Brake assembly for rotatable scintillation detector

Abstract

A brake mechanism for decelerating and positively stopping the support apparatus of a rotating scintillation detector subsequent to completion of a full 360.degree. of rotation as needed for a tomographic study. There is provided a laterally deflectable striker member positioned between two shock absorbers. The support structure of the scintillation detector is either manually rotated or is motor driven by a gear which is provided with a laterally extending striker pin configured and arranged to rotate with said gear and deflect the striker member in a lateral direction as the gear is completing its rotation in either the clockwise or counterclockwise direction. Once the striker pin engages the striker, the striker is deflected either to the right or to the left depending on whether the gear is rotating in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction. In either direction, the striker contacts one of the shock absorbers which serves to decelerate the rotating mass and safely slow it down. There is also provided a pair of limit switches either of which when actuated will decouple the motor from the gear to bring the rotating apparatus to a complete halt. Actuation of a limit switch is accomplished whenever the detector is motor driven and the striker is advanced to within a preselected position relative to one of the shock absorbers.