Film changer

A medical film exposure device for an x-ray apparatus, which comprises:

• a backing plate;
• a pressure plate mounted in opposed relationship to the backing plate such that a film to be exposed can be positioned between the backing plate and the pressure plate, the pressure plate having a natural substantially flat configuration;
• means for moving the pressure plate toward and away from the backing plate, to clamp and release the film, respectively;
• and
• means for flexing the pressure plate from its natural substantially flat configuration into a convex configuration as the pressure plate is moved away from the backing plate, with outer ends of the pressure plate returning to initial positions as the pressure plate is moved toward the backing plate and back to its natural substantially flat configuration, such that the pressure plate applies pressure to the unexposed sheet of film progressively outward from the center of the sheet of film to opposite ends thereof.

A medical film exposure device for an x-ray apparatus, which comprises:

• clamping means movable from an open position into a closed position for clamping a sheet of film for an exposure operation, the clamping means including at least one movable clamping member movable between the open and closed positions;
• continuously driven feed wheel means for feeding the sheet of film into and out of an exposure position between the clamping means when the clamping means is in the open position;
• and
• pinch roller means movable into and out of engagement with the sheet of film for pressing the film against the feed wheel means and causing selective feeding of the sheet of film by the feed wheels means, the pinch roller means including pinch rollers supported on pivoted levers biased to an inoperative position, and the pivoted levers being engageable by the movable clamping member as the clamping member moves to the open position, so that the levers are moved into an operative position in which the pinch rollers engage the film for a film feeding operation.

A medical film exposure device for an x-ray apparatus, which comprises:

• a backing plate;
• a pressure plate mounted in opposed relationship to the backing plate such that a film to be exposed can be positioned between the backing plate and the pressure plate;
• means for moving the pressure plate toward and away from the backing plate, to clamp and release the film, respectively;
• and
• means for flexing the pressure plate into a convex configuration as the pressure plate is moved away from the backing plate, with outer ends of the pressure plate returning to initial positions as the pressure plate is moved toward the backing plate, such that the pressure plate applies pressure to the unexposed sheet of film progressively outward from the center of the sheet of film to opposite ends thereof;
• the pressure plate moving means and the pressure plate flexing means comprising:
• first and second lever means having outer ends pivoted to respective outer ends of the pressure plate and having inner ends pivoted to one another;
• first and second support means for pivotally mounting the first and second lever means, respectively, for pivotal movement about intermediate portions thereof;
• and
• means for causing movement of the pivotally interconnected inner ends of the first and second lever means toward the backing plate, to pivot the lever means about their respective support means, to cause movement of the pressure plate away from the backing plate and flexing of outer ends of the pressure plate away from the backing plate.

A medical film exposure device for an x-ray apparatus, which comprises:

• a backing plate;
• a pressure plate mounted in opposed relationship to the backing plate such that a film to be exposed can be positioned between the backing plate and the pressure plate;
• means for moving the pressure plate toward and away from the backing plate, to clamp and release the film, respectively;
• means for flexing the pressure plate into a convex configuration as the pressure plate is moved away from the backing plate, with outer ends of the pressure plate returning to initial positions as the pressure plate is moved toward the backing plate, such that the pressure plate applies pressure to the unexposed sheet of film progressively outward from the center of the sheet of film to opposite ends thereof;
• and
• means for feeding a film into and out of the film exposure device, the film feeding means comprising:
• a pivoted lever having an opening therein;
• a longitudinally reciprocable feed rod having one end engageable by the pivoted lever;
• cam means for pivoting the lever and causing longitudinal movement of the feed rod;
• and
• means for selectively moving the one end of the feed rod into alignment with the opening in the pivoted lever to preclude longitudinal movement of the feed rod by the lever.

A medical film exposure device for an x-ray apparatus, which comprises:

• a backing plate;
• a pressure plate mounted in opposed relationship to the backing plate such that a film to be exposed can be positioned between the backing plate and the pressure plate;
• means for moving the pressure plate toward and away from the backing plate, to clamp and release the film, respectively;
• means for flexing the pressure plate into a convex configuration as the pressure plate is moved away the backing plate, with outer ends of the pressure plate returning to initial positions as the pressure plate is moved toward the backing plate, such that the pressure plate applies pressure to the unexposed sheet of film progressively outward from the center of the sheet of film to opposite ends thereof;
• means for feeding a film into and out of the film exposure device;
• a continuously running drive motor;
• and
• a single revolution clutch connectable to the continuously running drive motor for operating the pressure plate moving means and the film feeding means and producing an operating cycle of the medical film exposure device.

A medical film-processing device for an x-ray apparatus, which comprises:

• a medical film exposure device for holding a sheet of film during an exposure operation;
• a cassette, which includes no film driving mechanism, for receiving successively exposed films from the film exposure device, the cassette including a single guide plate disposed in the cassette and formed into an inwardly spiraling configuration having an outer open end and an inner end, such that an initial film fed into the open end of the spiraling configuration and fed along an interior surface of the guide plate assumes a configuration corresponding to that of the guide plate, and subsequently received films each nest in spiral relationship inside a respective previously received film, to facilitate storage of the films in a small space;
• and
• film feeding means in the film exposure device for feeding each of the exposed films from the film exposure device into the cassette and along a path essentially parallel to the interior surface of the guide plate after exposure of the film.