Therapy table

Claim 2

Apparatus for applying multidirectional therapeutic traction to the human body which comprises: a table for supporting a human body in an outstretched position; rails extending longitudinally of the table beneath the body supporting surface thereof; at least two carriages supported by the rails for to-and-fro movement longitudinally of the table; means for connecting the two carriages to the extremities of the body; means for imparting movement to the carriages in opposite directions to apply tensioning forces to the body, and progressively reactive means on each carriage adapted to react to changing amounts of tensioning forces and effective upon reacting to a predetermined extent to cause arrestment of its carriage.

Claim 3

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the progressively reactive means comprises; a movable element biased in opposition to reactive response to increasing tensioning force applied to the body, and a stop for limiting the movement of the movable element.

Claim 4

Apparatus in accordance with claim 2 including means operable incident to engagement of the movable element with the stop for disabling the carriage movement imparting means and thereby limiting the amount of traction applied to the body.

Claim 5

Apparatus in accordance with claim 1 in which the progressively reactive means comprises: a movable element biased in opposition to reactive response to increasing tensioning force applied to the body and having a predetermined rest position upon the carriage in the absence of a tensioned connection to the body, and an adjustable stop afforDing selectively variable extents of movement of the movable element from its rest position to cause arrestment of the carriage upon engagement of the movable element with the adjustable stop and thereby to limit to selectively predetermined amounts the traction applied to the body.

Claim 6

Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 in which the means for imparting movement to the carriages includes facilities for positively moving the carriages in both directions of their to-and-fro movement, and in which the progressively reactive means further comprises: a second stop for determining the rest position of the movable element, and means operable incident to movement of the movable member into engagement with the second stop for disabling the carriage movement imparting means. 6. Apparatus for applying therapeutic treatment to the human body which comprises: a table for supporting a human body in a supine position; rail members extending longitudinally of the table beneath the body-supporting surface thereof; a wheeled body treatment carriage supported by the rail members for to and fro movement longitudinally of the table; a rotatable member supported by the carriage with its axis extending transversely to the carriage; means for imparting rotation to the rotatable member in either direction, and an elongated flexible member having a plurality of turns around and in engagement with the rotatable member and having its ends secured to structural elements of the table at points spaced from one another longitudinally of the table whereby rotation of the rotatable member in engagement with the flexible member causes movement of the carriage along the supporting rails.

Claim 7

Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 in which the flexible member extends in opposite directions from the point of engagement with the rotatable member to its secured ends.

Claim 8

Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 in which the flexible member is secured at at least one point on its length to the rotatable member and has a sufficient number of turns around the rotatable member to accommodate to and fro travel of the carriage along the rails for the intended operational distance.

Claim 9

Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 in which the flexible member is a cord.

Claim 10

Apparatus in accordance with claim 6 including means yieldably engaging the flexible means between one of its ends and the rotatable member for variably offsetting that portion of the flexible member from conformity to a direct path and for thereby diminishing the extent of movement of the carriage relative to the amount of peripheral motion of the rotatable member in engagement with flexible member during rotation of the rotatable member.

Claim 11

Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 including means associated with the yieldably engaging means for resisting diminution in the amount of the offset in the path of the flexible member.

Claim 12

Apparatus in accordance with claim 11 in which the resisting means comprises a spring biasing the yieldably engaging means in a direction of increase in the amount of the offset.

Claim 13

Apparatus in accordance with claim 10 including adjustable means for limiting the extent of movement of the yieldably engaging means in the direction of dimunition in the amount of the offset in the path of the flexible member.

Claim 14

Apparatus in accordance with claim 13 in which the yieldingly engageable means is a pivotally mounted member supporting at a distance from its pivot a rotatable member engaging the flexible member and the adjustable limiting means is a rotatably mounted eccentric disposed in the path of pivotal movement of the yieldingly engageable means.

Claim 15

Apparatus in accordance with claim 14 including means operable jointly by the pivotally mounted means and the adjustable limiting means to suspend operation of the rotation imparting means.

Claim 16

Apparatus in accordance with claim 15 including timing means operable upon timing a predetermined interval to reActivate the rotation imparting means in the direction of enlargement of the amount of the offset in the path of the flexible member.

