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A system which is preferably employed in a laser alignment instrument produces up to five orthogonal beams from a single laser diode beam. In one embodiment the optics take advantage of the elliptical shape of the beam from a laser diode which when collimated produces a plurality of orthogonal beams

A system which is preferably employed in a laser alignment instrument produces up to five orthogonal beams from a single laser diode beam. In one embodiment the optics take advantage of the elliptical shape of the beam from a laser diode which when collimated produces a plurality of orthogonal beams by reflection off a plurality of 45.degree.-angled reflective surfaces intercepting outer portions of the beam. In one preferred embodiment a solid reflective element was four 45.degree.-angled facets to produce four beams from outer portions of a preferably non-elliptical beam, and a fifth orthogonal beam is produced by transmission of a central portion of the beam through the element. The element can be solid glass, or it can be glass or other material with a central hole.

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[ We claim:] [1.]1. A portable self-leveling instrument for producing a plurality of reference light beams on orthogonal and intersecting lines, comprising:a housing with a platform,a diode laser source on the platform, providing a laser beam,a lens on the platform for collimating the beam, anda plu

[ We claim:] [1.]1. A portable self-leveling instrument for producing a plurality of reference light beams on orthogonal and intersecting lines, comprising:a housing with a platform,a diode laser source on the platform, providing a laser beam,a lens on the platform for collimating the beam, anda plurality of reflective surfaces mounted on the platform, positioned obliquely in different portions of the path of the collimated beam so as to reflect the collimated beam to produce a plurality of differently-directed output reference beams, said reflective surfaces including two reflective surfaces each oriented substantially at 45.degree. to the beam and in the path of two opposed outer portions of the collimated beam, so as to produce two oppositely directed output reference beams on essentially the same line, and including orthogonal beam means for producing from a middle portion of the collimated beam, an orthogonal additional reference beam on a line which intersects the other two oppositely directed beams and substantially at 90.degree. to the other two beams.