Scanning monochromators

Claim 2

An automatic scanning monochromator system comprising: means for commonly mounting a plurality of more than two primary dispersive elements; means for supplying a radiation beam intended to be dispersed; means for movably supporting said common mounting means, in such manner as to allow movement thereof to position each of said dispersive elements into a particular single operative position in said radiation beam; a prime mover operatively connected to said mounting means, for supplying mechanical power to move said mounting means, so that any one of said dispersive elements may be moved into said operative position; a single wavenumber scanning arm effectively operatively connected to said common mounting means; pivot means for pivotably mounting said scanning arm about a first pivot axis; scanning means drivingly connected to said scanning arm, for tilting said arm about said first pivot axis, so that a single scanning arm causes tilting of said primary dispersive elements, including the particular dispersive element in said operative position; said single scanning arm being rigidly connected to said supporting means for said common mounting means; said common mounting means comprising a rotatable carousel-like table; said prime mover being mounted on a fixed frame and operatively connected in driving relationship to said common mounting means through at least one intermediate rotatable mechanical power transferring means; said intermediate rotatable power transferring means having an effective axis of rotation; said effective axis of rotation being coiNcident with said first pivot axis, about which said scanning arm is pivotably mounted, whereby said rotatable table means may be rotatably moved so as to position any one of said primary dispersive elements into said operative position, regardless of the particular pivotable position of said scanning arm.

Claim 3

An automatic scanning monochromator system comprising: means for commonly mounting a plurality of more than two primary dispersive elements; means for supplying a radiation beam intended to be dispersed; means for movably supporting said common mounting means, in such manner as to allow movement thereof to position each of said dispersive elements into a particular single operative position in said radiation beam; a prime mover operatively connected to said mounting means, for supplying mechanical power to move said mounting means, so that any one of said dispersive elements may be moved into said operative position; a single wavenumber scanning arm effectively operatively connected to said common mounting means; pivot means for pivotably mounting said scanning arm about a first pivot axis; scanning means drivingly connected to said scanning arm, for tilting said arm about said first pivot axis, so that a single scanning arm causes tilting of said primary dispersive elements, including the particular dispersive element in said operative position; said scanning means for drivingly tilting said wavenumber scanning arm comprising a main scanning cam; said main cam comprising a single rigid cam component; said cam component comprising at least two physically separate, non-intersecting cam contour surfaces; said single wavenumber scanning arm comprising a follower portion, positioned to engage said cam contour surfaces; and an auxiliary moving means being operatively connected to said scanning arm to cause said follower portion of said scanning arm to engage a particular one of said cam contour surfaces.

Claim 4

An automatic scanning monochromator system comprising: means for commonly mounting a plurality of more than two primary dispersive elements; means for supplying a radiation beam intended to be dispersed; means for movably supporting said common mounting means, in such manner as to allow movement thereof to position each of said dispersive elements into a particular single operative position in said radiation beam; a prime mover operatively connected to said mounting means, for supplying mechanical power to move said mounting means, so that any one of said dispersive elements may be moved into said operative position; a single wavenumber scanning arm effectively operatively connected to said common mounting means; pivot means for pivotably mounting said scanning arm about a first pivot axis; scanning means drivingly connected to said scanning arm, for tilting said arm about said first pivot axis, so that a single scanning arm causes tilting of said primary dispersive elements, including the particular dispersive element in said operative position; said scanning means for drivingly tilting said wavenumber scanning arm comprising a main scanning cam; said main cam comprising a single rigid cam component; said cam component comprising at least two physically separate, non-intersecting cam contour surfaces; said single wavenumber scanning arm comprising a follower portion, positioned to engage said cam contour surfaces; and an auxiliary moving means being operatively connected to said scanning arm to cause said follower portion of said scanning arm to engage a particular one of said cam contour surfaces.

