Patent ID: 8441748

Claim:
A method of locking an adjustable optical mount, comprising: providing an adjustable optical mount, including a first plate configured to mount an optical element and having a front surface and a rear surface, a second plate which has a front surface disposed adjacent the rear surface of the first plate, a rear surface and at least one threaded bore, at least one adjustable threaded member having a contact end in contact with the rear surface of the first plate, an adjustment end with a torqueable surface and a threaded outer surface in threaded engagement with the threaded bore of the second plate with at least a portion of the threaded outer surface extending from the rear surface of the second plate, a lock collar having a contact end, an adjustment end, a threaded bore in threaded engagement with the threaded outer surface of the adjustable threaded member which extends from the rear surface of the second plate and having a torqueable surface disposed at the adjustment end; and a greater resistance to relative rotational movement of the threaded engagement between the threaded outer surface of the adjustable threaded member and the threaded bore of the second plate than the resistance to relative rotational movement of the threaded engagement between the threaded bore of the lock collar and the threaded outer surface of the adjustable threaded member; engaging the torqueable surface of the lock collar from a rearward direction relative to the adjustable optical mount; and applying torque to the torqueable surface of the lock collar and rotating the lock collar relative to the adjustable threaded member without imparting relative rotational movement between the adjustable threaded member and the threaded bore of the second plate until the contact end of the lock collar makes contact with the rear surface of the second plate without significant displacement of the adjustable threaded member relative to the second plate.