Patent ID: 8443960

Claim:
A slide holder and feeding unit comprising a tray moving on a carriage provided with seats for slides and with a tray moving mechanism; a slide loading arm; and a slide holding frame provided with a slide loading arm driving motor, wherein the slide holder ( 30 ) is provided with slide holding elements; a plurality of Maltese cross elements ( 13 ) is arranged on the lower side of the tray ( 6 ) of the unit ( 1 ) and a crank ( 14 ) is arranged in the carriage ( 4 ), opposite to said cross elements ( 13 ), wherein the Maltese cross elements ( 13 ) have parallel driving slots ( 17 ) and curved locking recesses ( 15 ) arranged along a straight line and said crank ( 14 ) is coupled to said Maltese cross elements ( 13 ) by a moon-shaped cam ( 16 ) protruding into the curved locking recesses ( 15 ) and a pin protruding into said driving slots ( 17 ); said slide loading arm ( 9 ) is arranged movably and tiltably above the slide holder ( 30 ) and a supporting plate ( 11 ) is arranged movably and tiltably below the slide holder ( 30 ), wherein said supporting plate ( 11 ) and said slide loading arm ( 9 ) are connected to each other by a lever rotating around a pin, wherein the slide holding frame ( 7 ) is provided with lifting means for tilting the slide loading arm ( 9 ) and the supporting plate ( 11 ), said lifting means being actuated mechanically by a control member arranged on the crank ( 14 ).