Telescope mounting system

Claim 2

A telescope comprising: a supporting base including an upwardly opening basin, a telescope housing having a lower spherically curved portion swiveled in said basin for rotation about the center of curvature of said lower spherically curved housing portion, a fluid-bearing system including a fluid-bearing medium within said basin providing a fluid-bearing support for said housing, a telescope structure carried by said housing including telescope optics having an optic axis passing through said center of curvature for receiving light rays from a distant object along said axis, and an eyepiece for viewing said object; and a combined bearing and vibration damping ring on said base about the rim of said basin slidably engaging said spherically curved housing portion to retain said housing centered in said basin.

Claim 3

A telescope comprising: a supporting base including a spherically curved wall forming an upwardly opening basin, a spherical telescope housing swiveled in said basin for rotation about the center of said housing, a fluid-bearing system including a relatively thin fluid-bearing film of generally uniform thickness between said basin wall and telescope housing supporting said housing in spaced relation to said basin wall, said basin having a chamber below said basin wall and opening upwardly through said wall into the space between said wall and housing on a polar axis through said center at an acute angle to a vertical axis through said center; a telescope structure carried by said housing including telescope optics having an optic axis passing through said center of curvature for receiving light rays from a distant object along said axis, and an eyepiece for viewing said object; and means for constraining the movement of said housing relative to said base to rotation about said polar axis and permitting rotation of said housing about a declination axis extending through said center normal to a plane containing said polar axis, vertical axis and optic axis including a bracket iN said chamber rotatably supported on said base for turning on said polar axis, and coupling means joining said bracket and housing for rotation of said housing with said bracket on said polar axis and rotation of said housing relative to bracket on said declination axis.

Claim 4

A telescope comprising: a supporting base including a spherically curved wall forming an upwardly opening basin, a spherical telescope housing swiveled in said basin for rotation about the center of said housing, a fluid-bearing system including a relatively thin fluid-bearing film of generally uniform thickness between said basin wall and telescope housing supporting said housing in spaced relation to said basin wall, said basin having a chamber below said basin wall and opening upwardly through said wall into the space between said wall and housing on a polar axis through said center at an acute angle to a vertical axis through said center; a telescope structure carried by said housing including telescope optics having an optic axis passing through said center of curvature for receiving light rays from a distant object along said axis, and an eyepiece for viewing said object; and means for constraining the movement of said housing relative to said base to rotation about said polar axis and permitting rotation of said housing about a declination axis extending through said center normal to a plane containing said polar axis, vertical axis and optic axis including a bracket iN said chamber rotatably supported on said base for turning on said polar axis, and coupling means joining said bracket and housing for rotation of said housing with said bracket on said polar axis and rotation of said housing relative to bracket on said declination axis.

Claim 5

A telescope according to claim 2 wherein: said coupling means comprises means for constraining said housing to rotation on said declination axis relative to said shaft and base.

Claim 6

A telescope according to claim 2 wherein: said coupling means is releasable to release said housing from said shaft for unrestrained rotation of said housing on said declination axis relative to said shaft and base.

Claim 7

A telescope comprising: a supporting base including an upwardly opening basin, a telescope housing having a lower spherically curved portion swiveled in said basin for rotation about the center of curvature of said lower spherically curved housing portion, a fluid-bearing system including a fluid-bearing medium within said basin providing a fluid-bearing support for said housing, a telescope structure carried by said housing including telescope optics having an optic axis passing through said center of curvature for receiving light rays from a distant object along said axis, and an eyepiece for viewing said object, means connected between said housing and base for constraining the movement of said housing relative to said base to rotation about a polar axis passing through the center of curvature of said lower spherically curved housing portion at an acute angle relative to a vertical axis passing through said center and independent rotation about a declination axis extending through said center normal to a plane containing said polar axis, vertical axis, and optic axis, and said last-mentioned means comprising a bracket assembly supported on said base for rotation about said polar axis and including a pair of rollers disposed in generally tangential relation to said lower spherically curved housing portion, a third roller positioned between and offset from said pair of rollers, a band extending circumferentially about said lower housing portion in said plane within a circumferential groove in said housing portion, said band extending from said groove around one roller of said roller pair, then between said pair of rollers and around said third roller, then back between said pair of rollers and around the other roller of said roller pair to said groove, and means securing the ends of said band to said housing in such a way as to maintain said band in a taut condition.

Claim 8

A telescope comprising: a supporting base including an upwardly opening basin, a telescope housing having a lower spherically curved portion swiveled in said basin for rotation about the center of curvature of said lower spherically curved housing portion, a fluid-bearing system including a fluid-bearing medium within said basin providing a fluid-bearing support for said housing, a telescope structure carried by said housing including telescope optics having an optic axis passing through said center of curvature for receiving light rays from a distant object along said axis, and an eyepiece for viewing said object, means connected between said housing and base for constraining the movement of said housing relative to said base to rotation about a polar axis passing through the center of curvature of said lower spherically curved housing portion at an acute angle relative to a vertical axis passing through said center and independent rotation about a declination axis extending through said center normal to a plane containing said polar axis, vertical axis, and optic axis, and said last-mentioned means comprising a bracket assembly supported on said base for rotation about said polar axis and including a pair of rollers disposed in generally tangential relation to said lower spherically curved housing portion, a third roller positioned between and offset from said pair of rollers, a band extending circumferentially about said lower housing portion in said plane within a circumferential groove in said housing portion, said band extending from said groove around one roller of said roller pair, then between said pair of rollers and around said third roller, then back between said pair of rollers and around the other roller of said roller pair to said groove, and means securing the ends of said band to said housing in such a way as to maintain said band in a taut condition.

