US1865441A - Method of and apparatus for controlling the direction of x-rays - Google Patents

Description

y- 1932- A. MUTSCHELLER 1,865,441 METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE DIRECTION OF X-RAYS Filed Aug. 4, 1925 :T-ITIEREE INVENTOR I #rf/zzrfimaMZw u/Um-M 7n; ATTORNEY,

Patented July 5, 1932 UNITED STATES ,ARTHUR MUTSCHELLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOB TO WAPIPLER ELECTRIC COM- PANY, INQ, F LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK ivrn'rnon or nun APPARATUS non CONTROLLING THE :omnc'rioiv or 7X-RAYSV Application filed August 4, 1923. Serial No. 655,565.

My invention relates to a method of and apparatus for controlling the direction of X-rays in order to improve their efficiency for various purposes, and to extend their uses in a number of different ways.

My invention is based uponthe fact that X-rays, though incapable of being either refractecl or reflected to any material extent according to ordinary conceptions, may be viriu tually or actually reflected, within certain limits, by the action of certain crystals and crystalline substances, or substances having a regular arrangement ofthe atoms, and may thus be projected along lines substantially 5 parallel with each other, or brought to a focus, or concentrated upon a particular area or within a particular path.

More particularly stated, my invention contemplates a method and apparatus whereby 0 the X-rays may be projected in large quantities and to great distances, and thus may be used for purposes of signalling; or may be used to better advantage than has heretofore been "done in deep therapy for the treatment :ofdeep seated and mali nant diseases, and also in fluoroscopy and pi many other relations. Myinvention further comprehends means to be so used, in connection with theabovementioned crystals and crystalline substances, as to dispense with the necessity for X-ray filters; or in other words, so employed as to get rid of a large percentage of soft rays, which for most purposes do more harm than good. 3 3 In the use of ordinary light rays, that is,

the rays of the so-called visible spectrum, for

signalling over long distances upon the principle of the jheliograph, the raysare rendered as far as practicable parallel with eachotheror formed into a bundle, and thus retain uniformity of intensity over long distances. However, if these rays be projected through air containing fog, dust, smoke screens or vapors, the rays are either dis- :p'ersed or stopped altogether, so that the use of ordinary light in this relation is limited considerably. f V

I On the other hand X-r ays have great penetrative power, and arescattered but little in rays.

ing so arranged as to utilize a large proporotography, and in passingthrough fog, dust, smoke or vapor. Up to the present time, however, it has not been practicable to impart to the X-rays any desired limited orsingle direction of propagaa bundle or parallel tion, or to form them into By my invention I can so divert the X-rays as to concentrate them in practically the form of a bundle, in which the rays are substantially parallel with each other, in a manner more or less analogous to that whereby the a visible rays are handled as in a heliograph.

Reference is made to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, and in which like reference characters indicate like parts throughout all of the figures.

Figurel is a view partly a section and partly an elevation, showing a simple form of my invention as used with an ordinary X-ray tube.

Figure 2 is a view, partly a fragmentary section and partly an elevation, showing a form of my invention as used with an X-ray tubehaving a large focal spot, the parts betion of the X-rays generated. 7

Figure 3 showsa form of my invention as used with an X-ray tube having a large target of rather unusual form, a large proportion of the X-rays being utilized. it

Figure 4 is a view partly a section and partly an elevation of a form of my device using more than one crystal or crystalline substance in order to increasethe number of rays projected in a particular direction. 3

Figure 5 shows-a form ofmy invention so constructed and arranged as to do away with a large proportion of the soft ra'ys,cand so as to focus the rays between certain limits. of wave lengths upon asurface located at 9 a fixed distance from the crystals.

Figure 6 is a vertical section, showing my invention used asa receiver forindicating signals by X-rays transmitted from a dis- 6 tance. 1 i

7 An X-ray tube of ordinary form appears at 6, and is provided with a cathode 7 and an anode 8. This anode serves as a target,

and for this purpose is provided withan-incalculated by 'The crystals of each of the'substances mentioned are adapted to reflect a particular wave length at a certain angle, this wave lengthand' angle being different for the different substances and probably dependent upon the arrangement of the atoms, or'their distance apart, within the crystal. No effort is here made to illustrate the atomic arrangement or condition thus contemplated, or even to show the physical, characteristics of the crystals. The slabs are so grouped to gether as to give the ring 11 a frusto-conical form, adapted to virtually or actually reflect the X-rays, as indicated by the lines 12, 12

13,13. The angle of incidence being equal to the angle of reflection, it is an easy matter to thus render the X-rays parallel with each other, as indicated by the lines 12%, 18 F or this purpose the ring may be moved toward or from the X-ray tube, audits dis tance therefrom thus adjusted. The axis of the bundle of rays is indicated by the line 14.

