US2806406A - Micro-projector - Google Patents

Description

p 1.957 0. w. BOUGHTON 2,806,406

- MICRO -PROJECTOR Filed Feb. 23, 1956 2 SheetsSheet 1 v INVENTOR. II ,OLIN W. BOUGHTON BY MM ATTORNEY Sept. 17 1957 o. w. ia'ueH-roN MICRO-PROJECTOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 23, 1956 INVENTOK. QLIN W. BOUGHTON BY L MM United 2,806,406 Patented Sept. 17, 1957 ice MICRO-PROJECTOR Olin W. Boughton, Canandaigua, N. Y., assignor to Bausch 8.: Lamb Optical Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 23, 1956, Serial No. 567,292 Claims. (11. 88-24) This invention relates to projectors and more particularly it relates to an improved microproiector for projecting an enlarged image of microscopical objects upon a screen.

A primary object of this invention is to provide a micro-projector of simple, durable and rigid construction, which may be economically manufactured and rnaintained but nevertheless be an efficient and reliable instrument capable of high-grade performance.

It is another object of this invention to provide an improved micro-projector having novel supporting, adjusting and actuating mechanisms cooperatively arranged whereby the operating parts thereof may be mounted in optical alignment with each other in various con1- binations and arrangements suitable for diversified conditions of use.

Further objects and advantages will be found in the novel details of construction and arrangement and combination of parts by referring to the following specification and accompanying. drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation partly in section and broken away of an assembled micro-projector constructed according to my invention,

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on. the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation, with parts shown in section, of the device illustrated in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3, and

Fig. 5 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an auxiliary optical system.

A micro-projector generally indicated by the numeral Ill) and constructed according to a preferred form of my invention, is shown in the drawings. Comprised in this micro-projector is a base 11 having an opening 12 in which a rigid vertical column or post 13 is secured preferably by a nut 14 which is threaded on the lower end of said column.

According to this invent-ion, advantageous means are provided for bracing and steadying the column 13 comprising a self-rigid housing 15 which encloses electrical mechanism. to be described hereinafter, said housing preferably having cylindrical side walls 16 joined in,- egrally at the top by 'a horizontal wall 17 spaced vertically from the base whereby a rigid hollow structure is afforded. On the upper surface of the base 11 is formed an annular vertical shoulder 18 adapted to fit the lower edge of the side walls 16 so as to latermly position the housing 15. In the upper wall 17', an opening 19 is formed through which the column 13 extends in close contact therewith so as to act as a secondary support bearing for bracing the column in upright position. An abutment collar 26 is fixed on the column 13 by a lock or shearpin 21 which is anchored in any suitable manner in aligned openings in the collar and the column. To prevent angular displacement of the column, a vertical lock pin 22 is seated ina vertical here 23 s t a u n se e 2. tom Whish it P trudes into an aligned hole 24 in the housing 15. The nut 14 draws the collar down against the housing 15 so as to hold the housing assembled to the base 11 and when the housing is so assembled, it provides a stable and steady secondary support for bracing the column 13 in upright position.

On the upper end of the column 13, a headpiece 25 having a laterally projecting portion 26 thereon is fixed in any desired manner such as by the threads 27 that are formed on the column and engage with a tapped hole in the lower end of the headpiece. The outer end 26 of the headpiece 25 is constructed to partly overhang the base if and may preferably be of curved shape as shown in Fig. 1.

One of the new features of this invention is provided by a rigid mounting frame 28 on which the optical elements of the micro-projector 14 are mounted. Said frame 23 comprises an elongated rectangular face, along the two longer sides of which a pair of parallel side flanges 29 and 34 are formed as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4 so as to provide a stiff and sturdy mounting member of Ushaped CIOSSrSCCtiO-IL The side flanges 29 and as have aligned bosses 30 and 31 formed on their opposite inner sides whereon are providedmutually parallel contact surfaces 33 and 34 which engage with a companion pair of contact surfaces 35 and 36 located on corresponding bosses 37 and .38 which are located on the outer end 26 of the headpiece 25'. Mounting frame 23 is mounted for pivotal motion on the headpiece 25 by means of a clamp bolt 39 which extends through aligned bores 40, 41 and 42, 43 in the frame and headpiece, respectively. Said bolt 3 is provided at one end with a hand knob i4 and at the other end with a thread on which a nut 45 is held so that the aforementioned contact surface may be clamped together to hold said frame in a stationary position at any desired angle.