Claim 17

Apparatus in accordance with claim 14 including a fixed limiting means on the opposite side of the pivotally mounted member from the adjustable limiting means for limiting movement of the pivotally mounted member in the direction of enlargement of the amount of the offset in the path of the flexible member.

Claim 18

Apparatus in accordance with claim 17 including means operable conjointly by the pivotally mounted member and the fixed limiting means to suspend operation of the rotation imparting means.

Claim 19

Apparatus in accordance with claim 18 including timing means operable upon timing a predetermined interval for reactivating the rotation imparting means in the direction of diminution of the amount of the offset in the path of the flexible member.

Claim 20

Apparatus in accordance with claim 17 including oscillatory timing means for activating the rotation imparting means to move the carriage in either direction a predetermined interval after the activation of the rotation imparting means to move the carriage in the other direction.

Claim 21

Apparatus in accordance with claim 20 including master timing means operable upon timing a predetermined interval for deactivating the oscillatory timing means and thereby causing cessation of the to-and-fro movement of the carriage.

Claim 22

Apparatus in accordance with claim 20 in which the oscillatory timing means is a multivibrator having one of its output terminals connected to cause activation of the rotation imparting means to move the carriage in one direction and having its other output terminal connected to cause activation of the rotation imparting means to move the carriage in the other direction.

Claim 23

Apparatus in accordance with claim 22 including adjustable means associated with the multivibrator for independently setting the duration of each of the alternate half-cycles of the multivibrator within a predetermined range of durations.

Claim 24

Apparatus in accordance with claim 22 including selectively operable means for causing activation of the rotation imparting means in the direction to apply a tensioning force to the human body and for overriding operational control of the rotation imparting means by the multivibrator.

Claim 25

Apparatus in accordance with claim 18 including a second carriage duplicating the other carriage.

Claim 26

Apparatus in accordance with claim 25 including an elongated flexible member having a plurality of turns around and in engagement with the rotatable member of the second carriage and having its ends secured to structural elements of the table at points spaced from one another longitudinally of the table.

Claim 27

Apparatus in accordance with claim 25 including oscillatory timing means common to the two carriages for activating the rotation imparting means of one carriage to move that carriage in either direction a predetermined interval after the actuation of its rotation imparting means to move it in the other direction, and for activating the rotation imparting means of the other carriage to cause simultaneously initiated movements of said other carriage in directions opposite to those of said one carriage.

Claim 28

Apparatus in accordance with claim 27 including selectively operable means individual to each of the two carriages for causing activation of the rotation imparting means of the carriage in the direction to apply a tensioning force to the human body and for overriding operational control of the rotation imparting means of that carriage by the oscillatory timing means.

Claim 29

Apparatus in accordance with claim 14 including a support for the eccentric comprising: a rotatable shaft, and motor means for rotating the shaft.

Claim 30

Apparatus in accordance with claim 29 including: a control panel, and means on the control panel for starting, stopping and reversing the motor means.

Claim 31

Apparatus in accordance with claim 29 includiNg indicator means associated with the rotatable shaft for assuming positions indicative of the orientation of the eccentric relative to the pivotally mounted member.

Claim 32

Apparatus in accordance with claim 31 including: a control panel, and display means on the control panel for representing analogically the positions assumed by the indicator means.

Claim 33

Apparatus in accordance with claim 14 including: a potentiometer comprised of contactor means and resistive means engaged by the contactor means and having one of said means connected to the rotatably mounted eccentric and the other of said means stationarily mounted; a potential difference source connected to the potentiometer, and an electrical meter connected to the potentiometer to register the potential difference across a portion of the potentiometer and thereby represent analogically the orientation of the eccentric relative to the pivotally mounted member.

Claim 34

Apparatus for applying therapeutic treatment to the human body which comprises: a table for supporting a human body in a supine position; rails extending longitudinally of the table beneath the body supporting surface thereof; a carriage supported by the rails for to-and-fro movement longitudinally of the table; means for imparting movement to the carriage in opposite directions; a cradle having trunnion pivots midway between its ends; a pair of links connecting the trunnion pivots to the carriage; a rocker shaft supported by the carriage; an arm having one end secured to the shaft; a post having one end pivotally associated with said arm and the other end engaging one of the trunnion pivots of the cradle; means for rocking the shaft to cause raising or lowering of the post and correspondingly raising or lowering of the cradle; and a pair of spaced rollers at each end of the cradle for applying pressure against the back of a human body supported by the table.

