Plurality of longitudinally scanned fluorescent light-conductive fibers differentially masked for beam position detection

Claim 2

A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein the masking means comprises opaque elements having the fibers wound therearound so that, for part of the lengths of the fibers, they are each behind an element or elements so as to be masked thereby from the beam of exciting radiation.

Claim 3

A mirror galvanometer in combination with digital encoding means for giving an electrical output in digital form representative of the position of the light beam from the galvanometer, said encoding means comprising a plurality of elongated fibers positioned to have the light beam impinge thereon, each of said fibers being of light transmitting material which will fluoresce on exposure to the light transmitted to the various ends of the fibers to indicate digitally the position of the beam relative the fibers.

Claim 4

A mirror galvanometer as claimed in claim 4 wherein the mask is movable to expose different parts of the fiber along different parts of their length.

Claim 5

A liquid level indicator comprising a radiation source arranged on a float, plurality of light-transmitting fibers extending in an upright direction adjacent the float, the fibers being of a material which fluoresces on exposure to radiation from said source, photocells associated with the vArious fibers to respond to fluorescence which is transmitted along the various individual fibers and masking means opaque to said radiation between the various fibers and said source having apertures through which the radiation can impinge on portions of the various fibers, the apertures being arranged so that the level of the float is indicated digitally by the various outputs from the different fibers.

Claim 7

Radiation responsive apparatus comprising a plurality of elongated light transmitting fibers extending generally in a given direction, each of the fibers being of a material which will fluoresce on exposure to radiation, means for longitudinally scanning the fibers simultaneously with a beam of radiation, photocell means response to light due to fluorescence which is transmitted along the different fibers by total internal reflection therein to the one ends thereof, the photocell means including a photocell for each of said fibers so that a digital output from the fibers is available in parallel form, and masking means through which the radiation can impinge on differing parts of the various fibers along their lengths and blocking impingement of the radiation on another part of each of the fibers at a part that differs from that of the other of said fibers to obtain fluorescence of the various fibers to indicate the position of the beam relative the fibers digitally, said masking means being disposed between the fibers and the scanning means.

Claim 8

The apparatus of claim 8 wherein it comprises a liquid level indicator, further characterized in that the scanning means comprises a float having a radiation source thereon, that said fibers extend in an upright direction adjacent said float and that said masking means is between said float and fibers, said masking means having apertures through which the radiation can impinge on parts of the various fibers, the aperture being arranged so that the level of the float is indicated digitally by the various outputs for the different fibers.

Claim 9

Radiation responsive apparatus comprising a mirror galvanometer for reflecting a light beam and digital encoding means for giving an electrical output in digital form representative of the position of the light beam, said encoding means comprising a plurality of fibers of light transmitting material which will fluoresce on exposure to the light beam, and transmit light by total internal reflection that is generated by the fluorescence to the one ends of the fibers, a separate mask for each fiber to block impingement of the light beam along part of the length of the respective fiber, and photocell means responsive to the fluorescent light transmitted along the fibers to the one ends thereof, the photocell means including a photocell for each fiber, the mirror galvanometer including means opposite the fibers from the masks for simultaneously scanning the fibers along their lengths, and the various masks being arranged relative the fibers and scanning means to block impingement on pArts of the lengths of the various fibers that differs from the parts of the lengths of the other of said fibers and obtain from the various outputs of the different photocells, a digital indication of the position of the beam of light relative the fibers.