GB1012974A - Improvements in or relating to microscopes - Google Patents

Abstract

1,012,974. Microscopes. W. WATSON & SONS Ltd. K. F. HALL and G. CHAMBERS. April 10, 1964 [April 10, 1963], No. 14383/63. Heading G2J A microscope, in which adjustment for forcussing is effected by control means operating a flexible band connected to cause relative movement in a substantially vertical direction between a stage 14 and a viewing optical system 2, has at least two thrust bearings which permit such relative movement and which are relatively spaced in the vertical direction to counteract the movement of the overhanging head provided by the stage 14. A third bearing is spaced from at lease one of said thrust bearings to prevent rotation of the stage 14 about the vertical direction the power bearing 16 comprises a vee-bearing, the load supporting faces of which are provided by two rollers 21, 22. The upper bearings 17, 18 comprise rollers 24, 27 respectively, mounted together with the bearing 16, on a support 13. The bearings 16, 17, 18 co-operate with rods 16a, 17a, 18a respectively which form part of a stage slide 15. Transverse guide means is provided by further rollers 25, 28. The flexible band 31 is anchored at one end 32 to the support 13. From there it extends round a roller 35 carried on the stage slide 15, and subsequently passes round rollers 37, 38 on the support 13 to the shaft 43 of the band adjusting means 41. The raise the stage 14 the shaft 43 is rotated in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. 1. A coarse adjustment knob 49 is provided at one end of the shaft 43. To prevent the stage from falling under its own weight a counterbalance system 51 is connected to the shaft 43 by a steel tape 53. A fine adjustment means for winding the band 31 is provided in the form of a sun and planet differential device 57 operable by knobs 75, 76 secured to the ends of a spindle 62 which carries the device 57 coaxially of the shaft 43.