A STEREOSCOPE SUPPORT

Abstract: A mounting for supporting mirror stereoscope or similar apparatus. A carriage support member (4) is slidably connected to and movable along two arms (1) by wheels running in channels (2) attached to the arms (1). Legs (3) are attached to the arms (1) to support the mounting on a work surface. A carriage (9) is slidable connected to the carriage support member (4) by wheels running in channels mounted on the support member (4) to provide for movement of the carriage (9) in a direction perpendicular to the movement of the support member (4). The mounting enables movement of the mirror stereoscope or similar apparatus, when attached to the carriage (9), in the x- and y-planes while keeping the stereoscope or similar apparatus a set distance above the work surface without obstructing the surface being scanned.

Description: TITLE; A STEREOSCOPE SUPPORT TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to mechanisms for supporting mirror stereoscopes, binocular microscopes or the like. In particular, it relates to a mechanism for supporting stereoscopes of the type used for examining aerial photographs or the like which enables movement of the stereoscope in the x- and y-planes while keeping the stereoscope a set distance above, and not obstructing, the photograph or the like being scanned. BACKGROUND ART The stereoscope supports currently in use can conveniently be divided into three basic types. The first type comprises a large heavy base plate at one end of which are attached a pair of co-planar, spaced apart, parallel cylindrical rods, these rods being positioned parallel to the upper surface of the base plate. Slidably mounted on these two rods is a carriage. Slidably connected to this carriage are two further, spaced apart, parallel cylindrical rods, positioned substantially one above the other and at 90 to the two rods attached to the base plate. At one end of these further rods is affixed a support member to which a stereoscope can be attached. To ensure a free and smooth movement of the carriage and support member along the full length of their respective rods, suitable bearings are provided. Disadvantages of this type of stereoscope support include its lack of portability and the relatively expensive machining required to produce the cylindrical rods and associated bearings. A second type of mount, designed to partly overcome the above problems, does not require the heavy base plate. Instead, the first pair of co-planar, spaced apart, parallel cylindrical rods are rigidly connected together and at each end of each rod is a freely rotating wheel or roller which enables the pair of rods to be moved in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the rods. A carriage is slidably mounted on this pair of rods, which, once again, can move in a direction along the longitudinal axes of the rods. The second pair of rods as used in the first type of stereoscope mount discussed above are replaced by a carrying arm rigidly fixed to the carriage, the carrying arm extending in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the rods and in a. plane substantially parallel to the work surface upon which the stereoscope is to be used. At one end of the carrying arm a fitting is mounted to support a stereoscope, and at the other end is a counter-balancing arm to balance the weight of the stereoscope. In use, this second type of mount is placed on the photograph or the like to be examined and the two wheels or rollers from one side are aligned with a suitable reference line on the photograph or the like. The movement of these wheels or rollers along the reference line provides the movement in the y-plane, while the movement of the. carriage along the rods provides the x-plane motion. Although this device is portable, and, because there are fewer parts, less expensive to manufacture than the original fixed type of mount discussed above, it still requires the carriage to be supported on bearings to ensure its smooth movement along the cylindrical rods, and therefore, this type of mount does not alleviate the requirement of precise engineering in its manufacture. Further, this second type of mount also suffers from the additional disadvantage of having to be placed on the actual photograph or the like to be examined, thus obstructing the work surface upon which the photograph or the like is placed. Finally, the third type of stereoscope mount currently in use consists of essentially two substantially equal length beams which are pivotally connected together at or near one end of each beam. The other end of one of the beams contains a fitting to which a stereoscope can be mounted. The other end of the other beam is adapted to be pivotally attached to a desk , or the like. This particular cantilever type of mounting, although relatively simple and portable, suffers from a number of disadvantages in that (a) it is not easy to maintain movement of the stereoscope along a given x- or y-coordinate; (b) precision bearings are required for the pivot connections to ensure a constant planar movement of the stereoscope over the photograph or the like being scanned; and (c) the beams are inconveniently short in order to avoid undue weight-induced wear on the precision bearings, with the result that the pivot attachment to a desk or the like is uncomfortably close to the user of the stereoscope. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to overcome the above problems and to provide a mount for a stereoscope or the like which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture, enables the stereoscope or the like to be moved along given x- and y-coordinates with ease, and keeps the stereoscope or the like a set distance above, but does not obstruct, the photograph or the like being scanned. According to the present invention, there is provided a mounting for supporting mirror stereoscopes, binocular microscopes and the like comprising: a) a planar, elongated carriage supporting member having: i) a pair of first channel members mounted thereon, said first channel members being parallel to each other and extending in a direction parallel to the elongate direction of the carriage supporting member; and ii) at least two wheels at each end thereof, said wheels being mounted on respective axles which extend from the ends of the carriage support member in the elongate direction thereof; b) a pair of support arms positioned in spaced apart relationship, substantially parallel to each other, and extending in