Counterbalanced x-ray tube control stand

Feb. 18, 1941. _{A SIMON} 2,232,014

COUNTERBALANCED X-RAY TUBE CONTROL STAND '

Filed Oct. 14, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1

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Feb. 18, 1941. _A simon 2,232,014

COUNTERBALANCED X-RAY TUBE CONTROL STAND

Filed Oct. 14, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

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ATTORNEY

Patented Feb. 18, 1941

2,232,014

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE

2,232,014

COUNTERBALANCED X-RAY TUBE CONTROL STAND

Alfred Simon, Jackson Heights, N. Y., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania

Application October 14, 1938, Serial No. 234,891

Claims. (CI. 250—92)

The present invention relates to X-ray apparatus and particularly to what is known in the art as fluoroscopic apparatus. Apparatus of this type has long been employed by the roentgenolo5 gist in the making of fluoroscopic examinations as well as the- taking of radiographic pictures, when desired.

Such apparatus is normally employed in connection with a patient support, such as an ex10 amination table or the like, upon which the patient reclines. During the making of a fluoroscopic examination with the patient in a reclined position, the X-ray tube is usually disposed beneath the patient support with the 15 fluorescent screen above the support and the patient so that a shadowgraph is produced upon the fluorescent screen upon energization of the X-ray tube.

Also, when it is desired to take a radiographic 20' exposure the patient support is usually provided with a cassette beneath the patient for housing a photographic film. The X-ray tube is then moved to a position above the patient so that upon excitation thereof, an image of the desired 25 portion of the patient’s anatomy is produced upon the film. Inasmuch as the fluoroscopic apparatus is usually pivotally supported, both fluoroscopic and radiographic examinations may also be made of the patient while in an erect 30 position.

Heretofore the high potential electrical energy for energizing the X-ray tube has been supplied by a remotely disposed high voltage transformer which is connected to the terminals of the X-ray35 tube by high voltage cables. In order to make the apparatus portable, that is to say, readily movable- upon the floor, it has been suggested to mount the high voltage transformer upon a base which supports the upright column or standard. 40 Since the fluoroscopic apparatus, which is of considerable weight, must be movable in a vertical position in order to- facilitate examination of the- patient, the apparatus must accordingly be counterbalanced. Thus the entire weight of 45 the high voltage transformer, together with the fluoroscopic apparatus and the counterweights, has heretofore been quite-bulky and of considerable total weight, making it difficult to readily move about the floor.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an X-ray apparatus of compact form whereby the total weight of the apparatus is substantially reduced so as to facilitate its movement about the floor.

Another object of the present invention is the.

provision of an X-ray apparatus for the making of fluoroscopic or radiographic examinations wherein the X-ray instrumentalities are carried by a support movable vertically of a standard with the standard housing all of the necessary 5 controls and the high voltage transformer for supplying energy to the X-ray tube, which transformer is movable vertically of the standard for counterbalancing the X-ray apparatus.

A further object of the present invention is the io provision of an X-ray apparatus for the making of fluoroscopic and radiographic examinations wherein a substantially rectangular standard is provided, one side of which is provided with all the necessary controls, and a fluoroscopic ap- 15 paratus comprising the X-ray tube and a fluorescent screen is slidably mounted upon the standard and counterbalanced by the high voltage transformer which supplies high potential electrical energy to the X-ray tube and which is 20 housed within the standard and slidably movable therein.

Still, further objects of the present invention will become obvious to those skilled in the art by reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an X-ray apparatus constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig., 2 is an end view of the apparatus shown in Fig, 1, and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the standard which forms a part of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 with portions of such _g5apparatus broken away to better illustrate the same.

Referring now to the drawings in detail,_ a tube stand is shown comprising, a vertically disposed substantially rectangular housing or ₄θ standard, 5 mounted upon a base which may consist Of a. pair of shafts 6, the latter of which are provided with, suitable rollers or casters Ί. These rollers or casters 7 may rest upon the floor or, as shown, may engage guide rails or tracks 8 for _&lt;5the purpose of moving the tube stand longitudinally of a patient support 9 (Fig. 2), for the taking of radiographic exposures or the making of. fluoroscopic examinations of a patient, when positioned upon the patient support 9. 50

Thus, by virtue of the. rollers or casters 7 the tube, stand is longitudinally movable relative to the patient support 9 and in addition it is transversely movable with respect thereto upon the shafts 6 of the base and is maintained in a de- 55

2,232,014 sired transverse position by operation of a footoperated lock or catch 10.

