Apparatus for increasing the input light intensity to a microscope

Claim 1

In a microscope including a microscope body disposed about a central axis defining an optical axis, an objective lens positioned within said body and aligned about said axis, and an eyepiece lens assembly disposed about said axis and adapted for viewing an object positioned at an object plane located beneath said objective lens, the combination therewith of apparatus for increasing the light at said object plane, comprising: (a) a housing having an internal hollow with a first opened end, a lens assembly mounted within said hollow and adapted to converge rays of light, deflecting means coupled to said housing at said opened end and positioned at an angle of about forty-five degrees with respect to the main axis of said housing, means coupled to said housing for introducing light rays, which rays are converged by said lens and deflected downward by said deflecting means, (b) means coupling said housing to said microscope body for positioning said housing at a small angle of about 5 degrees from a line perpendicular to said optical axis, to cause said downward deflected rays to be directed through said objective lens and because of said small angle, to prevent spurious light rays from appearing at said eyepiece lens assembly with distortion at said eyepiece lens assembly.