1967 Laser Pistol Pointer

[Eidetic]

Here's a neat old device shown in a press photograph I recently found. It's a laser pistol pointer made in the Summer of Love by Sperry-Rand. It was proposed to the military for use by downed pilots to point toward helicopters for rescue. A version of the pic is also shown from Laser Focus, October 1967. The application is still being promoted, only now with hundreds of milliWatts of green from a diode.

But I think this is the second laser designed to be used as a "laser pointer", after the 1964 Spectra-Physics model 130 he-ne. That one was the first laser with integrated power supply, dc excitation, and a handle on the top. It was also advertised in use as a pointer. This one is battery operated, has a momentary-on button, and was made to point at helicopters.

[LaserDoc]

Try that these days and they'll lock you in prison!!

I wonder what the power supply consisted of and what batteries they ran it from? A couple of mW from a HeNe would require a fair amount of current and given the limits of battery technology in 67, I would imagine they'd run flat pretty fast.

[Eidetic]

Try that these days and they'll lock you in prison!!

Unnecessarily, in my opinion. Remember Egypt. When punishments do not fit the crimes, people stop thinking "outside the box". That's the situation we have in the US now. Just sayin'.

I think you're right though, about lifetime on the batteries of the day.

[LaserDoc]

Unnecessarily, in my opinion.....

Totally agree with you there. Bureaucratic nonsense at it's finest.

[Draco]

I know my self when i am out in the woods, i some times have a signaling device, a mirror most times but i sometimes have a laser with me, if i need help and thats my only resort i guess they could arrest me after the rescue. What was the saying, better to be judged by 12 then carried by 6 ?

[hakzaw1]

I know my self when i am out in the woods, i some times have a signaling device, a mirror most times but i sometimes have a laser with me, if i need help and thats my only resort i guess they could arrest me after the rescue. What was the saying, better to be judged by 12 then carried by 6 ?

After some research I found that the 'laser on aircraft' fed law was written with a clause exempting lasers used for ANY emergency ....maybe there is still some hope is seeing some semblance of intelligence in DC..
hak

[hakzaw1]

... This pic is a few yrs old- made in China by JETLASERS- Sold only to military/law enforcement
IIRC 1 or 2 W 532 $2000 back then- AC adaptable which also charges the batts in the handle- IIRC it has a fat Dazzler type beam..