US2323704A - X-ray fluoroscopic and radiographic apparatus - Google Patents

Description

July 6, 1943. F; R. CAMPBELL X-RAY FLUOROSCOPIC AND RADIOGRAPHIC APPARATUS Filed June 17, 1941 Vii/Iiilll/(IZJ'IIIIIIIII,

Patented July 6, 1943 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlclz X-RAY FLUOROSCOPIC AND RADIO- GRAPHIC APPARATUS Fred Campbell, Boston, Mass.

Application June 17, 1941, Serial No. 398,373-

9 Claims. (01. 250-58) The subject matter of the present invention is an apparatus for making radiographs and fluoroscopic examination of living objects with the use of Xrays. The embodiment here shown and described is designed particularly for the use of veterinarians in making X-ray examinations of injured animals. The objects sought, and problems solved, by the present invention, are to safeguard the operator against the harmful effects of X-rays, by providing an independently supported fluoroscope and thereby avoiding the use of 'a hand or head fluoroscope; to enable the same apparatus to be readily used interchangeably for making radiographs and for visually examining the subject with the aid of a fluoroscope; to provide an apparatus which may be easily moved to any position in a room or closet, by which all parts of the apparatus are supported and including a cabinet within which most of the parts are contained; to make a compact apparatus having virtually the irreducible minimum of external projections, and of a width en.- abling it to be passed through doorways of ordinary width in the apartments and ofiices occupied by veterinarians; and others which later appear.

In the accomplishment of these objects I have made new combinations utilizing to some extent standard equipment and otherwise containing novel features which will be explained and de-. scribed in the following specification with the aid of an illustrative drawing.

Although the embodiment thus illustrated is designed particularly for veterinarians, as above stated, the invention contains principles and features which may be put 'to other analogous uses, wherefore the detailed description of a specific concrete embodiment is not to be taken as limiting the scope of the protection here claimed, but must be construed rather as a type illustrating the generality of the invention with reference to a concrete embodiment.

Referring to the drawing Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a self contained portable X-ray radiographic and fluoroscopic apparatus of the type referred to;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of said apparatus shown on a larger scale than that of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal section taken on line 44 of Fig. 3.

Like reference characters designate the same parts wherever they occur in all the figures.

All of the operating parts are supported by, and some of them are contained in, a cabinet ID of rectangular form supported at its corners by casters II of sufliciently large dimensions to permit the cabinet to be rolled easily over a floor from place to place in any direction, This cabinet is composed of a bottom or fioor andside walls or upright panels rigidly secured together, and has a top or cover wall I2 connected to the upper part of one end wall, designated l3, by hinges [4. This cover wall provides a table on which an animal may be placed for examination, and has an extended shelf portion l5 projecting beyond the outer side of the end wall is, whereby to give a greater length of supporting surface than the length of the cabinet. The cover wall may be raised to give access" to the interior of the cabinet, as is shown by broken lines in Fig. 2. It carries on its under side, next to one of the side walls of the cabinet, a bracket 16 to which is pivoted a brace bar I! having a slot 18 through which the shank of a clamp screw [9 passes into connection with said side wall; such brace and clamp enabling the cover wall to be locked in the upright position.

A tubular post 25 is. mounted on the bottom of the cabinet within the confines of the upright walls thereof and is located near the end wall I la. opposite to the wall I 3 .to which the cover or table 12 is hinged. This post rises to a sufficient height above the horizontal position .of the table l2 to permit X-ray pictures to be taken in the manner later described; and the table has a notch 2! opening from its adjacent end to receive the post and to permit raising and lowering of the table.

A slide 22, her shown as a sleeve, is fitted to the post with freedom to travel up and down thereon and carries a laterally projecting arm 23, on the end of Which an X-ray tube head is detachably mounted. A counter weight 24 is suspended within the interior of the post by a cord or chain 25 which passes over a pulley 26 mounted on the upper end of the post and is secured to the slide 22 at the point 21; such counter weight having sufficient mass to balance substantially the weight of the slide 22, arm 23 and attached X-ray tube head, and the post being of suitable dimensions to provide suificient interior space to receive the weight and permit its rise and descent through substantially the full height of the post. A set screw 28 is mounted in the slide for clamping it at any desired height on the post.

An X-ray tube head 29 is mounted detachably on the end of arm 23. Such head comprises a metal casing in which is contained an X-ray tube of any suitable character; the casing being lined with lead and having a conical lead, or lead lined, shield directed away from the target of the X-ray tube to confine the beam of rays within prescribed limits. The head 29 is mounted by trunnions between the arms of a fork or yoke 30, which latter is in swiveled connection with a base plate 3| secured detachably to the extremity of arm 23. By virtue of its pivotal mounting, the head 29 may be turned to direct its emission side either upward or downward, vertically or at any desired inclination, as needed for X-ray examinations and radiographs. The base 3| may be disconnected from arm 23, and the tube head then used apart from the rest of the apparatus.

