Patent ID: 8591810

Claim:
An apparatus for handling specimen slides, comprising: at least one coverslipping module ( 14 ) for coverslipping thin sections arranged on the specimen slides ( 21 ), the at least one coverslipping module ( 14 ) configured to apply a mounting medium onto the specimen slides ( 21 ) and then apply a coverslipping means onto each of the specimen slides ( 21 ); an output unit ( 18 ) for outputting the coverslipped specimen slides ( 21 ), wherein the output unit ( 18 ) includes a drying unit ( 32 ) for at least partial extraction of at least one solvent from the applied mounting medium while the specimen slides ( 21 ) are arranged in the output unit ( 18 ); and a transport unit ( 12 ) for transporting the coverslipped specimen slides ( 21 ) from the coverslipping module ( 14 ) to the drying unit ( 18 ), the transport unit ( 12 ) being configured to transport racks ( 20 ) carrying the coverslipped specimen slides to the output unit ( 18 ); wherein the output unit ( 18 ) further includes an output drawer ( 22 ) arranged to receive and support the racks ( 20 ) carrying the coverslipped specimen slides ( 21 ).