Improvements in or in connection with the Stage, and Slide thereon, and other Adjustable Parts of Microscopes.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Dec., 1893
Comlete Specification Left, 18th Sept. 1894-Accepted, 27th Oct., 1894
PROVISIONAL, SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or in connection with the Stage, and Slide thereon,
and other Adjustable Parts of Microscopes.
I, JAMES POWELL SWIFT of 81 Tottenham Court Road, London, W.
Manufacturer of Philosophical and Scientific Instruments, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In microscopes as heretofore constructed it is well known that the stage on which
the object for examination is placed has imparted thereto two movements in
separate directions usually rectangular movements (after the manner of the well
known slide rests for lathes) the movement in each direction being effected by a
dovetail shaped piece on the one part sliding in a dovetail shaped guideway in the
other part and means to slide one part on the other usually a screw or racking
motion.
This dovetail slide is also used for the extension movement for focussing and
equivalent or other means to the above have also been tried.
Now my object is to dispense with these dovetail slides or the like and in place
thereof I arrange construct and mount these parts which are movable upon one
another (and to which my improvements are applicable) that same bear upon one
another through the medium of rollers or wheels as and for the purposes hereinafter
explained.
My present invention is as follows:-
Describing first the stage and its adjustable parts carried thereon-the stationary
table which is fixed to the supporting frame in any suitable manner has a V-shaped
or other suitable groove on each side edge in which groove operate one or more
wheels or rollers carried each side of the travelling carriage.
This carriage consists of a framework or single transverse bar which at each end
carries suitable supports or hearings wherein said rollers are mounted.
One such roller on one side is arranged in a bearing mounted and combined with
a spring or springs in such manner that said roller is normally kept tightly pressed
in said groove and this roller (or one of the others) has a milled head fixed to the
axis thereof by which same is revolved and thereby the whole carriage caused to
travel backwards or forwards over the table.
In place of the aforesaid groove I may use other mechanically equivalent
arrangements for instance I may form a rail or edge down each side of the table
and make the aforesaid rollers or wheels with a flange or flanges thereon (i.e. the
wheels or rollers grooved on their periphery) so as to be thereby guided and kept
on said rail or edge.
This transverse carriage carries two or other suitable number of bevel edged
rollers close down to the table-the axes of these rollers bearing worm wheels each
of which gears with a worm on a worm shaft mounted in said carriage and revolved
by a milled head on the end.
Also this carriage bears a spring arm extending forwards but kept pressed
inwards (towards the aforesaid bevel wheels) by a spring or springs and this spring
arm bears also one or more bevel edged wheels which cause sufficient pressure
between same and the said bevel wheels on the carriage to thus impart a crosswise
motion to the object (or to the slide carrying same) i.e. transverse to the motion of
the aforesaid carriage itself.

page_text: By using bevel edged wheels the object (or slide carrying same) which may be
correspondingly bevel edged is held down and prevented from rising off the table-
nevertheless I do not confine myself to use only bevel edged wheels in this part of
the instrument.
It will readily be seen that roller bearings or wheel bearings as aforesaid may be
used where applicable for the bearings of other adjustable parts of the instruments
and so do away with the heavy dovetail slide bearings and accessories as heretofore
usual.
Dated this 18th day of December 1893.
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton-Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant..
COMPLETE 'SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or in connection with the Stage, and Slide thereon,
and; other Adjustable, Parts, of Microscopes.
I, JAMES POWELL SWIFT of 81 Tottenham Court Road, London, W.
Manufacturer of Philosophical and Scientific Instruments, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
In microscopes. as heretofore constructed it is well known that the stage on which
the object for examination is placed has imparted thereto two movements in
separate directions usually rectangular movements (after the manner of the well-
known slide rests for lathes) the movement in each direction being effected by a
dovetail shaped piece on the one part sliding in a dovetail shaped guideway in the
other part and means to slide one such part on the other usually a screw or racking
motion:
This dovetail slide is also used for the extension movement for focussing and.
equivalent or other means to the above have also been tried.
Now my object is to dispense with these dovetail slides or the like and in place
thereof I arrange construct and mount these parts which are movable upon one
another (and to which my improvements are applicable) that same bear upon one
another through the medium of rollers or wheels as and for the purposes hereinafter
explained.
My present invention is as follows:-
Describing first the stage and the adjustable slide carried thereon-the stationary
table or platform which is fixed to the supporting frame in any suitable manner
(and which is usually termed the "stage") has a V-shaped or other suitable groove
(or grooves) on each side edge in which groove (or grooves) operate one or more
wheels or rollers carried each side of the travelling carriage or "slide."
