US1870959A - X-ray apparatus - Google Patents

Description

M. MORRISON Aug. 9, 1932.

mm! APPARATUS Fild April 15, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1' Aug. 9, 1932.

M. MORRISON X-RAY APPARATUS Filed April 13, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 9, 1932. M. MORRISON 1,370,959

X-RAY APPARATUS Filed April 13, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 6' J, "an?? J 6 M. MORRISON X-RAY APPARATUS we: April 13, 1925 Aug. 9, 1932.

4 sh ets-sheet 4 j 2:) ing structure, for the tube.

Patented Aug; 9, 1932 partur- OFFICE noun-oar) uoamsou, or cnrcneo, rumors, a ssrduon, BY mnsrm ASSIGNMENTS; 'ro

' wrzs'rmcnousux-RAY oour nmr, Inc, A coarona'rro'n or DELAWARE x-LRAY APPARATUS Application filed April 18, 1925.. Serialll'o. 22,865.

My present invention relates to the use and manipulation of X-ray tubes in practical radiograp'hic, diagnostic and therapeutic use and has as a general object an improved con- 5 struction which is entirely safe from electrical shock without some of the inherent dis: advantages of apparatus in the prior art.

More specifically, my invention relates to a system of electrical conductors and a sup m porting structure for X ray tubes; Among the specific objects of my'invention are ;"first, to provide an absolutely shockproof appa ratusj second," to' pr'ovide astructure which permits of the source of'high voltage supply current forthe tube to bc mounted separate- 1y from the tube and still retain the shock.- proof qualities; and third, toprovide a structure which may be integrally a system of high voltageco'nductors and mechanical support- I v .Further and other ob ectsWillbe in part pointed out and part obvious-t0 thoseskilled in the art to which my invention appertains, upon digesting the following specification and studyng drawings herein referred to.

I attain these objects by the construction p disclosed in the accompanying drawings,

which illustrate some practical embodiments of my invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a generalview, partly in elevation and partly-in section, of one of the complete embodiments of my invention, and Figures 2, 4, and ,6 are-detailed embodimentswhich may form a part of Fig ure 1. Figure 3 is a cross section of Figure 2 taken through-the lines 3, Figure 5 is a.' cross section taken through Figure 4 parallel to the plane of the pa er, Figure7 is across section of Figure 6 .ta en through the, line 7.

hvantageous or even the combination of my filed November 15,1923.

. In"v the prior art attempts" to construct X-ray tube, apparatus which would be entirely shockproof during operation, has al- June 9, 1922; 633,712filedfApril 21, .1923; 669,315 filed October'18, -1923, and 74,927

ways resulted in structures in which the X-ray tube is mounted -integrally 'with the high voltage transformer or some very closely related arrangement. These structures serve reasonably well where they do not have to be supported or suspended in a space for manipulation around about the human body.v

Attempts to construct very small transform- .ers and combine them with X-ray tubes integrally and support this, combined structure by some framework so that the tube may be manipulated about the patient, has always resulted in a very unsatisfactory structure from a practical standpoint, in that the very smallest dimensions and weight which may be used in the high tension transformer produce a heavy mass which tends to oscillate in pendulum fashion at the end of the supporting structure, causing blurring of details in the X-rayshadowgraphs made, and therefore render-mg them 1n many cases useless so far as interpretation 1S concerned.

Further in-the prior art attempts to sepaf rate the tube and the source of exciting high "Z'IQPOtQIItial has always resolved itself into comlicated structure for guiding and trying to hold out of the Way the dangerous high volt- ,age conductors which lead the high-voltage cuggent from the source of potential to the 1:11 i

In the device herein described, I combine the supporting structure and the system of high voltage conductors into an integral structure, andnot only thereby make a safe and effective means for insulating the hi h voltage conductors but also attain a simp e and strong supporting structure for the tube.

Obviously I may in some. cases find the addition of some mechanical framework ad- In Figure 1, I illustrate a specific structure 7 which is not complete in the most minute details but sufficiently complete to illustrate an embodiment of, my invention, when particu larly; applied to dental X-ray work, and in the figure, 1 is a primary support which may be screwed to 'thewall or formed as a part of the so-called dental units which are used in v sulated bushing 9 to the X-ray tube 10.

dentists ofiices, and which in general contain or have attached thereto practically all of the mechanical apparatus used by the dentist.

