US2181620A

US2181620A - Therapy head for x-ray apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2181620A
Application number: US254263A
Authority: US
Inventors: Walter H Haupt
Original assignee: KELLEY KOETT Manufacturing Co Inc
Current assignee: KELLEY KOETT Manufacturing Co Inc; KELLEY-KOETT MANUFACTURING COMPANY Inc
Priority date: 1939-02-02
Filing date: 1939-02-02
Publication date: 1939-11-28
Anticipated expiration: 1956-11-28

Description

Nov. 28, 1939.

W. H. HAUPT THERAPY HEAD FOR X-RAY APPARATUS Filed Feb. 2, 1939 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 1939 w. H. HAUPT 2,181,620

THEHD'Y HEAD FOR X-RAY APPARATUS Filed Feb. 2, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 28, 1939. w. H. HAUPT v THERAPY HEAD FOR X-RAY APPARATUS v 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 2,1959

din. I".

Patented Nov. 28, 1939 THERAPY HEAD FOR X-RAY APPARATUS Walter H. Haupt, Ludlow, Ky., assignor to The Kelley-Koett Manufacturing Company,

corporated, Covington, Ky., a corporation of Ohio Application February 2, 1939, Serial No. 254,263

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a therapy head for an X-ray generator.- Among the objects of the invention are the provision of means'for identifying a beam of visible light closely with an X-ray beam, so that theadjustment of the X-ray directing means may be made with great certainty as to the patient. This adjustment, since it can be made with harmless visible light, may be done in the presence of the physicians, attendants, etc., without exposing them to. the harmful effects of the X-ray.

Another object is the provision of an easily regulatable shutter to control both beams. This shutter may be set with great exactness to give a rectangle in which thereis a wide choice of the relations thereof.

Another object is the provision of an exceedingly fiat construction of a head of this character, so that it is neither necessary to use an exceptionally high X-ray generator nor an exceptionally low roll table for the patient. A flat head also makes possible shortening the pathv of the X-ray beam to the patient.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a prospective view of my treatment head attached to an X-ray generator of the therapy type,'which is made in the general shape of a flat arch.

Figure 2 is alongitudinal section of the treat- I showing the operating mechanism which controls the vertically moving shutters, uncovered.

Figure 5 is a section of the same, taken on the in Figure 1, while the X-ray generator is shown in dotted line. My treatment head comprises a body I I, by which it may be attached by bolting, or otherwise, to the X-ray generator at the point where the X-ray beam makes its exit. The course of the X-ray beam is indicated by straight divergent dotted lines in Figure 2. Below the body II there are two large superposed disks I2 and I3. Both disks are ray proof except in the centers thereof, through which there is a large opening I 4, which is ordinarily closed by lead shutters except when the apparatus is in use or ready for use.v Projecting from the sides of body I], upon a common axis, there are two housings I5 in which lenses I6 are mounted. Projecting from the lens-housing I5 there are two cylindrical chambers H, the axes of which coincide with the floor level of the lens housing.v The chambers H, which have louvers 20 are designed for the accommodation of electric lamps I8 of which there is one per chamber. In the upper part of body I!) there is mounted a thin aluminum mirror I9, which is highly polished upon its lower surface. The metal of Which the mirror is made is substantially transparent to X-rays. The position of the mirror is such, as shown. in Figure 2, that a line running along the trough of the mirror is vertical to the surface of the paper, The reflecting surfaces, therefore, are arranged to direct the visible beams downward. The arrangement of the light sources I8 is such thatthe of the filaments of the lamps I8. By using a lens in such an arrangement the'virtual length of the path of the visible light is made equal to the length of the path to the mirror surface taken by the X-ray beam. The visible light, therefore appears to come from the source of the X-ray and its divergence is exactly coincident with that of the X-ray beam. To get such effect it is necessary to use concentrated filament lamps and such are the kind illustrated by I8. Of course, in comparing the lengths of the X-ray beam and visible light beam to the mirror reflecting surface, an identical point on the mirror must be used as the basis of reference. I

It will be observed in Figure 2 that the general arrangement of body I I, mirrors I6, and housings I5 and chambers I1 is such as to leave a space 2I nearly enclosed by them, in which the disks I3 and I4 can be accommodated. This feature is of importance because it contributes to the flatness of the therapy head and so -makes it easier to use below the X-ray generator I0, where space is limited, and also makes the ray path shorter and consequently, the intensity greater.

Within the space 2I there is a circular extension of the body II, the extension being in section in Figure 2 and numbered 22. Rotatably' floor of the lens housingis opposite the center mounted upon 22 there is a flange 23. Across the circular opening in body extension 22 there is a transparent disk 24, preferably of cellulose acetate, this disk having a black cross in its center. Its function is to indicate upon the patient, by its shadow, the center of the X-ray beam. It, therefore, constitutes a sighting means.

