Abstract:
A magnifying scope and accessory holder having a main body having an upper end of reduced dimension for supporting a viewing aperture including an eye cup and window arrangement and a lower portion that includes an open-ended bore occupied by a focus tube in the form of a movable cylinder. The eye cup and window arrangement further includes a viewing lens which is of a suitable magnifying power. A mount is carried on the end of the focusing tube cylinder that detachably receives a variety of specimen holders.

Description:
Priority based on Ser. No. 60/174,843 filed Jan. 7, 2000. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of microscopes, and more particularly to a novel magnifying scope having a releasable attachment means for accommodating a variety of specimen holders wherein specimens may be readily moved with the holders in a rotary movement about a vertical axis and/or may be moved towards or away from the scope to achieve focus and which may be moved side-to-side for a specimen observation and checkout. 
     2. Brief Description of the Prior Art 
     In the past, a variety of microscopes and magnifying glasses have been employed for permitting review of selected specimens. In some instances, the specimens may be liquid, three-dimensional such as a coin, or may be a sheet of material that is rigid or may flex, such as a leaf or the like. Conventional microscopes do not include holders for retaining the specimen to be observed in such a manner that proper focus can be gained as well as selectively orienting the specimen so that it can be seen from all sides. In most instances, the microscope includes a platform on which the specimen is placed and generally employs clips, elastic bands or slides on which liquid can be placed in order that the microscope of the device can be properly focused with respect to the fixed positioned specimen. In some prior instances, the microscope may include the specimen plate or glass on a portion of the focusing mechanism whereby the lenses of the microscope can be moved with respect to the specimen so that a unitary construction is provided. 
     Problems and difficulties have been encountered when using such conventional microscopes and magnifying devices which stem largely from the fact that specimen holders are not universal so as to be able to retain liquids, three-dimensional items or sheet items such that a unitary construction may be provided that will accommodate a plurality of different specimen holders. Conventional microscopes do not include a universal mounting means whereby a variety of specimen holders can be mounted in an interchangeable manner so that a variety of specimen substances and/or items can be investigated. Also, most conventional microscopes do not provide the mounting of specimen holders directly on the microscope itself but usually resides on support frames or other types of stationary mountings to which the microscope is detachably carried. Thus, portability of the device for use in the field is awkward and cumbersome. 
     Therefore, a long-standing need has existed to provide a novel magnifying scope which will accommodate the mounting of a variety of specimen holders whereby the microscope may be used conveniently in the field and is therefore portable and convenient. The device should be of simple construction permitting focus and full rotation of the specimen holders so that full observation of the specimen can be obtained without complexity. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the above difficulties and problems have been avoided by the present invention which provides a novel magnifying scope and accessory holder which includes a main body having an upper end of reduced dimension for supporting a viewing aperture including an eye cup and window arrangement and a lower portion that includes an open-ended bore occupied by a focus tube in the form of a cylinder. The eye cup and window arrangement further includes a viewing lense which is of a suitable magnifying power. A feature of the scope resides in providing a mounting means carried on the end of the focusing tube cylinder that detachably receives a variety of specimen holders. The attachment means includes an open bore which is lined with frictional material that may be sponge-like or of fabric which permits the insertion of a shaft or post therein so that the post may be rotated or moved up and down while once positioned, frictional engagement will hold the post in place. The post or shaft includes a specimen carrying end which may support a variety of specimen holders, such as slides, enclosed chambers or sheet or bag material. The post is provided with a holding means specific for releasably retaining any one of the aforementioned type holders. Such means may take the form of a releasable clamp, an enclosed chamber held within a yoke structure or a yoke structure having openings for supporting a sheet material. 
     Therefore, it is among the primary objects of the present invention to provide a novel magnifying scope or device which includes a focusing mechanism for detachably mounting a plurality of specimen holders so that a variety of specimens can be observed and studied. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a novel magnifying scope or device which includes a plurality of specimen holders carried on a device which may be rotated as well as moved rectilinearly on the focusing means for the magnifying device. 
     Another object of the invention resides in providing a plurality of specimen holders which is portable with the magnifying device so that it is readily usable in field operations and which is suitable for observing and analyzing specimens which are liquid, solid, three-dimensional and or flexible. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The features of the present invention which are believed to be novel are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood with reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a side elevational view, partly in section, of the inventive magnifying scope incorporating the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged exploded view illustrating the magnifying device of the present invention which operates with a variety of specimen holders; and 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged side elevational view of a holder for accepting sheet material. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIG. 1, the novel magnifying scope with accessory specimen holders is illustrated in the general direction of arrow  10  which includes a main body  11  having an upper portion  12  which supports an eye cup  13  in alignment with an internal magnifying lense  14  mounted in a fixture  15  so that an optical axis is produced for viewing specimens carried on a holder. The holder is indicated in the direction of arrow  16  and is carried on an outwardly projecting holder element  17  fixedly carried on the end of a focusing cylinder  18 . The cylinder  18  moves within a bore  19  in the lower portion  11  of the body. The focusing cylinder  18  may be moved in a rectilinear direction, as indicated by arrows  21  when grasped by the fingers of the user. The outwardly projecting holder element  17  includes an open-ended bore  22  into which a shaft or post  23  of the holder  16  is slidably and rotatably carried. The bore  22  carries a friction material such as a sponge or fabric  24  so as to bear against the external surface of the post or shaft  23  and thereby retain the post in the position established by the user. The arrow  25  indicates vertical adjustment of the post holder  23  within the bore  22 . The upper end of the post or shaft  23  includes a holder for a chamber or a sheet specimen holder and is indicated by numeral  27 . The specimen holder is detachably carried by side elements  28  integrally formed on the end of post  23 . The specimen within the specimen holder  27  is placed on an optical axis  26  through the lense  14  and eye piece  13  and focus is achieved by moving the focusing cylinder  18  in the direction of arrows  21 . 
     Referring now in detail to FIG. 2, it can be seen that the bore  22  in mounting element  17  includes a lining  24  of material intended to provide an interference fit with the shaft  23  of the specimen holder means. Also, in addition to the focusing tube  18  being moved rectilinearly in the direction of arrows  21 , the tube may be rotated about an axis  30  in the direction of arrows  31 . This assists not only in focusing but in observation of the specimen so that the specimen can be scanned side-to-side. 
     FIG. 2 also illustrates that the specimen holder, as indicated in the direction of arrow  32 , includes not only the shaft or post  23  but includes a yoke  33  carried on one end and that the sides of the yoke are provided with arms  34  and  35  that include slits such as slit  36  into which a rigid sheet of cardboard, glass or the like may be inserted. The sheet or glass is indicated by numeral  37  and may include a window  38  that is occupied by a punchout panel  40 . Therefore, a specimen may be placed on the panel  40  and then inserted into the opening  38  of the sheet  37  and the sheet may then be installed on the yoke  34  by fitting into the slots  36  on their respective arms  34  and  35 . The panel  40  will then be lying along the optical axis  26  when the shaft  23  is inserted into the bore  22 . If desired, a chamber  27  may be placed between lugs  39  and  39 ′ of the arms  34  and  35  such as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, so that a captured specimen can be observed or a liquid may be included. Preferably, the chamber  27  is of a rigid box-like structure including a removable lid  41  so that a specimen, such as a live animal or insect, or so that liquid can be introduced to the storage cavity inside the chamber. 
     Furthermore, another accessory holder is indicated in the direction of arrow  43  that includes a clamp  44  at the top end of a post  45  which is identical to the post  23  as previously described. The clamp  44  includes a finger pressure level  46  that is used to open and close the clamp  44  about sheet material that carries a suitable specimen and the sheet material is indicated by numeral  47 . 
     FIG. 2 also illustrates that a specimen may be carried within a transparent or translucent bag  48  and that the bag may have a zip-lock closure  50  for gaining access to the interior thereof. The bag may contain a liquid or a solid specimen element and the bag may be placed in use by either the gripper or clamp  44  on post  45  or, if suitable, may be inserted through the slits  36  in the arms  34  and  35  on the yoke element  33 . 
     FIG. 3 illustrates more clearly the slits  36  on the yoke  33  as carried by the post or shaft  23 . 
     Therefore, in view of the foregoing, it can be seen that the magnifying scope and the variety of specimen holders provide a rugged, hand-held, wide-field microscope which is useful for viewing the incredible variety of small living things found in every lawn, garden, roadside puddle, seashore or the like. Initially, the user places the specimen or subject in front of the lense  14  and brings the scope up in front of the user&#39;s eye while holding the body  11  in a steady position. Slowly, the user moves the focusing tube  18  in or out of the body  18  to bring the specimen into focus. The specimen would be held on any one of the holders indicated as examples by numerals  16 ,  32 ,  43  or the like. The focus tube cylinder  18  will also rotate, as indicated by numeral  31 , from side-to-side allowing the user to see each side of the specimen, such as when included within the chamber  27 . The holder or tool may be moved up and down and rotated 360°in the tool holder  17 . Employing all of the movements combined, the user can focus on any part of the specimen held in the yoke  33  or any items held in the gripper or clamp  44 . 
     The chamber holder  27  is held in position by a slight pressure exerted by the arms  34  and  35  of the yoke  33 . The user uses a small amount of pressure to make the holder accept the chamber  27 . The ends also have slots  36  that are used to hold a slide or sheet of material or even the bag  48  as well as prepared slides or any other items in place. The clamp or gripper  44  opens in a similar fashion to a clothespin and will hold any small item that the user wishes to observe, small flowers, pebbles, minerals, yarn, coins or anything that can be placed in the clamp. 
     The chamber  27  is composed of a clear transparent or translucent material and is used to hold insects, worms, pond water samples or the like. The bag  48  is closable at the top in a similar fashion of conventional plastic bags and fits into the slots  36  of the yoke  33 . The bag may be used to put hard-bodied insects in position for observation or the bag may be used for aquatic study. Slides, such as slide  47 , may be of cardboard with a cutout center that fits into the slots  36  of the yoke  33 . With transparent tape covering the cutout portion, the user can make an instant slide of anything that will stick to the tape. Preferably, the tape will cover the opening or window  38  after the panel  40  has been removed. Items such as sand, plant parts, hair or other specimens may be held on the tape. 
     While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that changes and modifications may be made without departing from this invention in its broader aspects and, therefore, the aim in the appended claims is to cover all such changes and modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.