A fluoroscopic screen 32 is supported by the cabinet in a manner which enables it to be placed over the table l2 at any height necessary for purposes of visual examination, or to be turned aside to permit raising of the table. The preferred means for thus mounting the screen, which embodies an important feature of the invention, is the following. An upright housing and weight guide 33 is mounted and secured within the cabinet near to, or against, the rear wall or panel 34 thereof. A track 35 is secured to one wall of housing 33 on the outside thereof, and a carriage 3G is arranged in guided engagement with the track, having two pair of rolls 3! and 3B enga ing opposite edges of the track. Two or more lateral braces 39 and 49, one above the other, are secured to carriage 36 and project through a vertical lot in the wall or panel 34. Secured to the outer ends of these braces is an upright rod 4|, preferably made of thick walled tubing, although it may be a solid rod. A head 42 is mounted on the upper end of rod 4| by a swivel so that it can swing around the axis of the rod, and carries a laterally projecting arm 43 to which a yoke or fork 44 is connected in a swiveled manner to turn about the length dimension of the arm. Screen 32 is located between the branches of the yoke 44 and connected by trunnions or equivalent means to the extremities of said branches. .A cord or chain 45 is connected to th carriage 36 at the point 4'! and passes over a pulley 48, secured to the upper part of the weight guide 33, to connection with a counterbalance weight 49 within the guide.

By thus locating the counterbalance for the screen within the cabinet, I am able to employ a screen support such as the rod 4|, of minimum thickness located close to the rear wall of the cabinet, and thereby effect a considerable saving in the over all width of the apparatus as a whole. For instance, in the apparatus here illustrated, the utmost projection of the screen support from the rear boundary of the cabinet is only an inch and a half, which is a saving of from two and a half to eight inches as compared with the over all width of the devices previously used for like purposes.

Other equipment necessary for generation of X-rays, including a transformer, connections, etc., is placed in the cabinet in the available interior space thereof. The current and voltage controls and indicators may be contained in a case 59 mounted on an external bracket secured to the cabinet, for example, as shown in Fig. 1, or they may be mounted inside of the cabinet and made accessible for manipulation and inspection through an opening, or openings, in one of the upright walls, provided space is left for vertical movement of the arm 23 and tube head 29 into and out of the cabinet.

For making visual examinations, the slide 23 and tube head are placed in the cabinet in the position shown in Fig. 3, the emission opening of the tube head being directed upward and being centered by means of a stop 5| having a tapered notch in which the arm 23 is received. Preferably the cover wall or table [2, which may be a thick slab of Bakelite or other suitable material, is reduced in thickness on the under side across the area 52 on which the X-rays impinge. The subject to be examined is placed on the table over this area and the fluorescent screen is brought over and close to the subject. The mechanical support for the screen leaves the hands of the practitioner free to move the subject as required to observe the action of the heart, the respiratory and peristaltic action, to determine the location and character of fractures, or other lesions, and make any other possible observations. It may be noted here that the screen is provided with the usual safeguards against X-ray injury to the practitioner, being a pane of lead glass of sufficient thickness in proportion to the current strength used to prevent any transmission of X-rays, mounted in a wooden frame covered with sheet lead secured by steel bindings, the over all dimensions of the screen and frame being greater than the area of the cone of X-rays. The cabinet is also provided with sheet lead protection to guard the practitioner from secondary rays, and its walls, so protected, constitute upright panels extending beside the tube head from a level below the head up to the height of the table, between the tube head and the rays emitted therefrom and any position in which the operator may stand while making an observation. Wearing leaded rubber gloves and apron, the operator is completely protected from exposure to X-rays.

For taking radiographs, the slide 22 is moved upward on the post or column 20 and the tube head 29 is inverted. A photographic plate is placed on the table across the field of X-ray dispersion, and the subject is placed over the plate. The column extends high enough to permit such placement and proper focusing of the X-ray tube.

In shifting the slide between the raised and lowered positions, the table is raised sufiiciently to let the slide and tube head pass. When in the raised position, the arm carrying the tube head may be swung aside to permit lowering of the table into its operative horizontal position. The screen 32 and its holding arm 43 are likewise swung aside when the table is thus raised and lowered.

The compact and self contained construction of this apparatus, of which the over all dimensions only slightly exceed those of the cabinet alone, enable it to be used in confined spaces, such as an X-ray compartment comparable in dimensions to a closet, in the usual veterinarians oifice; and to be rolled on its casters from one place to another. It may be snugly located next to the wall of a room or in a corner.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. An X-ray apparatus consisting of a cabinet having upright enclosing walls and a displaceable cover wall, a column rising from within the cabinet above the normal location of the cover wall, a slide mounted on said column for movement between a position within the cabinet to One a ove the cover wall, and an X-ray generator carried by said slide and adapted to emit X-rays upwardly from within the cabinet or downwardly from a position above the top of the cabinet.

