Cervical traction device

Claim 2

A cervical traction device for use on conventional traction tables with a dynamic traction mechanism including weights, ropes and pulleys anchored to one end of the table comprising: a track means positioned longitudinally on the traction table and attached at one end to the traction mechanism; a carriage slidably mounted on the track means including a head support pad and lateral extensions positioned below the support pad, the ropes of the traction mechanism being attached to the carriage whereby varying loads are applied to said carriage; a pair of upwardly extending outwardly canted arms mounted on the lateral extensions of the carriage and adjustable laterally along said extensions and adapted to purchase on the occipital bone of a patient's head; and a head band means attached to the carriage for holding the patient's head against the support pad of the carriage.

Claim 3

A cervical traction device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the traction mechanism includes a vertically adjustable traction source to which said one end of the track means is attached whereby the angle at which the traction device pulls with respect to the plane of the table can be varied.

Claim 4

A cervical traction device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pair of arms on the carriage includes resilient covers for contact with the patient's head and adjustment means on the arms for adjusting the lateral spacing between the two arms.

Claim 5

A cervical traction device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the lateral extensions on the carriage include releasable adjustment means allowing the extensions to rotate whereby the traction force on the patient's spine can be varied from side to side.

Claim 6

A cervical traction device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the track means is a box section metal tube having telescopic sections to vary its lengths and includes a pair of support legs at the opposite end of said track means for contacting said table.

Claim 7

A cervical traction device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pair of arms are positioned at an angle of approximately 60° to each other in any adjusted position.

Claim 8

A cervical traction device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pair of arms are each concave in shape relative to each other in a substantially U-shape.

Claim 9

A cervical traction device for use on conventional traction tables comprising: an anchor post attached to the table at one end thereof; traction means attached to the anchor post including weights, ropes and pulleys; a track means attached at one end to the anchor post and positioned substantially longitudinally on the traction table; a carriage slidably mounted on the track means including a head support pad and lateral extensions extending from said carriage, said carriage being attached to the rope of the traction means whereby varying loads can be attached to said carriage; a pair of outwardly canted arms adjustably mounted on the lateral extensions of the carriage and adapted to purchase on the occipital bone of a patient's head; and a head band means attached to the carriage for holding the patient's head against the support pad.

Claim 10

A cervical traction device for use on conventional traction tables comprising: an anchor post attached to the table at one end thereof; traction means attached to the anchor post including weights, ropes and pulleys; a track means attached at one end to the anchor post and positioned substantially longitudinally on the traction table; a carriage slidably mounted on the track means including a head support pad and lateral extensions extending from said carriage, said carriage being attached to the rope of the traction means whereby varying loads can be attached to said carriage; a pair of outwardly canted arms adjustably mounted on the lateral extensions of the carriage and adapted to purchase on the occipital bone of a patient's head; and a head band means attached to the carriage for holding the patient's head against the support pad.

Claim 11

A cervical traction device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pair of arms on the carriage includes resilient covers circular in cross section with the arms positioned concentrically in the center thereof for contact with the patient's head and adjustment means on the arms for adjusting the lateral position of the arms on the lateral extensions.

Claim 14

An apparatus for applying a therapeutic traction force to the body of a patient along a line in general alignment with the spine, and comprising track means adapted to be positioned on a traction table or the like and so as to extend in a longitudinal direction, carriage means mounted for slideable movement in the longitudinal direction along said track means, attachment means mounted to said carriage means for attachment thereto of a force applying means so that a force may be applied to said carriage means which tends to move the same in the longitudinal direction along said track means, upstanding body engaging means configured for engaging the occipital area of the patient's head which is restingly received thereon, and means mounting said body engaging means to said carriage means for selective pivotal movement about an upright pivotal axis which is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and whereby the lateral angle of the traction force relative to the midline of the patient's body may be laterally adjusted. .Iaddend. .Iadd.12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said means mounting said body engaging means to said carriage means includes plate-like extension means, means mounting said body engaging means to said extension means, and pivot pin means extending along said upright pivotal axis and pivotally mounting said extension means and thus said body engaging means to said carriage means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.13. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 further comprising means for selectively retaining said extension means and said body engaging means in a selected pivotal position relative to said carriage means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.14. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 further comprising a head support pad adapted for restingly receiving the head of the patient thereon, with said head support pad being fixedly connected to said extension means so as to be positioned on one longitudinal side of said body engaging means, and so that said head support pad and said body engaging means pivot together about said pivotal axis. .Iaddend. .Iadd.15. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 further comprising head band means mounted to said head support pad for holding the patient's head against said head support pad and said body engaging means. .Iaddend. .Iadd.16. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said track means includes means mounted at one end thereof for releasably engaging an anchor post or the like which is fixed to the traction table, and a pair of laterally extending support legs fixedly mounted thereto at the other end of said track means for contacting the upper surface of the traction table. .Iaddend. .Iadd.17. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said body engaging means comprises a pair of upwardly extending separate arms, and wherein said means mounting said body engaging means to said extension means includes means permitting an adjustment of the lateral separation of said pair of arms. .Iaddend.