Cervical traction unit

Claim 1

A cervical traction unit, comprising: an elongated platform having a substantially rigid rear end wall extending downwardly from said platform, said wall being adapted to engage one end of a support on which the platform is placed, a flexible flap being of such degree of flexibility that it may at any point be bent to an angle of at least 90° with substantially no permanent deformation occurring in the material of the flap, said flap being secured to said wall for insertion under a support to secure the platform thereon, said rear wall and said flap acting together to hold the platform against longitudinal displacement when the unit is mounted on a support; a carriage longitudinally slidably mounted on said platform and having a raised neck supporting member thereon, the neck supporting member having a recessed neck receiving yoke to receive the neck of a user supine on the support, with a downwardly inclined rear wall portion to engage the user's head substantially under the base of the skull for applying traction to the otherwise unrestrained head of the user; and tension means connected between said carriage and the rear end portion of said platform to bias the carriage rearwardly.