Patent ID: 6862340

Claim:
A device for filtering a ray bundle of electromagnetic radiation, comprising: a plurality of filters mounted for movement into and out of a ray bundle of electromagnetic radiation; a single, non-pneumatic mechanical drive for moving said plurality of filters relative to said ray bundle; a plurality of arms, equal in number to said plurality of filters, each of said arms having a first end engaging one of said filters and an opposite second end chargeable with a force generated by said drive; said drive executing mechanical drive motions in different directions respectively for charging any of said arms with an actuating force to move the filter engaged therewith into said ray bundle and for charging any of said arms with a restoring force to remove the filter associated therewith from said ray bundle, for selectively moving one filter or multiple filters in said plurality of filters into said ray bundle; and wherein each of said arms has a different mechanical coding interacting with said drive allowing one or more said filters to be moved into said ray bundle by said drive dependent on respective predetermined movements of said drive that differ from each other, and allowing removal of said filters in said ray bundle dependent on respective predetermined, further movements of said drive that differ from each other.