US1757037A - X-ray device - Google Patents

Description

G. BIERMANN ET AL X-RAY DEVI C E May 6, 1930.

Filed March 13, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 r S .55 9 r a Z w W o I w m w 7 m 5M J. 5 a 4 l n 1 3,... 1 up 6 M Patented May 6, 1930 UNITED} STATES 'GO'IJTFRIED BIERMANN, or IBERLIN-GHARLOTTENBURG,. AND: onnr. 'NIEMANN, or?

.BERLIN, GERMANY, ASSIGNORS-T0- SIE1V[E1\TS.& HALSKE, AKTIENG-ESELLSCHAFT,

or srEMENssTAn'r, NnAR BERLIN, GERMAnY,

A CORPORATION or GERMANY X-RAY DEVICE 1' Application filed March 13, 1926, Serial No. i94,78,.and in Germany March 14, 1925. i

The present invention relates to improvements in X-ray devices.

In X-ray devices for therapeutic uses severalconditions must be satisfied on account of'the high electrical tensions which are employed. It is however very diflicult to satisfyall these conditions simultaneously.

On one side a sufiicient protection mustbe provided against accidental contact of persons with parts of the apparatus carrying high voltages and against the evolution of noxious gases, as Well as against the spread ing of the X-rays beyond the area where their action is desired. On the other hand the device must nevertheless be easily handleable and 'soarranged that the effective beam of rays which is screened off for the treatment can be thrown in any direction in which it is to be used. 7

The usual X-ray devices do not satisfy these conditions simultaneously.

In X-ray tubes operating with very high tensions the electrode-carrying tubular ends are in themselves veryflong. It has been proposed to enclose such tubes in a tubeshaped container. This expedient gives a suflicient protection against stray rays but makes the device very unhandy. Such devices were movably arranged. The'input wires for the electrodes were passed through the side wall of the container, so that the high tension wires lay unprotected. This is very disturbing, especially when the device is moved in order to throw the'rays in a certain direction, because the wires in such cases are shifted continually.

To avoid these drawbacks, constructions were devised in which the tubes and the conducting wires were enclosed in large metallic containers, usually grounded and secured to a wall; Arrangements of this kind have the advantage that the partition or wall separates the chamber or compartment containing the high tension apparatus from the chamber containing the patient to be treated with X-rays. Also, all conductors carrying high tension currents are enclosed in the container and carried through the wall into the high'tension chamber, so that injuriousfgases can be conveyed away readily] However,

these devicesalso are unhandy, since on account of the rigid fastening of the container to the wall itbecomes necessary to place-the patient on a table adapted to be placed in different positions and provided with means for'itsvertical adjustment. I These drawbacks are avoided by our present, invention. WVe employ a readily adjustable high-tension-proof [and X-ray-proof tubular container for the ,X-ray tube, and make provision for preventing the passage of gases into the treatment chamber. The

container isadaptedto beraised or lowered,

preferably transversely to its" longitudinal axis, and extends through the partition separating the treatment chamber from the lowering mechanism at bothe nds, or at a pointbetween the ends of the container, preferably about midway-betweenthem. In'this lattercase, only onepoint of the container is connected with the raising and lowering mechanism, and ahorizontal pivot or like connect'ion may be arranged at this point.

Two examples of our invention are illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in

which Fig. l is a front elevation ofone embodiment of our X-ray apparatus, with parts in section Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof, withparts'in section; Fig. 3 is a plan view, likewise with parts in section; and Figs. 4, 5, and6 are corresponding views showinganother form "of our invention- As represented in Figs. 1, 2, and 3,'the con- 1 tainer l fort-he X-ray tube 2 is a hollow cylinder made of hard paper. An external coat-- ingor sleeve 3 of lead is applied to that part of the container which surrounds the X-ray tube. Sockets 4 made of lead glass are securedto the extremities of the X-raytube.

The container 1 is mounted to turnabout its longitudinal axis, so that;a beam"of X-rays, which passes out] through the window or screen 5, may be projected in difierent directions in a plane perpendicular to said axis.

The supporting brackets or carriers 6, 7 in which the container 1 is thus mounted to turn,

can be raised or lowered in unison by means is movable, separ-atethe-treatment chamber. I from the-chamber II: in which the hightension generator (not shown) is located; the other carrier .7 moves along, and virtually forms a part of, one of the walls of a box-like" closet ILL, situated within the treatment chamber I. 10 designates a high tension wire; or terminal extending axially from one end of the tube 2 through the-container 1 into the high tension chamber II, the other terminal extending in the opposite direction from t-heflth rend'of the tube-2' intothe closet III.

Through the ceilingofthis closet, such other terminalispasced as-a telescopic tube 11, and is then extended under the ceiling of the treatment chamber I into the high'tension chamber II. Accidental contact of the operator or patient with the high tension conduc-- tors is thus absolutely prevented. Another advantage of this construction is that the conductors are arranged in. fixedpositions and thus: may be given such ample. dimensions that the formation of noxious gases is avoided. v

Th e hightension conductor 12., which is laid along the ceiling, is preferably made tubular, to'serve as a conduit for compressed air. This air is blown through the tubular.

conductors 12, 11 into the container 1, to pass alongthe X-ray tube 2 andis then discharged into the high tension chamber II, as indicated in 2. An eflicient cooling of the tube is thus obtained, and any gases that may be formed, are driven into the high tension chamber II through the endof the container 1 which opens-into said chamber.

