IMPROVEMENTS IN MICROSCOPES
Year: 1863

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Edward Newton, of the Office for Patents,
* 66, Chancery Lane, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MICROSCOPES."-A communication from
nhrond be Canund Van Dennard
Sealed the 10th July 1868, and dated the 15th January 1863.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition,
on the 15th January 1863.
I, WILLIAM EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane,
in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of
the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MICROSCOPES," to be as follows:-
This Invention of improvements in microscopes consists in a novel mode of
constructing microscopes, whereby the observer is enabled to hold the micro-
scope in the same way as telescopes or kaleidoscopes are used, that is to say,
instead of placing the microscope on a table or standard and allowing the light
to be thrown on the object by means of a glass or other mirror or reflector,
the microscope may be used by holding it in the hands and looking through
it with the object towards the light.
In order to effect this object the following arrangements are necessary:-A
spring slide holder is adapted to the object end of the instrument, and into
this holder any microscopical tube containing an object glass and an eye piece

page_text: may be placed and secured in any convenient manner. The slide holder into
which the microscopal tube is screwed is provided with a ring on the bottom
of it, into which the slide is placed and held down by a metal reflector some-
thing resembling a Lieberkuhn, and which is open at the centre. This is
pressed down on the slide by a spiral spring placed inside the box. If it be
required to place an object in the box the slide is placed between the moveable
reflector and a fixed part of the box, when the spiral spring will press the
slide between these two parts, at the same time, however, allowing the several
parts to move if it be desired to change the focus. With opaque objects the
light that falls upon the reflector will be thrown back therefrom direct upon
the objects, whatever may be the positions in which the instrument is held.
The trouble and difficulty hitherto experienced in using a condenser for this
purpose will therefore be avoided.
Another improvement relates to a convenient means and apparatus to be
adapted to microscopes for the purpose of aiding the observer in bringing very
small objects into the field of vision immediately and without trouble. It
consists in a plate of metal cut away at the sides and fitting into the slide
holder. In the centre of this plate there is a small round glass plate, into
which a concentric circle is cut by means of a diamond. If the observer
wants to bring a slide containing a very small single object, as, for instance, a
spider's tarsus, under the microscope, the slide with the object on it must be
first fixed to this little apparatus, and in looking through the glass centre the
object must be brought within the small circle, the slide and metal plate may
then be placed in the instrument by passing the slide into the slide box of
the microscope, by which means the object will be in the centre of the
microscope.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said William Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 15th July 1863.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
EDWARD NEWTON, of the Office for Patents, 66, Chancery Lane, in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fifteenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, in the twenty-sixth year of Her
reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto me, the

page_text: said William Edward Newton, Her special license that I, the said William
Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others
as I, the said William Edward Newton, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others, from time to time
and at all times thereafter during the term therein expressed, should and
lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of
Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an
Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MICROSCOPES," being a communication from
Conrad Von Rappard, of Berne, Switzerland, upon the condition (amongst
others) that I, the said William Edward Newton, by an instrument in writing
under my hand and seal, should particularly describe and ascertain the nature
of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to be performed,
and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent Office within six
calendar months next and immediately after the date of the said Letters
Patent.
⚫ NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Edward Newton, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is
to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the Drawing hereunto annexed,
and to the letters and figures marked thereon (that is to say) :-
This Invention of "Improvements in Microscopes" consists in a novel modo
of constructing microscopes, whereby the observer is enabled to hold the
microscope in the same way as telescopes or kaleidoscopes are used, (that is
to say), instead of attaching the microscope to a stand which is placed on a
table, and allowing the light to be thrown on the object by means of a glass or
other mirror or reflector, the microscope may be used by holding it in the
hands and looking through it with the object towards the light.
In order to effect this object the following arrangements are necessary:-A
spring-slide holder is adapted to the object end of the instrument, and into
this holder any microscopical tube containing an object glass and an eye piece
may be placed and secured in any convenient manner. The part containing
the slide holder, and into which the microscopical tube is screwed, is provided
with a ring on the bottom of it, into which the slide is placed and held down
on the edges of a metal reflector, something resembling a Lieberkuhn, and
which is open at the centre. The Lieberkuhn or reflector is pressed down ou
the slide by a spiral spring placed inside the box, and thereby holds the slide
securely. When it is desired to place an object in the box of the instrument
for observation the slide is placed between the moveable reflector and a fixed
part of the box. This is effected by pushing back the Lieberkuhn or reflector

