Abstract: A vibrating microtome and measuring device for measuring the transverse offset of a vibrating knife comprises a light barrier into which the knife is placeable and a control application signal (pklo, pkhi) that describes the time course of the vibration of the knife and an electronic measurement system of the measuring device measures the coverage of the light barrier as an oscillating signal (tpm), and determines the transverse offset from the signal values at points in time that are defined by the control application signal.

Abstract: In a vibrating microtome (1), a knife (6) is caused to vibrate during a sectioning operation in a direction parallel to a section plane and substantially parallel to the knife's edge, during which a transverse offset can occur as a consequence of a potentially present inclination of the cutting edge with respect to the section plane. A measuring device (3) for measuring the transverse offset comprises a light barrier (9) into which the cutting edge is placeable so as to partially cover the light of the light barrier. The vibrating microtome (1) generates, from the motion of the knife, a control application signal (pklo, pkhi) that describes the time course of the vibration of the knife (6), and the electronic measurement system of the measuring device (3) measures the coverage of the light barrier as a consequence of the vibration of the knife as an oscillating signal (tpm), and determines the transverse offset from the signal values at points in time that are defined by the control application signal.

Abstract: A vibrating microtome and measuring device for measuring the transverse offset of a vibrating knife comprises a light barrier into which the knife is placeable and a control application signal (pklo, pkhi) that describes the time course of the vibration of the knife and an electronic measurement system of the measuring device measures the coverage of the light barrier as an oscillating signal (tpm), and determines the transverse offset from the signal values at points in time that are defined by the control application signal.

Abstract: In a vibrating microtome (1), a knife (6) is caused to vibrate during a sectioning operation in a direction parallel to a section plane and substantially parallel to the knife's edge, during which a transverse offset can occur as a consequence of a potentially present inclination of the cutting edge with respect to the section plane. A measuring device (3) for measuring the transverse offset comprises a light barrier (9) into which the cutting edge is placeable so as to partially cover the light of the light barrier. The vibrating microtome (1) generates, from the motion of the knife, a control application signal (pklo, pkhi) that describes the time course of the vibration of the knife (6), and the electronic measurement system of the measuring device (3) measures the coverage of the light barrier as a consequence of the vibration of the knife as an oscillating signal (tpm), and determines the transverse offset from the signal values at points in time that are defined by the control application signal.

Abstract: In cutting devices (10), it is necessary to preset the specimen (14) onto the knife (16). The use of a light barrier (30) is proposed in order to facilitate and automate this presetting operation, which is intended to ensure maximally rapid and accurate positioning of the knife (16) relative to the specimen (14). The light barrier (30) is positioned between the knife (16) and the specimen (14), and is preferably arranged parallel to the knife edge (15). As soon as the light barrier (30) is interrupted, a defined spacing (25) between knife (16) and specimen (14) is ascertained, and is used to shut off the automatic feed or to switch over to a different drive system.