US1936363A - Combination adjusting-stretching table - Google Patents

Description

NOV. 21, w M U Y COMBINATION ADJUSTING-STRETCHING TABLE Filed Aug. 13, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet l Jaemar 1'} Willa/727M111 [71y B ww/ Nov. 21, 1933.

Filed Aug. 13, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 m 3 WM. m w #6 W Z w W M a Z 54 a g Q Nov. 21, 1933.

w. M. MURRAY 1, COMBINATION ADJUSTING-STRETCHING TABLE Filed Aug. 15, 1928 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Nov. 2 1 1933' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COMBINATION ADJUSTING-STRETCHING TABLE Calif.

Application August 13, 1928. Serial No. 299,171

28 Claims.

My invention relates to tables and more particularly to a table useful in certain of the medical arts -for the treatment of the joints of a patients body, especially the vertebrae of the 5 spine, and for stretching and breaking down the adhesions of the muscles attached thereto.

It has been found advantageous in the treatment of certain ailments to move certain portions of a patients body relative to adjacent portions, so that the joints between these portions may be exercised. So, also, it has been found that the vertebrae in the human spine frequently become displaced, thus bearing against nerves, this being the direct or indirect cause of numerous ailments. In correcting these ailments a movement of one portion of the spine relative to another is extremely desirable, especially if the patients body is simultaneously stretched so that the vertebrae may return to or retain their normal position. Such operations have previously been performed by hand, with the attendant strain on the physiclan performing them.

It is an object of this invention to provide a table on which a patient may be placed, this table being so arranged as to allow the head portion thereof to be moved through an arcuate path by mechanical means so as to produce circumduction of the patients body.

A further object of this invention is to provide a table formed of a plurality or" sections connected together by universal joint means, one end of this table'being movable through a pr determined arcuate path so to pivot about a point between any desired pair of sections.

A further object of this invention is to provide a table wherein a patients body may be stretched, and the patients head moved through an areaate pivoting about a desired point in the patients body. Still a further object of this invention is to provide a table having a variable pivot-point which lies above the upper surface of the table, this pivot-point preferably being adjacent the patients spine.

Still a further object of this invention is to provide a table comprising a plurality of sections, and a supporting member which may be move. adjacent any section to clamp this section, and any sections on one side thereof, in fixed rela 50 tionship, and to permit the ections on the other side thereof to be moved through arcuate paths.

Still further objects and advantages of my invention will be made evident hereinafter.

In the drawings, I have fllustrated a preferred embodiment ofiny invention for the purposes of illustration and without limiting myself thereto.

Fig. 1 is a side view illustrating my invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. V

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4- of Fig. 3. I

Fig. 5 is a view, partially sectioned, taken on the line 55 of Fig. l. 65

Basically, my invention comprises a frame resting on a floor or other surface 11, this frame having a head structure 12 at one end and a foot structure 13 at the other. Between these structures is a table 15 comprising a plurality of sections numbered respectively l6, l7, and 18 bounded by head and foot sections 19 and20. The head section 19 is adapted to be moved through. an arcuate path by an operating means 22 so as to form a pivot-point in the patients body, this pivot-point usually lying adjacent the vertebra or joint which is affected. In Fig. 1, I have illustrated a patient lying on the table '15.

The foot section comprises padded structures 25 and 26 which are, mounted on a block Z'lwhich is in turn held in fixed relationship with a frame 28 forming a portion of the foot structure-13 and supported by legs 29 braced by struts 30.

The sections 16, 1'7 and 18 are inter-connected by universal joint means, illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. Similarly, the sections 16 and 18 are respecively connected by universal joint means to the foot section 20 andheadsection 19 of the table 15. The means connecting these sections are identical in construction, so that a description of the one between the foot section 20 and thesection 16 will sufiice for all.

Secured centrally to the underside. of the padded structure 25 is a drop bar 32 which has a plate portion 33 which extends substantially 5 horizontally toward the head structure 12.

A vertical bolt 34 passes through the plate por-' tion 33 and through a U member35 so as to pivot this U member on a vertical axis passing through the bolt 34. As best shown in Figs. 1 and 3, this U member has arms 36 which extend upward to a point a distance above the top; of the padded structure 25.