The ring 11 must be so constructed and positioned that the angle of inclination of the inner surface of each slab 10 relatively to the line 14, shall be so fixed as to confer upon the Xrays the desired direction of propagation. The angle to be thus determined depends in part upon the nature of the. substance of which the slabs are composed .and in part upon the particular wave length V of the X rays which the operator wishes to' control. The angle for this purpose may be means of a formula as follows:

in which 7, i

n is the order of the spectrum, A is the wave length, (Z is the distance between the atoms of the crystal, and

6 is theangle of reflection. V

In the form shown in Figure 2 the X-ray tube appears at 15, the cathode at 16, and the anode, serving as a target, at 17. The face 18 of the target is in this instan'ce rather large, and has a large focal spot or surface from whichtheIC-raysemanate, The reflecting member 19 is made up of crystals or crystalline substances, as above described with referenc-eto the frusto-conical ring 11,

so'as to give the X-rays the direction indicated by the lines 20, 21. Thus a larger proportion of rays of the same wave length are formed into a bundle and rendered substantially parallel witheach other, andas a result a very much larger proportionof the total output of radiation is utilized, as cated by the lines 21. It follows that a large number of the rays, from a relatively large focal spot, are made into a bundle of parallel rays and their aggregate intensity is greatly enhanced. r

In the form shown in Figure 3.;th X-ray tube appears at 22, and is provided with a cathode 23 and with an anode 24 of rather unusual form; This anode hasa large face 25, directly facing the cathode, and coinciding with the direction of the minor or cross axis of the X-ray tube, indicated by a line 26.

The X-rays from the face 25 pass as indicated by the lines 27 to the member 28 which is crystalline as above described with reference to the members 11 and 19, and soarranged as to reflect the X-raysand form them into a bundle, as indicated by the lines 29. I

In the form of my device illustrated in Figure 4 the X-ray tube is shown at 30, the oath ode at 31 and theanode at 32, with its target face at 33. A base 34 supports two rings 85, 36, each made up like the ring 11 as above described, but in which the crystals reflect, at

different angles X-rays,of a particular wave length. The ring 36 is properly spaced relatively to the ring 35 by means of small spacing bars 37. The X-rays from the target face diverge alongstraight lines 38, 39, 40, 41,,

and upon striking the inner surfaces of the rings 35, 36 are rendered substantially paraldescribed with reference to other figures.

The axis of the bundle is indicated by a line. 42, which is also the minor axis of the X-ray tube... v V @g a J In the form shown in Figure 5 the X-ray tube appears at 43, its cathode at 43, and its anode at 44. A base 45 carries a ring46 like the ring 11 above described,as to its outward lines 50, 51, 52, leading fromthis ring to the right according to Figure 5'. The X-rays are projected toward a surface '55, which may be id and thus formed into abundle, as above some deep seated region within the human body, and into which the proj 'ection 'of the rays is for the treatment of disease, or the ascertainment of pathologicalconditions. A

stand 53 carries a shield 54, ,made preferably of lead or some other substance of high atomic number, and thus relatively opaque tothe passage'ofX-rays; In the particular device here illustrated, the shieldis so lengths than those represented by the. two

proportioned and arranged relatively to other parts, asto cut oif all X-rays of longer wave lines 52, 52; in other words,the screen tendsv .tostop the.;X-rays of relatively longwave ;1e is hs ay aQ th 51 1. 1. whi h... f r; mea

purposes are harmful. As may also be noted from Figure 5, the X-rays which succeed in reaching the surface 55 include rays of diflerent wave lengths, ranging from the shortest to those of the greatest length which may be de sired, and the rays which succeed in reaching the surface 55 are distributed uniformly.

The form of my apparatus illustrated in .Figure and just described enables the X- instead of a carefully matched fixture.

