Crown Tripod (1903)

I bought a beautiful old Rochester Optical and Camera Co. Universal 8x10 yesterday and started the clean-up job this morning. It came with a Crown folding tripod... well, three quarters of a Crown folding tripod to be more accurate. The legs are there, the top is not. Clearly, this is a separate piece that mounts on the camera base and attaches to the three legs with brass pins of some sort.

Anyone have an idea what this part may look like? I can probably construct something, but I'd love to have an idea of how the original worked. The legs are in great shape, solid and clean.

Thanks in advance

Think of a wooden platter about 7 inches in diameter. There will be a bolt going through the center to thread into the camera base. On the side with the bolthead you will see six brackets arranged in pairs. Each bracket will have a pin. You mount the tripod by squeezing the leg halves together. (Think like tongs here.) The legs engage the pins and push against the brackets.

athanasius80 said:

Think of a wooden platter about 7 inches in diameter. There will be a bolt going through the center to thread into the camera base. On the side with the bolthead you will see six brackets arranged in pairs. Each bracket will have a pin. You mount the tripod by squeezing the leg halves together. (Think like tongs here.) The legs engage the pins and push against the brackets.

Click to expand...

Great. Thanks. I think I get it. I couldn't figure out on first try whether the leg "tongs" went inside a set of pins or outside a tongue of wood with a long pin threaded through the entire bit, if you get my meaning. There is a brass spacer down a few inches on each pair, to keep the top pieces from closing and falling off the pins, I suppose. If I can't find one, I'll make it.

Interesting... I was just looking at this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Crown-Tripod-No...ng-tripod_W0QQitemZ300154167270QQcmdZViewItem

JBrunner said:

Interesting... I was just looking at this:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Crown-Tripod-No...ng-tripod_W0QQitemZ300154167270QQcmdZViewItem

Click to expand...

AHA! That is the very beast in question. Thanks, JBrunner.