US2816806A - Tilting mechanism for x-ray examination table - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 17, 1957 l l w. ZAALBERG 2,816,806

TILTNG MECHANISM FOR x-RAY mMINATIoN-TABLE Filed oct. 51, 1955 I ATTORNEYS United States Patent TILTING MECHANISM FOR X-RAY EXAMINATIUN TABLE Willem Zaalberg, Leiden, Netherlands, assignor to Smit- Rntgen N. V., Leiden, Netherlands, a Dutch limited liability company Application Gctober 31, 1955, Serial No. 543,940

Claims priority, application Netherlands July 8, 1953 1 Claim. (Cl. 311-6) The invention relates to a tilting mechanism for an X-ray table, adapted to tilt the table from the horizontal position in two directions about an axis arranged transversely to the table and at a height above the floor smaller than half the table length, to such an extent that the plane of the table top is vertical.

This application is a continuation-impart of my application Serial No. 441,513, now Patent No. 2,771,330.

With such an arrangement the patient which is lying on the table or standing against the tilted table may be brought at any desired angle or slops. Below the table when it is in the horizontal position or behind the table in another position a space should be available for positioning an X-ray tube adapted to be separately displaced with respect to the table and/or to be movable together with the table, while in a frame adapted to be displaced with respect to the table a radioscopic screen and/or a film casing is to be arranged which should be adapted to be brought above the patient lying on the table or standing against the table. In order to be able to observe the image on the radioscopic screen easily when the position of the table is horizontal, the table must not be too high, e. g. not higher than 80 cm. This means that the transverse axis about which the table should be tilted to both sides will be located relatively low, in any event lower than 80 cm. On the other hand the table should be of sufficient length (200 cm. or more) in connection with the length of the body of the patient, and the construction of the moving mechanism should be arranged in such a manner that the table may nevertheless be positioned vertically without the lower end of the table in question striking the door.

An object of the invention is to provide an arrangement of simple and robust construction which meets the said requirements.

It is another object of the invention to provide a tilting mechanism that is self-braking.

As the moving mechanism of the table according to the invention only needs to have a limited width in spite of its robust construction, it does not detract from the stability of the device to arrange the tilting mechanism near one of the longitudinal edges of the table, whereby a large space is available below or behind the table for variably positioning an X-ray tube.

rThe invention will now be explained in detail with reference to the drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of a table according to the invention is described.

Figure l shows the patient table with the principal parts of the moving mechanism in side elevation, one of the side walls of the said table being omitted.

Figure 2 is a sectional view along the line II-II in Figure l.

On a base 1, extending transversely relative to the table and having an upstanding post Z at one of its ends, is mounted a toothed segment 4 in the form of a sector having teeth on the inner circumference 22 thereof. Toothed segment 4 is secure-d to the post 2 by means of a pivot 3, the toothed segment being rigidly connected ice thereto by means of a bolt 5 and being concentric therewith. The pivot 3 is located at a height above the base 1 which is less than half the length of the table.

Furthermore a support 7 is rotatably mounted on the pivot 3 supported in the post 2. In the side wall of the support 7 on the side away from the toothed segment 4, guide Slots 8 are arranged near the upper rim of the support 7, in which slots a guiding member 9 is slidable. The guiding member 9 forms part of a downwardly extending longitudinal `side 10 of the table. In the hori- Vzontal position of thel table shown in Figure l the guiding member 9 extends on both sides of the support some dis tance beyond the support 7.

Near to the top 11 of the table a screw spindle 12 is arranged in the longitudinal direction of the table, which spindle is supported at its ends in bearings 13. The spindle may be actuated by means of a worm gear 14 on an electric motor 15. The screw spindle extends through and engages in a nut 23 which is fixed to the support 7 near the upper edge of the support.

Beneath the top 11 of the table a toothed rack 19 is mounted through the greater part of the length of the table and is parallel to the screw spindle 13.

Two pinions 20 and 21, which are co-axially fixed to each other, are rotatably supported on a shaft 17 mounted on the support 7. The pinion 20 engages the teeth on the inner circumference 22 of the toothed segment 4 and the pinion 21 engages the toothed rack 19.

The mechanism of the patient table described above operates as follows:

When the table is to be brought from the horizontal position shown in Figure l to the vertical position, e. g. by tilting in a direction opposite to the clockwise direction, the screw spindle 12 is actuated by the electric motor 15 in such a direction that the said spindle, because of the engagement with the nut 23, moves to the right relative to the support 7. Since said screw spindle is rotatably mounted on the table but is not shiftable in its longitudinal direction relative to said table, the table and the toothed rock 19 mounted thereon are moved to the right relative to the support 7. Since the pinion 21 engages the toothed rack 19 this pinion is rotated about its shaft 17 in clockwise direction, the pinion 20 fixed to the pinion 21 rotating in the same direction. Since the pinion 20 engages the teeth on the inner circumference 22 of the stationary Segment 4, the rotation of said pinion results in its displacement by rolling along said inner circumference 22 in a counterclockwise direction and therefore the support 7 together with the table supported on said support is tilted about the pivot 3 in a counterclockwise direction.

In the above-described manner the tilting movement of the support 7 about the said pivot 3 causes a rectilinear displacement of said table relative to said support, the direction of which is opposite to the direction of displacement of the table relative to the toothed segment 4. The mechanism is dimensioned in such a manner that the table can reach the vertical position without the lower end of the table abutting the floor when moving to said vertical position.

As is shown in Figure 2 al1 parts of the moving mechanism, with the exception of the electric motor 15, are located within the width of the upstanding post 2 on one side of the table. Thus a very large space remains free below or behind the table for positioning an X-ray tube adapted to be displaced relative to the table, which tube can easily be brought to any desired point for screening or for exposures.

It is thought that the invention and its advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it is apparent that various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and v'scope of the invention o1- sacricing its material advantages, the form he'reinbefore described and illustrated in the drawings being merely a preferred-embodiment thereof.n

What I claim is:

Ina patient table for'an X-'rayt installation y.comprising a base, a support pivotally'mountled on said base,va-table top" slidable in its longitudinal direction onysaidrsupport;

the pivotal mounting of said supportbeinghorizontal-` and perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of said table top and being located at'a` height above saidhbase which is less than half the length of saidtable,lanelectric motor mounted at said table top, a toothed sectr concenf tric to said pivot and xed to said base having .teeth on the v inner circumference thereof, a toothed rack mounted-longitudinally of said table top and xed thereto, and gearing comprising two pinions coaxially fixed to eachother and rotatably mounted on said support, onek of said pinions being engaged with the 'inner-circumference of said :support effects tilting of the table top about said pivot in each of two opposite directions by action on said toothed sector in a direction opposite to the displacement of the table top relative to the toothed sector.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,222,888 Haupt Nov. 26, 1940 2,680,046 Stave June 1, 1954 2,692,173 Lowitzsch Oct. 19, 1954 2,701,744 Koerner et al. Feb. 8, 1955

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