Abstract: There is disclosed a rotary switch assembly which comprises a lamp support plate adapted to accommodate a plurality of switchable lamps. A power contact and a detent plate is positioned above the lamp plate and contains spring loaded power contacts which coact with terminals associated with the lamp support plate to enable energization of any selected one of said plurality of lamps. The power contact and detent plate further includes spring loaded detents which cooperate with detent recesses on the lamp support plate to assure optical alignment. These spring loaded detents are positioned approximately opposite to the power contacts and exert counter balancing forces to assure low shaft friction as the lamp support plate is rotated during lamp selection.

Abstract: An optical coupler which comprises a front clamping section for accomodating an arthoscope. The clamping section includes two semicircular arms which are selectively actuated by a push button. Each arm is biased by a spring which forces the arms to contact and grasp the front end of an arthoscope. Coupled to the other side of the clamp is a focusing section which includes a movable lens. The movable lens is contained within a cylinder and is coupled to an outer cylinder which is slideably positioned with respect to the inner cylinder to enable the lens to move to thereby provide a focusing action. The focusing section is coupled to the input of a television camera. The user can then focus the image from the arthoscope as coupled to the clamping section by means of the focusing section to thereby provide a well defined television signal for many different types of television cameras.

Abstract: A linear switch assembly comprises a planar plate secured to the inner wall of a housing for a light source. A carriage member has a first slot positioned within the edge of the plate member and a second shorter slot on a top adjacent surface. The plate has an extending rigid rod positioned within the second slot to allow the carriage to move along the plate member in a linear direction. Associated with the carriage member are first and second lamp assemblies each having an associated actuatable switch. As the carriage is moved the rod coacts with an operating lever associated with each switch to actuate the switch when the associated lamp assembly is moved into a proper position whereby power is supplied to each lamp assembly only when at the proper operating position.

Abstract: There is disclosed a socket assembly for use with a fiber optic light source to enable accommodation of fiber optic cables of varying diameters. The assembly includes a bottom housing section having a central aperture with a plurality of transverse slots communicating with the aperture. Each slot contains a clamp member which includes a spring located in a hollow of the clamp near the bottom surface. The slot contains an extending post which coacts with the spring when the clamp is retained in the slot. A top housing section is rotatably and movably positioned about the bottom housing and has a central aperture coaxial with the aperture in the bottom housing. The aperture in the top housing is surrounded by a circular flange which coacts with a sloping back surface of each clamp member to push the clamp members into the aperture when the top housing is moved downwardly towards the bottom housing.

Abstract: A microscope body has coupled thereto a lens with the axis of said lens relatively transverse to the optical axis of said microscope. A mirror is positioned with respect to said lens to deflect any light propagating through said lens relatively parallel to the optical axis of said microscope and through the objective lens of said scope to the object plane; and a fiber optic cable is directed at one end to propagate light from a remote source through said lens and thence, to said mirror. Means are provided to prevent spurious light or reflections from the surface of the objective lens from appearing at the visual plane of said microscope.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method of splitting a parallel beam of light indicative of the imaging of an object viewed by a microscope to enable par focal registration of said image at first and second camera locations. A parallel beam of light is directed to propagate through a first input aperture where the beam is converged and then bent at a predetermined distance from the aperture at an angle of 90.degree. to direct said bent beam to the second location where a television camera is positioned to receive the bent beam in proper image orientation and at par focal registration. The converged beam is then diverged as directed through said input aperture and propagated to the first location where a camera is placed for receiving the diverged beam at par focal registration.

Abstract: A microscope body has coupled thereto a lens with the axis of said lens relatively transverse to the optical axis of said microscope. A mirror is positioned with respect to said lens to deflect any light proprogating through said lens relatively parallel to the optical axis of said microscope and through the objective lens of said scope to the object plane; and a fiber optic cable is directed at one end to propagate light from a remote source through said lens and thence, to said mirror. Means are provided to prevent spurious light or reflections from the surface of the objective lens from appearing at the visual plane of said microscope.

Abstract: There is disclosed a universal connector assembly for use with a fiber optic light source to enable accommodation of fiber optic cables of varying diameters. The connector assembly includes a central aperture directed from a top to a bottom surface. A plurality of transverse slots communicate with the aperture. Each slot contains a clamp member which is biased by means of a spring to enable the clamp members to coact with each other within the aperture during a first mode. A cable or rod is inserted in the aperture to force the clamp members and associated springs radially along the slots. When the rod is inserted in the aperture, the springs urge the clamp members to coact with and retain the rod or cable within the aperture to thereby assure an efficient and reliable coupling mechanism capable of accommodating any one of a given number of varying diameter cables.

Abstract: An optical coupler or photo adapter unit has an input port located on a first surface of a housing for receiving a parallel beam of light as may be derived from a microscope or beam splitter. The input port is associated with a first lens for converging the parallel beam. A first output port is located on a surface of the housing transverse to said first surface; and a second output, relatively coaxial with said first port, is located on a surface relatively parallel to the first surface. A second lens is located adjacent the second output port and is operative to diverge the light as transmitted through the second output port as received from said first port and lens.