Claim 5

An automatic scanning monochromator system comprising: means for commonly mounting a plurality of more than two primary dispersive elements; means for supplying a radiation beam intended to be dispersed; means for movably supporting said common mounting means, in such manner as to allow movement thereof to position each of said dispersive elements into a particular single operative position in said radiation beam; a prime mover operatively connected to said mounting means, for supplying mechanical power to move said mounting means, so that any one of said dispersive elements may be moved into said operative position; said mounting means comprising a rotatable carousel-like table; said movably supporting means thereby comprising means for rotatably supporting said table; a precision indexing means comprising a movable arresting means, said arresting means being movable into a first blocking position and into a second disengaged position; said movable arresting means of said precision indexing means rigidly engaging said movable carousel-like table in its direction of rotation when said arresting means is in said first blocking position, so that said precision indexing means stops said carousel-like table in a series of specific discrete angular locations, each of which corresponds to positioning of a different one of said dispersive elements exactly in the same said operative position; said precision indexing means further comprising a plurality of stop means rigidly attached to said rotatable carousel-like table; said arresting means being so movably mounted that said first blocking position is in the path of said stop means, so that when said movable arresting means rigidly engages said stop means in said blocking position, said carousel-like table is stopped in specific angular locations with one of said dispersive means exactly in the same said operative position; said precision indexing means further comprising a cam-like plate elemeNt, rigidly attached to said rotatable table; said cam-like plate comprising a series of substantially identical cam-like lobes peripherally spaced therearound; and said precision indexing means additionally comprising a resiliently urged pivotable lever having a follower portion resiliently urged against said peripherally arranged lobes of said cam-like plate, whereby said resiliently urged pivotable lever urges said rotatable table in such direction as to cause said stop means to be pressed against said blocking arresting means.

Claim 6

An automatic scanning monochromator system comprising: means for commonly mounting a plurality of more than two primary dispersive elements; means for supplying a radiation beam intended to be dispersed; means for movably supporting said common mounting means, in such manner as to allow movement thereof to position each of said dispersive elements into a particular single operative position in said radiation beam; a prime mover operatively connected to said mounting means, for supplying mechanical power to move said mounting means, so that any one of said dispersive elements may be moved into said operative position; said mounting means comprising a rotatable carousel-like table; said movably supporting means thereby comprising means for rotatably supporting said table; a precision indexing means comprising a movable arresting means, said arresting means being movable into a first blocking position and into a second disengaged position; said movable arresting means of said precision indexing means rigidly engaging said movable carousel-like table in its direction of rotation when said arresting means is in said first blocking position, so that said precision indexing means stops said carousel-like table in a series of specific discrete angular locations, each of which corresponds to positioning of a different one of said dispersive elements exactly in the same said operative position; said precision indexing means further comprising a plurality of stop means rigidly attached to said rotatable carousel-like table; said arresting means being so movably mounted that said first blocking position is in the path of said stop means, so that when said movable arresting means rigidly engages said stop means in said blocking position, said carousel-like table is stopped in specific angular locations with one of said dispersive means exactly in the same said operative position; said precision indexing means further comprising a cam-like plate elemeNt, rigidly attached to said rotatable table; said cam-like plate comprising a series of substantially identical cam-like lobes peripherally spaced therearound; and said precision indexing means additionally comprising a resiliently urged pivotable lever having a follower portion resiliently urged against said peripherally arranged lobes of said cam-like plate, whereby said resiliently urged pivotable lever urges said rotatable table in such direction as to cause said stop means to be pressed against said blocking arresting means.

Claim 7

An automatic scanning monochromator system according to claim 3, in which: said prime mover comprises an electric motor having a control circuit controlling its input; said resiliently urged pivotable lever comprises a switch actuating portion; an electrical switch is provided, having a switch arm positioned adjacent said switch actuating portion of said pivotable arm; said electrical switch is in said control circuit and therefore controls said electric motor, whereby said lobes cause said pivotable arm to move into such position that said switch actuating portion moves said switch arm, so as to actuate said switch and to disconnect said electrical input from said electric motor when said rotatable table is rotated to one of a series of angular locations.

