Improvements in or relating to the Application of "X" Rays.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Apr., 1898-Accepted, 25th June, 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Application of "X" Rays.
I, HENRY JOHN WAGG, Consulting Electrical Engineer, of 15, Great George
Street, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:―
This invention relates to improvements in the application of "X"
rays and in
apparatus connected therewith, and has for its primary object the construction
of apparatus by means of which a patient may be examined with the aid of "X"
rays and the position of a foreign body or the like located very much more
quickly than has been possible hitherto.
In carrying out this invention apparatus is constructed comprising a combina-
tion of devices which operate to localise the object under examination. A table
is provided upon which the patient may be placed. Above the table and
attached thereto is an adjustable frame or equivalent so constructed that a
fluorescent screen or photographic plate or film carried in a suitable holder by
the adjustable frame, can be moved so as to be over any desired part of the
patient, and at any convenient height above him.
The tube from which the rays are emitted is placed below the top of the table
and is held in an adjustable carrier so that it can be moved to any desired
position in a horizontal plane; the distance of the tube from the under side of
the table top is also capable of adjustment. The position of the tube holder re-
latively to the table may be determined by means of a pointer or other indicator
which is carried by the tube holder, and travels over a scale or equivalent on
the fixed portion of the table.
It will thus be seen that the positions of the tube carrier screen
carrying holder and table are relatively adjustable.
or film-
The screen holder, hereinbefore referred to, is provided with two wires which
cross each other at the centre of the holder, or is provided with equivalent
guiding-marks or centres.
In conjunction with the apparatus described, a
"finder is used; this may
comprise a short tube of wood or other suitable material having its ends closed.
At the bottom of the tube, and inside it, a small shot is fixed centrally, and in a
similar position at the top of the tube, a small metallic ring is placed.
The
upper surface of the top end of the tube is coated with some fluorescent material,
and may be covered with glass or other suitable material.
The method of using this apparatus is as follows:-
The patient is placed upon the table with the screen above him approximately
over the particular spot which it is desired to examine. The current is then switched
on to the coil and the tube emits X rays which throw shadows of the bone,

page_text: foreign body or the like, and also of the cross wires, on to the screen. The
"finder" is now placed above the screen and the screen and patient or tube are
moved until the shadow of the small shot on the finder is seen in the centre of
the ring shadow and until the former coincides with the shadows of the inter-
section of the cross wires and the foreign body, for instance, such coincidence
indicating that the axis of the finder, the point of intersection of the cross wires,
the foreign body and the active point of the tube are in line. The position of
the tube carrier is noted and it is then moved through a known distance and
another observation taken without re-adjustment of the screen; the distance of
the shadow of the foreign body from the point of intersection of the cross wires
being measured.
It is obvious that, as the height of the screen from the table-top, the distance
of the tube from the upper surface of the table top, the distance between the two
positions of the tube, and the distance of the shadow from the cross wires in the
second observation are all made readily ascertainable, the exact position of the
foreign body can be easily determined.
The position of the cross wires relatively to the patient may be indicated by
removing the screen, and simply painting lines on the patient corresponding with
the wires on the screen holder.
If owing to the position of the foreign body it is not possible to make its
shadow coincide with that of the cross wires, as above described, the distance of
the shadow of the foreign body from the cross wires is measured in the first
observation, the second observation is then taken, and the spot can be localised
as before.
In order to facilitate the localisation of the spot under examination, a card
or chart is provided, upon which scales are marked in such manner that the
measured distances can be readily set off; by joining the points obtained from
the observations in two operations, by threads or equivalents the position of the
foreign body may be read off on the chart without any calculation whatever.
In the accompanying drawings,
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one construction of apparatus according to this
invention part being broken away for the sake of clearness,
Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively a perspective view, and a plan of other pieces
of apparatus also according to this invention.
A is a table supported on four legs A', and provided with hinged flaps or leaves A³
which form extensions at each end of the table in the well known manner.
The flaps A are supported when raised by brackets A³ which are hinged so that
they may be closed over one another when the flaps are in the position illustrated
in Fig. 1. Small bolts A+ are provided on the inside of the flaps A² so that the
latter may be secured to the table from the inside. The front of the table A
consists of a sheet of glass, and the back is formed by two doors A³ which may be
locked. A is a tray or shelf carried by the legs A. A beading or batten A
extends round the table below the shelf A6 for a purpose hereinafter described.
As are cleats round which a cord or equivalent may be passed if desired to
secure the patient to the table.
B is an adjustable frame comprising strips of wood B¹ pivotally connected to
the corners of the table as at 132; the upper ends of the strips B are joined by
pieces B3 in such manner that the frame formed by the pieces B³ may be raised
or lowered parallel to the top of the table A. These joints may conveniently be
made by means of thumb screws 13 which can be tightened when the necessary
position has been attained.
Resting upon the longitudinal pieces B³ and free to slide along but not across
them, are two clamps formed of strips of wood C³ normally held together by
means of a spring C and bolt and fly nut C³. These clamps C hold between
them two other clamps 1 which by means of clamping screws D) 1 carry four
vertical pieces E so formed that they can support a frame or screen-holder F.