Between the flanges 29 and 30 at one end of the frame 28 is formed an abutment rib 46 which is adaptedto contact against the upper surface of the headpiece extension 26 when the frame 23 is swung into horizontal position as shown in Fig. 3. t On the front side of the headpiece 25, there is formed a horizontally extending bifurcated lug or strut 47 having two abutment surfaces and 59 which are adapted as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3 to contact the outer edges of the side flanges and 39, respectively, when the frame 28 is swung into vertical position. The rib t6 and the strut 47 act cooperatively with the headpiece 25 and flanges 29 land 30 respectively to provide stop means for defining respectively horizontal and vertical positions of the frame 28.

On the front face of the mounting frame 28 at one end thereof, a lamphouse 50 is positioned. Said lamphouse 50 comprises a base plate 51 which extends norm 1 to said face outwardly across the optical axis of the instrument. Adjacent to the frame 28, the base plate 51 is provided with a sturdy mounting flange 52 through which screws 53 extend into threaded engagement with said frame. On the rear side of the base plate 51, a lamp 5 4 is provided forthe illumination of the specimen, said lamp being supported in lalignrnent with the aforesaid optical. axis by a lamp bracket 55- which is secured by any suitable means such as the screws 56 to the base plate 551. For protecting the lamp 54, a cup'shaped cover $7 surrounding the lamp is demountably held on the base plate 51 preferably by a peripheral lip 58 which is slidsably fitted to and is frictionally held on an erect shoulder 59 formed on the base plate 51. Ventilation openings 60 are preferably provided in the top of the cover 5'7 through which the heat from the lamp is vented. Between the lamp 54 and the openings 5 4 33 5? an s ie at is h ld. n y pre er ed manner such as by the rivets 62 which are fixed in both the shield and said cover so that the shield is entirely supported by the cover. A condenser lens 63 is provided for concentrating the light from the lamp upon the specimen and it is 'friot'ionally or otherwise positioned and retained in an opening 64 in the base plate '51 in any desired manner in alignment with the aforesaid optical axis. The base plate 51 is appropriately apertured to provide ventilation for the lamp 554.

Next to the lamphouse and condenser lens 63 a stage 65, on which spec mens to be magnified are placed, is mounted transversely of said optical axis and said stage is provided with a sight opening 66 which is substantially concentric with said optical axis. The stage is provided with a depending attachment flange 67 which e:=;-

tends downwardly along the front face of the frame adjacent to the lower end thereof as shown in Fig. 1. On both the flange 1. 7 and the frame 23 are formed coacting slideways .68 and 69, respectively, which are parallel to the optical axis of the micro-projector so that the stage may be moved along the frame for focusing the specimen. Longitudinally in the lower end of the mounting frame 28 there is formed an elongated slot 76 through which "a lock screw 71 extends for locking the stage 65 at various elevations. Said screw 71 is threaded at 72 into a tapped hole in the stage flange 67 and has a head 73 which bears against the rear surface of the frame 28. A bar 74 anchored in the head 73 is provided for turning the screw 71.

Beneath the stage opening 66 is mounted an objective lens 75 in optical alignment therewith by means of a focusing type of substage comprising a base block 76 which is secured on the frontside of the stage flange 67 preferably by the screws 77 which are threaded into said flange. As shown in Fig. 4, dovetail- shaped slideways 78 and 79 are formed along the two long sides of the base block 76 and thereon is slidably fitted a substage bracket 80 by means of a companion pair of slideways 81 and 82 fitted thereto. Coaxial with the optical axis of the instrument, an opening 83 is formed in the bracket 80 and on L the stage side of said opening the objective lens 75 is secured by mating threads 84 formed in the bracket and on the objective barrel. A turret 85 pivoted on the fixed pivot stud 86 is provided on the substage bracket 80 whereon a plurality of objectives 75 may be mounted if desired. For effecting focusing motion of the objective 7.5, the substage bracket 80 is equipped with a rotatable pinion shaft 87 which is suitably journaled transversely in a depending extension .88 of said bracket and thereon is fixed a pinion 89. A rack 90 is formed on the front face of the base block 76 between the slideways in engaging relation with said pinion .89 so that the pinion travels back and forth on the stationary rack as the pinion is turned. For rotating shaft 87 a suitable knob 91, shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is fixed on its outer end.