Claim 8

An automatic scanning monochromator system according to claim 4, in which: said cam-like lobes of said cam-like plate are of such shape, that said switch actuating portion of said resiliently urged lever moves said switch arm of said electrical switch to disconnect said electric input to said electric motor at each of said series of angular locations somewhat in front of the corresponding one of said specific discrete locations at which said arresting means rigidly engages one of said plurality of stop means, whereby said electric motor is electrically disconnected before engagement of said stop means by said arresting means, and solely said resiliently urged pivotable lever urges said stop means to be pressed against said arresting means when said rotatable carousel-like table is stopped.

Claim 9

An automatic scanning monochromator system comprising: means for commonly mounting a plurality of more than two primary dispersive elements; means for supplying a radiation beam intended to be dispersed; means for movably supporting said common mounting means, in such manner as to allow movement thereof to position each of said dispersive elements into a particular single operative position in said radiation beam; a prime mover operatively connected to said mounting means, for supplying mechanical power to move said mounting means, so that any one of said dispersive elements may be moved into said operative position; said mounting means comprising a rotatable carousel-like table; said movably supporting means thereby comprising means for rotatably supporting said table; a precision indexing means comprising a movable arresting means, said arresting means being movable into a first blocking position and into a second disengaged position; said movable arresting means of said precision indexing means rigidly engaging said movable carousel-like table in its direction of rotation when said arresting means is in said first blocking position, so that said precision indexing means stops said carousel-like table in a series of specific discrete angular locations, each of which corresponds to positioning of a different one of said dispersive elements exactly in the same said operative position; said precision indexing means further comprising a plurality of stop means rigidly attached to said rotatable carousel-like table; said arresting means being so movably mounted that said first blocking position is in the path of said stop means, so that when said movable arresting means rigidly engages said stop means in said blocking position, said carousel-like table is stopped in specific anguLar locations with one of said dispersive means exactly in the same said operative position; said arresting means comprising a pivoted lever arm, pivotably movable into said blocking position about an axis; said movable arresting means further comprising a blocking surface which is engaged by said stop means when said arresting means is pivoted into its blocking position; and said blocking surface being a surface of revolution concentric to said axis of said pivoted lever arm, whereby when said pivoted lever arm is in its blocking position, said carousel-like rotatable table is stopped in the same position even if said pivoted lever arm is in a somewhat different angular position relative to its axis.

Claim 10

An automatic scanning monochromator system comprising: means for commonly mounting a plurality of more than two primary dispersive elements; means for supplying a radiation beam intended to be dispersed; means for movably supporting said common mounting means, in such manner as to allow movement thereof to position each of said dispersive elements into a particular single operative position in said radiation beam; a prime mover operatively connected to said mounting means, for supplying mechanical power to move said mounting means, so that any one of said dispersive elements may be moved into said operative position; said mounting means comprising a rotatable carousel-like table; said movably supporting means thereby comprising means for rotatably supporting said table; a precision indexing means comprising a movable arresting means, said arresting means being movable into a first blocking position and into a second disengaged position; said movable arresting means of said precision indexing means rigidly engaging said movable carousel-like table in its direction of rotation when said arresting means is in said first blocking position, so that said precision indexing means stops said carousel-like table in a series of specific discrete angular locations, each of which corresponds to positioning of a different one of said dispersive elements exactly in the same said operative position; said precision indexing means further comprising a plurality of stop means rigidly attached to said rotatable carousel-like table; said arresting means being so movably mounted that said first blocking position is in the path of said stop means, so that when said movable arresting means rigidly engages said stop means in said blocking position, said carousel-like table is stopped in specific anguLar locations with one of said dispersive means exactly in the same said operative position; said arresting means comprising a pivoted lever arm, pivotably movable into said blocking position about an axis; said movable arresting means further comprising a blocking surface which is engaged by said stop means when said arresting means is pivoted into its blocking position; and said blocking surface being a surface of revolution concentric to said axis of said pivoted lever arm, whereby when said pivoted lever arm is in its blocking position, said carousel-like rotatable table is stopped in the same position even if said pivoted lever arm is in a somewhat different angular position relative to its axis.