- In this way I obviate the necessity of an es? pecially large or expensive supporting structure which would otherwise be required. 2 1s a high voltage transformer which may be a transformer alone or combined with a rectifierl In the illustration I have shown the outline of a transformer already fully described in my patent application 669,315, filed Qctober 18, 1923. e transformer 2 swivels about a vertical axis 3 which gives one degree;

- of freedom to the system as a whole.

er tank and operated at ground potential.

The above ground potential high-voltage conductor emerging from the transformer is illustrated by the rod 4 which is surrounded by an insulating bushing 5, which 1s in turn surrounded by a grounded shield 6. The high voltage conductor 4 is led into and through an insulating joint 7 hereinafter described and thence through one or more elements of conductors, insulated bushin and ground shields such as just describe through and to a second insulating joint 8, which may be similar to joint 7, and thence through an m- X-ray tube 10., and in general the shield around it, has been described in the last referred to patent a plication and, therefore, will not be descri d in detail here. The X-ray tube 10 may be surrounded by a grounded shield 11 which may act not only as a protection against high voltage, but also as a rotection against stray X-rays when desire In some cases the material may be translucent at an area where the- X-rays emerge from the shield, such as the location 12 and o aque to the X-rays elsewhere.

it will observed that with three degrees of freedom, a system comprising such a jointed structure may turn into any desired osition. Obviously, the transformer 2 nee not be inte al with the primary support describedfiiut may be located at any convenient place.

Referring to Fi res 2 and 3, I shall now describe one set of oints which I may employ at 7 and 8 inFigure 1. The high tension conductor, insulated bushin and grounded shield in this figure are num red as before.

to a ball and socket joint 13. Concentric with this ball and socket joint 13 is a second ball and socket joint 14 connected to the ground shield 6, and the radius of curvature of the external surface of ball and socket joint The high voltage conductor 4 is brought out "i 13 is of such a value that when positioned concentrically with the inner surface of the ball and socket 14, together with the difference between the two radii of curvatures, that spark-over does not occur between these two vsurfaces during use of the tube at operating but this will not cause confusion among those skilled in the art.

Figure 3 is a cross section of Figure 2, taken through the lines indicated and does not require particular description.

I do not limit myself ,to tion in these joints, such a s-alr, and such. as may be used in the embodiment of my invention illustrated in detail in Figures 2 and 3, but also find I can use oil-insulation with considerable success in specific cases.

ures 2 and 3 with oil, I find as a more practical embodiment of my invention a 11 uid insulating joint, such as that illustrate in Figures 4 and 5. The joint permits of less expensive construction and is more eifective in making it liquid-tight. The high voltage conductor, insulating bushing and ground shield bear the same numbers as before, but

instead of the concentric ball and socket oints, I utilize a flexible oil container 15 ous insulawhich. is shown in the section in Figure 5 havin an outer case 16, with a liquid seal at 17 he d tight by clamping device 18. The chamber 19 is filled with a liquid insulating bound together by a flexible coupling 20. This form of joint produces quite a-satisfactory structure and somewhat smaller in prac; tice than that illustrated in Figures 2 and 3.'

The 'oint illustrated in Fi res 4 and 5 obvious y may be substituted in position of the joints 7 and'8 in Figure 1. j 1

Since I do not limit myself to the particular kind of joint utilized in my invention, I illustrate a-third structure employing solid insulation for the joints 7 and 8, Figure 1. This third embodiment is shown in Figures 6 and 7 The high voltage conductors, insulated bushings and the grounded shield bear res - 1. Rather than fill the joint illustrated in Figliar medium and the two ends of conductors 4 are savanna the same numbers as before. In this articular embodiment the high voltage con uctor 4 is run entirely through the oint 21, said high voltage conductor being separated at 22, so that it may turn about an axis through the joint without producing mechanical stress in the conductor. The ground shield 6 in this joint is develo (1 into or made electrically a part of a housing 23, which is provided with flanges 24' and shown in Flgures 6 and 7 These flanges are also provided with means for allowing them to turn with reference to each other. Such a structure, for instance, may be one employing slots 26 with bolts 27, to hold the flanges together, thus allowing the tube-housing halves to turn with reference to each other, andeach half to take with it such other parts as may be aflixed thereto.

The insulation of this joint is provided by usin solid material 28 and 29, and by interleaving it or by the use of annular barriers such as 30 and 31, to provide suflicient high voltaige insulation between the high voltage conductor 4 and ground shield 6. Two or more of any of the above described joints may be used as a part of the structure illustrated in Figure 1.

