A microtome includes a blade located at an end of a trough that defines a cavity for holding a liquid; a sample block in which the at least one sample is suspended, the sample block is moveable relative to the blade such that when the sample block is passed across the blade a section is cut from the sample block; a plate that includes a support frame that defines an opening, and a transparent film extending across the opening, the transparent film being transparent to electrons, a grasper being configured to receive and retain the plate, wherein the grasper is moveable relative to the blade; and a pusher section that lacks the sample pusher section.

A bread conveying apparatus includes a flight conveyer including a first flight for urging a bread, an endless revolving member on which the first flight is mounted, and a driving member and a driven member, the endless revolving member being wound around the driving member and driven member, a rail extending along a conveying path of the bread and supporting the first flight, and a rail size setting unit for setting a length of the rail with respect to an extending direction of the conveying path. The length of the rail with respect to the conveying direction is set by the rail size setting unit based on a size of the bread.