. The table 13 upon whichthe patient is laid is preferably arrangedlengthwise under the container 1. Insomecases, it may be necessary toplace the table crosswise under the I container 1,. because the inclination of the beam can be varied in one plane only. This latter objectionis overcomeby' the formof our invention illustrated. by Figs. 4:, 5, and 6.

;In this form, one ofthe; high tension terminals of the X-ray'tube 2,,arranged axially in.

the hard paper cylindrical'container 1, passes out of the- .container axially, preferably not asawire 0t relatively smalldiameter, butas a tube 15.-lining the inner wall of the container. 1. The other high tension terminal is? laid in the same-direction on the outside-ct.

the container 1 7 In order to preventrupture: or perforation by-so-calledpoint discharges, this terminal is formed as surrounds the outer wall of the tubular con.- tainerl closely, the electrostatic efiiect a tube- 16 whichtainer 1. Around this cylinder 17 is laid the lead'jacket 3. I

Instead; of; adoptingthe arrangement. just described,.a grounded'lead: tube may be. substituted for the; other terminal. 16.; the positive pole of the source of high tension current is grounded, the return conductor and the lead jacket 3 will be dispensed with, I

and the containerfor the X-rayt'ube then becomes a one-pole device.

Thecontainer with the X-ray tube therein 7 and associated parts can be rotated or turned about its longitudinal axis ina ring-shapedv socket or carrier 18, so that the beam, of X. rays can be emitted. in any direction. To. facilitate such: turning of the container, the latter'may be provided withhandles 24. The

socket .18 is arranged at the central; portion ofthe container, so as to secure a partial bale ancing thereof,.and"it will'be noted thatone end of said container is in the high tension chamberII, while the other end islocatedin' treatment chamber I. The socket 18 con-- nectediw th .a: fork 20 by means of horizontal. trunni'ons 19': In order. that the source of the X-rays may be adjusted to diflerent levels, the fork 20*maybe raised or lowered on rails 21 by means of two wires 9, engaging. suitable guide rolls and equipped with counterweights 8. A, cover plate, 22 connected with the fork 20, closes theopening in the wall andseparates the treatment chamber I from, the high tension chamber II, althoughv a communication between said chambers is afforded by openings in the tube-shaped d'evicej The cylinderjlimay. be closedby, a etaratedplate 23 or by a screen- B'y arranging a suction fan-25. in the high in tension chamber II, a current of air may be caused tofiow from the treatment chamber I: through the container 1 and along theXra-y tube 2' into the high tension. chamber II.

Thus the said tube is-cooledand any noxious I;

gaseswhich'may be, formed, are sucked in-to the high tension chamber without having any opportunity to reach the treatment chamber.

Various modifications may be made with;- out departing from the natu'reof ourjinvention as set forth in the appendedlclaims.

We claim:

1([In an,X.-ray devi'ce,.a. chamber adapted to contain apparatus for the production of high tension electric energy for the produc-v tion ofXY-rays,another chamber adapted to contain. the'patient, a wall. separating said; chambers, a carrler movable up and down adjacent to said wall, an'insulated tubular container supported on said carrier" and.

journaled therein to turn about the longitudinal axis of the container, and an X-ray tube surrounded by said container and movable therewith. V

2. In an X-ray device, a chamber adapted to contain apparatus to supply high tension current for X-ray production, another chamber for the reception of thepatient, a Wall separating said chambers and provided with an aperture, a container extending through said aperture and movable up and down therein, an X-ray tube within said container, and a cover for closing said aperture. 7

3. In an X-ray device, a chamber adapted to contain apparatus to supply high tension current for X-ray production, another cham ber for the reception of the patient, a wall separating said chambers, a carrier movable up and down adjacent to said wall, a container extending from one of said chambers into the other, the middle portion of said container being supported on said carrier movably to allow the container to turn. about its longitudinal axis, and an X-ray tube mounted within said container.

tures.

GOTTFRIED BIERMANN. CARL .NIEMANN.

4. In an X-ray device, an X-ray tube, a

cylindrical container for said tube, and conductors of cylindrical shape, mounted on the inside and on the outside respectively of said container, for carrying current to said tube.

5. In an X-ray device, a chamber adapted to contain apparatus to supply high tension current for X-ray production, another chamber for the reception of the patient, a wall separating said chambers, a carrier movable up and down adjacent to said wall, a cylindrical container the central portion of which is supported by said carrier movably to allow the container to turn about its longitudinal axis, the ends of said container being in said first-mentioned and in said second-mentioned chamber respectively, conductors of cylindrical shape, mounted on the inside and on the outside respectively of said container, and an X-ray tube located within said container and adapted to receive current from said conductors.

6. In an X-ray device, an X-ray tube, a

cylindrical container for said tube, a cylindrical conductor mounted on the inside of said container, and another cylindrical con-v ductor mounted around the outside of said container and surrounding the X-ray tube.

7. In an X-ray device, an X-ray tube, a cylindrical container for said tube, cylindrical conductors for supplying current to said tube, mounted on the inside and on the outside respectively of said container, an insulating layer covering the outer conductor, and a metallic cover surrounding said layer and adapted to be grounded.

8, In an X-ray device, an X-ray tube, a tubular container enclosing said tube, a carrier socket in which said container is mounted to turn about the axis of the container,and

Images