US3558894A — Telemeter chiefly intended for photographic purpo…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 287 words

A telemeter, useful in measuring distances to an object, chiefly for photographic purposes, comprising projector means arranged to transmit a beam of substantially parallel rays of light to the object the distance of which is to be measured, a convergent optical receiving system arranged to receive a reflected beam from the object and the axis of said system being disposed in substantially parallel relationship with the axis of said projector means, means sensitive to the location of the point at which the rays of light of the reflected beam passing out of said optical system converge on the axis of said optical system, and said projector means comprising a reflector positioned forwardly of said optical receiving system in the direction of the object to be measured, said reflector having a concave face directed toward the object, a substantially pinpoint source of light located at the focus of said reflector, said optical receiving system comprising an annular convergent lens forming member coaxial with said reflector and having its outer diameter larger than the diameter of said reflector, two rearwardly flaring cones of transparent material nested one within the other, said cones being coaxial with said lens-forming member and the rearwardly facing surface of said cones forming a cylindrical surface coaxial with said cones, and means for directing the rays of light of the reflected beam passing through said lens-forming member onto said cylindrical surface for passage through said cones to the apices thereof, and said sensitive means comprising a pair of closely spaced photocells adjacent the apices of said cones to be illuminated by the rays of light of the convergent beam to an extent varying with the location of the point of convergency with said optical axis.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 287 words

A telemeter, useful in measuring distances to an object, chiefly for photographic purposes, comprising projector means arranged to transmit a beam of substantially parallel rays of light to the object the distance of which is to be measured, a convergent optical receiving system arranged to receive a reflected beam from the object and the axis of said system being disposed in substantially parallel relationship with the axis of said projector means, means sensitive to the location of the point at which the rays of light of the reflected beam passing out of said optical system converge on the axis of said optical system, and said projector means comprising a reflector positioned forwardly of said optical receiving system in the direction of the object to be measured, said reflector having a concave face directed toward the object, a substantially pinpoint source of light located at the focus of said reflector, said optical receiving system comprising an annular convergent lens forming member coaxial with said reflector and having its outer diameter larger than the diameter of said reflector, two rearwardly flaring cones of transparent material nested one within the other, said cones being coaxial with said lens-forming member and the rearwardly facing surface of said cones forming a cylindrical surface coaxial with said cones, and means for directing the rays of light of the reflected beam passing through said lens-forming member onto said cylindrical surface for passage through said cones to the apices thereof, and said sensitive means comprising a pair of closely spaced photocells adjacent the apices of said cones to be illuminated by the rays of light of the convergent beam to an extent varying with the location of the point of convergency with said optical axis.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 263 words

A telemeter, useful in measuring distances to an object, chiefly for photographic purposes, comprising projector means for transmitting a beam of substantially parallel rays of light to the object the distance of which is to be measured, a convergent optical receiving system having an optical axis in substantially parallel relationship with the axis of said projector means and arranged to receive a reflected beam from the object being measured, said optical system arranged to converge the reflected beam received from the object, photoelectric means arranged for receiving the reflected beam from said optical system, wherein the improvement comprises said photoelectric means comprising at least two sensitive portions spaced with respect to the locus of the possible convergence of the reflected beam, said optical system comprising annular convergent lens-forming means arranged concentrically about the optical axis of said optical system for collecting the rays of the reflected beam and for directing the reflected beam to said photoelectric means, separator means disposed between said annular convergent lens-forming means and said photoelectric means for separating the reflected beam into two portions with each portion being directed to a different one of said sensitive portions of said photoelectric means, a drive member for displacing said photoelectric means within the range of possible locations of convergence of the reflected beam, and means interconnecting said drive member and photoelectric means for actuating said drive member when said sensitive portions of said photoelectric means are receiving unequal intensities of light from the reflected beam for positioning said photoelectric means until it receives equal intensities of light from the reflected beam.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 263 words

A telemeter, useful in measuring distances to an object, chiefly for photographic purposes, comprising projector means for transmitting a beam of substantially parallel rays of light to the object the distance of which is to be measured, a convergent optical receiving system having an optical axis in substantially parallel relationship with the axis of said projector means and arranged to receive a reflected beam from the object being measured, said optical system arranged to converge the reflected beam received from the object, photoelectric means arranged for receiving the reflected beam from said optical system, wherein the improvement comprises said photoelectric means comprising at least two sensitive portions spaced with respect to the locus of the possible convergence of the reflected beam, said optical system comprising annular convergent lens-forming means arranged concentrically about the optical axis of said optical system for collecting the rays of the reflected beam and for directing the reflected beam to said photoelectric means, separator means disposed between said annular convergent lens-forming means and said photoelectric means for separating the reflected beam into two portions with each portion being directed to a different one of said sensitive portions of said photoelectric means, a drive member for displacing said photoelectric means within the range of possible locations of convergence of the reflected beam, and means interconnecting said drive member and photoelectric means for actuating said drive member when said sensitive portions of said photoelectric means are receiving unequal intensities of light from the reflected beam for positioning said photoelectric means until it receives equal intensities of light from the reflected beam.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 49 words

