Abstract: A moving base is provided relative to a stage base fixed to a microscope's body and is movable in a linear direction with a specimen placed thereon. A drive wheel coaxial with an operation handle is mounted on the stage base such that it is rotatable. A rail is mounted relative to a mount face of a moving base with an elastic member therebetween such that it is fixed at both ends. The rail is placed in pressure contact with a V groove of the drive wheel by an elastic force of the elastic member. Even if there occur warping of the rail and eccentric state of the drive wheel, the elastic member is correspondingly deformed elastically so that the state of contact of the rail with the drive wheel is uniformly controlled by an elastic force of the drive wheel.

Abstract: The disclosed pivoting device is used with a frame structure that supports optical units, such as surgical microscopes and the like, for viewing a predetermined observation point, the frame structure being adjustable in height and in relation to three coordinate axes. The pivoting device carries the optical unit and permits adjustment of the unit about three axes of rotation to any desired position over a spherical surface. The pivoting device includes counterbalancing apparatus that adjusts synchronously with the movement of the optical unit. With this apparatus, it is easy to move the optical unit, and minor adjustments in the position of the optical unit do not require an adjustment of the frame structure. In addition, since the pivoting device's three primary axes of rotation all intersect at the observation point, focus of the optical unit relative to the observation point is not changed by such minor spatial adjustments of the unit.

Abstract: Disclosed is a spatially-adjustable supporting frame for a surgical microscope unit which can be selectively locked in any adjusted position. The frame includes a hinged parallelogram which can be pivoted about a bearing supported on a column. The hinged parallelogram carries a second structure in the form of a coupled-hinge parallelogram which, in turn, carries the surgical microscope. Two counterweights are independently adjustable along paths parallel with two adjacent sides of the hinged parallelogram to permit the continuous balancing of the weight of the surgical microscope.

Abstract: A durable, frictionless remote controlled manipulator, which is compact, stable, easy to construct, and has good dynamic capability, is a cradle suspension of lever arms, joined by crossed spring hinges to form a parallelogram suspension. The suspension creates vertical motions that have minimal cross-coupled horizontal error. Vertical cross-coupling error that arises at the extremes of parallelogram displacement in the two horizontal axes is hydraulically corrected by the remote controller. Thus, displacements are more nearly mutually perpendicular, and the position of the microtool more faithfully corresponds to the micromter settings. Being compact, the device can be mounted on a microscope stage to minimize cantilevering of the microtool, which is an unwanted source of vibration and also limits the load bearing in larger devices that can only be placed alongside the microscope.

Abstract: A microscope includes a first stage for placing a specimen on a first plane, a second stage for placing the specimen on a second plane, an objective lens provided between the first plane and the second plane, the objective lens being provided so that the first plane and the second plane are in conjugate relationship with the objective lens, a Koehler illuminating optical system for supplying an illuminating light beam for illuminating the first plane, the illuminating optical system supplying the illuminating light beam to the second plane through the objective lens when the specimen is placed on the second plane, and an observation system for observing therethrough the image of the specimen formed on a third plane, the observation system being provided with an optical system cooperating with the objective lens to cause the image of the specimen placed on the first plane to be formed on a third plane, or cause the image of the specimen placed on the second plane to be formed on the third plane.

Abstract: An optical positioning stage arranged for the precise movement of light optical components or the like composed of a pair of plates having rail receiving grooves, a pair of rails joining the plates and attached thereto by an adhesive, and a work piece mounting table slideably disposed between the rails and the plates, and an electric motor assembly consisting of a motor, a speed reducing gear train and an encoder all mounted on an additional plate positioned between the rails and operationally connected to the work piece table.