Below the objective 75 .and in optical alignment therewith is inclinably and detachably mounted a mirror 92 by which light rays from .the optical system may be directed angularly away from the micro-projector 10 to a distant screen, not shown. The mirror 92 is mounted on. a mounting rod 93 by means of a bracket 94 which is freely fitted thereto and is secured thereon by a lock screw 95. At the outer end of the bracket 94 is cooperatively formed on the bracket and mirror a suitable pivotal connection 95 for inclinably holding the mirror on the bracket.

In the substage bracket 80 a bore 97 is formed wherein the upper end of the mounting rod 93 is removably secured by a lock screw 98 which is threaded into said bracket so as to frictionally bear against said rod.

The lamp 54 is energized through a cable 99 from a transformer 100 which is located in the housing 15, said housing further serving as aforementioned to brace the column or mast 113 in upright position. A switch 101, connected by the lead 102 to a'source ofelectrical power 4 and by a lead 103 to the transformer 100, controls the lamp 54.

For effecting additional utility in the use of the microprojector 10, the magnification of the specimen may be still further increased by providing a second or auxiliary magnifying lens system 104 which is mounted in an elongated lens tube 105 as shown Fig. 5. On its upper end, the lens tube 105 has threads 106 formed on the outer surface thereof which engage in a tapped hole 107 formed in the substage bracket 80 at the lower end of the opening 83. If it is desired to direct the projected beam laterally to a wall mounted screen after passing the lens system 104, a long support rod 108, which is held in a manner identical to the short rod 93, is provided in place of the rod 93 to position the mirror 92 below said lens system. in this way the range of image magnification may be greatly extended.

In operation, a specimen, such as mounted on a microscope glass slide, is placed on the stage 65 in alignment with the opening 66. With the lamp 5.4 energized, the image of the specimen may be projected directly onto a screen on the wall with .the parts in position as shown in Fig. 3. The image is focused by turning the knob 91 and optimum illumination is provided by loosening clamping screw '71 and moving the stage65. Ifit is desired to project images of live specimens, the parts are arranged as in Fig. 1 so that the stage 6.5 is horizontal and the light rays will then be reflected laterally onto the screen by the mirror 92. By removing or swinging the mirror out of optical alignment, the image will be projected down onto a screen, such as a sheet of paper placed on the table supporting the instrument.

As will be apparent from the foregoing, I have provided an improved micro-projector which is relatively simple in structure yet highly efficient in operation. The instrument embodies novel features of mechanical con.- struction which provide rigidity to all parts, both stationary and movable, so that accurate alignment of the parts is insured and good optical performance results. Thus, for example, the lower end portion of the post 13 is braced by coaction with the housing 16; the frame 28 is pivotally mounted on headpiece 25 by a construction which insures stability while still permitting movement of the parts; and the stage 65 is slidably mounted .on frame 28 by a construction which permits adjustability without sacrificing rigidity. Various modifications may, obviously, be made without departing from the sp rit of my invention as pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A micro-projector comprising a base, an upstanding support column secured in said base, a laterally projecting headpiece fixed on the upper end of said column, an elongated frame having two substantially parallel flanges extending along two opposite sides thereof, said flanges having vertically parallel contact surfaces on the opposite interior sides of said flanges, a pair of corresponding vertically parallel exterior clamping surfaces adjacent the outer end of said headpiece whereto the'flanges are fitted in contact with the headpiece, a clamp bolt extending through aligned horizontal openings in said headpieceand flanges to pivotally hold the frame in selected angular :positions on the headpiece, stop means for limiting said angular positions including a transverse rib across one .end of said frame adapted to abut the upper surface of said headpiece when the frame is horizontal and an :outward'lyprotruding strut positioned, on said headpiece soas to abutsaid flanges when said frame is vertical, a light source and a condenser therefor carried by one end of said frame, a microscope objective lens carried by the frame .adjacent its other end and a microscope stage mounted between said condenser and objective in optical alignment therewith 'whereby a magnified image of a specimen that is placed on the stage may be projected upon a screen.