Claim 9

A telescope comprising: a supporting base including an upwardly opening basin, a telescope housing having a lower spherically curved portion swiveled in said basin for rotation about the center of curvature of said lower spherically curved housing portion. a fluid-bearing system including a fluid-bearing medium within said basin providing a fluid bearing support for said housing, a telescope structure carried by said housing including telescope optics having an optic axis passing through said center of curvature for receiving light rays from a distant object along said axis, and an eyepiece for viewing said object, means connected between said housing and base for constraining the movement of said housing relative to said base to rotation about a polar axis passing through the center of curvature of said lower spherically curved housing portion at an acute angle relative to a vertical axis passing through said center and independent rotation about a declination axis extending through said center normal to a plane containing said polar axis, vertical axis, and optic axis, and said constraining means comprising a bracket assembly supported on said base for rotation on said polar axis, a pair of parallel drums mounted on said bracket assembly, and a pair of negator springs extending circumferentially about and terminally attached to said housing.

Claim 10

A telescope comprising: a supporting base including an upwardly opening basin, a telescope housing having a lower spherically curved portion swiveled in said basin for rotation about the center of curvature of said lower spherically curved housing portion. a fluid-bearing system including a fluid-bearing medium within said basin providing a fluid bearing support for said housing, a telescope structure carried by said housing including telescope optics having an optic axis passing through said center of curvature for receiving light rays from a distant object along said axis, and an eyepiece for viewing said object, means connected between said housing and base for constraining the movement of said housing relative to said base to rotation about a polar axis passing through the center of curvature of said lower spherically curved housing portion at an acute angle relative to a vertical axis passing through said center and independent rotation about a declination axis extending through said center normal to a plane containing said polar axis, vertical axis, and optic axis, and said constraining means comprising a bracket assembly supported on said base for rotation on said polar axis, a pair of parallel drums mounted on said bracket assembly, and a pair of negator springs extending circumferentially about and terminally attached to said housing.

Claim 11

A teLescope comprising: a supporting base including an upwardly opening basin, a telescope housing having a lower spherically curved portion swiveled in said basin for rotation about the center of curvature of said lower spherically curved housing portion, a fluid-bearing system including a fluid-bearing medium within said basin providing a fluid-bearing support for said housing, a telescope structure carried by said housing including telescope optics having an optic axis passing through said center of curvature for receiving light rays from a distant object along said axis, and an eyepiece for viewing said object, means connected between said housing and base for constraining the movement of said housing relative to said base to rotation about a polar axis passing through the center of curvature of said lower spherically curved housing portion at an acute angle relative to a vertical axis passing through said center and independent rotation about a declination axis extending through said center normal to a plane containing said polar axis, vertical axis, and optic axis, and said constraining means comprising a shaft rotatably mounted on said base for turning on said polar axis, a suction cup on the end of said shaft adjacent said housing, and means for selectively evacuating said suction cup to effect attachment of said cup to said housing.

Claim 12

A teLescope comprising: a supporting base including an upwardly opening basin, a telescope housing having a lower spherically curved portion swiveled in said basin for rotation about the center of curvature of said lower spherically curved housing portion, a fluid-bearing system including a fluid-bearing medium within said basin providing a fluid-bearing support for said housing, a telescope structure carried by said housing including telescope optics having an optic axis passing through said center of curvature for receiving light rays from a distant object along said axis, and an eyepiece for viewing said object, means connected between said housing and base for constraining the movement of said housing relative to said base to rotation about a polar axis passing through the center of curvature of said lower spherically curved housing portion at an acute angle relative to a vertical axis passing through said center and independent rotation about a declination axis extending through said center normal to a plane containing said polar axis, vertical axis, and optic axis, and said constraining means comprising a shaft rotatably mounted on said base for turning on said polar axis, a suction cup on the end of said shaft adjacent said housing, and means for selectively evacuating said suction cup to effect attachment of said cup to said housing.

Claim 13

A telescope comprising: a supporting base including an upwardly opening basin, magnetically permeable telescope housing having a lower spherically curved portion swiveled in said basin for rotation about the center of curvature of said lower spherically curved housing portion, a fluid-bearing system including a fluid-bearing medium within said basin providing a fluid-bearing support for said housing, a telescope structure carried by said housing including telescope optics having an optic axis passing through said center of curvature for receiving light rays from a distant object along said axis, and an eyepiece for viewing said object, means connected between said housing and base for constraining the movement of said housing relative to said base to rotation about a polar axis passing through the center of curvature of said lower spherically curved housing portion at an acute angle relative to a vertical axis passing through said center and independent rotation about a declination axis extending through said center normal to a plane containing said polar axis, vertical axis and optic axis, and said constraining means comprising a shaft mounted on said base for turning on said polar axis, and magnetic means on the end of said shaft adjacent said housing adapted to be magnetically attached to and released from said housing.

Claim 14

A telescope comprising: a supporting base including an upwardly opening basin, magnetically permeable telescope housing having a lower spherically curved portion swiveled in said basin for rotation about the center of curvature of said lower spherically curved housing portion, a fluid-bearing system including a fluid-bearing medium within said basin providing a fluid-bearing support for said housing, a telescope structure carried by said housing including telescope optics having an optic axis passing through said center of curvature for receiving light rays from a distant object along said axis, and an eyepiece for viewing said object, means connected between said housing and base for constraining the movement of said housing relative to said base to rotation about a polar axis passing through the center of curvature of said lower spherically curved housing portion at an acute angle relative to a vertical axis passing through said center and independent rotation about a declination axis extending through said center normal to a plane containing said polar axis, vertical axis and optic axis, and said constraining means comprising a shaft mounted on said base for turning on said polar axis, and magnetic means on the end of said shaft adjacent said housing adapted to be magnetically attached to and released from said housing.