Microscope slides

Claim 1

A microscope slide adapted to be supported on a microscope, which microscope has a substage lens and an objective lens, said slide comprising a generally flat elongated body having a lower surface and an upper surface spaced from said lower surface; a recess in said lower surface; a transparent cover plate mounted to said body in said recess having a first surface and a second surface, said second surface lying between said upper and lower surfaces of said body, said first surface being below said second surface and providing a support for a specimen whose image is to be projected, said first surface being adapted to be positioned in a reference plane of the microscope, and said first surface defining a focal plane upon which the objective and substage lenses may be focused, said second surface being spaced from said first surface by a distance no greater than the focal length of the objective lens; and an open passage between said upper surface and said recess to permit access of the objective lens to focus on the first surface of the cover plate, whereby upon positioning said first surface in a reference plane of said microscope, said microscope may be adjusted so that a substage radiation-projecting lens and an objective lens are focused on the focal plane and said focal plane is coincident with the reference plane, said recess being larger than said open passage to provide a flat peripheral shoulder in said recess, securing means securing said cover plate against said shoulder within said recess, the edges of said cover plate being spaced from the sidewalls of said recess, whereby said body may be flexed without breakage of said cover plate.