Device for stabilizing the images of optical instruments against movement caused by vibration of the instrument

Claim 1

In an optical instrument for viewing objects along a line of sight including an instrument frame and optical imaging means having a focal plane, said optical imaging means being mounted upon said instrument frame, the improvement comprising a stabilizing unit including first and second inertia optical units mounted upon said instrument frame and balanced to remain in equilibrium irrespective of the position of the optical instrument, each said inertia optical unit including a support, at least one compensating optical means mounted upon said support, said compensating optical means being optically connected in series with said optical imaging means to form an optical imaging system for said optical instrument, at least one inertia mass mounted upon said support, and mounting means for mounting said support on said instrument frame for a limited degree of rotational movement about an axis perpendicular to said line of sight and passing through the center of gravity of said inertia optical unit in response to movement of said optical instrument, said mounting means including bearing means elastically coupling said supports for said first and second inertia optical units to said instrument frame and operating to provide limited relative movement between each said support and instrument frame and attenuating damping means coupling said supports to said instrument frame, said damping means operating to resist movement of said supports relative to said instrument frame, the bearing means for elastically coupling the support for said first inertia optical unit to said instrument frame including a plurality of spring clip means secured to said instrument frame, and first elastic cross tape bearing means tensioned by said spring clip means and extending between the support for said first inertia optical unit and each said spring clip means, certain of said first elastic cross tape bearing means operating to bias said support in a first direction and the remaining first cross tape bearing means operative to bias said support in a direction opposite to said first direction, the support for said first inertia optical unit being mounted for limited rotational movement about a horizontal axis perpendicular to said line of sight and the support for said second inertia optical unit being mounted for limited rotational movement about a vertical axis perpendicular to both said horizontal axes and said line of sight, said support for said second inertia optical unit including first and second mounting plates, an optical compensating unit mounted upon each such mounting plate and connected optically in series with said optical imaging means, an inertia mass mounted upon each such mounting plate, and connecting means extending between said first and second mounting plates to join said mounting plates for corresponding rotational movement, the bearing means for elastically coupling the support for said second inertia optical unit to said instrument frame including second sprIng clip means connected to said instrument frame, and second elastic cross tape bearing means tensioned by said second spring clip means and extending between said first and second mounting plates and said second spring clip means, said second elastic cross tape bearing means operating to bias said first and second mounting plates in opposite directions.