Passing through the upper end ofthe arms 36, and preferably with axes horizontally aligned with the spine of the patient, are bolts 38 which pivot a bent bar 46 which is secured to the underside of a padded structure'41 of the adjacent section 16 in a manner best shown in Figsland 3. Thus, thesection 16 maybe pivoted on a horizontal axis passing through the bolts 38, and may be pivoted on a vertical axis passing through the bolt 34.

It is preferable to have these axes intersect and to have the point of intersection inside the patients body, and near or in the spinal column, this being made possible by the arms of the U member which extend upward on either side of the patient.

It is desirable to provide a locking means for locking certain of the table sections together, so that all of the pivoting action takes place in one of the universal joint structures connecting a pair of sections. In accomplishing this end, I provide U-shaped guides 45 which are secured to the underside of each padded structure of each table section. These guides may be made integral with the bent bar 40 if desired, although any means of securing them in place falls within the scope of this invention.

Each of these guides has a pair of legs 46, each of which has a hole drilled therein, the axes of these holes being in alignment and parallel to the underside of the padded structure. These holesare adapted to slidably receive connecting links in the form of rods 47, these rods being of sufiicient length to extend through the legs of at least two of the guides 45.

In order to secure a rigid inter-connection between all of the sections, I prefer to provide two sets of the guides 45 on each end of each padded structure 51. The holes in the arms of all the guides of any one set are in alignment, so that the rods 47 may be staggered relative to each other to hold the sections together. It should thus be apparent that by suitably manipulating the rods 47 the table 15 may be broken between any two sections, thus permitting the point about which the head portion 19 pivots to be variably positioned in the patients body, depending upon the particular point at which the table is broken and also on the placement of the patient on the table.

I have found it desirable to suitably support the section'to the right of the point at which the table is broken, as viewed in Fig. 1. This I accomplish by a support structure 50, best illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3. This structure has wheels or rollers 51 which bear against a track 52 supported on the frame 10, these wheels being mounted in a cross-bar 53. Hinged to each end of the cross-bar 53 is a primary arm 54 which is in turn hinged to a secondary arm 55 at its upper end. The upper ends of the secondary arms 55 bear against the under side of the padded structure 41 which is to be supported by the supporting structure 50.

When the primary and secondary arms 54 and 55 are in a position shown in Fig. 3, the adjacent ends of these arms are in contact and form a firm support for the padded structure which they engage.

' For the purpose of holding this padded structure in firm engagement with the arms 55, I provide a pair of tie-rods 56 extending downward on each side of the table and having lower eyes 57 which are slidably journalled on a horizontal rod 5711 supported either by the frame 10 or the floor 11 so that these eyes may slide thereon. The upper end of each tie-rod has an upper hook 58 thereon which surrounds one of the rods 47 which passes through the particular section to be supported by the supporting structure. Turn-buckles 59 are provided in the tie-rods so that the particular table section above the supporting structure may be drawn downward and firmly held against the supporting structure.

When it is desired to move the supporting structure to another table section this may be easily accomplished by loosening the turn-buckles 59 of each tie-rod 56 and sliding the rod 4'7 from the hook 58. By momentarily lifting the table section previously supported, the secondary arms 55 may be folded inward and the cross-bar 53 moved along the tracks 52 until under the desired table section, after which the secondary arms 55 may be again raised and the new table section clamped in fixed position.

It should be clear that if the supporting structure 50 is positioned, for instance, under the section 17, all of the sections to the right thereof will be held in a manner to be immovable by the operating means 22.

The operating means 22 of my invention is best illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, and 5. Referring particularly to Fig. l, I illustrate a head block 60 to which a pair of flanges 61 are bolted. A guide member 62 is threadedly received by each flange 61, these guide members lying on opposite sides of the central longitudinal axis of the table 15. Clamped against the free ends of the guide members 62 by tie-rods 63 is a member 64. The guide members 62 are hollow and the member 64 has openings aligned with the central openings of each guide member.

Extending into each guide member is a shaft 66 which is slidably journalled therein, each of these shafts being connected by an elbow 67 to an upright rod 68. This rod is adjustably held relative to a head plate '70 by means of U bolts 71 having nuts 72 threaded thereon in a manner to clamp the upright rod against the head plate.

