GB556883A - Improvements in or relating to means for maintaining or adjusting the alignment of two movable or relatively movable objects - Google Patents

Abstract

556,883. R÷ntgen-ray apparatus; Bowden cable mechanism. GENERAL ELECTRIC CO., Ltd., and CALDWELL, J. T. Sept. 15, 1942, No. 13027. [Class 98 (i)] fAlso in Group XXIV] An X-ray or other apparatus comprises two separate pieces of equipment 13, 14 on which members 11, 16 may be raised and lowered in parallel paths, the movements being rendered equal by a cable 20 operating in a flexible casing 21 and connected at its ends to one piece of equipment 14 and to the member 11 carried by the other piece, whilst the casing is connected to the other piece of equipment 13 and the member 16 carried by the first, and at least one of the units being biased to maintain the cable in tension and the casing in compression to avoid lost motion. The cable connection allows relative horizontal movement between the supporting members 13, 14 whilst maintaining the vertical relationship between the members 11, 16 carried by them. As shown, the members or carriages 11, 16 are slidable on vertical columns and carry respectively an X-ray tube 10 and a unit comprising a fluorescent screen 17, hood 18, and camera 19 for photographing the screen image. The ends of the cable 20 are provided with nipples 32, 38 which are quickly attachable in slots in lugs 25, 24 respectively on the carriage 11 and on the column 15. The casing 21 is, together with electrical leads 34, contained within an outer flexible casing 39, and is secured at its ends to boxes 22, 23 which are respectively detachably secured to the carriage 16 and to a clamp 31 which may be vertically adjusted on the column 12 to adjust the relative heights of the two carriages. The carriages are connected by cables to counterbalance weights operating in the columns, the weights connected to the carriages 11, 16 being respectively greater and less than those necessary for exact counterbalance, whereby the cable 20 is placed under tension and the casing 21 under compression. The base 14 is provided with four wheels on fixed axles, on which it may be moved in a straight path towards and from the member 13, the axles of one pair being carried in eccentric bearings which may be rotated to raise this pair of wheels and allow the base to rest at this end on castors, enabling it to be moved in any direction.