X-ray film changer having a storage chamber with a wall which pivots as cassettes are fed thereto

Claim 2

A film changer for use in taking a series of radiographs, said film changer comprising: a. structure defining an X-ray station including means to locate a cassette containing film at the X-ray station for exposure to X-rays; b. a film cassette supply and transfer mechanism for changing film at the X-ray station, including: i. means supporting a plurality of film cassettes for movement to the X-ray station; ii. means applying a force to bias the cassettes toward the Xray station during exposure of the film to X-rays; iii. means to temporarily relieve the force biasing the cassettes toward the X-ray station; and iv. means to move a cassette at least partially from the X-ray station while the force biasing the cassettes is temporarily relieved, c. structure defining a station for receiving cassettes transferred from the X-ray station, including a pivotal wall for supporting cassettes transferred to the receiving station; and d. means to progressively pivot said wall as cassettes are transferred to the receiving station.

Claim 3

A film changer as defined in claim 1 including a movable carriage at the receiving station, means connecting the movable carriage and the pivoted wall so movement of the carriage controls pivoting of the wall, and a connection between the film cassette supply and transfer mechanism and the carriage so that the carriage is moved as cassettes are transferred from and supplied to the X-ray station.

Claim 4

A film changer as defined in claim 2 including another carriage, means to drive the said carriage independently of the first carriage to pivot the wall and to move the means supporting the film cassettes away from the X-ray station when the film changer is reloaded.

Claim 5

In a method of feeding a series of film cassettes to an X-ray station, and thence to a receiving station, the steps comprising: a. applying a force to a plurality of cassettes to urge the plurality toward an X-ray station; b. exposing film in one cassette of the plurality to X-rays at the X-ray station while applying said force; c. relieving the force urging the plurality of cassettes toward the X-ray station after the film has been exposed; d. while the force is relieved removing the cassette with the exposed film from the X-ray station by initially pushing it from an initial position at the X-ray station in a generally vertical, downward, direction and then engagiNg it and conveying it from the X-ray station to a receiving station; e. applying another force to move the remaining cassettes of the stack toward the X-ray station; f. receiving the cassette in a generally upright position and supporting it against an upright support; and g. progressively changing the angle at which the upright support is oriented as successive cassettes are received.

Claim 6

In a method of feeding a series of film cassettes to an X-ray station, and thence to a receiving station, the steps comprising: a. applying a force to a plurality of cassettes to urge the plurality toward an X-ray station; b. exposing film in one cassette of the plurality to X-rays at the X-ray station while applying said force; c. relieving the force urging the plurality of cassettes toward the X-ray station after the film has been exposed; d. while the force is relieved removing the cassette with the exposed film from the X-ray station by initially pushing it from an initial position at the X-ray station in a generally vertical, downward, direction and then engagiNg it and conveying it from the X-ray station to a receiving station; e. applying another force to move the remaining cassettes of the stack toward the X-ray station; f. receiving the cassette in a generally upright position and supporting it against an upright support; and g. progressively changing the angle at which the upright support is oriented as successive cassettes are received.

Claim 7

A film changer for use in taking a series of radiographs, said film changer comprising: a. structure defining an X-ray station at which film cassettes are exposed to X-rays; b. means to supply cassettes to the X-ray station; c. transfer means to move exposed cassettes from the X-ray station; d. a receiving station for receiving exposed cassettes transferred from the X-ray station, said receiving station including a pivotally movable wall member; and e. means to progressively change the angle of the wall member as cassettes are transferred to the receiving station.

Claim 8

A film changer for use in taking a series of radiographs, said film changer comprising: a. structure defining an X-ray station at which film cassettes are exposed to X-rays; b. means to supply cassettes to the X-ray station; c. transfer means to move exposed cassettes from the X-ray station; d. a receiving station for receiving exposed cassettes transferred from the X-ray station, said receiving station including a pivotally movable wall member; and e. means to progressively change the angle of the wall member as cassettes are transferred to the receiving station.

Claim 9

A film changer as set forth in claim 5 wherein the means to progressively change the angle of the wall member as cassettes are transferred is controlled by the means to supply cassettes to the X-ray station.

Claim 10

A film changer as set forth in claim 6 including first and second cam plates extending from the wall member in planes that intersect the pivotal axis of the wall, first and second carriages movable relative to the pivot axis, each along a plane of one of the cam plates, a first cam follower on the first carriage engageable with the first cam plate, a second cam follower on the second carriage engageable with the second plate, means to independently drive the said first carriage to move the first cam follower along the first cam to pivot the wall member from a first position to a second position, a spring biasing said wall member from said second position toward said first position, and means associated with the cassette supply means to control movement of said second carriage and second cam follower progressively along the second cam as cassettes are transferred from the X-ray station to the receiving station to allow the wall member to return to the first position.

Claim 11

A film changer as set forth in claim 7 including a movable shutter between the X-ray station and the receiving station, and means actuated by the first carriage when it moves to tilt the wall member, to open the shutter and permit film cassettes to be transferred.

Claim 12

A film changer as set forth in claim 6 including a movable carriage reciprocable to control pivoting of the wall member.

Claim 13

In a method of transferring a series of film cassettes in a generally upright orientation from an X-ray station to a receiving station the steps comprising: a. moving a series of cassettes one after the other from an upper location at an X-ray station to a lower location away from the X-ray station along a predetermined path; b. receiving the cassettes at the lower location in a generally upright position; c. maintaining the cassettes supported generally upright with a pivoted wall oriented generally upright; and d. pivoting the wall from an initial inclined position to a position more toward the vertical as cassettes are moved from the upper location to the lower location.

Claim 14

In a method of transferring a series of film cassettes in a generally upright orientation from an X-ray station to a receiving station the steps comprising: a. moving a series of cassettes one after the other from an upper location at an X-ray station to a lower location away from the X-ray station along a predetermined path; b. receiving the cassettes at the lower location in a generally upright position; c. maintaining the cassettes supported generally upright with a pivoted wall oriented generally upright; and d. pivoting the wall from an initial inclined position to a position more toward the vertical as cassettes are moved from the upper location to the lower location.

Claim 15

The method of claim 10 wherein the wall is pivoted each time a successive cassette is transferred to provide an enlarged zone in which to accommodate additional cassettes.