GB950631A - Illuminating device for microscopes - Google Patents

Abstract

950,631. Illuminating devices for microscopes. C. REICHERT OPTISCHE WERKE A. G. Jan.12, 1961 [Jan.14,1960], No.1377/61. Heading G2J. An illuminating device for microscopes comprises two mutually independent light sources, means for providing light beams from said sources so that when in use with a microscope; one of the beams will be in the optical axis of the microscope and both beams will intersect at a point on said axis, and selecting means including portions of transparent material and of partlytransparent partly-reflecting material and of reflecting material, said selecting means being movable across said intersection so that the light beams or portions thereof from both light sources can be individually or jointly directed into the microscope as desired. In a first form (Fig. 1) the illuminating device comprises two light source 1 and 2, two lenses 3 and 4 for producing two light beams 5 and 6 and a mirror 7 having the mirror coating thereon graded between fully reflecting at one end and fully transmitting at the other and being movable in the directions of double arrow 15 so that the light travelling in the direction 8 (along the optical axis of the microscope, not shown) can be adjusted to comprise light from either one only of the light sources or a variable mixture from both. In a second form-Fig. 2, not shown-the mirror 7 comprises three separate portions, one fully reflecting, one semi-reflecting, and one with an aperture therein so as to fully transmit light incident thereon. In a third form-Fig. 3-the mirror 7 comprises only two separate portions, one fully reflecting and the other semi-reflecting. A slidable shutter member 12 is provided, however, so that according to the position of the mirror 7 and shutter 12 the beam 8 may comprise light from either one source or a fixed ratio from both. The stop 14 fixed to the mirror 7 and engageable with slide 12 is to prevent a setting of these two members in which no light travels in the direction 8. Constructional embodiments are illustrated in Figs.4-6 (not shown).