Brake mechanism, particularly for physiotherapeutical treatment benches

Abstract

 The invention relates to a brake mechanism, and par­ticularly a brake mechanism for a treatment bench or the like of the kind comprising a part (2) which is pivotal in relation to a rigid frame (1). The brake mechanism includes a plate or disc (7) which is attached to the pivotal part (2) and which can be pivoted in relation to the frame (1), together with the pivotal part (2).Also attached to the stationary frame (1) is a brake lining (8) which is intended to be brought into contact with the plate or disc (7) such as to brake the pivotal part (2).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a brake mechanism, and more particularly, but not exclusively, to a brake mechanism for treatment benches intended for physio­therapeutical treatment, or for like apparatus.

[0002] Treatment-bench braking mechanisms, or locking mech­anisms are known to the art. These mechanisms include an approximately semi-circular plate which is connected to a part of the bench which can be swung relative to a frame structure, and which has provided around its periphery indents in which a locking pin or pawl can engage.

[0003] The object of the invention is to provide a novel brake mechanism which is reliable in use and which will enable the position of the bench-part which can be pivoted in relation to the frame to be adjusted in a continuous and smooth fashion.

[0004] A further object of the invention is to provide a brake mechanism which is constructed so as to be self-locking and so that it can only be released from a locking state by manouvering a brake-operating lever.

[0005] These objects are achieved with the invention, which has the characterizing features set forth in the following claims.

[0006] The invention will now be described in more detail with reference to an exemplifying, non-limitative embodiment thereof illustrated in the accompanying drawings, of which Figure 1 illustrates schematically and in side view a treatment bench fitted with a brake mechanism according to the invention, and Figure 2 illustrates part of the inventive brake mechanism, partially in section, and for the sake of illustration shows the brake-operating lever and the upper part of the tube rotated through 90° in relation to the remainder of the tube and the brake mechanism.

[0007] Shown in Figure 1 is a treatment bench which comprises a frame 1 which carries a part 2 which can be pivoted or swung relative to the frame and on which a reclining-­board 3 or the like is mounted. Also attached to the pivotal part is a foot-rest 4, which is provided with a locking device 5, for securing the feet of a person to be treated while positioned on the bench. The arrange­ment hitherto described coincides with treatment-bench constructions known to the art, and the pivotal part carrying the reclining-board 3 is constructed so as to enable the foot-rest 4 to be swung to an upwardly raised position with the patient lying with his feet upwards and held by the locking device 5, so as to appropriately stretch the spine of the patient.

[0008] Figure 2 illustrates the bench-braking mechanism in detail, from which it will be seen that the frame 1 includes a hollow tube 6, preferably of square cross-­section. Attached to the pivotal part 2 is a brake-disc 7 which thus pivots together with the pivotal part 2 and against which a first brake-lining 8 can be applied. This first brake-lining 8 is seated on a first piston 9 which passes through the frame-tube 6 and which is supported therein by means of a bush 10, and the in­wardly located end of which is located within the tube 6. The inwardly located end of the first piston 9 has an inclined surface 9a which is configured so that the upper part of this end of the piston will project fur­ther into the tube 6 than the lower part of said end. Arranged for movement within the tube 6 in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the tube is a second piston 11 which also has an inclined surface, referenced 11a. The inclined surface 11a of the second piston 11 faces towards the inclined surface 9a on the first piston 9, and is intended to lie in abutment with said surface. Arranged in abutment with the lower end of the second piston 11 is a pressure or thrust spring 12, which is mounted between said second piston 11 and a seating rigidly mounted in the tube. The spring 12 will thus bias the second piston 11 towards and against the first piston 9, therewith causing the first piston to move to the left, as seen in the Figure, and therewith bring the first brake-lining 8 into abutment with the brake disc 7. The illustrated brake mechanism is thus constructed so that the spring 12 will normally hold the brake-­lining 8 in abutment with the brake disc 7 and therewith hold the pivotal part 2 firmly in relation to the frame 1 in the non-activated state of the brake mechanism.

