Abstract: A clamping device includes: an operating member; a wedge having a first inclined surface; a clamping member having a second inclined surface movable relative to the first inclined surface, the first and second inclined surfaces being provided in a face-to-face arrangement; and a housing having a first guiding part, a second guiding part and a chamber. The operating member is mounted in the first guiding part, the clamping member is mounted in the second guiding part, and the wedge is disposed in the chamber; the operating member is operated to move towards the wedge, such that the operating member contacts and pushes the wedge to move, and further the first inclined surface contacts and moves along the second inclined surface; whereby a pushing force of the operating member in a first direction is converted into a clamping force of the clamping member in a second direction.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a microtome having a cutting knife, an object holder mounted on a slide, the slide being movable relative to the cutting knife in a cutting direction and in a thickness defining direction, movement of the slide in the thickness defining direction being performed by a first electric motor controlled by a control unit, movement of the slide in the cutting direction being performed by a second electric motor controlled by the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured to control the movement of the slide in the thickness defining direction and in the cutting direction.

Abstract: A mass-balance means and a rotary microtome having the same are provided in the present disclosure. The mass-balance means includes: a connecting element, a first end of the connecting element being configured to be connected with a movable mass of the rotary microtome; a gear set having a preset gear ratio, a first end of the gear set being connected with a second end of the connecting element; an elastic element, the elastic element being pre-tensioned and adjustable, in which a first end of the elastic element is connected with a second end of the gear set for moving along with a rotation of the gear set so as to balance the movable mass.

Abstract: A mass-balancing arrangement comprises an adjustably pre-loaded spring member (14); a pivotably mounted lever (16; 31) for compensating different inertial forces in combination with the spring member (14); a first drawing member (24) connecting a movable mass to the lever (16); a second drawing member (17) connecting the spring member (14) to the lever (16); and a first roller (15) for deflecting the first drawing member (24). The lever (16; 31) has an upper lever arm (19; 32) and a lower lever arm (20; 33), one being sector-shaped and the other cam-shaped. The upper lever arm is connected to the movable mass through the first drawing member (24), and the lower lever arm is connected to the spring (14) through the second drawing member (24). Two torques produced at the upper and lower lever arms are kept balanced. The balanced mass may be an object carriage of a microtome.

Abstract: A microtome has first and second shafts at different fixed positions, wherein the first shaft may be rotated by a hand wheel. The shafts carry first and second gear wheels, respectively. A transmission unit couples the two gear wheels to each other so that the second shaft can be driven to rotate by the first shaft, and a shift unit for pivotably shifting the transmission unit between first and second positions. The two shafts rotate in the same direction when the transmission unit is in the first position, and in opposite directions when the transmission unit is in the second position. The transmission unit includes first and second idler gears meshing constantly with each other. The two shafts are coupled by only one of the idler gears when the transmission unit is in the first position, and by both idler gears when the transmission unit is in the second position.

Abstract: A mass-balancing arrangement comprises an adjustably pre-loaded spring member (14); a pivotably mounted lever (16; 31) for compensating different inertial forces in combination with the spring member (14); a first drawing member (24) connecting a movable mass to the lever (16); a second drawing member (17) connecting the spring member (14) to the lever (16); and a first roller (15) for deflecting the first drawing member (24). The lever (16; 31) has an upper lever arm (19; 32) and a lower lever arm (20; 33), one being sector-shaped and the other cam-shaped. The upper lever arm is connected to the movable mass through the first drawing member (24), and the lower lever arm is connected to the spring (14) through the second drawing member (24). Two torques produced at the upper and lower lever arms are kept balanced. The balanced mass may be an object carriage of a microtome.

Abstract: A microtome has first and second shafts at different fixed positions, wherein the first shaft may be rotated by a hand wheel. The shafts carry first and second gear wheels, respectively. A transmission unit couples the two gear wheels to each other so that the second shaft can be driven to rotate by the first shaft, and a shift unit for pivotably shifting the transmission unit between first and second positions. The two shafts rotate in the same direction when the transmission unit is in the first position, and in opposite directions when the transmission unit is in the second position. The transmission unit includes first and second idler gears meshing constantly with each other. The two shafts are coupled by only one of the idler gears when the transmission unit is in the first position, and by both idler gears when the transmission unit is in the second position.