Abstract: A beam confinement subsystem for an optical scanning system of a laser beam machine having a laser beam transfer path includes an expandable light path sealing and protecting member surrounding a portion of the laser beam transfer path, and a pressure adjusting buffer directly coupled to the expandable light path sealing and protecting member. Preferably, the pressure adjusting buffer including an expandable, airtight thin-film material. Additionally, the beam confinement can include a pressurized purge gas supply tank directly connected to the expandable light path sealing and protecting member to thereby provide greater protection from contamination to the laser beam transfer path.

Abstract: In a laser machining apparatus and method according to the present invention, a chip conveyor provided under the machining head parallel to the moving direction of the machining head recovers chips dropping near a movable area of a machining head, the chip tray provided in a section where the chip conveyor does not exit, receives chips dropping in a movable area of the machining table where the chip conveyor does not exist, and brushes provided under the machining table move along with the machining table to clean off chips stored in the chip trays and drop the chips onto the chip conveyor.

Abstract: A pulse laser beam of energy distribution having a plurality of peaks is generated (e.g. having a TEM.sub.01 mode or greater) and is directed onto an optical system. The system combines beam-condensing optical elements and multi-beam-splitting prism elements so that the peaks of energy distribution in the laser beam mode fall correspondingly on the cut surfaces of each of the multi-beam-splitting prism elements. Each of the condensing and splitting elements may either be of transmission or reflection type, and further they may be of separate or integral type. Fresnel lenses or meniscus lenses may be used as beam-condensing optical elements. As a result, a plurality of pulse laser beam-condensed spots are produced.

Abstract: A laser cutting machine in which a laser beam is condensed by a machining lens, and while the laser beam thus condensed is being applied to a workpiece, the laser beam and the workpiece are moved relative to each other, to cut the workpiece, the laser cutting machine comprising optical axis moving means for moving the laser beam applied to the machining lens in parallel with an optical axis to a desired position on the machining lens, and optical axis movement control means for controlling the optical axis moving means in conformance with a program provided for a cutting locus to control the relative movement of the condensed laser beam and workpiece, so that the laser cutting machine which is not expensive, and can form a cut in a workpiece in such a manner that the cut is not tapered in section, without lowering the machining accuracy is obtained.

Abstract: An orthogonal type gas laser oscillator is constructed in such a manner that a laser medium gas is caused to flow through an exciting region for the laser oscillation to perform the laser oscillation on the optical axis which runs in the direction orthogonal to the flowing direction of the laser medium gas; the exciting region is provided independently in even number and the flowing direction of the laser medium gas in one half of the exciting region and the flowing direction of the laser medium gas in the remaining half of the exciting region are mutually opposed.