Extending centrally from the head plate is a tongue 73 through which a bolt 74 passes. This bolt extends substantially vertically, and forms a vertical pivot for a pair of plates 75, one of which lies above and the other below the tongue 73. Clamped between the plates 75 by bolts 76 are arms 77 through which bolts 78 pass, these bolts being threaded into a block 79. The bolts 78 are in axial alignment and provide a substantially horizontal pivot for the block '79 so that this block and the tongue 73 are connected by a universal joint structure.

An opening 80 formed through the block 79 journals a shaft 81 having a head 82 secured on the end thereof so that it may not be drawn from the opening 80. This shaft is connected to a block 84 which slides along a way 85 formed by a pair of side members 86 clamped to retaining plates 89 and to a hub structure 90 by bolts 90a. The retaining plates extend beyond the edges of the side members 86, and partially across the channel formed therebetween, so that the block 84 cannot be withdrawn from the way 85.

The block 84 and the way 85 form a part of a crank means 91 which is adapted to move the head of the patient through an arcuate path. This is accomplished by rotating a drive shaft 92 which is suitably keyed to the hub structure 90 and journalled in bearings 93 supported by the head structure 12. A worm gear 9a is secured to the outer end of the drive shaft 92, this worm gear meshing with a worm 95 mounted on the shaft of a reversible electric motor 96.

It should be clear that if the block 84 were in axial alignment with the drive shaft 92, no movement of the patients head would take place. If. however, the'block 84 is moved from this position, any desired amount of movement of the head may be obtained, depending upon the distance between the axes of the shafts 81 and 92. To permit a ready adjustment of the eccentricity of the shaft 81 relative to the shaft 92 I provide an adjusting screw 98 suitably journalled in end members 99 and 100, these end members closing the ends of the way 85.

The adjusting screw 98 is threadedly received by the block 84 so that by turning this screw the block may be moved along the way any desired distance, thus changing the amount of eccentricity of the shaft 81 relative to the shaft 92. A crank 102 is secured to the adjusting screw to facilitate this adjustment.

In order to accurately counter-balance the crank means 91 I provide an arm 103 on which a counterbalance weight 104 may be adjustably positioned.

From the foregoing it should be apparent that the universal joint formed by the members pivoting on the bolts 1 and '7 8 is pivotally connected to the block 84, so that no rotation of this block will be transmitted to the table structure, but only the arcuate movement thereof.

It is desirable'to stretch the patients body during the time'that the head is moving through an arcuate path. This is accomplished by means ofa head gear 110 passing under the patients chin and under his head, this head gear being connected to any pair of a plurality of rings 111 which are secured to the head plate 70. The head gear 110 thus prevents the patients body from moving away from the head plate "10 when the straps thereof become taut. The actual stretching is accomplished by a stretching means indicated by the numeral 115, this means providing a carriage 115 having pads 11'? thereon, and a foot plate 118 secured to one extreme en thereof. Rings 119 are bolted to the foot plate 118, and a foot gear 129 is passed around the ankles of the patient and through the ring 119. The carriage 116 is adapted to slide along the side plates 28 in response to the turning of an adjusting screw 122. This adjusting screw is journalled in end members 123 connecting the legs 29, and threadedly receives a block 124 which is in turn secured to the carriage 116 so that a rotation of the adjusting screw 122 by means of a handle 125 causes the carriage to move away from the foot section 20, thus stretching the patients body to any desired .degree.

From the foregoing it should be understood that I have invented a table which may be broken at any desired section to permit a rotation of a the patients head about a pivot-point lying at the section of break and inside thepatients body. Thus, any portion of the patients body be exercised. The word body is meant to include more than the torso, ii'iasmuch as my table may be used for exercising or treating the joints in the neck, hips, knees, ankles and arms. Thus, it should be understood that I am not limited to the particular placement of the patient shown, but by reversing this position and having the patients feet adjacent the head section 19, his limbs may be suitably exercised. In the preferred use of the invention the body is moved conically around or about a longitudinal axis extending within or through the patients body.

This conically swinging motion or circumduction is accomplished by moving one portion of the body, such as one end thereof, around a longitudinal axis, this longitudinal axis extending preferably within the patients body.