The tube stand or standard 5 is provided with a support which, as shown, comprises a laterally δ extending bracket 12 to which is pivotally connected an angularly disposed member 13 with the bracket 12 being movable vertically of the housing 5 upon a guideway or track 11. This member 13 in turn has an arm 14 pivotally con10 nected thereto which carries at one extremity a fluorescent screen 15 and an X-ray tube unit 16 at its other extremity. Rotation of the arm 14 about its pivot accordingly disposes the X-ray tube unit 16 below the table with the fluorescent 15 screen 15 above, as shown particularly in Fig. 2, or the X-ray tube unit may be disposed above the patient support 9 with the screen 15 below.

However, the fluorescent screen 15 is pivotally connected to the extremity of the arm 14 by a 20 bifurcated member IT, which latter is pivotally connected at 18 to the extremity of the arm 14. When the X-ray tube unit 16 is disposed above the table top, the fluorescent screen, while below the level thereof, can be moved in a position 25 parallel to the direction of movement of the tube stand upon the guide rails 8 and thus out of operating range.

The screen may be retained in this latter position by operation of a suitable lock 19 and in a 30 similar manner the arm 14 is maintained in position by a lock 20, as is the X-ray tube unit by a lock 22.

Electrical energy for the X-ray tube housed within the X-ray tube unit 16 is supplied by a 35 high voltage transformer 23 disposed interiorly of the rectangular standard 5. A pair of high voltage cables 24 extend from the transformer and pass through the end of the arm 14 to the tube unit 16. These cables are of the grounded 40 metallic sheathed type so as to prevent accidental shocks resulting to a patient or operator and have sufficient slack to allow for movement of the X-ray tube unit 16 to any desired position above or below the patient support 9 without 45 placing undue strain upon the cables such as would break or injure the insulation.

To facilitate vertical movement of the fluoroscopic apparatus, comprising the X-ray tube unit 16 and fluorescent screen 15, the laterally ex50 tending bracket 12, in turn supporting the angularly disposed member 13 and the arm 14, forming a part of the support for the fluoroscopic apparatus, is connected by means of suitable supporting cables 25 passing over a pair of pulleys 55 or sheaves 26 and connected to the high voltage transformer 23.

The transformer is provided.with suitable rollers 27 which engage two sides of a track or guide rail 28 so that the transformer 23 thus moves 60 vertically of the interior of the standard 5 in opposition to movements of the fluoroscopic apparatus. . Also in order to· accomplish compactness of the apparatus, as well as facilitate operation thereof by the operator, one side of the rectangu65 lar standard 5, as can be seen from Figs. 1 and 3, supports all the necessary control knobs, switches and meters which project through the wall to the exterior of the standard.

By this construction the roentgenologist dur70 ing the diagnostic examination is thus in position to readily manipulate the entire apparatus, including the fluoroscopic apparatus, as well as the necessary control knobs which thus limits the electrical energy supplied by the high volt75 age transformer 23 to the X-ray tube unit 16.

Inasmuch as the transformer 23, as above noted, is slidably movable vertically of the interior of the standard 5, sufficient slack is naturally provided in the cables, such as shown at 29, extending from the various controls at the side of the δ standard to the transformer.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing that an X-ray apparatus is herein provided which is exceptionally compact in that all of the essential controls, as well as the high voltage trans- 10 former for supplying the electrical energy to the X-ray tube, are enclosed within a standard. Moreover, to eliminate the additional weight of a counterbalance for the fluoroscopic apparatus comprising the X-ray tube unit and the fluoro- 18 scopic screen and at the same time render the apparatus portable by having the high voltage transformer an integral part of the entire apparatus, the high voltage transformer is movable vertically of the standard and is mechani- 20 cally connected to the fluoroscopic unit, thus serving the dual purpose of supplying electrical energy to the X-ray tube and counterbalancing movements of the fluoroscopic apparatus.

Although one embodiment of the present in- ²³vention has been herein, shown and described, other modifications thereof may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.