A telemeter, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said sensitive portions of photoelectric means comprises a pair of spaced photoelectric cells each exposed to a different one of the two portions of the reflected beam received from said optical receiving system after its division by said separator means.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 116 words

A telemeter as set forth in claim 2 wherein said sensitive portions of said photoelectric means comprising a pair of closely spaced photocells arranged on the axis of said optical system for receiving separate rays of light from the reflected beam to a varying extent, and said means interconnecting said drive member and photoelectric device comprising an electric circuit fed differentially by said photocells according to the location of the point of convergence of the reflected beam on the optical axis and consequently to the distance to be measured, and means for modulating the reflected beam passing through said optical system, and an auxiliary source of light arranged to produce a permanent illumination of said photocells.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 244 words

A range finder for measuring the distance to an object, particularly for use in photography, comprising a projector means for directing a narrow light beam to an object whose distance is to be measured, and a convergent optical receiving system capable of forming an image of the portion of the object lighted by the light beam with the image formed by said convergent optical system being shifted parallel to itself along the optical axis of said optical system in dependence on the distance of the object, wherein the improvement comprises a detector device capable of being displaced along the optical axis, said detector device comprising a separator element for separating the luminous flux forming the image into two separate beams with the proportion of the luminous fluxes forming the two beams being dependent on the position of said separator element with respect to that of the image, said optical system comprising convergent lens-forming means arranged concentrically about the optical axis of said optical system for collecting the luminous flux reflected from the object and for directing the luminous flux to said separator element, photoelectric means designed to measure and compare the intensity of the luminous fluxes of the two beams, and means in operative communication with said photoelectric means for displacing said detector device along the optical axis for bringing said detector device into the position for which the ratio of the two luminous fluxes measured by said photoelectric means assumes a given value.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 244 words

A range finder for measuring the distance to an object, particularly for use in photography, comprising a projector means for directing a narrow light beam to an object whose distance is to be measured, and a convergent optical receiving system capable of forming an image of the portion of the object lighted by the light beam with the image formed by said convergent optical system being shifted parallel to itself along the optical axis of said optical system in dependence on the distance of the object, wherein the improvement comprises a detector device capable of being displaced along the optical axis, said detector device comprising a separator element for separating the luminous flux forming the image into two separate beams with the proportion of the luminous fluxes forming the two beams being dependent on the position of said separator element with respect to that of the image, said optical system comprising convergent lens-forming means arranged concentrically about the optical axis of said optical system for collecting the luminous flux reflected from the object and for directing the luminous flux to said separator element, photoelectric means designed to measure and compare the intensity of the luminous fluxes of the two beams, and means in operative communication with said photoelectric means for displacing said detector device along the optical axis for bringing said detector device into the position for which the ratio of the two luminous fluxes measured by said photoelectric means assumes a given value.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 262 words

A telemeter, useful in measuring distances to an object, chiefly for photographic purposes, comprising projector means for transmitting a beam of substantially parallel rays of light to the object the distance of which is to be measured, a convergent optical receiving system having an optical axis in substantially parallel relationship with the axis of said projector means and arranged to receive a reflected beam from the object being measured, said optical system arranged to converge the reflected beam received from the object, photoelectric means arranged for receiving the reflected beam from said optical system, wherein the improvement comprises said photoelectric means comprising at least two sensitive portions spaced with respect to the locus of the possible convergence of the reflected beam, said optical system comprising a concave mirror reflecting surface arranged coaxially with the optical axis of said optical system for collecting the rays of the reflected beam and for directing the reflected beam to said photoelectric means, separator means disposed between said reflecting surface and said photoelectric means for separating the reflected beam into two portions with each portion being directed to a different one of said sensitive portions of said photoelectric means, a drive member for displacing said photoelectric means within the range of possible locations of convergence of the reflected beam, and means interconnecting said drive member and photoelectric means for actuating said drive member when said sensitive portions of said photoelectric means are receiving unequal intensities of light from the reflected beam for positioning said photoelectric means until it receives equal intensities of light from the reflected beam.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 262 words

