Patent ID: 6860156
Filing Date: 2005-03-01
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. An apparatus for testing the material properties of a specimen, said apparatus comprising: a top joint assembly movable along a longitudinal axis of said apparatus, said top joint assembly having a first sleeve capable of rotation about the longitudinal axis with said first sleeve having at least two arms extending radially outward and longitudinally to a first end of said first sleeve, and said top joint assembly having a second sleeve adjacent to the first end of said first sleeve, said second sleeve having at least two arms extending radially outward and longitudinally to the first end of said first sleeve; a bottom joint assembly including a first sleeve having at least two arms extending radially outward and longitudinally to a first end of said first sleeve of said bottom joint assembly and having a second sleeve adjacent to the first end, said second sleeve having at least two arms extending radially outward and longitudinally to the first end of said first sleeve of said bottom joint assembly; a first linkage for enclosing the specimen, said first linkage having a first, second, third and fourth oblong bars, a first link between said first and second bars and a second link between said third and fourth bars wherein said first bar links to one arm of said first sleeve of said top joint assembly and said third bar links to another arm of said first sleeve of said top joint assembly and wherein said second bar links to one arm of said second sleeve of said bottom joint assembly and said fourth bar links to another arm of said second sleeve of said bottom joint assembly; a second linkage for enclosing the specimen, said second linkage having a first, second, third, and fourth oblong bars, a link between said first and second bars and a second link between said third and fourth bars wherein said first bar links to one arm of said second sleeve of said top joint assembly and said third bar links to another arm of said second sleeve of said top joint assembly and wherein said second bar links to one arm of said first sleeve of said bottom joint assembly and said fourth bar links to another arm of said first sleeve of said bottom joint assembly; and a plurality of load transfer plates, each of said load transfer plates mechanically attached at a first end to each of said links of said first and second linkages such that said load transfer plates enclose the specimen in opposing pairs and such that a second end of each of said load transfer plates is securable to the specimen; wherein movement by said top joint assembly along the axis toward said bottom joint assembly causes each of said links of said first and second linkages to move outward from the axis and each other for applying a tension loading to the specimen by said plurality of load transfer plates; wherein movement by said top joint assembly along the axis away from said bottom joint assembly causes each of said links of said first and second linkages to move inward to the longitudinal axis and each other for applying a compression loading to the specimen by said plurality of load transfer plates; wherein rotation of said first sleeve of said top joint assembly about the axis causes the movement of said plurality of load transfer plates of said first linkage in reaction to the rotation of said first sleeve of said top joint assembly for applying a torsional loading to the specimen.