Freezers - Ultra-Low Temperature - Bright

INTRODUCTION

The Bright Clini-RF is a small, free standing, top opening, ultra low temperature freezer. Its function is to rapidly freeze tissue specimens ready for cryotomy or for storage. Inside the Clini-RF are two cylindrical chambers, the upper chamber is held at -40°C and the lower at -80°C.

The lower chamber can be filled with 3M’s Novec Engineered Fluid, into which specimens can be immersed. Alternatively, an aluminum block can be incorporated into which a specimen holder or chuck can be fitted. The upper chamber is used as a short term storage area for specimens after they have been initially frozen in the lower chamber.

A seven day timer can be fitted to the Clini-RF and is available as an accessory. This means that during the hours when the Clini-RF is not being used it can be run in a ‘standby’ mode with both the upper and lower chambers running at -40°C, thus saving power. At the start of the working day it can be switched to its normal operating mode and the lower chamber can be brought down to -80°C. An alternative configuration is available where a fixed block is incorporated in the lower chamber and the rapid freezer evaporator coil is taken into the block to give an even faster rate of cooling. Please note that liquid coolant cannot be used with this option.

FEATURES AND BENEFITS

replaces liquid nitrogen freezing systems
replaces carbon dioxide freezing systems of all types
offers a distinct improvement in laboratory safety
easy to use, therefore little operator training
upper chamber available for storage at -40°C
hold hexane for immersion of specimens
typical tissue cooling rate of 0.5°C/s
standard accessories include:
- Cryo-M-Bed
- cooling block removal tool
- allen key
- spare set of fuses
- operating manual

Microtomes - Bright

?INTRODUCTION

The popular 5040 microtome is of rotary retracting, self-lubricating design and has a heavy cast alloy base and cutting arm. Its robust construction makes it accurate and incredibly reliable. The use of fixed beryllium hinges means that all lateral motion is controlled and allows no slop or play that can be experienced in other, lesser designs which can result in ‘chatter’ and ‘thick and thinning’. It’s pawl and ratchet wheel and head-advance design ensures absolute calibration for section thickness accuracy and repeatability.

It is well suited to cutting hard specimens such as undecalcified bone and acrylic resins, while routine wax sections can be produced simply and swiftly. Its use in the OTF5000 cryostats makes it the ‘workhorse’ of the Bright range. Based on Bright’s previous model 5030 microtome, the 5040 microtome is now extensively used world-wide in pathology/histology laboratories and many life sciences teaching and research laboratories. Other applications include materials testing, food science and botanical research. The 5040 is available in three versions (see ordering information), for wax sections with fine adjustment specimen orientation, for wax sections without specimen orientation and the cryostat version. Strong, rigid and almost maintenance free, the 5040 will give many years of reliable service.

MAIN FEATURES

• Easy to use rotary retracting microtome with a wide range of options
• Choice of advance/rewind handle positions
• Motor drive with zone control is available - power is simply, yet precisely controlled
• Hard wearing construction and almost maintenance free
• Standard knife holder accepts most conventional knives and the Lever Release Feather Blade Holder or, alternatively, the Quick Release Feather Blade Holder can be fitted
• Standard vice clamp or quick release cassette holder
• Specimen feed indicator
• Safety features include fitted knife guards and locking handwheel
• Cover and debris shields to prevent section debris entering mechanism
• Debris tray with holder for brushes and forceps

A VERSATILE MICROTOME

A wide range of options and accessories increase versatility and widen the scope and ease of use of the microtome. Motorised drive is available which, whilst still permitting manual control, facilitates extra slow cutting for added power free from vibration, and allows ultra-repeatability of sections. Motorised advance/rewind is also available; this function has two speeds for accurate and rapid alignment of the specimen to the knife. It has a knife holder block that can be fitted with many different types of knives including tungsten carbide tipped knives and a special quick release holder block is available that accepts FeatherTM disposable blades, also an angled knife block is available for extra hard specimens. Other items include mechanical or electronic section counters and a ‘hands-free’ foot pedal.

The 5040 is available with or without specimen orientation and orientation may be coarse or fine. A quick release cassette holder can replace the standard vice clamp if required and a version is also available to take ‘supercassettes’.

The unique design of the 5040 allows different feed screws to be fitted to change the operating range of the section thickness control, thus giving choices between 0.2μm and 300μm section thickness’. Using the combination of 0.2μm - 12μm advance and a triangular or Ralph glass knife, it is possible to cut sections of plastic embedded tissue down to 1 - 2μm. When used in its cryostat form, the 5040 is complimented by the Easi-Set anti-roll plate which enables the easiest of all setting up procedures and cutting preparation times are kept to an absolute minimum.

