Therapeutic manipulating machine for the human body

Claim 2

A therapeutic manipulating machine for massaging and manipulating portions of a patient''s body, such as the spinal column, to release joint fixations and condition muscles, the machine comprising: a. a table means having a flat, planar, upper surface and a centrally located, elongated rectangular opening therein, said table means being supported above a floor surface by a suitable framework means, b. a carriage means disposed below said table means and mounted on parallel, longitudinal guide rail means positioned along each side of said framework means for longitudinal movement with respect to said rectangular opening, c. massaging and manipulating means rotatably mounted on said carriage means and arranged to extend upwardly through said opening to massage and manipulate a portion of a patient''s body lying on said table means, said massaging and manipulating means includes a first power means for rotating said massaging and manipulating means during operation, said massaging and manipulating means includes at least about three parallel rollers having a length generally corresponding to the width of said rectangular opening and mounting means supporting said rollers in a polygonal drum-like configuration with their axes aligned with said rectangular opening so that, as the mounting means is rotated, each of said rollers will freely rotate and sequentially rotate through said rectangular opening and press against said body portion so as to provide an oscillating pressing action against said body portion, d. means for adjusting the upward force with which said massaging and manipulating means presses against said body portion, so as to vary the massaging and manipulating action, and e. reciprocating means for moving said massaging and manipulating means continuously in a back and forth motion longitudinally along said opening to massage and manipulate a large area of the body.

Claim 3

A therapeutic manipulating machine for massaging and manipulating portions of a patient''s body, such as the spinal column, to release joint fixations and condition muscles, the machine comprising: a. a table means having a flat, planar, upper surface and a centrally located, elongated rectangular opening therein, said table means being supported above a floor surface by a suitable framework means, b. a carriage means disposed below said table means and mounted on parallel, longitudinal guide rail means positioned along each side of said framework means for longitudinal movement with respect to said rectangular opening, c. massaging and manipulating means rotatably mounted on bracket means pivotally connected at one end to said carriage means and arranged to be adjustably biased in aN upward direction by a spring means to extend upwardly into the opening to massage and manipulate a patient''s body lying on said table means; said spring means includes means for variably tensioning said spring means so as to permit adjustment of the upward pivotal movement of the massaging and manipulating means with respect to said table means whereby the force pressing the massaging and manipulating means against the person''s body can maintain a substantially constant pressure regardless of the contours of the body part being contacted as the carriage means moves, said massaging and manipulating means includes a first power means for rotating said massaging and manipulating means during operation, d. said variable tension adjusting means including a cable attached to a motor driven, reversible winch which can vary the spring tension by drawing in or releasing said cable, and e. reciprocating means for moving said massaging and manipulating means continuously in a back and forth motion longitudinally along said opening to massage and manipulate a large area of the body.

Claim 4

A therapeutic manipulating machine for massaging and manipulating portions of a patient''s body, such as the spinal column, to release joint fixations and condition muscles, the machine comprising: a. a table means having a flat, planar, upper surface and a centrally located, elongated rectangular opening therein, said table means being supported above a floor surface by a suitable framework means, b. a carriage means disposed below said table means and mounted on parallel, longitudinal guide rail means positioned along each side of said framework means for longitudinal movement with respect to said rectangular opening, c. massaging and manipulating means rotatably mounted on bracket means pivotally connected at one end to said carriage means and arranged to be adjustably biased in aN upward direction by a spring means to extend upwardly into the opening to massage and manipulate a patient''s body lying on said table means; said spring means includes means for variably tensioning said spring means so as to permit adjustment of the upward pivotal movement of the massaging and manipulating means with respect to said table means whereby the force pressing the massaging and manipulating means against the person''s body can maintain a substantially constant pressure regardless of the contours of the body part being contacted as the carriage means moves, said massaging and manipulating means includes a first power means for rotating said massaging and manipulating means during operation, d. said variable tension adjusting means including a cable attached to a motor driven, reversible winch which can vary the spring tension by drawing in or releasing said cable, and e. reciprocating means for moving said massaging and manipulating means continuously in a back and forth motion longitudinally along said opening to massage and manipulate a large area of the body.

Claim 5

A therapeutic manipulating machine for massaging and manipulating portions of a patient''s body, such as the spinal column, to release joint fixations and condition muscles, the machine comprising: a. a table means having a flat, planar, upper surface and a centrally located, elongated rectangular opening therein, said table means being supported above a floor surface by a suitable framework means, b. a carriage means disposed below said table means and mounted on parallel, longitudinal guide rail means positioned along each side of said framework means for longitudinal movement with respect to said rectangular opening, c. massaging and manipulating means rotatably mounted on said carriage means and arranged to extend upwardly through said opening to massage and manipulate a portion of a patient''s body lying on said table means, said massaging and manipulating means includes a first power means for rotating said massaging and manipulating means during operation, said massaging and manipulating means includes three parallel rollers mounted between a pair of parallel plates, each of said plates having an equilateral triangular configuration and being aligned with each other, said rollers being mounted for free rotation around their individual axes at the apexes of said triangular plates, said triangular plates being mounted for rotation around a common axis parallel to said rollers, whereby the axes of said rollers are an equal distance from said common axis, said triangular plates being rotated by said first power means so that the individual rollers will alternately contact the person''s body in an oscillating fashion so as to massage and manipulate the area of the body as the carriage means is reciprocably moved with respect to said opening, d. means for adjusting the upward force with which said massaging and manipulating means presses against said body portion, so as to vary the massaging and manipulating action, and e. reciprocating means for moving said massaging and manipulating means continuously in a back and forth motion longitudinally along said opening to massage and manipulate a large area of the body.

Claim 6

A therapeutic manipulating machine for massaging and manipulating portions of a patient''s body, such as the spinal column, to release joint fixations and condition muscles, the machine comprising: a. a table means having a flat, planar, upper surface and a centrally located, elongated rectangular opening therein, said table means being supported above a floor surface by a suitable framework means, b. a carriage means disposed below said table means and mounted on parallel, longitudinal guide rail means positioned along each side of said framework means for longitudinal movement with respect to said rectangular opening, c. massaging and manipulating means rotatably mounted on said carriage means and arranged to extend upwardly through said opening to massage and manipulate a portion of a patient''s body lying on said table means, said massaging and manipulating means includes a first power means for rotating said massaging and manipulating means during operation, said massaging and manipulating means includes three parallel rollers mounted between a pair of parallel plates, each of said plates having an equilateral triangular configuration and being aligned with each other, said rollers being mounted for free rotation around their individual axes at the apexes of said triangular plates, said triangular plates being mounted for rotation around a common axis parallel to said rollers, whereby the axes of said rollers are an equal distance from said common axis, said triangular plates being rotated by said first power means so that the individual rollers will alternately contact the person''s body in an oscillating fashion so as to massage and manipulate the area of the body as the carriage means is reciprocably moved with respect to said opening, d. means for adjusting the upward force with which said massaging and manipulating means presses against said body portion, so as to vary the massaging and manipulating action, and e. reciprocating means for moving said massaging and manipulating means continuously in a back and forth motion longitudinally along said opening to massage and manipulate a large area of the body.