US 4,473,291 A · Support arrangement for track mounted cameras, projectors and camera/projectors

Abstract

In a large, track mounted industrial camera or projector, a leveling arrangement for maintaining the track rails level when their support beams deflect under the influence of the weight of the camera and the rail mounted carriage which carries the camera toward a subject holder at one end of the track. Each rail is mounted on a rail base held down on the underlying support beam by a series of hold down screws. Adjustment screws are threaded through the rail bases and rest on the beams at their lower ends to control the distance of the rail bases above the beams. Each adjustment screw can be independently adjusted to compensate for beam deflection under actual loading conditions and for the variation in beam deflection along the length of the track. The overall track structure is stiffened to reduce beam deflection by an internal cable support structure secured to the rails and by a canopy secured to the beams.

Claims20

Dependent claims

In an optical system having an overhead beam providing a track supported at the ends, a subject holder at one end of the beam, a pair of elongate rails on the beam, a wheeled carriage riding on the rails toward and away from the subject holder, an optical instrument such as a camera suspended from the carriage, and means for driving the carriage along the rails to move the optical instrument toward and away from the subject holder, a leveling arrangement for the rails comprising:

a plurality of hold down fasteners spaced along each rail for holding the rail down on the beam;
and
a plurality of adjustment screws spaced along each rail, each adjustment screw being threaded to the corresponding rail and having a lower end projecting below the rail and engaging the beam to space the rails above the beam, said adjustment screws being independently adjustable to vary the distance of each rail above the beam along the length of the rail, thereby permitting the rails to be maintained in a level condition as the carriage travels along them and the beam deflects under the influence of the load applied thereto by the carriage and instrument.

In combination with a track mounted optical instrument such as a camera, the improvement comprising:

a subject holder for holding subjects of the optical instrument;
a pair of generally parallel support beams providing a track for the optical instrument;
upright support means supporting opposite ends of said beams to mount the beams at an overhead location in substantially horizontal extension toward and away from the subject holder;
an elongate rail on each beam;
a wheeled carriage riding on said rails toward and away from the subject holder, said carriage supporting the optical instrument in suspension therefrom to carry the instrument with the carriage toward and away from the subject holder;
power means for driving said carriage along said rails in opposite directions;
adjustable means for holding each rail down on the corresponding beam;
and
a plurality of adjustment members spaced along the length of each rail for controlling the distance of the rails above the beams, said adjustment members being independently adjustable to vary the spacing between the rails and beams along the length dimensions thereof in a manner to maintain each rail in a level condition as the carriage travels along the rails and the beam deflects under the influence of the load applied thereto by the carriage and optical instrument.

6 more elements

Apparatus for supporting an optical instrument such as a camera, said apparatus comprising:

a subject holder for holding subjects of the optical instrument;
a pair of generally parallel beams providing an overhead track extending toward and away from the subject holder;
upright support posts supporting opposite end portions of said beams at locations adjacent the subject holder and remote therefrom;
an elongate rail on each beam;
a wheeled carriage riding on said rails toward and away from the subject holder;
means extending downwardly between said beams for suspending the optical instrument from said carriage to carry the instrument with the carriage toward and away from the subject holder;
means for driving the carriage along said rails in opposite directions;
and
a rigid canopy having opposite side panels secured at lower ends thereof to said beams and a top panel extending between said side panels at upper ends thereof to cover said carriage and drive means, said top panel resisting compressive forces to oppose downward deflection of said beams between the opposite ends thereof.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Support arrangement for track mounted cameras, projectors and camera/projectors

Life of this patent

Support arrangement for track mounted cameras, projectors and camera/projectors

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20