Mechanical optical switching device

摘要

A mechanical switch for light transmitted over optical fibers has one input collimating and a pair of output converging lenses. One optical fiber transmits incoming light, bearing information signals onto said input lenses. A first triangular prism path normally directs the incoming light emerging from the input lens onto one of the output lenses. A mechanical switch selectively inserts a parallelogram prism into a path followed by light emerging from the input lens in order to switch the light onto a second triangular prism and thereby direct the light to the other output lens, when the parallelogram prism is switched into the path from the input lens. Optical fibers are individually associated with each of the output lens for transmitting light which is outgoing from the mechanical switch.