Claim 35

Apparatus for applying therapeutic treatment to the human body which comprises: a table for supporting a human body in a supine position; rails extending longitudinally of the table beneath the body supporting surface thereof; a carriage supported by the rails for to-and-fro movement longitudinally of the table; means for imparting movement to the carriage in opposite directions; a cradle having trunnion pivots midway between its ends; a pair of links connecting the trunnion pivots to the carriage; a rocker shaft supported by the carriage; an arm having one end secured to the shaft; a post having one end pivotally associated with said arm and the other end engaging one of the trunnion pivots of the cradle; means for rocking the shaft to cause raising or lowering of the post and correspondingly raising or lowering of the cradle; and a pair of spaced rollers at each end of the cradle for applying pressure against the back of a human body supported by the table.

Claim 36

Apparatus for applying therapeutic treatment to the human body which comprises: a table for supporting a human body in a supine position; rails extending longitudinally of the table beneath the body supporting surface thereof; a carriage supported by the rails for to-and-fro movement longitudinally of the table; a rotatable member supported by the carriage with its axis extending transversely of the carriage; means for imparting rotation to the rotatable member in either direction; an elongated flexible member having a plurality of turns around and in engagement with the rotatable member and having its ends secured to structural elements of the table at points spaced from one another longitudinally of the table whereby rotation of the rotatable member in engagement with the flexible member causes movement of the carriage along the supporting rails; a cradle having trunnion pivots midway between its ends; a pair of links connecting the trunnion pivots to the carriage; means for supporting trunnion pivots of the cradle, and a pair of spaced rollers at each end of the cradle for applying pressure against the back of a human body supported by the table.

Claim 37

Apparatus for applying therapeutic treatment to the human body which comprises: a table for supporting a human body in a supine position; rails extending longitudinally of the table beneath the body supporting surface thereof; a carriage supported by the rails for to-and-fro movement longitudinally of the table; a rotatable member supported by the carriage with its axis extending transversely of the carriage; means for imparting rotation to the rotatable member in either direction; an elongated flexible member having a plurality of turns around and in engagement with the rotatable member and having its ends secured to structural elements of the table at points spaced from one another longitudinally of the table whereby rotation of the rotatable member in engagement with the flexible member causes movement of the carriage along the supporting rails; a cradle having trunnion pivots midway between its ends; a pair of links connecting the trunnion pivots to the carriage; means for supporting trunnion pivots of the cradle, and a pair of spaced rollers at each end of the cradle for applying pressure against the back of a human body supported by the table.

Claim 38

Apparatus for applying therapeutic treatment to the human body which comprises: a table for supporting a human body in a supine position; rails extending longitudinally of the table beneath the body supporting surface thereof; a carriage supported by the rails for to and fro movement longitudinally of the table; means for imparting movement to the carriage in opposite directions; a cradle having trunnion pivots midway between its ends; a pair of links connecting the trunnion pivots to the carriage; a telescopic post for supporting the trunnion pivots of the cradle comprising a first support member and a hollow tubular second support member slidably receiving internally the first support member; means for connecting one of the support members to a trunnion pivOt of the cradle; means for connecting the other support member to the carriage; a compression spring confined within the tubular support member and engaging the other support member to accommodate vertical movement of the cradle relative to the carriage; and a pair of spaced rollers at each end of the cradle for applying pressure against the back of a human body supported by the table.

