Method of determining the properties of a jewelery stone and apparatus for this method

Claim 2

In a method of detecting the properties of a precious stone comprising the steps of supporting the stone in a holder with a major face thereof arranged substantially perpendicular to a first axis, directing a beam of parallel light rays along the first axis toward the major face of the stone, and detecting the intensity of selected ones of the resulting reflected rays from the stone, the improvement which comprises the further step of rotating the stone about the first axis during the detecting step.

Claim 3

A method according to claim 1, in which the detecting step comprises scanning the reflected rays along a circular arc while the stone rotates.

Claim 4

A method according to claim 1, in which the detecting step includes sensing the intensity with a spectral response corresponding to a predetermined spectral response curve of the human eye.

Claim 5

In a method of detecting the properties of a precious stone comprising the steps of supporting the stone in a holder with a major face thereof arranged substantially perpendicular to a first axis, directing a beam of parallel light rays along the first axis toward the major face of the stone, and detecting the intensity of selected ones of the resulting reflected rays from the stone, the improvement wherein the method comprises the further step of rotating the stone about the first axis during the detecting step, and wherein the detecting step comprises scanning the reflected rays along a circular arc centered about a second axis perpendicular to and intersecting the first axis of the rotating stone to define a spiral scanning pattern.

Claim 6

In a method of detecting the properties of a precious stone comprising the steps of supporting the stone in a holder with a major face thereof arranged substantially perpendicular to a first axis, directing a beam of parallel light rays along the first axis toward the major face of the stone, and detecting the intensity of selected ones of the resulting reflected rays from the stone, the improvement wherein the method comprises the further step of rotating the stone about the first axis during the detecting step, and wherein the detecting step comprises scanning the reflected rays along a circular arc centered about a second axis perpendicular to and intersecting the first axis of the rotating stone to define a spiral scanning pattern.

Claim 7

A method as defined in claim 4, further comprising the step of counting, during the scanning step, the number of detected reflections from the stone that exceed a predetermined value.

Claim 8

A method as defined in claim 4, in which the detecting step includes the scanning of the reflected rays along a circular arc centered about a second axis passing through the major face of the stone.

Claim 9

In a method of determining the properties of a precious stone, the steps of supporting the stone in a holder with a selected major face of the stone arranged substantially perpendicular to a first axis, directing a beam of parallel light rays along the first axis toward the major face of the stone, rotating the stone about the first axis, and exposing a photographic film with certain of the resulting reflected rays from the stone to define an optically contrasting pattern indicative of the intensity of the reflected rays.

Claim 10

In a method of determining the properties of a precious stone, the steps of supporting the stone in a holder with a selected major face of the stone arranged substantially perpendicular to a first axis, directing a beam of parallel light rays along the first axis toward the major face of the stone, rotating the stone about the first axis, and exposing a photographic film with certain of the resulting reflected rays from the stone to define an optically contrasting pattern indicative of the intensity of the reflected rays.

Claim 11

A method according to claim 7 comprising the further step of photo-electrically measuring the degree of exposure of the film.

Claim 12

In an apparatus for determining the properties of a precious stone comprising first means for mounting the stone with a major face thereof perpendicular to a first axis, means for directing a beam of parallel light rays along the first axis toward the major face of the stone to cause the propagation of reflected light rays from the stone, light-sensitive receiver means operable to receive reflected light rays, and second means for mounting the receiver means for detection of light rays reflected from the stone, the improvement wherein the apparatus further comprises first means supporting the first mounting means for rotation about the first axis to correspondingly rotate the stone, and first drive means operable to rotate the rotationally supported first mounting means during operation of said receiver means.

