Patent GB-114893-A (GB)
Title: An Improved X Ray Tube Stand and Table.
Inventor: GREVILLE ERNEST ELIAS
Filed: 1917-09-06
Abstract: 114,893. Greville, E. E. April 19, 1917. R÷ntgen - ray ap- paratus. - Relates to apparatus for the examination and treatment of patients by X-rays and com- prises improvements in the table upon which the patient is laid, the stand carry- ing the X-ray tube, and the means for localizing foreign bodies. The table has a top which is removable and, as shown in Fig. 2, may be replaced by a stretcher D. The legs A A<1> of the table are con- nected by side rails C between which they may be folded, being normally held in position by re- movable rods E. Uprights UP, UP<1>, Fig. 18, with a curtain of canvas or wood WO between them, may also be attached to one end of the table and carry supports SU, SU<1>, from which a fluorescent screen SC may be suspended so that a standing patient may be examined. The tube stand comprises a base AB, Fig. 13, having wheels BC, B<1>, balls, or castors, so that it may run upon the side rails C. A small roller may be hung on the spindle of the wheel BC to engage the under side of the rail to prevent the stand from becoming derailed. The base may also be provided with a screw LM so that the stand may be levelled if used apart from the table, and with a clamp by which it may be secured to the rails. An upright DE, preferably of square metal tubing, is rotatably housed in a socket CD on the base, and a cradle EF, attached by a cable WR passing over a pulley FG to a counterweight within the upright, carries a hollow arm GH which is slid- able therein. A metal rod or tube within the arm GH carries the X-ray tube TU and a shield HI therefor, and is rotatable about its axis and capable of being clamped by a nut N. Racks and pinions separated by handles JK and K are pro- vided so that horizontal adjustment of the arm GH and vertical adjustment of the cradle EF may be effected. A second cradle EF<1> carrying a slidable hollow arm AC, within which is a rotatable rod or tube carrying a tray BD on which a screen or photographic plate is placed, may be slidably mounted on the upright DE, the general construction of the cradle and the parts carried thereby being similar to that of the cradle EF &c. The tray BD may also be tilted about the axis of a clamping-screw handle JL. The upright DE is located sufficiently far from the edge of the table to enable the arm GH, when swung round parallel with the edge of the table, to be raised above it without the shield HI fouling its edge, and the adjustments provided enable the X-rays to be projected in any desired direction from either above or below the table. A gear case contain- ing two cog-wheels connected by a chain may be applied when desired, to the cradles EF, EF', the spindles of the pinions which engage the racks on the arms GH, AC passing through square or other holes in the centres of the cog wheels and being engaged by clips carried by the gear case. The gear case itself then connects the cradles so that they move vertically simultaneously, and the chain and cog wheels therein cause simultaneous horizontal adjustment of the arms GH, AC. One of the pinions may be provided with a, clutch so that it may be released from engagement with the rack on the arm GH when it is desired to adjust this arm independently of the other. When the apparatus is to be used for localizing foreign bodies, the arm GH is separately adjusted so that the anode of the tube is vertically below the in- tersection of cross wires fitted to the screen carrier, the arms being then locked together and adjustments being made until the shadow of the foreign body falls on the intersection of the cross wires. The arm GH is then again freed and the tube moved through a known distance to obtain a second shadow, from the displacement of which the depth of the foreign body from the cross wires can be determined. The tube may be shifted a known distance without measurement by the pro- vision of a rod secured to the arm GH parallel to its axis and passing through two fixed guides carried by the cradle, and also by the provision of a piece of metal capable of being clamped to the rod to form a stop which is brought into en- gagement first with the one guide and then, by sliding the arm GH, into engagement with the other guide. When the X-rays are projected from above the table downwards, the shield HI may be fitted with a conical or cylindrical com- pressor tube by which the abdomen of a stout patient may be compressed to reduce the thick- ress of tissue through which the rays must pass, the base of the stand being secured to the rails during the compression. When a diaphragm is used in connexion with the tube, the leaves Q, Q<1>, Q<11>, Q<111>, Fig. 10. thereof may be controlled in pairs by handles P, P<1>, through shafts R, R<1>, cranks 0, O<1>, links T, T', and arms Y, Y', the junctions at each end of the links T, T' being pre- ferably in the form of ball-and-socket joints. Ac- carding to Provisional Specification 5503/17, the arm carrying the tube and shield may have fitted thereto a number of pieces of metal forming joints enabling the tube to 'be moved in any desired direction, the joints being fitted with clamps. The base of the stand may also be fitted with three or more legs so that. when the stand is used apart from the table, the wheels are clear of the floor; one of the legs may be capable of being screwed up or down. Further, the upright of the stand may either be mounted on a base which is detachably secured to a base permanently in posi- tion on the rails, or may be removable from the base so that it may be fitted to another one for use apart from the table.