Laser beam apparatus for providing multiple reference beams

Claim 1

An apparatus for projecting a light beam to provide a plurality of reference beams, comprising: means for providing a primary light beam in an initial path; first beam diverting means or intercepting said primary beam and diverting a first portion thereof into a first direction to emerge from said apparatus in said first direction as a first stationary reference beam and a second portion thereof into a second direction substantially parallel to said first direction; second beam diverting means for intercepting said second portion of said primary beam and permitting a first part of said second portion to pass therethrough and emerge from said apparatus as a second stationary reference beam and for diverting a second part of said second portion into a third direction which is substantially perpendicular to said first and second directions to define a third reference beam; and wherein said first beam diverting means comprises a first prism having a first surface which is fully reflective for intercepting and diverting said primary beam from said initial path substantially 90 degrees into a fourth direction toward a second surface of said first prism, said second surface of said first prism being partially reflective and partially transmissive for diverting said second portion of said primary beam from said fourth direction substantially 90 degrees into said second direction and allowing said first portion and a third portion of said primary beam to exit from said first prism therethrough in said fourth direction, a second prism having a fully reflective surface for reflecting said first portion and said third portion of said primary beam into a fifth direction back toward said second surface of said first prism, said fifth direction being parallel and opposite to said fourth direction, and said second surface of said first prism further diverting said first portion of said primary beam reflected by said reflective surface of said second prism from said fifth direction substantially 90 degrees into said first direction to emerge from said apparatus as said first stationary reference beam while allowing said third portion of said primary beam to pass therethrough.

Claim 2

An apparatus for projecting a light beam to provide a plurality of reference beams, comprising: means for providing a primary light beam in an initial path; first beam diverting means or intercepting said primary beam and diverting a first portion thereof into a first direction to emerge from said apparatus in said first direction as a first stationary reference beam and a second portion thereof into a second direction substantially parallel to said first direction; second beam diverting means for intercepting said second portion of said primary beam and permitting a first part of said second portion to pass therethrough and emerge from said apparatus as a second stationary reference beam and for diverting a second part of said second portion into a third direction which is substantially perpendicular to said first and second directions to define a third reference beam; and wherein said first beam diverting means comprises a first prism having a first surface which is fully reflective for intercepting and diverting said primary beam from said initial path substantially 90 degrees into a fourth direction toward a second surface of said first prism, said second surface of said first prism being partially reflective and partially transmissive for diverting said second portion of said primary beam from said fourth direction substantially 90 degrees into said second direction and allowing said first portion and a third portion of said primary beam to exit from said first prism therethrough in said fourth direction, a second prism having a fully reflective surface for reflecting said first portion and said third portion of said primary beam into a fifth direction back toward said second surface of said first prism, said fifth direction being parallel and opposite to said fourth direction, and said second surface of said first prism further diverting said first portion of said primary beam reflected by said reflective surface of said second prism from said fifth direction substantially 90 degrees into said first direction to emerge from said apparatus as said first stationary reference beam while allowing said third portion of said primary beam to pass therethrough.

Claim 6

An apparatus for projecting a light beam to provide a plurality of reference beams, comprising: means for providing a primary light beam in an initial path; first beam diverting means for intercepting said primary beam and diverting a first portion thereof into a first direction to emerge from said apparatus in said first direction as a first stationary reference beam and a second portion of said primary beam into a second direction substantially parallel to said first direction; second beam diverting means for intercepting said second portion of said primary beam and permitting a first part of said second portion to pass therethrough and emerge from said apparatus as a second stationary reference beam and for diverting a second part of said second portion of said primary beam into a third direction which is substantially perpendicular to said first and second directions to define a reference plane which is substantially perpendicular to said first and second stationary reference beams; and wherein said first beam diverting means comprises a first prism having a first surface which is fully reflective for intercepting and diverting said primary beam from said initial path substantially 90 degrees into a fourth direction toward a second surface of said first prism, said second surface of said first prism being partially reflective and partially transmissive for diverting said second portion of said primary beam from said fourth direction substantially 90 degrees into said second direction and allowing said first portion and a third portion of said primary beam to exit from said first prism therethrough in said fourth direction, a second prism having a fully reflective surface for reflecting said first portion and said third portion of said primary beam into a fifth direction back toward said second surface of said first prism, said fifth direction being parallel and opposite to said fourth direction, and said second surface of said first prism further diverting said first portion of said primary beam reflected by said reflective surface of said second prism from said fifth direction substantially 90 degrees into said first direction to emerge from said apparatus as said first stationary reference beam while allowing said third portion of said primary beam to pass therethrough.

Claim 7

An apparatus for projecting a light beam to provide a plurality of reference beams, comprising: means for providing a primary light beam in an initial path; first beam diverting means for intercepting said primary beam and diverting a first portion thereof into a first direction to emerge from said apparatus in said first direction as a first stationary reference beam and a second portion of said primary beam into a second direction substantially parallel to said first direction; second beam diverting means for intercepting said second portion of said primary beam and permitting a first part of said second portion to pass therethrough and emerge from said apparatus as a second stationary reference beam and for diverting a second part of said second portion of said primary beam into a third direction which is substantially perpendicular to said first and second directions to define a reference plane which is substantially perpendicular to said first and second stationary reference beams; and wherein said first beam diverting means comprises a first prism having a first surface which is fully reflective for intercepting and diverting said primary beam from said initial path substantially 90 degrees into a fourth direction toward a second surface of said first prism, said second surface of said first prism being partially reflective and partially transmissive for diverting said second portion of said primary beam from said fourth direction substantially 90 degrees into said second direction and allowing said first portion and a third portion of said primary beam to exit from said first prism therethrough in said fourth direction, a second prism having a fully reflective surface for reflecting said first portion and said third portion of said primary beam into a fifth direction back toward said second surface of said first prism, said fifth direction being parallel and opposite to said fourth direction, and said second surface of said first prism further diverting said first portion of said primary beam reflected by said reflective surface of said second prism from said fifth direction substantially 90 degrees into said first direction to emerge from said apparatus as said first stationary reference beam while allowing said third portion of said primary beam to pass therethrough.