I prefer to provide 'a strapping means in the form of one or more straps 130' which may be buckled over the patients body, the ends of these straps being held in rings 131 positioned at each end of each of the table sections 16 to 18 inclusive. Such strapping means is, however, not essential to this invention, but comprises a valuable accessory thereto. a

The U bolts '71 permit the upright rod 68 to be so adjusted that the tongue 73 may be aligned with the axis of the patients spine. In other words, the vertical distance between this tongue and the upper face of the padded structure 41 of the head section 19 is the same as the vertical distance between any of the other padded struc tures 41 and the bolts 38.

The sliding engagement between the guide members 62 and the shafts 66 is provided to compensate for any change in the distance between the head section 19 and the block 79. Thus, a rotation of the crank means 91 usually changes this distance, and it is therefore desirable to provide a sliding means between the crank means and the table, this sliding means being formed by the guide members and rods therein.

It is often desirable to change the direction of rotation of the patients body. This may be readily accomplished by simply reversing the motor 96 by any well-known means.

I am not limited to the use of the head and foot gears 110 and 120, inasmuch as any type of straps may be passed through'the rings 111 and 119, these straps being adapted to fit one or more portions of a patients body so that the stretching action previously described may take place.

In its broadest aspect my table should not be limited toa plurality of sections connected together by universal joints, but should also include any flexible table provided with means for adjustably determining the particular section at which the table is to bend in response to a move ment of an operating means, such as the one I illustrated and described in this specification.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination: a table along which a patient may lie, said table being breakable at several points so that one part may be swung relative to another part thereof; means acting on the upper and lower portions of the patients body for stretching said body; and means for rotatthe head-end of said table through. a desired arcuate path.

2. In combination: a table. comprising a number of sections along which a patient may lie, said table being breakable at severalpoints so that one part may be swung relative to another part thereof; and means for rotating the headend of said table through a desired arcuate path.v

3. In combination: a table havinga fixed foot portion and a movable head portion swingable on.

a pivot point disposed in a plane between the adjacent ends of said head and foot portions; and.

i. In combination: a table having a'plurality of pivot points formed tolie above the upper face of said table; and means for moving one end of said: tablethrough a closed, arcuate; path ,ex-

tending in a plane which crosses an axis extended longitudinally of said table.

5. In combination: a table comprising a plurality of sections; universal joint connections between said sections; and means adapted to look a selected number of said sections in rigid relationship with each other.

6. A combination as defined in claim 5 in which each of said universal joint connections comprises a U member pivoted on an upright axis'at a point below the upper surface of said sections and pivotally connected to an adjacent section on a substantially horizontal axis at a point above the top of said sections. 7

7. In combination: a table comprising a plurality of sections; universal joint connections between said sections; means extendable between selected of said sections to hold said selected sections in iixed relationship with each other; and a supporting structure movable so as to rest under any desired section to hold said section stationary.

3. In combination: a table having a selective pivot-point; and crank means of variable eccentricity for moving one end of said table through an arcuate path extending in a plane which crosses an axis extended longitudinally of said table.

9. In combination: a table having a selective pivot-point; crank means of variable eccentricity for moving one end of said table through an arcuate path extending in a plane which crosses an axis extending longitudinally of said table; and a universal joint pivotally connecting said table and said crank means.

10. A treating device of the character described, including: a table having body supporting parts disposed on a longitudinal axis in primary and secondary relationship to each other; a joint disposed in a plane between the adjacent ends of said parts and connecting said parts together for circumductory movement of one of said parts relative to other of said parts; and mechanism for producing circumductory movement of one of said parts relative to the other of said parts, said circumductory movement being about the longitudinal axis of said table.

11. A treating device of the character described, including: a table having body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship to each other; a joint connecting said parts to gether, said joint being adapted to permit a relative movement of said parts for producing flexure of said body; body securing means on said table adjacent said joint; and means for exerting tension in the body of a patient on said table.

12. A treating device of the character described, including: a table having body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship to each other movably joined together; means for swinging one of said parts relative to other of said parts; means for securing a patients body to said table; and means for placing tension in the patients body.

13. A treating device of the character described, including: a table having body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship to each other; a joint connecting said parts together for circumductory movement of one of said parts relative to other of said parts; and tension exerting devices adapted for attachment to said body and to exert tension therein during said circumductory movement.

14.'A treating device of the character deneeaacs scribed, including: a table having body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship to each other relatively movable one to the other; means for relatively moving said parts so as to produce circumduction of said body; and tension exerting devices adapted for attachment to said body and to exerttension therein during said circumduction.