2. A micro-projector having a base, a vertical rigid support post carried by the base, a headpiece fixed-to the top of said post and having parts thereof extending substantially vertically and horizontally so that a part overhangs the base, an abutment strut on one part extending substantially parallel to the other part, a frame pivotally mounted on the overhanging part of said headpiece, said frame having a parallel side flanges thereof forming substantially a U-shaped cross-section, said frame further having a protruding abutment rib formed thereon between two adjacent ends of said flanges, means for selectively locking said frame in horizontal and vertical positions in contact with its abutment means, a light source carried by one end of said frame, and a subassembly comprising an object stage and an objective mounting means, and cooperative slideways jointly formed on the subassembly and frame in alignment with said light source whereby a magnified image of an object on said stage may be projected upon an optically aligned screen.

3. A micro-projector comprising a base, an upstanding support column anchored in said base, a laterally projecting headpiece fixed on the upper end of said column, an elongated frame and means for pivotally mounting said frame on the free end of said headpiece over said base so that the frame may be turned in a vertical plane into vertical and horizontal positions, a transverse mounting face on said frame, stop means formed cooperatively on the frame and headpiece for limiting angular motion of the frame, an L-shaped microscope stage having a projecting shelf portion which is provided with a sight opening and having a base portion extending along said face, a sliding connection cooperatively formed on said mounting face and base portion lengthwise of said face by which the stage is slidably held on said frame, means including clamping means for adjustably securing said stage on said face, a substage bracket projecting outwardly from said base portion adjacent to one side of said stage and carrying a microscope objective in optical alignment with said sight opening, said bracket having a base part extending parallel with and carried by the base portion of said stage, a sliding keyed connection cooperatively formed lengthwise on the base parts of said stage and said bracket to provide lengthwise motion therebetween, a lighthouse bracket secured on the end of the frame opposite from the substage bracket, and a light source and condenser means therefor supported by said lighthouse bracket in optical alignment with said objective and sight opening whereby an image of a microscope specimen on the stage may be projected upon a screen by the objective.

4. A micro-projector having a base, an upright support post carried by the base, a laterally projecting headpiece fastened on the top portion of the post and having a stop member projecting substantially horizontally therefrom, a frame pivotally mounted on the laterally projecting portion of the headpiece for selectively placing the frame either in a vertical or horizontal position, said frame being substantially U-shaped in cross-section and having an extended transverse face and a pair of parallel sides projecting rearwardly from the edges of said face, a stop member extending rearwardly from one end of said front face between the parallel sides thereof, means for selectively locking said frame in a selected angular position against the stop members, an optical system having an optical axis lying substantially parallel to said face and comprising a light source and condenser lens carried on said one end of said front face, an object stage having a base portion depending therefrom and a sight opening therethrough, coacting guide means on said depending portion and on said face for slidably mounting the stage for motion parallel to said optical axis, an objective and means for mounting the objective on the depending base portion of the stage, said means including a second coacting guide means cooperatively formed on the base portion and the objective mount for relative movement therebetween along the optical axis of the system whereby an image of an object supported on said stage may be projected onto an optically aligned screen.

5. A micro-projector comprising a base, a rigid upright support column secured therein, means for securing and bracing said column on and in said base including a self-rigid housing having an interior chamber formed by side walls and an integral top wall spaced upwardly from the base, said top wall having an opening through which the column projects in contact therewith, said means including a vertical shoulder formed on the base in contact with said side walls for laterally locating said housing and unitary means for clamping said housing in assembled position against said base so that the housing provides a secondary support bearing for said column, a mounting frame pivoted to the upper end of said column, a light source, an object stage and an objective mounted on said frame in optical alignment with said stage: and said source so as to project onto a screen an image of a specimen that is held on the stage.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,920,183 Bossing Aug. 1, 1933 2,017,292 Porter Oct. 15, 1935 2,168,137 Porter Aug. 1, 1939 2,221,160 Worthington et a1. Nov. 12, 1940 2,409,328 Wilder Oct. 15, 1946

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