Potter-bucky Table Adapted for Multiple Exposures

Abstract

THE serialographs and polygraphs on the market, while serving a very useful purpose, are rather bulky and cumbersome. One type requires an additional table or support. Another type, which is heavy, has to be placed upon and removed from the table before and after use. Where space is limited, and there is no room for an additional table, and to overcome the necessity of handling a heavy piece of apparatus, it has seemed to me that it might be worth while to adapt the Potter-Bucky table for making multiple exposures. It was rather surprising to find that, with a few simple items, at a very nominal cost, it was possible to accomplish this. The device was adapted to an Acme-International Potter-Bucky table No.3. With slight modification, I think it can be applied to any combination Potter-Bucky table and trochoscope. The Acme table top has raised beveled edges. Within the depressed portion, which is 20 inches wide, is placed a piece of sheet lead (4 pounds to the square foot) measuring 20 × 25 inches. The exact center of the sheet lead is obtained, and an opening cut therein which measures 5 1/2×42/3 inches. The larger measurement of this opening is crosswise. This opening allows for six exposures on one 11 × 14 film (Fig. 3). In order to avoid scratching the table top with the sheet lead, it is enclosed within a tightly fitting vello cloth (black) envelope. This permits easy movement, does not scratch the table top, and does not raise the patient more than 1/8 to 3/16 of an inch, and is not uncomfortable to rest upon. It is not necessary to remove this from the table while doing routine work, for it is easily displaced to either end of the table. The opening in the lead is easily discerned through the vello cloth. With the level of the upper limit of the opening, a straight line is drawn from the opening across the cloth towards the loading side of the table. A white thread is sewed along this line, to make a permanent mark, and is used as a guide which determines the position of the “indicator,” and, in turn, the position of the tray for the first exposure. Within the Bucky tray (Fig. 4). I have three strips of wood, which permit the entry of an 11 × 14 cassette, and also permit a displacement of 5½ inches crosswise. The three strips of wood are so arranged (U-shape) that half the width of the film corresponds to the opening within the sheet lead on the table. Shifting the cassette crosswise brings the other half of the film under the opening. The Acme table top is equipped with a rod along the entire side, which is ordinarily utilized for attaching a compression band. A shoulder, about one inch wide, which rides over this rod is constructed (Fig. 1). This shoulder has a descending arm fixed at right angles. There is also a wing nut which fixes this shoulder in position along any part of the rod.