Claim 13

In an apparatus for determining the properties of a precious stone comprising first means for mounting the stone with a major face thereof perpendicular to a first axis, means for directing a beam of parallel light rays along the first axis toward the major face of the stone to cause the propagation of reflected light rays from the stone, light-sensitive receiver means operable to receive reflected light rays, and second means for mounting the receiver means for detection of light rays reflected from the stone, the improvement wherein the apparatus further comprises first means supporting the first mounting means for rotation about the first axis to correspondingly rotate the stone, and first drive means operable to rotate the rotationally supported first mounting means during operation of said receiver means.

Claim 14

Apparatus according to claim 9 further comprising second means supporting the second mounting means for movement along a predetermined path relative to the path of rotation of the first mounting means.

Claim 15

Apparatus as defined in claim 9, in which the receiver means when operative generate an output voltage corresponding to the intensity of each reflected ray detected thereby, and in which the aparatus further comprises first recording means including counting means having a count input incrementable each time a pulse applied thereto exceeds a predetermined level, and first means for coupling the output of the receiver means to the count input of the counting means.

Claim 16

Apparatus as defined in claim 9, further comprising means in the path of the rays from the beam directing means for limiting the spectrum of the directed beam to a prescribed monochromatic component.

Claim 17

Apparatus as defined in claim 9, in which the beam directing means includes a light source having a variable output intensity and means for calibrating the output intensity of the source to a standard value.

Claim 18

Apparatus as defined in claim 9, in which the receiver means includes means for deriving the logarithm of the instantaneous light ray intensity applied to the receiver means.

Claim 19

Apparatus as defined in claim 9, in which the receiver means includes an artificial pupil corresponding generally in diameter to the pupil of the human eye.

Claim 20

Apparatus as defined in claim 15, in which the first and second mounting means are so disposed that the artificial pupil of the receiver means is separated from the stone by a distance having significance relative to a typical viewing distance of the stone by a human eye.

Claim 21

Apparatus as defined in claim 11, further comprising memory means coupled to the output of the counting means.

Claim 22

Apparatus as defined in claim 11, further comprising second recording means having first and second orthogonal coordinate inputs; means for coupling the second mounting means to the first coordinate input for controlling the first coordinate input in accordance with the angle of rotation of the second mounting means from a given reference position; and second means for coupling the output of the receiver means to the second coordinate input.

Claim 23

Apparatus according to claim 9 in which said light sensitive receiver means comprises a photographic film.

Claim 24

In an apparatus for determining the properties of a precious stone comprising first mounting means for mounting the stone with a major face thereof perpendicular to a first axis, means for directing a beam of parallel light rays along the first axis toward the major face of the stone to cause the propagation of reflected light rays from the stone, light-sensitive receiver means, and second means for mounting the receiver means for detection of light rays reflected from the stone, the improvement wherein the apparatus further comprises first support means supporting the first mounting means for rotation about the first axis to correspondingly rotate the stone, first drive means operable to rotate the rotationally supported first mounting means, second means supporting the second mounting means for rotation about a second axis perpendicular to and intersecting the first axis, and second drive means operable to rotate the rotationally supported second mounting means.

Claim 25

In an apparatus for determining the properties of a precious stone comprising first mounting means for mounting the stone with a major face thereof perpendicular to a first axis, means for directing a beam of parallel light rays along the first axis toward the major face of the stone to cause the propagation of reflected light rays from the stone, light-sensitive receiver means, and second means for mounting the receiver means for detection of light rays reflected from the stone, the improvement wherein the apparatus further comprises first support means supporting the first mounting means for rotation about the first axis to correspondingly rotate the stone, first drive means operable to rotate the rotationally supported first mounting means, second means supporting the second mounting means for rotation about a second axis perpendicular to and intersecting the first axis, and second drive means operable to rotate the rotationally supported second mounting means.

Claim 26

Apparatus according to claim 20, further comprising third means including an optical bench for supporting the beam directing means for propagation of the parallel light rays along along the first axis, and a goniometer table having a third axis perpendicular to and intersecting the first axis, the first and second supporting means being positioned on the goniometer table with the first mounting means aligned with the first axis and the second axis aligned with the third axis.