US 4,061,108 A · Slide smearing device

Abstract

A device for smearing liquid on a slide has (1) a housing and means for supporting a pair of slides on top of the housing, (2) a carriage with a pair of spaced runners which slidably support the carriage on the top of the housing, (3) a spreader pivotally mounted on the carriage and free to rock transversely with respect to a slide, (4) a member to advance the carriage and spreader, (5) a spring and dashpot arrangement to retract the carriage, and (6) latch means to arrest the carriage after it retracts a short distance. The means for supporting the slides may support the slide at an angle of at least five degrees with respect to the plane in which the carriage moves reducing the thickness of the liquid smeared on the slide. The dashpot plunger moves in the direction of an open end of the dashpot cylinder. Advantageously the device has means to clean the spreader.

Claims30

Dependent claims

A device for smearing on a slide a liquid placed at a predetermined position on the slide comprising:

a housing,
means for supporting a slide on the top of the housing,
a reciprocable carriage mounted on the top of the housing,
a spreader mounted on the carriage and adapted to engage the slide,
said carriage being movable with respect to the slide in one direction to move the spreader to said predetermined position on the slide and into contact with the liquid,
drive means to retract the carriage at a predetermined speed in the opposite direction to cause the spreader to smear the liquid on the slide,
said drive means including a spring and an air dashpot having a cylinder with means to restrict the passage of air through one end and being open at its other end and a piston connected to the carriage adjacent the open end when the carriage is retracted, and
the restricting means being adjustable to provide for the selection of different retracting speeds.

5 more elements

A device for smearing on a slide a liquid placed at a predetermined position on the slide comprising:

a housing,
means for supporting a slide on the top of the housing,
a reciprocable carriage mounted on the top of the housing,
a spreader mounted on the carriage and adapted to engage the slide,
said carriage being movable with respect to the slide in one direction to move the spreader to said predetermined position on the slide and into contact with the liquid,
drive means to retract the carriage at a predetermined speed in the opposite direction to cause the spreader to smear the liquid on the slide, and
means to arrest the initial retraction of the carriage with the spreader a short distance from said predetermined position to permit the liquid adjacent the spreader to move along the width of the spreader before the spreader is retracted to its original position, and means to release the carriage from said arrested position.

4 more elements

A device for smearing on a slide a liquid placed at a predetermined position on the slide comprising:

a housing,
means for supporting a slide on the top of the housing,
a reciprocable carriage mounted on the top of the housing,
a pin secured to the carriage,
a spreader having side walls of substantial length loosely mounted on the pin for pivoting vertically and rocking transversely with respect to a slide,
a pair of opposed walls on the carriage spaced from the side walls of the spreader accommodating the rocking of the spreader and restricting the side to side movement of the spreader,
said carriage being movable with respect to the slide in one direction to move the spreader to said predetermined position on the slide and into contact with the liquid, and
drive means to retract the carriage at a predetermined speed in the opposite direction to cause the spreader to smear the liquid on the slide.

5 more elements

A device for smearing on a slide a liquid placed at a predetermined position on the slide comprising:

a housing,
means for supporting a slide on the top of the housing,
a reciprocable carriage,
spaced runners on the carriage,
the housing having a substantially flat and horizontal surface to support each runner for sliding movement,
a spreader mounted on the carriage and adapted to engage the slide,
said carriage being movable with respect to the slide in one direction to move the spreader to said predetermined position on the slide and into contact with the liquid, and
drive means to retract the carriage at a predetermined speed in the opposite direction to cause the spreader to smear the liquid on the slide.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Slide smearing device

Life of this patent

Slide smearing device

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims30