Abstract: An X-ray generator system comprising a pressurized fluid source disposed for directing dielectric coolant fluid through a housing wherein an X-ray source may be electrically connected for generating X-rays, the system including a venturi device having a restricted passage through which the fluid flows and which is disposed in communication with portions of the housing where gas bubbles may accumulate in the fluid. Thus, the fluid flowing through the restricted passage of the venturi device produces a reduction in pressure which draws fluid from said portions of the housing so that any gas bubbles accumulated therein may be purged from the system.

Abstract: A rotatable x-ray target assembly and process for manufacturing the same is provided for an x-ray tube. The x-ray target assembly comprises an x-ray target member having an opening disposed therethrough and a support member having: a mounting surface disposed transversely to the axis of rotation, a lower surface of the target member being disposed on the mounting surface; and, a threaded stem extending from said mounting surface through the opening of the target member. The support member also comprises a nut adapted to receive the threaded stem, the nut engaging an upper surface of the target member. The target member is secured to the support member by brazing material disposed between the lower surface of the target member and the mounting surface, a first portion of the brazing material being diffused into the target member and a second portion of the brazing material being diffused into the mounting surface of the support member.

Abstract: An X-ray table having a surface disposed in a plane defined by longitudinal and transverse axes and a column extending perpendicularly to such axes. The column includes a plurality of vertical tracks. A carriage is provided supporting a spot film device projecting over the table surface. The carriage comprises a plurality of bearing assemblies, corresponding to the plurality of tracks, for slidably mounting the carriage on the plurality of tracks of the column. Each bearing assembly comprises: a bearing plate mounted about a pivot point to a surface of the carriage; and, a plurality of opposing bearings rotatably mounted to the bearing plate and arranged to engage the corresponding one of the plurality of tracks on the column. Application of lateral force to the bearing plate of a first one of the bearing assemblies pivots the carriage about the pivot point of that bearing plate.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided comprising a motor having a current applied therethrough. The speed of the motor is a function of the current passing through the motor. An error signal is produced representative of the difference between the motor speed and a selected motor speed. The current applied through the motor is modulated in accordance with the speed error signal and a signal representative of the current in order to control motor speed. With such arrangement, motor current variations or ripple due to rectification are detected and compensated for to allow the speed of the motor to be maintained constant despite such ripple. In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the motor has a speed related to the current passed therethrough. An error signal is produced representative of the difference or error between the motor speed and a selected speed. A switch allows current to pass through the motor or inhibits current from passing through the motor, selectively in accordance with a control signal.

Abstract: An X-ray tube including a tubular envelope having therein an anode target provided with a surface portion made of X-ray emissive material and with another surface portion made of heat emissive material comprising at least one of the members from the group consisting of hafnium boride, hafnium oxide, hafnium nitride, hafnium silicide, and hafnium aluminide; and an electron emitting cathode disposed to direct a beam of electrons onto the anode surface portion made of X-ray emissive material.

Abstract: A source of X-rays encompassing a rotating target is provided with a detector of X-rays located outside a port of a housing of the source and positioned at or near a tangent line to the radiating surface for observing variations in the radiation intensity due to rotation of the target, the variations being pronounced due to the heel effect of the radiation pattern. In one embodiment, the X-ray detector employs a scintillation material and is coupled by a light pipe to a photodetector which is removed from the path of the radiation and detects scintillations of the X-ray detector. Alternatively, the photodetector and light pipe may be deleted by the use of a detector of germanium, silicon or an ion chamber which converts X-ray photons directly to an electric current.

Abstract: An image intensifier tube comprising an evacuated envelope wherein two spaced electrodes are insulatingly secured to one another by a dielectric member having an end portion extended within closely spaced walls of a hollow conductive shielding means attached to one of the electrodes for protecting the end portion from conductive vaporous material released within the envelope during processing and from resulting voltage breakdown during operation of the tube.

Abstract: An X-ray tube including a tubular envelope having therein an X-ray target comprised of a support body made of a first material and provided with a composite surface layer comprising a controlled gradient of a second material disposed in the first material, one of the materials being an X-ray emissive material and the other of the materials being a heat absorbent material, and an electron emitting cathode disposed to beam electrons onto a focal spot area of the composite surface layer.

Abstract: A control system for rotating anode x-ray tubes comprising an x-ray tube including an anode rotated by a motor having mounted therein photoelectric means for sensing rotational movement of the anode, and circuit means electrically connected to the tube, the photoelectric means, and the motor for regulating operation of the tube and rotational speed of the motor in accordance with parameters selected for operation of the tube.