As will be appreciated, I have not limited myself to the precise details of structure to be employed in the practical embodiment of my invention. but have disclosed a class of electrical joints; utilizing, first, gaseous; sec- 0nd, liquid: and third, solid insulation, which have been described to be used in conjunction with certain other elements which form a description of my inventiombut the scope of vwhich will be better understood from the following claims. I

What I claim is: e

L Ajointed conductor for X-ray tube circuits "comprising two internal conductor members fixed to an internal ball and socket joint, each said internal conductor member surrounded by an external conductor member and insulated therefrom, the two said external conductor members being fixed to an external hollow ball and socket joint coni i sulated therefrom, the two said external con centric with the aforesaid ball and socket jointand spaced therefrom.

2. A jointed conductor for X-ray tube circuits comprising two 'internal conductor members fixed to a common internal flexible joint having a rounded contour, each said internal conductor member being surrounded by an external conductor member and in--;

ductor members being fixed to a common external hollow flexible joint having a rounded internal surface and concentric with the aforesaid internal flexible joint, said internal and external flexible joints having'a substantial air-gap therebetween, whereby the formation of corona between the opposed surfaces of the said internal and external joint is substantially prevented at operating volt es thereof.

3. an X-ray device, an X-ray tube and a primary support, said tube and said sup-' port being connected by a jointed conductor coxgprising two internal conductor members fix to a common internal flexiblejoint, each said internal conductor member surrounded by an external conductor member and insulated therefrom, the two said external conductor members being fixed to a common external hollow flexible joint concentric with the aforesaid internal joint, the said internal and external flexible joints having a substantial air-ggp therebetween.

'4. In an wray 1 device, the combination of an X-ray tube and a holder therefor, means for supporting said holder comprising a tubular section, a swivel joint connecting said section to said holder, an electric conductor internally concentric with said tubular section and insulated therefrom, a

swivel joint for said electric conductor disposed internally of said first mentioned swivel joint and spaced therefrom to provide a substantial air-gap therebetween.

5. In an X ray device the combination of- .an X'ray tube and a holder therefor, a supadjacent section, said last mentioned swivel joints being disposed internally of said first mentioned swivel joints and s aced therefrom to provide asubstantial air-gap therebetween. i

'6. In an X-ray device, the combination of an X-ray-tube and a holder therefor, a supj port for said holder comprising an outer grounded conductor, a ball and socket joint connecting said outer conductor to said hold er and to said tube, an inner conductor concentric with said outer conductor and insulated therefrom, a ball and socket joint flonnecting said inner conductor to said tube at oint and provided with a substantial airgap between each of said ball and socket oints. 7

7. In an X-ray device, the combination of an X-ray tube and a holder therefor, a Support-for said holder comprising an outer conductor, a swivel joint connecting said outer conductor-to said holder and to said tube, an inner conductor concentric with said outer conductor and insulated therefrom, a swivel joint connectin said inner conductor to said tube disposed internally of said first mentioned swivel joint and roportionally spaced therefrom, relative to t e voltages at ed axiallyof said outer ball and sock which the tube is designed to operate, that the formation of corona therebetwe'en is substantially, revente'di;

nation with'an -ray tube and a holder therefor of a support for said holder comprising ,a plurality ,of grounjded metallic sections pivotally connected to each other, a high tension source of ener v for said X-ra tube remotely disposed-1t erefrom, a plura ity of; conductors concentrically disposed internally of said-metallic sections and insulated there-j rom,;said: conductors being pivotally- 0011-, I nected to each other, said pivotal connections, v -.i

being co-axially dis osed relative to the pivoted connections '0 said metallic sections,

said-metallic sections and said conductors being arranged ;;to transmit energy from said source to said X-ray tube and the respective pivoted connections ofsaid'sections and'said conductors being sufficiently insulated from each other to -.prevent. formation of corona during-operation of said X-ray tube; I

9; In ashock "proof X-ray unit the combination of an'X-ray-tube and ametallic holder therefor, means forsupporting said holder.

comprisinga-plurality o grounded metallic sections pivotally connected together, a conductor internally concentric with each of said sections, the, conductor of'each of said sections being piyotally. connected to the con- 'ductor of'the' adjacent section and said last mentioned pivotal-,.'connections being c0- axially disposed-ywith respect tothe pivotal connections 'of-zsaidsections and insulated from said sections. a

- .Inktestimony whereof, I

'. signature this 8th day'of April, 1925. 1

- "MONT-FORD MORRISON.

8. Ina s ock roof X-ray unit the-combihereunto afiix my

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