Abstract:
An articulator system employing magnetic and supporting means enabling dental casts to be mounted in or removed from an articulator and replaced as desired.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention is directed toward articulators or work support apparatus for use by dentists, dental laboratory technicians and others in evaluating and supporting dental casts of upper and lower molded teeth of dental patients. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   It often necessary for dentists in evaluating teeth of patients to prepare molds of upper and lower teeth and send them to dental laboratories that will prepare dental casts of these upper and lower molds and assemble them together to display the resultant combination of temporarily joined casts. Typically the molds are joined together in a device known as an articulator. 
   An articulator employs a vertical support of some type with upper and lower spaced horizontal metallic plates movable toward and away from each other, with the cast of the lower teeth being secured to the lower surface of the lower plate and the cast of the upper teeth being secured to the upper surface of the upper plate. 
   In order to insure that the casts are properly secured to the plates, plaster is used normally and subsequent removal is very difficult. Once casts are employed in this manner, they cannot be remounted in an articulator without breaking off the plaster. 
   The present invention overcomes this problem by eliminating this use of plaster and instead using a novel articulator system that enable casts to be repeatedly remounted in articulators at any time. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is a primary object of this invention to provide a novel articulator system which enables dental casts to be repeatedly removed and reinstalled in one or another positions instantly according to the bite site registration. 
   Another important object of this invention is to provide an articulator system of the character indicated which employs a novel use of supporting means in enabling dental casts to be removed and replaced as desired. 
   These and other objects and advantages of this invention will either be explained or will become apparent hereafter. 
   An articulator in accordance with the principles of this invention takes the form of a vertical frame having two identical spaced parallel vertical columns adjustable in length. 
   A first horizontal elongated member extending between and is connected to the upper ends of the columns, said first member having an extension disposed at right angles to the direction of elongation of the first member. 
   A horizontal elongated bar is supported on the first member, said bar extending between and interconnecting the upper ends of the columns. 
   A second horizontal elongated member extends between the lower ends of the columns and supports them. The second member has an extension disposed at right angles to the direction of elongation of the second member. The extensions of the first and second members are parallel and vertically aligned. 
   A first horizontal upper elongated metallic plate extends over the horizontal extension of the first member and has a coupling at one end, said first plate having a magnet disposed therein. 
   First means is connected to said bar and is disposed over the first extension, said first means being also connected to the coupling of said first plate as a locking device so that the first plate is pivotable about a horizontal axis that is disposed at right angles to the axis of the bar and the plate cannot move along the horizontal axis. 
   A second horizontal lower elongated metallic plate extends outward parallel to the horizontal extension and is disposed below the first plate, said second plate having a coupling at one end, said second plate having a magnet disposed therein. 
   Second means is connected to the second member and is also connected to the coupling of said second plate as a locking device so that the second plate is pivotable about a horizontal axis which is disposed at right angles to the axis of the bar and the plate cannot move along the horizontal axis. 
   Each plate can also be provided with supporting means which can take the form of a plurality of holes disposed about the corresponding magnet. 
   Each of the first and second plates is adapted to engage a corresponding one of first and second dental casts. Each cast has an exposed metallic sheet containing a like plurality of raised prongs whereby upon magnetic engagement between plate and magnet, each prong engages the corresponding hole. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a detail side view of the structure shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is a front view of the structure shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a dental cast which can be removably mounted in the structure shown in the  FIGS. 1-3 . 
       FIG. 5  is a plan view of different sizes of different plates that can be employed in this invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 1-5 , the articulator has a vertical frame having two identical spaced parallel vertical columns  10  and  12 . Each column is hollow and contains a shaft  14  which can be extended and manually locked into position by screws  16  to adjust the height as desired. 
   A horizontal bar  18  extends between and interconnects the upper ends of the columns or the shafts  14  if shafts are extended. A flat horizontal member  20  is disposed below the bar  18  and has an extension  22  which is oriented at right angles to bar  18 . A second like member  24  supports the bottom end of the columns and has a like extension  26 . Extensions  22  and  24  are spaced apart in parallel alignment. 
   A first horizontal upper elongated metallic plate  28  extends over the first horizontal member  20 . It has a coupling  60  at one end and has a housing  31  in which a magnet  30  is mounted. 
   A first housing  32  contains a ball bearing  33  and attached shaft  34  that is connected to said bar and is disposed over the first extension, said shaft being also connected to the coupling  60  of said first plate as a locking device so that the first plate is pivotable about a horizontal axis that is disposed at right angles to the axis of the bar and the plate cannot move along the horizontal axis. 
   A second horizontal lower elongated metallic plate  36  extends outward parallel to the horizontal extension  26  and is disposed below the first plate. The second plate has a coupling  62  at one end and has a housing in which magnet  38  is mounted 
   A second housing  40  connected to the top surface of member  24  is connected by a ball bearing  33  and shaft  34  to coupling  62  of the second plate  32  as a locking device so that the second plate is pivotable about shaft  34  that is disposed at right angles to the axis of the horizontal bar  18  and the plate cannot move along this axis. 
   A set screw arrangement  42  is connected to the bottom of the first housing to limit the downward movement of the first plate. 
   Plate  37  can be individually reversed in position to be left or right quadrants. As shown in  FIG. 5 , plate  37  has magnet  50 . 
   Each of plates  28 ,  36  and  37  has a plurality of holes  44  disposed about the corresponding magnet. 
   Each of the first, second and third plates is adapted to engage a corresponding one of first and second dental casts  46 . Each cast  46  has an exposed metallic sheet  48  surrounded by a like plurality of raised prongs  52  whereby upon magnetic engagement between plate and sheet each prong engages the corresponding hole. 
   The casts can be easily removed manually or replaced as desired. 
   While the invention has been carefully described with reference both to the detailed description and the drawings, the protection solicited should be limited only by the terms of the claims that follow.