My invention has a large variety of uses. In fact,its uses are commensurate with practically all uses for X-rays of great penetrative power. It is especially well adapted for deep therapy, and to some extent for deep fluoroscopy and photography, and also, as above set forth, for signaling over relatively great distances as in heliography. When used for this kind of signalling, it is of course necessary to use some appropriate receiving mechanism, sensitive to the action of X-rays, for registering the indications,and the signals may be made by rendering the rays intermittent, and

modulating their intensity as in the use of ordinary light. These are mere details, and have little or no bearing upon the spirit of my invention. As instances of detecting mechanisms, however, I mention fluorescent screens,

selenium cells, ionization chambers, especially such as contain gases of heavy atomic weight, besides the various detecting devices of other kinds heretofore used in connection with X-ray, for rendering'the latter perceptible to the senses. Thus the signals transmitted can be detected, during either the day or night.

In Figure, 6 I show a form of my device adapted for use as a receiver, or in other Words for registering indications of X-rays transmitted from a distance in signalling.

fluorescent screen.

For this purpose the ring above described may be employed, as shown in this figure; and in connection with this ring is an indicating member 55, in this particular instance a However, any equivalent device, capable of being acted upon by X-rays and sensitive thereto for the purpose of making an indication, may be substituted for the fluorescent screen.

;The incoming X-rays are indicated by the lines 56 and 57, and'these X-rays are by action of the ring 11 virtually reflected and thrown upon the indicating member The incoming signals may thus be read ofl.

For the treatment of malignant diseases, and especiallysuch diseases as are seated deeply within the body, I am by my invention enabled to increase the depthdose very greatly. This does away with the necessity-of using two or more areas at each treatment. Heretofore it has been customary to arrange 'the X-ray tubes so that from several angles,

of the body in the manner heretofore used,

there is a very rapid decrease in the intensity of the rays as they penetrate deeply into the tissues, due to the fact that owing .to" the divergence of the rays they rapidly decrease in intensity as they reach tissues further and;

further removed from the X-ray tube. This necessitates either an overdosing of the skin of the patient or the complication above mentioned in connection with cross firing.

As may be readily understood from the foregoing descriptiorumy invention may be so used as to develop X-rays of only a :predetermined wave length, and thus maybe employed forrendering homogeneousthe radiatio'nernployedfi This is simply because no' rays need be utilized except such as have a predetermined penetrative power.

As may befurther understood from the foregoing description when an X-ray exposure is made by means of diverging rays, the image or picture formed by rays will always be slightly larger than the object sought to be reproduced, whereas if the exposure is made by means of converging rays, the image or picture will be smaller.

I do not limit myself to the particular features here illustrated and described, as variations may be made therein without departing from my invention, the scope of which is commensurate with my claims.

I claim:

1. A device comprising an X-ray tube and a reflecting member for the purpose of reflecting X-rays from said tube, said reflecting member being made up of a crystalline substance capable of reflecting the X-rays and having the form of a cone frustum.

2. A device comprising a source of X-rays from which the rays diverge, and a plurality of difl'erent reflecting members each in the proximate form of a cone frustum for gathering said rays into the form of a bundle.

3. A device comprising a source from which X-rays are thrown off to diverge, and a crystalline substance provided with a plurality of reflecting surfaces arranged circumferentially relative to each other and positioned relatively to the source of X-rays to reflect them into apredetermined path, in-

iii!

which some of said X-rays are parallellwith others.

4. A device of the character described comi prising in combination with means'for producing a beam ofX-rays, of means comprising a hollow member, said member being --formed of crystalline material, said last mentioned means reflecting X-rays impinging thereon in the form of a concentrated beam.

beam of X-rays of means surroundingsaid beam of X-rays adj acent the source thereof, .said means comprising a crystalline deflecting'material for concentrating said'beam.;

6. A device of the character described comprising in combinationvwithfmeans for V v producing a beam of X-rays of means-coinprising a hollow member, saidmember being formed of a crystalline material, said last .mentioned means reflecting -X-rays im'pinging thereon in the form of av concentrated :beam, and a shield positioned in the path of the beam of X-rays to prevent X-rays of q undesired wave lengths from being included in said concentrated beam.

Signed at New York city, in the county of New York, and State of New York, this 2nd day of August, 1923. V i

ARTHUR MUTSCHELLER.

magma;

5 A device of the character described comprising in combination with adiverging

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