Patent GB-655954-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to tensile testing machines
IPC: G01N3/08
Filed: 1947-12-23
Abstract: 655,954. Tensile testing machines. METROSTATIE SOC. ANON. Dec. 23, 1947, No. 33929. Convention date, Dec. 27, 1946. [Classes 106 (i) and 106 (ii)] [Also in Group VIII] In a machine for making tensile tests on textile threads, fine wires &c., a spring or other elastic means acts on one end of the sample and a pulling means at the other end, means being provided whereby slight movements of the end under the spring tension can control the action of the pulling means at the other end, and further means are provided for indicating and recording the elongation, breaking limit, and loads on the sample. As shown, the machine is designed for automatically executing numerous consecutive tensile tests on a continuous length of thread or wire, means being provided for feeding a portion between a pair of clamps, testing this portion to destruction, ejecting the broken part of this portion from the outer clamp, and feeding a new portion between the clamps. Continuous recording means for statistical purposes is provided in the form of a moving chart and co-operating stylus or perforator, or a hopper means for dropping balls into grooves in a container, or electric pulse meters or integrators. A test portion of thread 7 is gripped by clamps 6, 8, carried, respectively, by pivoted levers 3, 100, the load being applied to the lever 3 by a spring 1 which is tensioned by a rope 4 wound over a specially shaped cam 5 by a motor-operated winch: the load thus increases in proportion to time. The movements of the lever 3 control the flow of mercury through a valve 12, 13, in a mercury-resistance switch which, in turn, controls a motor M operating through speed-reduction gearing and a winch 11  on a carriage 9. The carriage 9 is attached to the lever 100 through a differential winch 20, 20a and a cable, and is moved, against the action of a counterweight 10, by the winch 11 to displace the lever 100 and clamp 8 to correspond with the extension of the thread 7 under the load thereon. The clamps 6, 8 are adjustable along their carrying levers, the lever 3 is counterweighted at 21, and the pivoted end of the lever 100 is adjustable along a slot 102. The mercury-resistance switch controlled by the lever 3 may include a circulating pump and constant-level container means, and may control current supplied to an electromagnet which is adapted to brake a disc in a sun-and-planet gear system connected to the drive of the carriage 9. When the thread 7 is broken, an auxiliary switch 69 is closed by the lever 3 to operate, through relays, the motors of the machine in reverse to allow the return of the lever 3 and carriage 9 to their zero initial positions. The clamps 6, 8 for the thread 7 are each opened and closed automatically by means of an eccentric 50, Fig. 12, operated by a lever 51 which is moved by a rope 52 connected to a winch 53. This winch is adapted to be driven by an electromagnetic clutch 55 from a rotating shaft 54. When the recorder means (described below) returns to the initial position, a switch 56 is closed to energize the clutch 55, whereby the winch causes the clamps 6, 8 to be opened. A tiltable switch 57 limits the opening of the clamps. The carriage 58 of a thread-laying or feeding device (described below), at the end of its stroke, rocks a lever 59 to disengage a claw clutch 61 to free the winch 53 and allow the lever 51 to be pulled downwardly by a weight to close the clamps. The thread-feeding device comprises a clamp 162 (not shown), which may be opened and closed by means similar to that for the clamps 6, 8, mounted on the carriage 58 and adapted to feed the thread from a reel between the open clamps 6, 8. The feed-clamp 162 moves forward on one track, and returns on another. Where a textile staple is being tested, the feeding device may also twist the staple during the feeding operation. The thread 7 is pretensioned automatically before testing by an electromagnetic clamp and weighted lever arrangement. Means to eject the broken portion of thread from the clamp 8 after each test comprises a suspended lever 84 (not shown), which is U-shaped at the end and provided with clamp jaws at each side of the clamp 8. The clamp 6 is freed by the operating of the threadfeeding device 162. The lever 51, Fig. 12, which is moved to open the clamp 8. carries a lever 77 which swings the suspended lever 24, and the jaws thereon eject the broken ends of the thread from the open clamp 8. A conveyer belt removes the ejected portions as they fall out of the clamp 8 Indicating, recording, and counting-apparatus for showing extensions and loading of sample threads. (1) A paper strip is adapted to be fed from the carriage 9, and a co-operating stylus is moved by the cord 4 which applies load to the lever 3. The strip is fed a constant length between each test. (2) A chart or paper strip is perforated by an electromagneticallyoperated punch (see Group VIII), each time a sample portion of thread 7 is broken, the chart and punch being moved, respectively, by the carriage and lever 3. The perforations may be circular or U-shaped. (3) A ball-distributer 28, Fig. 5, releases a ball at the beginning of each test into the hopper 30 of a conveyer 29, the latter being movable over a container 33 comprising a number of transparent tubes. The conveyer is moved by a winch arrangement in accordance with the load applied to the thread 7, and an electromagnet 32 opens the hopper 30 to release the ball when the thread breaks. The conveyer is then returned at an increased speed to initial position. Differently-coloured balls may be used in various combinations. (4) The carriage 9, Fig. 8, carries an angularly-adjustable arm 39 which supports the ends of a large number of pivoted rods 40. As the carriage moves according to the extension of the sample thread portion 7, the rods are allowed to fall, one after the other, to close electric switches 41. Each switch completes a circuit in which there are two pulse counters. When the corresponding switch 41 is closed, one counter records once, but the other counter cannot record until a contact breaker is operated by the machine, and this is arranged to be operated when every time the load on the sample increases by a predetermined increment. (5) An integrating meter to show the work done on each sample thread portion 7 comprises a circular plate rotated at a speed proportional to the elongation of the tread, and a roller bearing on the plate and frictionally driven thereby. The roller drives a counter and its radial position on the plate is varied during each test according to the load on the thread. Photographic apparatus may be arranged continuously to photograph the reading of the meter. The general drive means for the machine includes a disc secured to the drive-shaft arranged between two outer plates which are constantly rotating in opposite directions, one at a higher speed than the other, and electromagnets are arranged to clutch one or other of the outer plates to the central plate. The faster rotating plate is used for returning the parts of the machine to initial zero position.