Universal Stage

augusthouse · Post by **augusthouse** » Mon Oct 20, 2008 2:18 pm

Here is a Leitz 4 Axis Universal Stage.

eBay#: 260303522726

I'll be surprised if this one goes the distance.

On eBay recently, there was a Chinese replica (1960's-80's) of the 5 axis Leitz Universal Stage - identical apart from the optics; craftsmanship superb, nickel plated brass, dovetail case and complete with all accessories. China has a long history in craftsmanship that deserves respect. That particular item was initially passed-in at auction for $678 USD; but when relisted it eventually went to a buyer in Switzerland for an 'off-eBay' offer of $1500 USD. The seller had a second unit - it has now found a home in Australia.

There is no mention of objectives in the current auction and also no mention of the set of condensers (hemispherical lenses) that belong with this piece.

Craig

augusthouse · Post by **augusthouse** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 1:07 pm

Here's another one. A Zeiss OPTON Universal 4-Axis Stage.

eBay#: 330282005286

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0282005286

Craig

*edit: added additional information.

mgoodm3 · Post by **mgoodm3** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 3:25 pm

complicated little beast. How does one use one?

augusthouse · Post by **augusthouse** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 5:02 pm

Here is a brief definition from Answers.com.

A stage attached to the rotating stage of a polarizing microscope that has three, four, or five axes and thin sections of low-symmetry minerals to be tilted about two mutually perpendicular horizontal axes. Also known as Fedorov stage; U stage.

Here is a link to a thread where a related matter was briefly discussed. There are some other links to information and pictures within that thread.

http://www.photomacrography.net/forum/v ... 43&start=0

The four rotating centers of the main body all rest on a common point. Two hemispherical lenses are used to sandwich the specimen between their plane surfaces with immersion oil being applied to all contact surfaces.

Quote reference http://www.olympusmicro.com/primer/anatomy/stage.html

One description I would apply to it is that it is a series of 'wheels within a wheel' that can be set at almost any angle. The 'wheels' also rotate.

Remember the movie 'Contact' with Jodie Foster? It looks a bit like that gizmo.

Here is another link that I just stumbled on when I did a Google Image Search for Universal Stage.

http://palaeo-electronica.org/2006_2/reflect/stage.htm (somewhat related)

Craig

* edit: corrected hyperlink to article

g4lab · Post by **g4lab** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 6:47 pm

The seller says that the unit was made in West Germany.
The Opton name was one of the names used by Zeiss EAST Germany
before the wall came down. Same folks who use the name aus Jena, the real original Zeiss works that landed in the Soviet zone.

Even during the cold war the two factories managed to work together on things. The Westies in Oberkochen and Gottingen managed to trademark the name in the West so the Jena works had to use Opton and aus Jena.
But sometimes stuff slipped through with the label Carl Zeiss Jena. Which they did use in the communist countries.

That Paleo Electronica is really neat. There is just no end to cool stuff on the web.

augusthouse · Post by **augusthouse** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 11:01 pm

Gene wrote:

That Paleo Electronica is really neat. There is just no end to cool stuff on the web.

Maybe we should give the Paleo Electronica a topic all of its own? It is interesting isn't it?

.............................

Here is some additional information regarding Universal Stages.

"Accessories for the Petrographic Microscope".

Pages 7 through 10 of the linked document are most relevant.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_q ... tBody;col1

There is also a book available:
The Universal Stage (with Five Axes of Rotation) By Richard Conrad Emmons

Craig

augusthouse · Post by **augusthouse** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 2:07 pm

The item referred to in the first post of this thread has been relisted - with a slight alteration to the asking price...
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0309643648

There is a movie showing the various configerations of this 4 axis example.

Movie: - not starring Jodie Foster (takes a few moments to load all frames)
http://www.cameratique.com/

Craig

g4lab · Post by **g4lab** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 2:24 pm

I think I have a copy of the Emmons book on the Universal Stage if anyone is interested.
Gene

dmillard · Post by **dmillard** » Sun Nov 02, 2008 6:41 pm

g4lab wrote:The seller says that the unit was made in West Germany.
The Opton name was one of the names used by Zeiss EAST Germany
before the wall came down. Same folks who use the name aus Jena, the real original Zeiss works that landed in the Soviet zone.

Assuming the unit is authentic, the seller is correct that it was made in West Germany, at Oberkochen. After Zeiss Oberkochen blocked Zeiss Jena from using the Zeiss trademark on items intended for sale to the West, they were in turn restricted from selling items marked Zeiss to Eastern Bloc countries. These items were inscribed Opton instead. The common misunderstanding about the origin of Opton lenses and optical apparatus can work to a buyer's advantage. I have a 53mm Linhof Biogon that I purchased at a very good price on eBay, because it lacks the Zeiss and Biogon inscriptions (just Bi).

augusthouse · Post by **augusthouse** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 1:06 am

David,

That is interesting information.

Craig

augusthouse · Post by **augusthouse** » Tue Nov 04, 2008 1:11 am

Gene,

If you come across that Richard Conrad Emmons book could you provide a brief summary of the contents. Photographs, illustrations, etc?

I'm going to try and find a copy of the book in Australia.

Craig

augusthouse · Post by **augusthouse** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 5:40 pm

Microscope Universal Stage 5-Axis - Duplicate of Leitz

I saw the Leitz version sell for USD $2455.00 last week.

Here is the Chinese piece inspired by the Leitz.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0313757229

Craig

g4lab · Post by **g4lab** » Thu Dec 11, 2008 8:28 pm

Speaking of expensive and rare and wunnerful Leitz goodies, a friend of mine who does petro sections sent me this auction knowing I would not bid.

I would have expected it to go a lot higher than it did.

Big ultropak outfit auction on fleabay

augusthouse · Post by **augusthouse** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 8:33 pm

It appears that all the earlier links in this thread are 'dated'; so here are some images and an animated .gif of a Leitz 4 axis universal stage for anyone who may be curious.

Animated .gif (10.7mb) HERE

Craig

g4lab · Post by **g4lab** » Tue Sep 22, 2009 9:27 pm

That is a very cool animation. Universal stages are things to behold.

Notice the sphere has the label nD=1.554 which is the index of refraction of the glass. Slightly higher than regular microscope slides and immersion oil.Those are usually 1.515
The sphere consists of two halves in between which you place a thin section of petrological material which has been polished to a thickness of sixty microns (if memory serves)

After placing the thin section between the spheres in oil immersion contact you view your specimen in polarized light using long working distance (they have to clear the top of all those swinging pieces) objectives which are calculated to have the sphere act as an initial element. (Leitz U series)

Although there are some goniometric measurements that can be done with this apparatus which would be similar to what we would do with a multi axis rotating stage, (and would require removal of the glass hemispheres) the real reason for all those motions is to move the specimen in the polarized light field and determine optical constants. That is the reason for the precision angular measurement scales.

Universal Stage

Universal Stage

Microscope Universal Stage 5-Axis - Duplicate of Leitz

Images