Shutter disk 93 is tightly attached to flange 23. Immediately above this disk is a shutter 24 and above the latter is disk 52. Above the last mentioned disk as seen in Figure 2, is a second shutter 25 and a pulley 26. Below disk 13 and attached thereto, there is a second flange 2'! in which a lead disk with apertures of various sizes, may be inserted. The apertures are for the purpose of limiting the area to be irradiated. A pair of lugs 29 are provided at opposite sides of disk 13 for convenience in manually rotating disks l3 and 12 and their associated parts.

Disks i 2 and i3, as has been observed, are both provided with openings M through which the X-rays visible light may pass at times and other times be shut off. Means for varying the extent of these openings are shown in Figures 2 to 7 inclusive. While disks l2 and is are rotatable with flange 23, their position relative to each other is fixed. This relation is apart as measured by the directions of shutter opening. By such arrangement a rectangle of variable dimensions is created for the passage of the beams.

The so-called disks are in reality very shallow steel rings 36 and large washer shaped plates 3! bounded thereby which are impervious to X-rays except in their centers or openings id. The rings 3!] are shoulders or steps of flange 23. Above these openings and within the space bounded by rings Bil, the shutters 24, likewise impervious to X rays, are adapted to slide to cover and uncover openings Hi. Flanged steel guides 32 are provided on each side of opening it to direct the path of the shutters and to lessen friction. On the plates the shutter adjusting mechanism is mounted. The entir Y assembly is thus disklike in form when viewed from the outside.

At each outer corner of the shutters, there is mounted a pulley 2t, freely rotatable on a pin 33 which is attached to washer shaped plate 3|. A steel tape passes over and connects the pulleys on the same side of the shutter. Extending from each leaf of the shutters 25 there is a handle 35 extending through a slot (not shown) in each ring 39. 'The slot is as long as the desired travel of each shutter leaf. At 35 each handle 35 is tightly attached to each outer pass of each of the tapes 34 and at 31 each leaf is tight to an inner pass of the tapes. In operation therefore, a 1ongitudinal movement of handle 35 will move the shutter leaf to which it is directly attached to open or close the space M to the passage of the X-ray beam, and in addition, it will also move the other leaf of the shutter by means of the direct attachment of leaf to tape on the further side of space M.

In order to obviate having to walk from one side of the apparatus to the other to manipulate handles 35, a s'lidable ring 33 is fitted over the outside of each ring 3. A slot (not shown) in each ring 38 enables the handle 35 to project through and makes possible the engagement of the handles by the rings. A tab 39 (Fig. 2) is provided on each ring for moving it, this tab being on the opposite side of the therapy head from the handle 35 for that shutter. Thus one tab 39 and one handle 35 are on each side of the head.

The body I! is, of course, provided with means for attaching the therapy head to the outlet of the X-ray generator. Such means may be any common one such. as bolts, screw threads, etc., and therefore, unnecessary to illustrate. Body H is also, of course, provided with side openings necessary to allow the visible beams to enter to strike mirror 59.

In operation, the head is attached to the X-ray beam outlet, the X-ray generator not operating. Both

shutters

24 and 25 are now closed. A proper sized opening in lead plate 28 is placed over the center of disk l3. Lamps iii are now energized. Shutters 25 are opened by moving handles 35. The cross on cellulose acetate disk 24 is focused on the patient at the place to be treated. The X-ray beam is then turned on by starting the X-ray generator preferably by remote control exterior to the treatment room.

I claim as myinvention:

1. An X-ray therapy head comprising a body enclosing an opening for the passage of an X-ray beam, a pair of chambers extending from the side of said body, sources of illumination within said chambers, an angled multiple Xray-permeable mirror athwart said opening, lens means mounted to direct light from said sources of illumination on said mirror so as to direct the reflected visible light along the X-ray beam and X-ray proof shutter means attached to said body below said mirror.

2. In combination in a therapy head'for X-ray apparatus, a hollow body, means for attaching said body to the ray outlet of an X-ray generator, an angled multiple X-ray transparent mirror mounted in said body over said ray outlet athwart the path traversed by the X-ray beam, multiple means for illuminating said mirror with visible light from separated concentrated sources said mirror being inclined to reflect said visible light to identify it substantially with the beam of X-rays when the latter passes through said mirror. 1

3. In combination in a. therapy head for X-ray apparatus, a hollow body, means for attaching said body to the beam outlet of an X-ray generator, an angled multiple X--ray transparent mirror mounted within said hollow body and athwartthe path traversed by said X-ray beam, sources of concentrated light at each side of said mirror arranged to illuminate said mirror with substantially-only half of their light and lens means between said light sources and said mirror, said lens means making the virtual path of the visible light from its source to any given point on the mirror reflecting surface substantially as long as the distance from the source of the Xrays to said point on said mirror reflecting surface.

WALTER H. HAUPT.