Fig. 64.—Ross’s “New Industrial” Microscope.
Messrs. Beck’s Microscopes.
Messrs. Beck have adopted what may be termed a rival system of fine adjustment in their modern microscopes. The short lever and screw applied externally to the body tube is peculiar, I may say, to the Ross-Jackson system, and was originally devised to allow of the body tube being supported somewhat more firmly on the limb. This change had its merits fully realised in the early microscopes of Smith and Beck. To their successors, R. & J. Beck, the microscope owes much, and very many important improvements, while all their instruments and accessories are excellent examples of good workmanship and finish. In their Pathological Microscope we have a movement originally found in Tolles’ microscopes: a vertical disc, by which the centre can be raised or depressed to correspond with the thickness of the slide. The stage can also be brought into an inverted position by rack and pinion. Their fine adjustment has been greatly improved, as we shall presently see, whereby it has been made more sensitive and delicate of adjustment. The general construction of their microscopes as a rule possess the following advantages: the stands are strong, firm, and yet not too light or too heavy, the instruments cannot alter from the position in which they are placed, as, unfortunately, will occasionally happen when joints work loose; in every position the heavier part of the stand maintains the centre of gravity.
Beck’s Pathological Microscope ([Fig. 65]) is a nearly perfect instrument, furnished with a firm triangular foot, which ensures great steadiness in any position. It has a well adapted joint for placing the instrument at any angle of inclination; coarse adjustment by spiral rack and pinion; fine adjustment by delicate lever and micrometer screw motion; rack and pinion focussing and screw centring sub-stage, made to carry all condensers and other sub-stage apparatus; mechanical stage with horizontal and vertical traversing motions. The stage is attached to the instrument by two screws and can therefore be removed at pleasure, leaving a large square flat glass stage for the culture-plate. It is likewise provided with finder divisions, and as it always fits on to the same place, any particular portion of the object can be recorded and found at any moment. The triple nose-piece is a convenient addition, and a very acceptable one to the student while diligently engaged in histological research.
Fig. 65.—Beck’s Pathological Microscope, with square and removable stage.
Fig. 66.—Beck’s Large “Continental Model” Microscope.
Beck’s Large “Continental Model” Microscope is of superior finish. It is provided with a substantial horse-shoe foot, which gives support to the strong, well-balanced body, jointed for giving the microscope any angle of inclination. The body is provided with a draw-tube which can be racked down to the Continental measurement. It has a spiral rack and pinion coarse adjustment, and a fine adjustment of the most perfect workmanship, which will be described in detail presently. It has a large square stage with vulcanite top plate to receive culture preparations. The sub-stage is of the most approved form for centring, and carries an achromatic or Abbe condenser, iris diaphragm, &c. The double mirror can be swung out of place for direct illumination and micro-photography. Altogether, this instrument is in every way fitted for critical or class-room work.