Apparatus for enabling concealing surveillance by use of a camera in a vehicle

An arrangement for enabling substantially undetected surveillance of a preselected target area comprising:

• a vehicle modified so that a wall portion thereof includes an opening;
• a camera-mount assembly positioned within the vehicle so that the lens of the camera is directed to view outwardly through the opening, the camera-mount assembly further including a mounting means for enabling selective pivoting of the camera about a substantially vertical, first pivot axis disposed to extend substantially adjacent the camera lens thereby to pan the camera and also about a substantially horizontal, second pivot axis thereby to tilt the camera;
• said camera-mount assembly including support means for selectively holding the camera and base means disposed adjacent said support means for positioning upon a surface, wherein first pivot means are mounted on said base means operable for selectively pivoting said support means, relative to said base means, to thereby pan the camera, and second pivot means interconnecting said base and support means operable for selectively pivoting said support means about said second pivot axis thereby to tilt the camera;
• transfer means pivotally connected to said support means for defining said second pivot axis and for transferring motion from said first pivot means to said support means;
• said first pivot means including first power-driven means operable for imparting rotation, about said first pivot axis, to said transfer means and thereby to said support means;
• and
• said second pivot means including second power-driven means drivingly coupled to an elevator means operable for selectively elevating and lowering said support means thereby to tilt said support means about said second pivot axis.