of H-frame foot portion 33. Attached to the upper end of column 31 is a light 39, e.g. a spotlight.

In Figure 6 a stand 40 has a support column 41 extended by further extension members 41A and 41B. A cross-bar 41C attached to the top of member 41B carries a light 49 at each end. The foot member is shown with feet extensions 45A,B,C,D about to be attached to the ends of arms 43A,B,C,D respectively. Column extension 41A has sockets 46 holding, e.g. auxiliary legs 47.

In Figure 7 stand 50 has a vertical support column 51, column extensions 51A and 51B and a T-piece attachment member 51D at the top of column 51B. A cross-bar 51C is positioned through the hollow cross-bar of the T-piece and fixed at a desired position. A flashgun or photographic light unit 59A and photographic umbrella 59B are attached to one end of the cross-bar 51C.

In Figure 8 stand 60 has a support column 61 and extensions 61A and 618. One of the sockets 66 attached to extension 61A carries a long vertical extension member 61 E whereby a light 69 may be supported at a height above that of the top of extension 61 B.

It will be appreciated that many variations of the above embodiments are possible and the stand of the invention can be configured to meet a wide variety of needs in a wide variety of conditions.

The means of releasably attaching the various components together may be any suitable conventional means including flanged sockets and screws.

Claims (7)

1. A Universal stand including a fixed support column to a base which can be extended by further extension members.

2. A stand as claimed in Claim 1 where the column extension includes sockets in order to secure auxiliary legs.

3. A stand as claimed in Claim 2 where the base includes vertical sockets for supporting auxiliary legs for use on a staircase or rough ground.

4. A stand as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 where a cross-bar may be attached in order to secure two items e.g. lamps.

5. A stand as claimed in Claim 3 where a smaller cross-bar may be attached together with a horizontal extension'on which an item e.g. a lamp,photographic umbrella,may be attached.

6. A stand as claimed in any preceding claim which is made from metal or plastic material or from a combination of these materials.

7. A Universal stand substantially as herein described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.