This carriage or slide consists of a frame or single transverse bar which at each
end carries suitable supports or bearings wherein said rollers are mounted.
If desired one (or more) such roller on one side may be arranged in a bearing
mounted and combined with a spring or springs in such manner that said roller is
normally kept tightly pressed in said groove or grooves and this roller (or one of
the others) has a milled head fixed to the axis thereof by which same is revolved
and thereby the slide is caused to travel longitudinally over the table.
In place of the aforesaid groove I may use other mechanically equivalent
arrangements—for instance I may form a rail or edge or series of parallel grooves
and edges on one or both sides of the table and make the aforesaid rollers or wheels
with a flange or flanges thereon (i.e. the wheels or rollers grooved V-shaped or
otherwise suitably formed on their periphery) so as to be thereby guided and kept
ou said rail or edge or series of grooves and edges.

page_text: T is an "idle" pressure roller (the edge of which may be bevelled same as the
driven rollers S S or otherwise suitably formed as desired) pivotted to the arm U
which latter is pivotted at U₁ to the said slide M suitable spring pressure being
applied to this arm U so as to normally force same and the roller T thereon
towards the aforesaid friction rollers S S¹ for instance by a suitable flat spring such
as V fixed on the back of the slide M see Figs. 1 and 2.
The operation of this stage is as follows:-
To place the glass slide in position the spring arm U is pressed back by the
end so as to permit said slide O to be placed in position between the idle pressure
roller T and friction rollers S S' and upon release of the said arm U the spring
pressure will firmly press said slide O against the said friction rollers S S' so that
when the latter are revolved thereby the glass slide O will be very slowly and very
accurately moved transversely across the face of the stage G while the rotation of
the milled head K as already described will cause the slide M and with it the glass-
slide () to be accurately moved longitudinally on said stage G.
If desired the milled head P can be placed on the other end of the shaft P₁
which would then be prolonged to receive same (or such shaft may have a milled
head Pat each end thereof) so that the operator can with one hand readily cause,
either the longitudinal or transverse motion desired to be imparted to the object
glass O.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The combination with the stage of a microscope of a slide thereon having
wheel or roller bearings adapted to travel on said stage a groove or tongue or
grooves and tongues formed on or near the side edges on said stage to receive and
guide thereon said wheel or roller bearings a spring mounted bearing for one or
more of said rollers on said slide to ensure close fitting of said wheels or rollers on
the said stage and means provided on one of said wheels or rollers to revolve same
by hand and thereby cause the slide to travel in a longitudinal direction on said
stage.
2. The combination with the stage of a microscope of a slide thereon having
wheel or roller bearings adapted to travel on the side edges of said stage a groove
or tongue or grooves and tongues formed on said side edges to receive and guide
thereon said wheel or roller bearings a spring mounted bearing for one or more of
said rollers on said slide to ensure close fitting of said wheels or rollers on the said
side edges and means provided on one of said wheels or rollers to revolve same by
hand and thereby cause the slide to travel in a longitudinal direction on said stage
substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore described.
3. In a slide adapted to be moved longitudinally on the stage of a microscope--
the combination of a friction roller or friction rollers horizontally mounted in said
slide so as to revolve above said stage in a parallel plane therewith and present the
periphery of each such roller to the edge of the glass slide or object glass lying flat
on said stage hand-operated means to revolve said roller or rollers a spring arm or
spring mounted bar carried on said slide an idle roller or idle rollers horizontally
mounted on said arm or bar in the same plane as and opposite to the said friction
roller or rollers and adapted to bear against one edge of the object glass or glass
slide and press the opposite edge thereof against the said friction roller or rollers
so as to thereby impart transverse motion thereto when said friction rollers are
revolved.
4. In a slide adapted to be moved longitudinally on the stage of a microscope
the combination of two or more friction rollers horizontally mounted in said slide
so as to revolve above said stage in a parallel plane therewith hand-operated
mechanism to simultaneously revolve said rollers a lever arm pivotted to said slide
the free end of which arm extends in front of said friction rollers an idle roller
pivotted to said free end and adapted to revolve in the same plane as the said

page_text: friction rollers and a spring adapted to press the free end of said arm towards the
glass slide or object glass which glass slide lies flat on the stage with its edges-between
said idle roller and friction rollers and which is by the former forced against the
latter so as to be thereby moved along transversely when the latter are revolved.
substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein before described.
5. The combination with a microscope stage having the longitudinal sides.
thereof adapted to receive wheel or roller bearings thereon of a slide consisting of
a transverse bar extending across said stage on which same is adapted to travel a
wheel or roller or rollers journalled to said bar at one end thereof and adapted to
travel and be guided on one longitudinal side of said stage a wheel or roller or
rollers journalled in a spring bearing on the other end of said bar and adapted to
travel and be guided on the opposite side of said stage means to impart rotary
motion to one of such rollers by hand to thereby cause longitudinal motion to the
said bar and means provided on said slide to impart transverse movement to the
object glass or glass slide resting on said stage.
6. The combination with a microscope stage having the longitudinal side edges.
thereof adapted to receive wheel or roller bearings thereon of a slide consisting
of a transverse bar extending across said stage on which same is adapted to travel
a wheel or roller or rollers journalled to said bar at one end thereof and adapted to
travel and be guided on one edge of said stage a wheel or roller or rollers journalled
in a spring bearing on the other end of said bar adapted to travel and be guided on
the opposite edge of said stage means to impart rotary motion to one of such rollers
by hand to thereby cause longitudinal motion to the said bar and means provided
on said slide to impart transverse movement to the object glass or glass slide
resting on said stage substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein before
set forth.
7. The combination with a microscope stage having the longitudinal side edges
thereof adapted to receive wheel or roller bearings thereon of a slide consisting of
a transverse bar extending across said stage on which same is adapted to travel a
roller or rollers journalled to said bar at one end thereof and adapted to travel and
be guided on one edge of said stage a roller or rollers journalled in a spring bearing
on the other end of said bar and adapted to travel and be guided on the opposite
edge of said stage means to impart rotary motion to one of such rollers to thereby
cause longitudinal motion to the said bar a transverse worm shaft journalled on
said bar rollers driven by said worm shaft and adapted to bear against one edge of
the object glass and a spring arm or device carried on said transverse bar bearing
another roller adapted to engage and press tightly against the opposite edge of the
glass slide or object glass to thus impart transverse motion to the said glass slide or
object glass when said friction rollers are revolved.
8. The combination with a microscope stage having the longitudinal side edges
thereof adapted to receive wheel or roller bearings thereon of a slide consisting of
a transverse bar extending across said stage on which same is adapted to travel a
roller or rollers journalled to said bar at one end thereof and adapted to travel and
be guided on one edge of said stage a roller or rollers journalled in a spring bearing on
the other end of said bar and adapted to travel and be guided on the opposite edge of
said stage means to impart rotary motion to one of such rollers to thereby cause
longitudinal motion to the said bar a transverse worm shaft journalled on suid bar
rollers driven by said worm shaft and adapted to bear against one edge of the
object glass and a spring arm carried on said transverse bar bearing an idle roller
adapted to engage and press tightly against the opposite edge of the glass slide or
object glass to thus impart transverse motion to the said glass slide or object glass
when said friction rollers are revolved substantially in the manner and for the
purposes hereinbefore described.
9. The combination with a microscope stage such as G having the longitudinal
side edges thereof adapted to receive and guide thereon wheel or roller bearings of
a slide moving on wheel or roller bearings on said stage said slide consisting of a
transverse bar such as M wheels such as N journalled at one end thereof and

page_text: adapted to travel in the side edge such as H of the stage G a roller such as
journalled in a spring mounted bearing such as L and adapted to travel in the
opposite side edge such as I of the stage G a milled head such as K fixed to the
axis of said roller J to thereby revolve same by hand a worm shaft such as P'
journalled on said bar M a milled head such as P on said worm shaft by which to
revolve same by hand worms such as Q Q¹ on said shaft P¹ to impart motion to
worm wheels such as R R¹ respectively fixed on the axes of friction wheels such
as S S' carried in the said bar M an arm such as U pivotted to the bar M an idle
roller such as T on the free end of said arm U and a spring such as V adapted
to force the said free end of U and idle roller T towards said friction wheels S S'
all substantially in the manner and for the purposes herein before described and
illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed.
10. In a microscope the combination with the stage thereof of a slide constructed
and arranged to act substantially in the manner and for the purposes hereinbefore
described and illustrated in the drawings hereunto annexed.
11. Constructing the sliding parts of microscopes with wheel or roller contact
surfaces or bearings substantially in the manner hereinbefore described and
illustrated by way of example with reference to a slide having wheel or roller
bearings on the longitudinal side edges of the stage of a microscope.
Dated this 15th day of Sentember 1894
TONGUE & BIRKBECK,
34, Southampton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.