page_text: and placing the slide under the fixed part, the spiral spring will then press
the slide between these two parts at the same time, however, allowing the
microscopical tube to move in the slide holder if it be desired to change the
focus. With opaque, objects the light that falls upon the reflector will be
thrown back therefrom direct upon the objects, whatever may be the position
in which the instrument is held. The trouble and difficulty hitherto expe-
rienced in using a condenser for this purpose will therefore be avoided.
Another improvement relates to a convenient means and apparatus to be
adapted to microscopes for the purpose of aiding the observer in bringing very
small objects into the field of vision immediately and without trouble. It
consists in a plate of metal cut away at the sides so as to fit into the slide
holder. In the centre of this plate there is a small round glass plate, into
which a concentric circle is cut by means of a diamond. If the observer
wants to bring a slide-containing a very small single object, as, for instance, a
spider's tarsus, under the microscope, the slide with the object on it must be
first fixed to this little apparatus, and in looking through the glass centre the
object must be brought within the small circle, the slide and metal plate may
then be placed in the instrument by passing the slide into the slide box of the
microscope, by which means the object will be in the centre.
In the accompanying Drawing Fig. 1 is a vertical section of a microscope
with the improvements adapted thereto; Fig. 2 is a plan of the under side of
the instrument.
a, a, is the microscopical tube, into the lower end of which the achromatic
object glass b is screwed in the usual manner. The tube a is fitted to slide in
the outer split tube c, so that it may be moved up and down therein for the
purpose of adjusting the focus. The split tube c is screwed into a bottom
piece d, which forms a stand and acts as a slide holder, and also receives the
Lieberkuhn or reflector e, e. A fixed plate f.f, (cut away at the centre to
allow light to pass to every portion of the reflecting surface of the Lieberkuhn)
is soldered or otherwise fastened in the base piece d, d, the open end of which,
when not in use, is closed by the lid or cover g. The Lieberkubn is kept
down against the back of the fixed plate ff, by a helical spring h. A wide
slot or opening f*, f*, is cut away in the platef for the purpose of receiving
the glass slide on which the object to be examined is placed. When the slide
is placed in the opening f* the reflector or Lieberkuhn is pushed back and the
slide is passed under the fixed plate f and is held in place by the Lieberkuhn,
which is pressed forward by the spring h.
Fig. 3 represents in plan another part of the apparatus, consisting of a metal
or other plate, which constitutes the second part of the Invention. This little

page_text: apparatus consists simply of a metal or other plate i, the centre of which is
cut away, a piece of glass; being inserted in its place. On this piece of glass
is inscribed with a diamond a circle, which, when the apparatus is placed in
the slide holder, coincides with the field or central part of the field of the
object glass. The metal plate i is provided with small spring clips k, k, for
holding on the glass microscopic slide, which should be adjusted thereon in
such a manner as to bring the object precisely in the centre of the small circle
in the glass centre piece j,j. When adjusted in this manner the slide may
be introduced into the holder, and the object, which will then be found to
occupy a central position in the field of vision, may be examined at leisure.
Having now described this Invention of "Improvements in Microscopes,"
and having explained the manner of carrying the same into effect, as com-
municated to me by my foreign correspondent,-
I claim as the Invention secured to me by Letters Patent as aforesaid, the
combination of parts constituting a hand microscope, as herein-before set
forth.
I also claim the apparatus shewn and described for adjusting small objects
with facility in the centre of the field of vision.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Edward Newton, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, the Fourteenth day of July, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-three.
Witness,
J. W. MOFFATT,
66, Chancery Lane.
W. E. NEWTON. (L.S.)