Image reproduction system for dimensional stereoptic perception

Claim 1

An image system for the stereoptic reproduction of visual scenes, said system comprising means for the registration of two spaced apart images of the same scene, the registration means including an image displacer, the displacer comprising an upper wall and a lower wall, two viewing windows spaced apart an average interpupillary distance, means for conversion of the two images into video signals, the conversion means including an image camera, the image displacer further including a camera station for the presentation of the registered images in side by side relationship, a pair of first planar reflective surfaces, a pair of second planar reflective surfaces, each of the first reflective surfaces facing a viewing window, each of the second reflective surfaces facing the camera station, and means for the adjustment of the field of view of each of the viewing windows as perceived through the camera station for convergence at the same scene, the adjusting means including means pivotally mounting one of the pairs of reflective surfaces about vertical axes, a yoke extending between each of the pivotally mounted reflective surfaces, a camming slot adjacent each end of the yoke, a follower rod projecting from each pivotally mounted reflective surface, each follower rod extending into one of the camming slots, and means for imparting translational movement to the yoke along an axis extending between the viewing windows and the camera station to thereby simultaneously rotate the reflective surfaces about their respective axes, and the means for imparting translational movement to the yoke including a control shaft, means journaling the control shaft in the displacer, means preventing translational movement of the control shaft, means forming a mating threading engagement between the control shaft and the yoke, a ribbed wheel fixed to the control shaft, menas forming an opening in the upper wall in registry with the wheel, a portion of the wheel extending above the upper wall and through the opening for manual access, and means for preventing rotation of the yoke, the image system further including means for attachment of the image displacer to the image camera, and a remote receiving station for converting the video signals into images whereby stereoptic images of scenes spaced at various distances from the image camera may be reproduced for remote viewing.