a direction perpendicular to the elongate direction of the carriage supporting member, each support arms having attached thereto a respective second channel member having a channel within which the wheels at one end of the carriage supporting member are positioned for rolling movement along the channel; and c) a carriage comprising a planar carriage member on which are mounted: i) a mount for said stereoscope or binocular microscope, and ii) two sets of at least two wheels, each said set of wheels being positioned for rolling movement within a channel of a respective one of said first channel members. A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a mounting constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 is a section at A-A' in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a sectional view in the direction B' of the area marked "B" in Figure 1. ' DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the mounting, as illustrated in the Figures, comprises: a) two elongated support arms 1 (Figure 1), each support arm having attached on the inside thereof a channel member 2, each channel member running essentially the full longitudinal length of its respective support arm 1; b) legs 3 (Figure 1) attached at or near each end of the support arms 1, to support the mounting on a table or similar work surface; c) an essentially planar rectangular carriage supporting member 4; d) two freely rotating wheels 5 (only one of which is illustrated in Figure 3) at each end 4a and 4b of the carriage supporting member 4, which wheels run in the channels of respective channel members 2 to allow the carriage supporting member 4 to move back and forth in the lengthwise direction of arms 1; e) stops 7 (Figure 1) to prevent the wheels 5 from leaving the channels of channel members 2; f) channel members 8 (Figure 2) mounted on the lower surface of the carriage supporting member 4, adjacent to or near, respectively, edges 4e and 4d of the carriage supporting member 4, each channel member 8 running essentially the full longitudinal length of the carriage supporting member 4; g) a carriage in the form of a planar rectangular member 9 on which are mounted freely rotating wheels 10 and 11, at or near, respectively, sides 9a and 9b of the carriage 9, the wheels 10 and 11 engaging respective channels in channel members 8 to allow the carriage 9 to move back and forth in the lengthwise direction of the channel members 8 (Figure 2); and h) attachment means 12 mounted on carriage 9 and adapted to have attached thereto a mirror stereoscope, a binocular microscope or the like (not illustrated). The support arms 1, legs 3 and the attachment means 12 are manufactured from suitable rigid material. Aluminium alloys and polycarbonate plastic materials are particularly suitable for these members as they are strong but of low density. The channel members 2 and 8 are preferably aluminium extrusions similar to those which are used in the manufacture of tracks for sliding doors and the like. These extrusions are commercially available and can be used directly with little modification in this embodiment of the present invention. Similarly, the wheels 5, 10 and 11 are conveniently the nylon wheels used to suspend sliding doors and the like on their tracks. The carriage supporting member 4, the carriage 9 and the stops 7 are conveniently manufactured from wood. The fact that the mounting of the present invention can be constructed from existing and readily available commercial components ensures that its manufacturing costs are lower than those of the previously used mountings for stereoscopes and binocular microscopes. Modifications to the mounting that is illustrated in the drawings and which has been described above are possible without departing from the present inventive concept. For example: a) the legs 3 may be adjustable, thus allowing the mounting to be positioned at various heights above a work surface; b) all components of the mounting could be manufactured from plastic or, with the exception of the wheels, from aluminium, to further reduce the weight of the mounting; c) the carriage asserrfbly illustrated in Figure 2 could be positioned on the upper surface of the carriage supporting member 4; and d) the arms 1 could be positioned so that they are directly under the ends of the carriage supporting member 4.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. A mounting for a mirror stereoscope or binocular microscope comprising: a) a planar, elongated carriage supporting member having: i) a pair of first channel members mounted thereon, said first channel members being parallel to each other and extending in a direction parallel to the elongate direction of the carriage supporting member; and ii) at least two wheels at each end thereof, said wheels being mounted on respective axles which extend from the ends of the carriage support member in the elongate direction thereof; b) a pair of support arms positioned in spaced apart relationship, substantially parallel to each other, and extending in a direction perpendicular to the elongate direction of the carriage supporting member, each support arms having attached thereto a respective second channel member having a channel within which the wheels at one end of the carriage supporting member are positioned for rolling movement along the channel; and c) a carriage comprising a planar carriage member on which are mounted: i) a mount for said stereoscope or binocular microscope, and ii) two sets of at least two wheels, each said set of wheels being positioned for rolling movement within a channel of a respective one of said first channel members. 2. A mounting as defined in claim 1, further characterised in that each support arm is mounted on supporting legs. 3. A mounting as defined in claim 2, in which said supporting legs are adjustable in length. 4. A mounting as defined in claim 1, claim 2 or claim 3, further characterised in that each of said first channel members extends for substantially the entire length of the carriage supporting members. 5. A mounting as defined in claim 4, in which said carriage supporting member and said carriage member are each rectangular in shape, said first and second channel members are extrusions of aluminium or an aluminium alloy, and each of said wheels is manufactured from nylon.

Inventors: WILSON JOHN GUNN, WILSON, JOHN, GUNN
Applicants: WILSON JOHN GUNN, WILSON, JOHN, GUNN
Application year: 1985
Main classification: G02B23
IPC codes: F16M11, G02B21, G02B23