2. An X-ray apparatus consisting of a cabinet having upright enclosing walls and a displaceable cover wall, a column rising from within the cabinet above the normal location of the cover wall, a slide mounted on said column for movement between a position within the cabinet to one above the cover wall, an X-ray generator carried by said slide and adapted to emit X-rays upwardly from within the cabinet or downwardly from a position above the top of the cabinet, a fluorescent screen and supporting means for said screen adapted to hold the latter in viewing position over the said top wall and in a position aside from the top wall.

3. An X-ray inspection and radiographic apparatus comprising a supporting structure having a displaceable table, a screen carrier mounted on said structure, a fluorescent screen supported by said carrier to be movable into positions at different heights over the table and aside from the table, a column mounted in the cabinet and X-ray generating means supported on said column with provisions for placement in positions respectively above and beneath the table and for aiming toward the table from either position.

4. A self contained portable X-ray apparatus comprising a cabinet having a top wall hinged to one end of the cabinet and adapted to be placed horizontally and to be raised about its hinge axis, a carriage mounted in the cabinet with provision for movement up and down beneath the horizontal location of the table, an

upright rod connected to the carriage and located outside of the table, a fluorescent screen mounted on said rod with capacity for swinging about a substantially vertical axis between positions over and aside from the table, a column mounted in the cabinet near the side thereof opposite to said hinge connection rising above the horizontal position of the table, a lateral arm in sliding connection with said post adapted to be moved up and down thereon to positions above and belowthe table, and an X-ray tube head carried by said arm and adjustable to direct X-rays toward the table from any of its positions at different levels.

5. In an X-ray apparatus, an enclosed cabinet adapted to contain equipment for the production of X-rays having upright enclosing walls, a top wall hinged to one of said walls normally overlying the space within the cabinet and adapted to be raised about its hinge axis to uncover said space, a column rising from within the cabinet adjacent to the enclosing wall thereof opposite to that to which said top wall is hinged through an opening in the top wall, a lateral arm slidably connected to the said column and adapted to be lowered into and raised above the space within the cabinet when said top wall is raised, and a generator of ,X-rays carried by said arm and connected thereto with provisions for directing X-rays toward the top wall from positions both under and over the same.

6. In an apparatus for making X-ray examinations and radiographs, a cabinet having enclosing upright walls, a post mounted within the enclosure of said walls and rising above the same, a tube carrier slidably mounted on the post for movement between a position in the cabinet and a position above the upper limits of the enclosing walls, a top wall forming a table mounted removably on said enclosing Walls and having a notch through which the post extends, an X-ray tube connected to said carrier and movable therewith, and a stop in the cabinet arranged to engage said carrier when the latter is lowered into the cabinet and having means for retaining the tube in a given location.

7. In an apparatus for making X-ray examinations and radiographs, a cabinet having enclosing upright walls, a post mounted within the enclosure of said walls and rising above the same, a slide having a lateral arm mounted on the post for movement lengthwise thereof between positions inside of the cabinet and above the upper limits of said walls respectively, a table overlying said walls for support of the subject, a stop in the cabinet having a notch for receiving and locating said arm when the latter is lowered into the cabinet, and an X-ray tube carriedby said arm.

8. An X-ray examining apparatus comprising a supporting structure, a table hinged to said structure to be capable of swinging between a substantially horizontal position and a raised position, a column supported by said structure, a tube carrier in guided engagement with said column movable thereon between positions respectively below and above the horizontal position of the table, an X-ray tube head secured to said carrier and adjustable thereon to emit X-rays either vertically upward or vertically downward, means below the horizontal location of the table for centering said carrier when in its lowered position so that the rays emitted from the tub-e head are then confined to a prescribed limited area of the table, a fluorescent screen mounted over the table with capacity for adjustment toward and away therefrom to accommodate objects for examination placed on the table, said screen being centered over the said area of the table and having an area opaque to X-rays which is greater than the area of the cone of rays passing from the tube head, and an upright panel shielded against transmission of X-rays extending across the space at one side of the tube head from a level below the tube head to substantially the height of the table in position to afford protection to an observer of the visible rays emitted from the screen.

9. An X-ray apparatus comprising a supporting structure, a table mounted on said structure and extending across the same for supporting a subject of inspection, an upright column, a carrier having a laterally projecting arm mounted on said column for travel up and down thereon between positions respectively below and above the table, a screen support mounted on the supporting structure for up and down movement at one side of the table, a fluorescent screen connected pivotally with said screen support for placement directly over the table and at one side thereof, the table being hinged to the supporting structure so as to be movable upward to permit passage of the said carrier and arm, an X-ray generator carried by said arm and placeable by movement of the carriage into a position below the horizontal location of the table, and means for centering said arm, when lowered, so as to locate the X-ray generator in position to direct its rays against the area of the table which is overhung by the fluorescent screen when the latter is in its position for fluoroscopic observa tion of a subject.

FRED R. CAlWPBELL.

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