Transport mechanism for a surgical microscope

Claim 2

A transport assembly for a surgical microscope comprising: a base member formed with a plurality of legs, a closed top and an open bottom; means connected to said base member for suspending the optical components of said microscope above the operating area; and transport mechanism within said base member comprising: a baseplate secured to and within said base member adjacent the bottom thereof in parallel relationship to the supporting surface upon which said microscope is adapted to rest, said baseplate extending outwardly within each of said legs and terminating short of the ends of said legs leaving downwardly directed open areas in the ends of said legs; an elongated, substantially rigid primary roller member pivotally connected intermediate its ends to and above said baseplate within said base member, the inner end of said primary roller member being formed with an inwardly projecting extension; a primary caster secured to the outer end of said primary roller member and located in said open areas; a plurality of elongated, substantially rigid subordinate roller members pivotally connected intermediate their ends to and above said baseplate within said base member, the inner ends of said subordinate roller members extending to a position above in resting relationship and being supported by said extension on said primary roller member; a subordinate caster secured to the outer end of each of said subordinate roller members and located in said open areas; and actuator means pivotally secured to said primary roller member at a location displaced inwardly from its pivot connection, said actuator means extending generally upward through the top of said base member and being adapted to raise the inner end of said primary roller member together with the inner ends of said subordinate roller members to thereby project said primary and subordinate casters through said open areas below the plane of the bottom of said base member, thereby making contact with and lifting said microscope from the supporting surface, said actuator means also being adapted to retract said outer end of each of said roller members within said base member.

Claim 3

The transport assembly recited in claim 1, wherein: said base member is a hollow casting having three legs, each being formed with a downward projecting foot adapted to make firm and stable contact with the supporting surface.

Claim 4

The transport assembly recited in claim 1, wherein: said actuator means comprises: a threaded actuator nut pivotally connected to the inner end of said primary roller member; a threaded shaft rotatably mounted in and projecting externally from said base member, said shaft being threaded together with said actuator nut; and means external of said base member for turning said shaft; whereby said inner ends of said roller members are raised and lowered by properly rotating said turning means.

Claim 5

For use in a floor mounted surgical microscope supported by a hollow base member having three legs radiating outwardly from the center thereof, a closed top and an open bottom, a transport mechanism comprising: a baseplate secured within said base member parallel with the plane of the bottom thereof, saiD baseplate being formed with three arms and conforming generally to the shape of the interior of said base member at the plane in which it resides, the arms of said baseplate being substantially shorter than the legs of said base member leaving downwardly directed open areas in the ends of said legs; pivot means mounted on each arm of said baseplate, said pivot means comprising a pair of pillow blocks secured to said baseplate on either side of the arm of said baseplate, and a shaft rotatably mounted in said pillow blocks, the length of said shaft being substantially equal to the inside width of the leg of said base member in which it resides; a primary roller member pivotally connected to one of said pivot means and extending past the end of the arm of said baseplate upon which is is mounted to a point just short of the interior end wall of the leg of said base member in which it resides; two subordinate roller members each being pivotally connected to one of the remaining pivot means, each of said subordinate roller members extending past the end of the arm of said baseplate upon which is is mounted to a point just short of the interior end wall of the leg of said base member in which it resides; a swivel caster assembly secured to and projecting downwardly from each of said roller members in said open areas; means secured to the inner end of said primary roller member with which the inner ends of said subordinate roller members make contact in resting relationship so that when said inner end of said primary roller member is moved up and down, the inner ends of said subordinate roller members move up and down with it; and means secured adjacent the inner end of said primary roller member and extending through the wall of said base member for raising and lowering the inner end of said primary roller member; whereby upon raising the inner ends of said roller members, the outer ends thereof are pivoted downwardly so that said casters project through said open areas to engage the floor upon which said microscope rests and raise said microscope off the floor onto said casters thereby making said microscope portable; and whereby upon lowering the inner ends of said roller members, the outer ends thereof are retracted within said base member and said base member provides stable support for said microscope.

Claim 6

For use in a floor mounted surgical microscope supported by a hollow base member having three legs radiating outwardly from the center thereof, a closed top and an open bottom, a transport mechanism comprising: a baseplate secured within said base member parallel with the plane of the bottom thereof, saiD baseplate being formed with three arms and conforming generally to the shape of the interior of said base member at the plane in which it resides, the arms of said baseplate being substantially shorter than the legs of said base member leaving downwardly directed open areas in the ends of said legs; pivot means mounted on each arm of said baseplate, said pivot means comprising a pair of pillow blocks secured to said baseplate on either side of the arm of said baseplate, and a shaft rotatably mounted in said pillow blocks, the length of said shaft being substantially equal to the inside width of the leg of said base member in which it resides; a primary roller member pivotally connected to one of said pivot means and extending past the end of the arm of said baseplate upon which is is mounted to a point just short of the interior end wall of the leg of said base member in which it resides; two subordinate roller members each being pivotally connected to one of the remaining pivot means, each of said subordinate roller members extending past the end of the arm of said baseplate upon which is is mounted to a point just short of the interior end wall of the leg of said base member in which it resides; a swivel caster assembly secured to and projecting downwardly from each of said roller members in said open areas; means secured to the inner end of said primary roller member with which the inner ends of said subordinate roller members make contact in resting relationship so that when said inner end of said primary roller member is moved up and down, the inner ends of said subordinate roller members move up and down with it; and means secured adjacent the inner end of said primary roller member and extending through the wall of said base member for raising and lowering the inner end of said primary roller member; whereby upon raising the inner ends of said roller members, the outer ends thereof are pivoted downwardly so that said casters project through said open areas to engage the floor upon which said microscope rests and raise said microscope off the floor onto said casters thereby making said microscope portable; and whereby upon lowering the inner ends of said roller members, the outer ends thereof are retracted within said base member and said base member provides stable support for said microscope.

Claim 7

The transport mechanism recited in claim 4, wherein: said raising and lowering means comprises: a threaded actuator nut pivotally secured to the inner end of said primary roller member; an actuator rod threaded at one end and engaging the threaded actuator nut, the other end extending through the top of said base member; means secured to said base member for preventing longitudinal movement of said actuator rod; and means attached to said other end of said actuator rod adapted to provide rotation thereof; whereby rotation of said actuator rod in one direction causes the inner ends of said roller members to be raised and rotation of said actuator rod in the other direction causes the inner ends of said roller members to be lowered.