Technical Information

Microtomes - Bright

?INTRODUCTION

The M3500 has been introduced by Bright Instruments to make a flatcutting radial action wax microtome available to histologists at a realistic price.

Its well-proven cutting action has been available in Bright cryostats for many years and section quality has proved to be of the highest. Its design incorporates specific features to enable the user to cut sections quickly, easily, safely and comfortably. It is available with a range of accessories that will suit the most discerning customer including specimen orientation, motorised advance/rewind, motor drive and a unique lever release FeatherTM blade holder.

MAIN FEATURES

• Flat-cutting radial action for superb results
• Automatic retraction on return stroke
• Motorised advance rewind with dual controls (left and right hand)
• Section counter as standard
• Motor drive (Available late 2002)
• Accepts a wide range of knives and disposable blade holders
• Unique lever release Feather blade holder for easy and safe operation
• Height adjustable safety guards to fit different size knives and blades
• Large integral debris tray takes control of waste
• Innovative debris visor increases safety when a blade or knife is loaded
• Can be used comfortably, positioned at 90º to the operator
• 10 position hand wheel lock for safety and convenience
• Quick release cassette holder as standard
• Specimen orientation available
• Advance/rewind stepping motor drive can be stalled without damage
• Lateral blade holder movement ensures full use of disposable blade

DESCRIPTION

Making a radical leap forward in wax sectioning technology, the M3500 incorporates a flat-cutting radial action. This has a distinct advantage over a vertical cutting microtome in that the specimen moves along the blade, as well as down on to it, thus producing a slicing cut (similar to a guillotine). This cutting action produces less section compression than Other methods and therefore gives superb results. The M3500 incorporates the latest design thinking, using high quality moulded materials to soften curves and strengthen construction while keeping the overall weight down in order for the instrument to remain relatively portable, (cutaways in the plinth act as handgrips) but heavy enough to remain stable whilst sectioning. The advance/rewind switch has been duplicated on either side of the front and other controls have been positioned so that the microtome can be used either front-on or side-on to the operator.

Innovations, including a debris visor doubling up as a safety shield, a debris blind and trap to keep the inner mechanism clean and a deep integral debris tray to take control of waste, add up to make operations easier, cleaner and safer for the operator..

Technical Information

Microtomes - Bright

?INTRODUCTION

The Bright 8000 retracting base sledge microtome offers the ultimate in versatility combined with strength, accuracy, reliability and, not least, safety.

Designed to fully meet the needs of the routine histology laboratory, the 8000 will also meet the more demanding requirements of the specialised unit where it’s versatility and wide range of accessories will guarantee that it becomes the first choice of the professional base sledge user. It is well suited to cutting a wide range of materials including bone, plastics, resins and wood as well as large area soft tissues. It is the first of it’s kind to incorporate retraction on the return stroke. This feature helps to avoid possible damage to specimens. The 8000 has a wide range of stages available in a host of sizes. The Bright Solid State Freezer and the Bright Cryostage can be used in conjunction with the 8000, (see ordering information), on occasions where it is necessary to freeze specimens while in a laboratory environment.

MAIN FEATURES

• easy to use base sledge retracting microtome complete with standard vice
• sturdy cast iron construction
• 60μm retraction on the return stroke prevents possible specimen damage
• angled and slewable knife holder for greater versatility
• accepts a range of knives and disposable blades
• a wide range of quick release holders available
• safety features include knife guards and low positioned operating handle
• orientation available - using a ±8º tilt adapter
• range of stages available
• standard accessories include: - knife cleaning brush, set of four Allen keys, microtome oil, operating manual

THE MICROTOME

Design of the knife support pillars is such that they may be reversed to provide greater clearance for large blocks. In their normal position blocks up to 110mm wide may be accommodated but when reversed the block width may be increased to 170mm. Substantial knife clamps provide considerable knife rigidity with the dual facility of both angle tilt and slew, and spacers are available to raise the height of the knife. If required, a single side double clamp knife holder is available as an optional extra. Full width knife guards are supplied providing increased protection to the operator over the entire knife length - not just at its ends.

Cast in mechanite and precision machined, the base is finished with a durable solvent and detergent resistant coating. The sledge is inserted with PTFE to provide an extremely low friction contact. Specimen advance and retraction is achieved by the simple action of pushing and pulling the sledge forward and back using the operating handle. Such is the unique design of the handle the mere action of pushing and pulling automatically advances and retracts the specimen. The degree of advance can be set in the range 0 - 40μm in 1μm increments.

Technical Information