page_text: The screen-holder E is provided with metallic cross wires F¹, and a fluorescent
screen G fits into the screen-holder F over the cross wires F¹ in such a manner as
to be readily removable.
His an adjustable carrier for holding an "X" ray tube J, it comprises longi-
tudinal bars H which slide upon guides A attached to the table A; these bars H¹
are joined by rods H2. Sliding freely upon the rods H2 and dependent there-
from are two pieces H³ each slotted to take a block H' the position of which
may be regulated by means of a screen H³. The blocks H are recessed in order
to take the ends of the tube J. The hanging pieces. H³ are prevented from
opening and thus letting the tube J fall, by means of a piece of elastic H passed
through eyes H at their lower ends. The position of the carrier H is indicated
by a pointer H8 carried by one of the bars H¹ which points to a scale (a) on the
guide Aº.
As it is advantageous to slightly warm the tube J when working, an incan-
descent lamp K is provided in a holder K¹ which slides upon one of the rods H².
This lamp together with another lamp K², which is used if necessary for lighting
the top of the table, are run from the ordinary electric supply mains, connection
being made to a wall plug through the socket K³.
L is an induction coil employed in the usual manner to work the tube J;
its primary winding is connected, preferably through a socket, and plug L', to
terminals L which are connected to a suitable battery.
The battery is carried in a box M on a trolley M and the box M is of such
a height that when the table A is placed above it as shown in Fig. 1, the beading
or batten A projects below the top of it, and it can thus be pushed with the
table to any desired position.
"finder
"
A voltmeter N and a key N¹ are fixed to the table and connected to the battery
terminals L2, so that the condition of the battery can be ascertained.
0 (Fig. 2) is a
and comprises a tube O¹ preferably of wood having a
bottom 02 and a sunk top 03 the upper surface of which is coated with some
fluorescent material protected by glass or otherwise. Inside the tube O' at the
centre of the bottom 02 a small shot 0 is fixed and a small metallic ring O is
placed centrally under the top 03. This "finder" is used as hereinbefore
described, in order to bring the foreign body directly in line with the tube J and
the cross wires F¹.
When in use the "finder" O is placed upon the fluorescent screen G; and the
relative positions of the screen G, finder 0 and tube I are adjusted until the
shadow of the small shot 02 is seen in the centre of the shadow of the ring 05,
and until the former coincides with the shadow of the intersection of the cross
wires F. This coincidence indicates that the point of intersection of the cross
wires is vertically above the active point of the tube J.
It is convenient when possible to so arrange the relative positions, that the
shadow of the foreign body or the like is also coincident with the shadow of the
point of intersection, as herein before described.
The
One construction of the chart P or equivalent, upon which the observations
may be set out is illustrated in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings. It com-
prises a frame P" holding a card P. Upon the frame and over the face of the card
two straight edges P³ and P are placed free to slide having cross heads P³ which
keeps them parallel with the top and bottom members of the frame P¹.
straight edge P3 is marked in inches, to right and left of the centre line X,
and these distances correspond to the distance between the shadows of the foreign
body and the cross wires F¹ seen upon the screen G. The other straight edge P
is also divided into inches and is provided with a series of pins P6. The
divisions on this straight edge P4 correspond with the distance between the two
positions of the tube J.
The card P is divided vertically and horizontally into inches and eighths the
vertical divisions corresponding to those upon the straight edge P³. The hori-

page_text: zontal divisions start upwards from the line Y and downwards from the line Y¹
the space between the lines Y and Y¹ being equal to the thickness of the table top.
In using the chart P, the straight edge P4 is placed so that the distance from
its top edge to the line Y¹ is equal to the distance between the active point of
the tube J and the under side of the table top. The distance between the line Y
and the lower edge of the straight edge P³ similarly represents the height of
the screen G above the table top. If now threads be stretched across so as to
join the observed points as indicated on the straight edges P³ and P4, it is
obvious that the point of intersection of the two threads will give the position
of the foreign body as herein before described. The thread may conveniently
be twisted round one of the pins P6 in the straight edge P4.
It is obvious that many alterations may be made in the apparatus without
departing from the spirit of this invention. For instance the battery may be
carried upon a shelf or tray fixed to the table A, the flaps or leaves of the table
may be dispensed with, or the adjustable frame B, and the tube-carrier H may
operate in conjunction with a fixed bench or table. Again, the "X" ray tube
may be worked by means of a transformer from an electric lighting circuit.
Further, a photographic film or plate may be substituted for the fluorescent
screw G and permanent records of the operations obtained. The finder O may
also be modified without departing from the principle upon which it is con-
structed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
1. In apparatus for the application of X-rays the combination of devices
operating to localise the object under examination.
2. An apparatus for the application of X-rays in which a tube, screen, or
film-carrying device and table forming integral parts thereof are relatively
adjustable.
3. An apparatus for the application of X-rays in which a tube, screen, or film-
carrying device and table forming integral parts thereof are relatively adjustable,
and provided with means for measuring such adjustment.
4. In apparatus for the application of X-rays the combination with a table of
an adjustable screen or film carrying frame above the table and an adjustable
tube carrier below the table substantially as described.
5. In apparatus for the application of X-rays the combination with a table of a
screen or film carrying frame adjustable above the table for the purpose described.
6. In apparatus for the application of X-rays in the localisation of the object
under examination the combination with a table of an adjustable tube carrier
below it with or without a scale or other indicator for the purpose described.
7. In apparatus for the application of X-rays the employment of a
"finder"
substantially as and for the purpose described.
•
8. In apparatus for the application of X-rays a "finder" such as O substan-
tially as described.
9. In apparatus for the application of X-rays a screen or film carrying frame
such as having cross wires or the like substantially as and for the purpose
described.
10. In apparatus for the application of X-rays the combination with a
fluorescent screen carried in a holder having cross wires or the like of a "finder"
substantially as described.
11. In apparatus for the application of X-rays the combination of a movable
table and movable battery-stand which mutually engage in the manner described.
12. In apparatus for the application of X-rays the employment of a chart such
as P2 and straight-edges such as P3 P4 arranged and operating substantially as
and for the purpose described.

page_text: 13. The complete apparatus for the application of X-rays substantially as
described or illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
1000
HENRY JOHN WAGG.
Boult & Wade,
Agents for the Applicant.