A telemeter, useful in measuring distances to an object, chiefly for photographic purposes, comprising projector means for transmitting a beam of substantially parallel rays of light to the object the distance of which is to be measured, a convergent optical receiving system having an optical axis in substantially parallel relationship with the axis of said projector means and arranged to receive a reflected beam from the object being measured, said optical system arranged to converge the reflected beam received from the object, photoelectric means arranged for receiving the reflected beam from said optical system, wherein the improvement comprises said photoelectric means comprising at least two sensitive portions spaced with respect to the locus of the possible convergence of the reflected beam, said optical system comprising a concave mirror reflecting surface arranged coaxially with the optical axis of said optical system for collecting the rays of the reflected beam and for directing the reflected beam to said photoelectric means, separator means disposed between said reflecting surface and said photoelectric means for separating the reflected beam into two portions with each portion being directed to a different one of said sensitive portions of said photoelectric means, a drive member for displacing said photoelectric means within the range of possible locations of convergence of the reflected beam, and means interconnecting said drive member and photoelectric means for actuating said drive member when said sensitive portions of said photoelectric means are receiving unequal intensities of light from the reflected beam for positioning said photoelectric means until it receives equal intensities of light from the reflected beam.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 217 words

A range finder for measuring the distance to an object, particularly for use in photography, comprising a projector means for directing a narrow light beam to an object whose distance is to be measured, a convergent optical receiving system capable of forming an image of the portion of the object lighted by the light beam, and detector means displaceable along the optical axis of said convergent optical receiving system, wherein the improvement comprises said convergent optical receiving system including optical means arranged to form a substantially plane linear image of the portion of the object lighted by the light beam, said detector means comprises a separator element movable with said detector means along the optical axis of said convergent optical receiving system to keep substantial coincidence with the surface generated by the linear image when the distance of the object to be measured is varied within the useful range of the range finder, said separator element separating the l luminous flux forming the image into two separate beams with the proportion of the luminous fluxes forming the two beams being dependent on the position of said separator element with respect to that of the image and said detector means comprises photoelectric means designed to measure and compare the intensity of the luminous fluxes of the two beams.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 217 words

A range finder for measuring the distance to an object, particularly for use in photography, comprising a projector means for directing a narrow light beam to an object whose distance is to be measured, a convergent optical receiving system capable of forming an image of the portion of the object lighted by the light beam, and detector means displaceable along the optical axis of said convergent optical receiving system, wherein the improvement comprises said convergent optical receiving system including optical means arranged to form a substantially plane linear image of the portion of the object lighted by the light beam, said detector means comprises a separator element movable with said detector means along the optical axis of said convergent optical receiving system to keep substantial coincidence with the surface generated by the linear image when the distance of the object to be measured is varied within the useful range of the range finder, said separator element separating the l luminous flux forming the image into two separate beams with the proportion of the luminous fluxes forming the two beams being dependent on the position of said separator element with respect to that of the image and said detector means comprises photoelectric means designed to measure and compare the intensity of the luminous fluxes of the two beams.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 68 words

A range finder, according to claim 7, wherein the substantially plane linear image formed by said optical means in said convergent optical receiving system provides a generated surface which is substantially a cylindrical surface whose generating lines are parallel to the optical axis of said convergent optical receiving system when the distance of the object to be measured is varied with the useful range of the range finder.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 35 words

A range finder according to claim 8 wherein said optical means in said convergent optical receiving system comprise an annuLar convergent lens-forming member and a frustoconical annular mirror member, with both said members being coaxial.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 154 words

In a range finder for measuring the distance to an object, particularly for use in photography, comprising a projector means for directing a narrow light beam to an object whose distance is to be measured, the improvement comprising, in combination, an optical receiving system forming a substantially plane linear image of the portion of the object lighted by the light beam, this image being in the form of symmetrical arc portions of a circle centered on the optical axis of said optical receiving system, a detector device comprising separator means displaceable along said optical axis to a position where said separator means coincide with symmetrical parts of the linear image, said separator means separating the luminous fluxes forming each of the symmetrical parts of the linear image into two separate beams and said detector system comprising photoelectric means designed to measure and compare the intensity of the luminous fluxes of the two separate beams.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 154 words

In a range finder for measuring the distance to an object, particularly for use in photography, comprising a projector means for directing a narrow light beam to an object whose distance is to be measured, the improvement comprising, in combination, an optical receiving system forming a substantially plane linear image of the portion of the object lighted by the light beam, this image being in the form of symmetrical arc portions of a circle centered on the optical axis of said optical receiving system, a detector device comprising separator means displaceable along said optical axis to a position where said separator means coincide with symmetrical parts of the linear image, said separator means separating the luminous fluxes forming each of the symmetrical parts of the linear image into two separate beams and said detector system comprising photoelectric means designed to measure and compare the intensity of the luminous fluxes of the two separate beams.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1974-01-25	1974-07-27	1975-01-26	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1978-01-25	1978-07-27	1979-01-26	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1982-01-25	1982-07-27	1983-01-26	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Telemeter chiefly intended for photographic purposes

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