Welding helmets with auxiliary optical vision systems

In a welding helmet comprising a shell mountable to a welder's head, said helmet having an opaque wall extending in front of and to the sides of the welder's face to shield him from a welding arc or flame in front of him, and from arcs or flames to the side of him, said shell having a window occupied by a welder's glass to enable the welder to look forwardly along a forward axis at work in front of him while an arc or flame is burning, the improvement comprising:

• to the side of said window and passing through said wall, a reducing auxiliary vision system through said helmet having the optical property of reducing an object which is located about 30 inches from the hood to an apparent distance significantly greater than the distance to said object, said auxiliary system having an optical axis directed at an angle to said forward axis, whereby to provide visibility under normal illumination of regions substantially to the side of said forward axis.