Abstract: An X-ray generator which produces a beam of parallel substantially non-spreading radiation, the generator including a housing containing a tube having an envelope containing an X-ray generating target and an X-ray transmissive window, the target having a focal spot from which the useful X-rays are emitted which is located at the side of the tube remote from the window, and aperture means in the path of the beam either within the envelope or adjacent the housing for collimating the beam and shaping it to the desired cross-sectional configuration and for restricting beam divergence.

Abstract: An image intensifier tube comprising a sealed envelope having therein means for controllably liberating oxygen within the envelope, and an iput screen including an oxygen conditioned layer of fluorescent material and an overlying layer of photoemissive material which may be oxidized to improve the photo-to-electron conversion efficiency of the input screen.A method of improving the conversion efficiency of an image intensifier tube input screen including the steps of exposing a layer of fluorescent material to oxygen prior to the deposition of an overlying layer of photoemissive material, and subsequently exposing the layer of photoemissive material to oxygen, if desired, after the tube envelope has been sealed.

Abstract: An image intensifier tube comprising a sealed envelope having therein means for controllably liberating oxygen within the envelope, and an input screen including an oxygen conditioned layer of fluorescent material and an overlying layer of photoemissive material which may be oxidized to improve the photon-to-electron conversion efficiency of the input screen.A method of improving the conversion efficiency of an image intensifier tube input screen including the steps of exposing a layer of fluorescent material to oxygen prior to the deposition of an overlying layer of photoemissive material, and subsequently exposing the layer of photoemissive material to oxygen, if desired, after the tube envelope has been sealed.

Abstract: A radiographic system comprising an X-ray source disposed to direct an X-ray beam through an adjustable shutter aperture in an aligned collimator and onto an image receptor in a holder located at a preselected distance from the source; and automatic means for preventing an X-ray exposure until prescribed operating conditions have been satisfied, the automatic means including a readily interchangeable read-only-memory module for storing the prescribed conditions therein and ascertaining whether or not the prescribed conditions have been met.

Abstract: An X-ray system comprising an X-ray tube provided with a target focal spot area from which an X-ray beam emanates from the tube, an X-ray Fresnel zone plate disposed interceptingly in the path of the X-ray beam, and an image receptor disposed to receive the resulting image of the zone plate conveyed by the X-ray beam.

Abstract: An X-ray generator comprising a shielded housing having insulatingly mounted therein an X-ray tube provided with a predetermined focal spot area on a sloped target surface which is radially aligned with an X-ray transmissive window in the housing, the window having a preferred configuration for reducing preferential absorption of X-rays in a divergent beam emanating from the focal spot area of the target.

Abstract: An image intensifier tube having an output imaging screen comprising a scintillator layer of juxtaposed crystalline rods made of doped alkali-halide material, such as cesium iodide doped with sodium or thallium, for example.

Abstract: An X-ray tube test system comprising signal processing circuitry including means for converting an analog signal representative of anode current into a train of pulses having an instantaneous frequency proportional to corresponding instantaneous amplitude values of the analog signal, means for counting the pulses in the train during an exposure time interval to obtain an integrated milliampere-second (MAS) value, means for summing a train of pulses having a uniform frequency during an interval of time equivalent to the exposure time interval to obtain an integral value for the exposure time, means for optionally dividing the MAS value by the exposure time value to obtain an average anode current (MA) value during the exposure time interval, and means for displaying numerical equivalents of the values thus obtained.

Abstract: a radiographic system comprising an X-ray source disposed to direct an X-ray beam through a portion of a subject and produce an X-ray image thereof, imaging means for receiving the X-ray image and converting it into a visible image, sensing means for monitoring a parametric operating value of the source, and display means for showing the visible image and the parametric operating value in the same field of view.

Abstract: A radiation limiting shutter device including a hollow, frusto-pyramidal structure having relatively movable walls made of radiation absorbent material and defining an entrance aperture of a desired size, each of the walls comprising a frusto-triangular plate having serrated sloped edges which intermesh with similar sloped edges of respective adjacent plates forming the structure.

Abstract: A radiographic system comprising a radiation source disposed to direct a beam of radiation through an adjustable aperture in an aligned beam-limiting device and onto an image receptor located at a selected distance from the source, and automatic means for making a unidirectional final adjustment of the aperture to provide the beam with a cross-sectional area which conforms to the size of the image receptor at the selected distance from the source.