X-Y stage for microscopes having a direction changing coupling

An X-Y stage for microscopes, comprising

• a base stage plate, an intermediate stage plate and an upper stage element, with the upper stage element being mounted in a first guideway in the intermediate stage plate so as to be displaceable along a first axis, and the intermediate stage plate being mounted in a second guideway in the base stage plate so as to be displaceable along a second axis, which with the first axis includes an angle that is different from zero,
• an upper stage element drive and an upper stage output link coupled to it and providing a first drive direction of the upper stage element;
• an intermediate stage plate drive and an intermediate stage output link coupled to it and providing a second drive direction of the intermediate stage plate,
• first coupling means for coupling the upper stage element output link to the upper stage element, by operation of which the upper stage element is displaceable in a first displacement direction along the first axis as a function of the first drive direction,
• second coupling means for coupling the intermediate stage plate output link to the intermediate stage plate, by operation of which the intermediate stage plate is displaceable in a second displacement direction along the second axis as a function of the second drive direction, and
• at least one of a mechanical first switching means for reversing the first displacement direction with a constant first drive direction, and a mechanical second switching means for reversing the second displacement direction with a constant second drive direction.