Patent ID: 8074547

Claim:
An automatic slicing apparatus comprising: a sample block attaching/detaching device which, on the basis of an exchange command signal, detaches a sample block attached to a cutting base and attaches a new sample block to the cutting base; a cutting device which cuts a sliced piece of a predetermined thickness by relatively moving a knife with respect to the sample block having been attached to the cutting base; an observation device observing the sliced piece having been cut; an evaluation device which judges whether the sliced piece is good or not good by an observation data having been obtained by the observation device and which, when there has been judged that the sliced piece is good, transmits an exchange command signal to the effect that the sample block is to be exchanged to the sample block attaching/detaching device; a water tank that extends the sliced piece having been cut; and a carrier device carrying the sliced piece having been cut such that the sliced piece having been cut is immersed in the water tank, wherein the observation data is a picture data obtained clearly by taking by an epi-illumination system applying a collimate light parallel to a normal of a surface of a mirror-reflecting liquid medium in the water tank, when the sliced piece has been extended, an image of the sliced piece having been disposed on a surface of a mirror-reflecting liquid medium in the water tank, together with the liquid medium around the sliced piece.