Bracket for camera and accessories

Abstract

A camera mounting bracket for holding accessories is provided having a hand held, rectangular frame with a top and bottom having ends that are joined by two opposing sides. The top has a plurality of mounting shoes the top and bottom have threaded holes for mounting photographic or audio accessories. Both sides have a length adjustment mechanism to vary the length of the sides. Both sides have a locking mechanism to releasably lock the sides at a predetermined length, which length is substantially the same. The sides each have a handle and telescope within the handle, with the locking mechanism located at the end of the handle nearest the top so it can be actuated by a user's thumb.

1 . A camera mounting bracket, comprising:
 a hand held frame having a top and bottom each having opposing ends that are joined by two opposing sides, the top having at least one mounting shoe and at least one threaded hole suitable for mounting photographic or audio accessories; the bottom configured to fasten to a camera;   a length adjustment mechanism in each of the two opposing sides is provided to vary the length of the sides;   a locking mechanism on each of the two opposing sides to releasably lock the sides at a predetermined length, which length is substantially the same.   
     
     
         2 . The camera mounting bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the top has a leg extending from each opposing end of the top toward the bottom along first and second axes, respectively, and the bottom has a leg extending from each opposing end of the bottom toward the top, along the first and second axes, respectively, with the leg extending along the first axes received in a first handle to form one of the sides and the legs extending along the second axes received in a second handle to form the other of the sides, the relative movement of the legs and handles comprising the length adjust mechanism. 
     
     
         3 . The camera mounting bracket of  claim 2 , wherein the sides have a length and each leg is less than half that length. 
     
     
         4 . The camera mounting bracket of  claim 2 , wherein the sides have a length and each leg is less than that length. 
     
     
         5 . The camera mounting bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the top has a plurality of mounting shoes and holes, with the holes including a plurality of ¼×20 and ⅜×16 threaded holes. 
     
     
         6 . The camera mounting bracket camera frame of  claim 2 , wherein the top has a plurality of mounting shoes and threaded holes, and wherein the bottom has a plurality of holes, including holes including a plurality of ¼×20 and ⅜×16 threaded holes. 
     
     
         7 . The camera mounting bracket of  claim 2 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a locking nut encircling at least a portion of at least one leg, the locking nut rotatably engaging the handle, the rotation of the locking nut moving a split collet encircling a portion of the at least one leg and having an inclined surface abutting an inclined surface on the handle to move the collet toward and away from the leg, so that rotation of the locking nut releasably fastens the collet and handle to the at least one leg. 
     
     
         8 . The camera mounting bracket of  claim 7 , wherein each handle has a locking nut and collet at each opposing end of the handle. 
     
     
         9 . The camera mounting bracket of  claim 8 , wherein the frame has a rectangular shape, with handles parallel to each other and the top and bottom parallel to each other. 
     
     
         10 . A camera mounting bracket, comprising:
 a hand held frame having an opposing top and bottom each with a first and second leg extending from opposing ends of the top and bottom, with each leg extending along one of substantially parallel first or second axes, the top having at least one of a mounting shoe connected thereto or a hole therein, the hole comprising one of a ¼×20 threaded hole or a ⅜×16 threaded hole, the bottom having at least one hole configured to fasten a camera to the frame and located so the camera can fit inside the frame.   first and second handles aligned along the first and second axes with each handle receiving one leg from the top and one leg from the bottom; and   two releasable locking mechanisms connected to each handle, each releasable locking mechanism releasably connecting one of the first and second legs to the handle.   
     
     
         11 . The camera mounting bracket of  claim 10 , wherein the legs and handles are tubular, and each handle has two releasable locking mechanisms. 
     
     
         12 . The camera mounting bracket of  claim 10 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a split collet encircling a portion of one of the legs and having an inclined surface abutting a mating surface connected to the handle so that relative movement of the mating surfaces clamps or unclamps the collet and partially encircled leg. 
     
     
         13 . The camera mounting bracket of  claim 11 , wherein the locking mechanism includes a split collet encircling a portion of one of the legs and having an inclined surface abutting a mating surface connected to the handle so that relative movement of the mating surfaces clamps or unclamps the collet and partially encircled leg. 
     
     
         14 . The camera mounting bracket of  claim 11 , wherein each handle has a locking mechanism on an end toward the top of the frame, and the top of the frame has a plurality of the threaded holes and a plurality of mounting shoes. 
     
     
         15 . The camera mounting bracket of  claim 14 , wherein the top and bottom are generally parallel. 
     
     
         16 . The camera mounting bracket of  claim 11 , the frame having a first compact position in which the legs have distal ends with the distal ends on the first axis adjacent each other and the distal ends on the second axis are also adjacent each other. 
     
     
         17 . A camera mounting bracket, comprising
 a hand held frame having an opposing top and bottom, one of the top or bottom having a first and second leg extending from opposing ends thereof toward the other of the bottom or top, with each leg extending along one of substantially parallel first or second axes, the top having at least one of a mounting shoe connected thereto or a hole therein, the hole comprising one of a ¼×20 threaded hole or a ⅜×16 threaded hole, the bottom having at least one hole configured to receive a camera mounting screw to secure a camera to the frame and located so the camera can fit inside the frame;   first and second handles aligned along the first and second axes with each handle receiving one leg; and   a releasable locking mechanism connected to each handle, each releasable locking mechanism releasably connecting one of the first and second legs to the handle to allow a distance between the top and bottom to be adjusted by moving the legs relative to the handle and locked in position by the locking mechanism.   
     
     
         18 . The camera mounting bracket of  claim 17 , wherein both the top and bottom have first and second legs and the handles receive two legs and have two releasable locking mechanisms with each locking mechanism releasably engaging a different leg. 
     
     
         19 . The camera mounting bracket of  claim 17 , wherein the releasable locking mechanisms are located at the end of the handle closest to the top. 
     
     
         20 . The camera mounting bracket of  claim 18 , wherein each releasable locking mechanism includes a split-ring collet encircling a portion of the leg associated with the locking mechanism and which contracts to lock the associated leg in position relative to the locking mechanism. 
     
     
         21 . The camera mounting bracket of  claim 17 , wherein the legs are longer than the handle. 
     
     
         22 . The camera mounting bracket of  claim 17 , wherein the top of the frame has a plurality of the threaded holes and a plurality of mounting shoes and the bottom has a plurality of ¼×20 and ⅜×16 threaded holes. 
     
     
         23 . The camera mounting bracket of  claim 17 , wherein a distal end of at least one leg has a material attached thereto to facilitate sliding of the leg within the handle.