[0009] For the purpose of releasing the brake and therewith enabling the pivotal part 2 to be swung relative to the frame 1, the tube 6 has mounted therein, above the second piston 11, a third piston 14 which is also move­able in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the tube. Both the second piston and the third piston suit­ably have a square cross-section, as does also the interior of the tube 6, such that movement of said second and third pistons will be guided by the walls defining said tube-interior. A handle 15 is pivotally mounted on the top end of the tube 6 by means of a journal pin 16. The journal pin 16 is located in a narrower part 17 of the handle 15 which projects slight­ly into the tube 6, inwardly of the journal pin 16. As shown in Figure 2, this narrow part 17 of the handle 15 may be provided with a pair of ball-slides 18 which, when the handle 15 is pivoted about the journal pin 16, function to push the third piston, and therewith also the second piston 11, downwards, so as to move the brake lining 8 out of engagement with the brake disc 7. The handle 15 is readily rotatable about the journal pin 16, and consequently when the handle 15 is released, the handle will be returned to a position in which it is substantially in line with the tube 6, by means of the pistons 11 and 14, which under the bias exerted by the spring 12 strive to move the handle upwards until the second piston 11 has forced the brake lining 8 against the brake disc 7.

[0010] In order to prevent the brake disc 7 from bending out­wards when the brake lining 8 is brought into abutment therewith, there is preferably arranged on the other side of the brake disc distal from the brake lining 8 a further brake lining 19 which lies in the close proxi­mity of the brake disc 7 and which includes an arm-part which extends around the brake disc 7 and which is attached to the tube 6, e.g. screwed thereto.

[0011] The pistons 9, 11 and 14 may be made of a plastics material having good sliding properties, such that the piston surfaces can glide one against the other and against the tube surfaces.

[0012] The aforedescribed brake mechanism constitutes a highly reliable brake mechanism for use with treatment benches and other similar appliances and apparatus. One par­ticular advantageous characteristic of the inventive mechanism is that the brake is applied when the brake-­operating lever is left alone, i.e. not manouvered, as mentioned in the aforegoing, so as to prevent undesir­able and unintentional rotation of the bench and so that rotational movement of the bench is braked solely by releasing the handle 15.

Claims

1. A brake mechanism, and particularly a brake mechanism for a treatment bench or the like of the kind comprising a part (2) which is pivotal in relation to a rigid frame (1), characterized in that the brake mechanism includes a plate or disc (7) which is attached to the pivotal part (2) and which can be pivoted in relation to the frame (1) together with the pivotal part (2), and fur­ther includes a first brake lining (8) which is intended to be brought into contact with the plate or disc (7) such as to brake the pivotal part (2).

2. A brake mechanism according to Claim 1, characterized in that the first brake lining (8) is mounted on a first piston (9) which passes through an aperture located in the side of a tube (6) forming part of the frame (1), said first piston being biassed by a spring-force into contact with the plate or disc (7) so as normally to brake the pivotal part (2); and in that a release device (15) is provided for counteracting the force exerted by the spring-force (12) such as to release the brake mechanism.

3. A brake mechanism according to Claim 2, characterized in that the end of the first piston (9) located in the tube (6) has an oblique surface (9a); in that a second piston (11) is mounted in the tube (6) for movement in the longitudinal direction of said tube and has an oblique surface (11a) which is complementary to the oblique surface (9a) of the first piston (9) and abuts said surface; and in that the second piston (11) is biassed into abutment with the first piston (9) by means of the spring-force (12).

4. A brake mechanism according to Claim 3, characterized in that the interior of the tube (6) is of square cross-­sectional shape; and in that the second piston (11) has a square outer cross-section, such as to be guided by the tube interior.

5. A brake mechanism according to Claim 3 or 4, charac­terized by a brake-release handle (15) which is pivotal­ly mounted on a journal pin (16) attached to the upper part of the tube (6), such that pivotal movement of the handle (15) about the pin (16) will cause the second piston (11) to be displaced axially against the bias of the spring (12) and therewith move out of abutment with the first piston (9).

6. A brake mechanism according to any one of the preced­ing claims, characterized in that the frame (1) has mounted thereon a second brake lining (19) which is located on the side of the plate or disc (7) distal from the first brake lining (8).

Drawing