Accessory mounting mechanism for a microscope

Claim 1

Accessory mounting apparatus for a microscope including base, stand, arm support and optical head members, said apparatus comprising: a ringlike member defining with an annular lip a substantially continuous annular indentation in at least one of its upper and lower surfaces and having an annular interior surface, said ringlike member being cooperative with said arm support member for supporting said optical head member; a microscope receiving bracket having means on its interior for supportably receiving said optical head member and having annular means on its exterior for being supportably received by said annular interior surface of said ringlike member, said bracket having a substantially continuous flange cooperative with one of said indentations of said ringlike member to define therebetween a substantially continuous annular cavity characterized by an opening portion defined between said lip and said flange more narrow than its interior portion; and an accessory mounting module having means for retaining a microscope accessory and further having an extension ending in an enlarged portion connected to said extension by a neck portion more narrow than said enlarged portion, said enlarged portion being of a shape conformal to a short section of said annular cavity and being lockably and slidably receivable within said annular cavity.