Mid-century Emerson micro-manipulator

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BramHuntingNematodes
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Mid-century Emerson micro-manipulator

#1 Post by BramHuntingNematodes » Sat Jun 25, 2022 11:21 pm

Substantially similar to the method of action in the 1931 patent by JH Emerson, of Iron Lung fame:
https://patents.google.com/patent/US1828460A/en

The idea behind this device was in part to make it easy to repair even for a thick-handed clod like myself. When it came to me, it was missing plate #37, which I replaced with some 3/8" machining brass. Of course, several other parts needed cleaning, straightening and lubrication, but it's likely pretty old--maybe fifties or sixties as the logo uses the "EMERSON" overlaid on a box and lists the address as "Cambridge 40, Mass." as some of the early instruments I have seen do, but maybe much later as the design probably hasn't changed much if at all!

The design principle is simple and effective. The plate is moved by the joystick. I will later add a cross-piece between the upper and lower plates to restrict the upper plate twisting. Leverage can be changed by unscrewing the hemispheres farther apart.

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Also included is a terrarium in which to farm rather than hunt the nematodes.
1942 Bausch and Lomb Series T Dynoptic, Custom Illumination

PeteM
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Location: N. California

Re: Mid-century Emerson micro-manipulator

#2 Post by PeteM » Sat Jun 25, 2022 11:35 pm

Cool device and now in what looks to be excellent shape.

I have some idea of the applications - anything specific in mind for your use?

BramHuntingNematodes
Posts: 1538
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2020 1:29 am
Location: Georgia, USA

Re: Mid-century Emerson micro-manipulator

#3 Post by BramHuntingNematodes » Sun Jun 26, 2022 12:03 am

I got a nice Narishige clamp I'm going to mount on the end of it to do specimen arrangement with a pick. My hands are too shaky. What would you do?
1942 Bausch and Lomb Series T Dynoptic, Custom Illumination

BramHuntingNematodes
Posts: 1538
Joined: Tue Jan 21, 2020 1:29 am
Location: Georgia, USA

Re: Mid-century Emerson micro-manipulator

#4 Post by BramHuntingNematodes » Sun Jun 26, 2022 12:15 am

I made a pantograph a ways back to this end but couldn't figure out how to position it without the arm bumping.
1942 Bausch and Lomb Series T Dynoptic, Custom Illumination

PeteM
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Joined: Tue Dec 06, 2016 6:22 am
Location: N. California

Re: Mid-century Emerson micro-manipulator

#5 Post by PeteM » Sun Jun 26, 2022 2:36 am

BramHuntingNematodes wrote:
Sun Jun 26, 2022 12:03 am
I got a nice Narishige clamp I'm going to mount on the end of it to do specimen arrangement with a pick. My hands are too shaky. What would you do?
I've admired folks who do things like mess around inside cell nucleii or, say, arrange diatoms. Don't have an application myself. Or likely the requisite patience for micro-manipulation. Just getting something like an M1.3 screw back in place is about my limit :?

MichaelG.
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Re: Mid-century Emerson micro-manipulator

#6 Post by MichaelG. » Sun Jun 26, 2022 4:06 am

Thanks for sharing the photos and the patent, Bram

… that’s an interesting design.

MichaelG.
.

Edit: __ a Google search took me to this intriguing ‘rabbit hole’
https://esbl.nhlbi.nih.gov/3D-Printing/ ... tracks.pdf
Too many 'projects'

MichaelG.
Posts: 3976
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2017 8:24 am
Location: North Wales

Re: Mid-century Emerson micro-manipulator

#7 Post by MichaelG. » Sun Jun 26, 2022 6:58 am

Leaping forward to the first quarter of the 21st Century … This may be of interest:
https://www.hardware-x.com/article/S246 ... 5/fulltext

MichaelG.
Too many 'projects'

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