Coverslip pick-up and laydown apparatus

PCT No. PCT/AU96/00357 Sec. 371 Date Dec. 15, 1997 Sec. 102(e) Date Dec. 15, 1997 PCT Filed Jun. 14, 1996 PCT Pub. No. WO97/00461 PCT Pub. Date Jan. 3, 1997A coverslip pick-up and transfer head comprises a pair of spaced suction cups which are angled downwardly and outwardly. A spring loaded plunger in an extended condition extends below the suction cups such that when a coverslip is help by the suction cups it is flexed in a concave shape. A solenoid, when energized, retracts the plunger against the spring force. In use a coverslip magazine containing a stack of coverslips is raised under the head causing the plunger to retract until the suction cups contact the coverslips. Vacuum is applied to the suction cups and the magazine lowered whereby the coverslip is held by the suction cups and flexed into a concave shape. The solenoid is energized momentarily causing the plunger the retract and extend thereby delivering a gentle flexural pulse to the coverslip causing any further coverslip adhered to the underside of the top coverslip to be released and returned to the magazine. A coverslip laydown head includes a pivotal lever which is spring biased to provide a progressive force along the coverslip as it is laid on a slide at an ever increasing angle to thereby cause mountant on the slide to spread evenly over the slide with a uniform wavefront.