Claim 39

Apparatus for applying therapeutic treatment to the human body which comprises: a table for supporting a human body in a supine position; rails extending longitudinally of the table beneath the body supporting surface thereof; a carriage supported by the rails for to and fro movement longitudinally of the table; means for imparting movement to the carriage in opposite directions; a cradle having trunnion pivots midway between its ends; a pair of links connecting the trunnion pivots to the carriage; a telescopic post for supporting the trunnion pivots of the cradle comprising a first support member and a hollow tubular second support member slidably receiving internally the first support member; means for connecting one of the support members to a trunnion pivOt of the cradle; means for connecting the other support member to the carriage; a compression spring confined within the tubular support member and engaging the other support member to accommodate vertical movement of the cradle relative to the carriage; and a pair of spaced rollers at each end of the cradle for applying pressure against the back of a human body supported by the table.

Claim 40

Apparatus in accordance with claim 34 including: motor means for rocking the shaft; a control panel, and motor control means on the control panel for starting, stopping and reversing the motor.

Claim 41

Apparatus in accordance with claim 37 including indicator means associated with the rocker shaft for assuming positions indicative of the orientation, the arm interconnecting the shaft and the post.

Claim 42

Apparatus in accordance with claim 38 including display means on the control panel controlled by the indicator means for representing analogically the positions assumed by the indicator means.

Claim 43

Apparatus in accordance with claim 39 including: a potentiometer comprised of contactor means and resistive means engaged by the contactor means and having one of said means connected to the rocker shaft and the other of said means stationarily mounted; a potential difference source connected to the potentiometer, and an electrical meter connected to the potentiometer to register the potential difference across a portion of the potentiometer and thereby represent analogically the orientation of arm on the shaft.

Claim 44

Apparatus for applying multidirectional therapeutic traction to the human body which comprises: a table for supporting a human body in an outstretched position; rails extending longitudinally of the table beneath the body supporting surface thereof; a wheeled carriage supported by the rails at one end of the table for movement to and fro longitudinally of the table; means including a vertically adjustable fixture mounted on the carriage and a traction harness connected to the fixture and engageable with the cranial extremity of the body whereby the angle of application of traction to the cranial extremity of the body relative to the plane of the body supporting surface of the table may be varied; a second wheeled carriage supported by the rails at the other end of the table for movement to and fro longitudinally of the table; a fixture mounted on the second carriage having means for engaging the pedal extremity of the body; means for imparting movement to and fro to the carriages individually to apply and relieve tensioning forces to the extremities of the body; reactive means on each carriage adapted to react to changing amounts of tensioning forces and effective upon reacting to a selectably predetermined extent to cause arrestment of its carriage and thereby to limit to selectively predetermined amounts the traction applied to each extremity of the body; a third wheeled carriage supported by the rails intermediate the other two carriages for movement to-and-fro longitudinally of the table; reversible means for driving the third carriage to-and-fro; adjustably positionable means for determining the extent of movement of the third carriage in each direction and for effecting reversal of the reversible driving means, and vertically adjustable yieldable means mounted on the third carriage for exerting pressure against the body while traversing the body to-and-fro.

Claim 45

Apparatus for applying multidirectional therapeutic traction to the human body which comprises: a table for supporting a human body in an outstretched position; rails extending longitudinally of the table beneath the body supporting surface thereof; a wheeled carriage supported by the rails at one end of the table for movement to and fro longitudinally of the table; means including a vertically adjustable fixture mounted on the carriage and a traction harness connected to the fixture and engageable with the cranial extremity of the body whereby the angle of application of traction to the cranial extremity of the body relative to the plane of the body supporting surface of the table may be varied; a second wheeled carriage supported by the rails at the other end of the table for movement to and fro longitudinally of the table; a fixture mounted on the second carriage having means for engaging the pedal extremity of the body; means for imparting movement to and fro to the carriages individually to apply and relieve tensioning forces to the extremities of the body; reactive means on each carriage adapted to react to changing amounts of tensioning forces and effective upon reacting to a selectably predetermined extent to cause arrestment of its carriage and thereby to limit to selectively predetermined amounts the traction applied to each extremity of the body; a third wheeled carriage supported by the rails intermediate the other two carriages for movement to-and-fro longitudinally of the table; reversible means for driving the third carriage to-and-fro; adjustably positionable means for determining the extent of movement of the third carriage in each direction and for effecting reversal of the reversible driving means, and vertically adjustable yieldable means mounted on the third carriage for exerting pressure against the body while traversing the body to-and-fro.