15. A treating device of the character described, including: a table having body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship to each other relatively movable one' to the other; means for relatively moving said parts so as to produce circumduction of said body, said means comprising a mechanism having a. member movable through a prescribed path and means for connecting said member to said table in a manner to produce relative movement of the body supporting parts of said table; and adjustable means for determining the prescribed path of said movable member.

16. A treating device of the character described, including: a table having body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship to each other; a joint connecting said parts together, said joint being adapted to permit a relative movement of said parts; a rotary member; a, crank pin adjustably mounted on said rotary member; and means for connecting said rank pin to said table in a manner to produce relative movement of said body supporting parts of said table.

17. A treating device of the character described, including: a table having body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship to each other; a joint connecting said parts to-- gether for circumductory-movement of one of said parts relative to other of said parts about a pivot point disposed in a plane between said parts; and mechanism for producing circumductory movement of one of said parts relative to said other of said parts, said mechanism including a member adapted for movement through a closed circular path, means for moving said member through said path, and means for connecting said member to a movable part of said table.

'18. A treating device of the character decribed, including: a table having body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship 125 to each other movably joined together; and means for attachment to body parts of a patient, to exert tension therein during the flexure resulting from movement of said body supporting parts.

19. A treating device of the character described, including: a table having body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship to each other; a joint connecting said parts together and providing a pivot point above said 135 body supporting parts, said joint being adapted to permit rotation of the outer end of one of said parts about an axis extending longitudinally of said body; a motivating device having a member moving through a circular path; and means for 140 connecting'said moving member to said outer end of one of said parts.

20. A treating device of the character described, including: a table having body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship 145 to each other; and a joint connecting said parts together in such a manner that one of said parts may swing relative to other of said parts, said joint being so formed as to provide a pivot point above said body supporting parts.

21. A treating device of the character described, including: a table having body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship to each other; a joint connecting said parts together in such a manner that one of said parts may swing relative to other of said parts, said joint being so formed as to provide a pivot point above said body supporting parts; and means for placing tension in the body of a patient-on said table.

22. A treating device of the character described, including: a ta le having body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship to each other; a joint connecting said parts together in such a manner that one of said parts may swing relative to other of said parts, said joint being so formed as to provide a pivot point above said body supporting parts; means for placing tension in the body of a patient on said table; and means for securing the central portion of the patients body to said table.

23. A treating device of the character described, including: a body support for a patient, having primary and secondary portions pivotally secured together for relative swinging movement; and means for exerting tension in the body of the patient, said tension exerting means having a part capable of adjustment whereby the tension may be varied during the movement of said primary and secondary portions of said body support.

24. A treating device of the character described, including: a body support for a patient, having primary and secondary portions; means for producing relative rotary movement of said primary and secondary portions; and means for exerting tension in the body of the patient, said tension exerting means having a part capable of adjustment whereby the tension may be varied during the rotary movement of said primary and secondary portions of said body support.

25. A treating device of the character described, including: a body support for a patient, having primary and secondary portions pivotally secured together for relative swinging movement; and means for exerting substantially constant tension in the body of the patient during all parts of said relative swinging movement of said primary and secondary portions.

26. In combination: a table having a plurality of pivot points; means for moving one end of said table through a closed arcuate path extending in a plane which crosses an axis extended longitudinally of said table; and means for stretching a patients body resting on said table.

27. A treating device of the character described, including: a table having body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship to each other a joint connecting said parts together, said joint being adapted to permit a relative movement of said parts; and means for moving one of said parts relative to the other of said parts through an arcuate path to pivot a patients body about a desired point, said means including a mechanically rotated member and means for connecting such part to said mechanically rotated member whereby movement of said mechanically rotated member will be transmitted thereto.

28. A treating device of the character described,'including: a table having body supporting parts in primary and secondary relationship to each other; a joint connecting said parts together,.said joint being adapted to permit a relative movement of said parts; and means for moving one of said parts relative to the other of said parts through an arcuate path to pivot a patients body about a desired point, said means comprising a member moved mechanically through an arcuate path and means connecting said member to such movable body supporting part so as to move the same through an arcuate path around the longitudinal axis of said table.

WILLIAM M. MURRAY.

Images