Improved Means for Testing or Measuring the Strength of Cements and other Materials.
Year: 1888

page_text: Date of Application, 4th May, 1888
Complete Specification Left, 4th Feb., 1889
Complete Specification Accepted, 16th Mar., 1889
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Means for Testing or Measuring the Strength of Cements
and other Materials.
I HENRI BUIGNET of 21 Place de l'Hotel de Ville Havre France Engineer do
hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
According to this Invention the block of cement or other material to be tested is
connected preferably by a lever or levers to a buoyant plunger or float supported by a
liquid preferably mercury contained in a stationary vessel communicating at its lower
part with a vessel charged with the same liquid and capable of vertical adjustment.
By raising the adjustable vessel the upward pressure of the liquid on the float and the
strain exerted by the float on the materials can be gradually increased the amount of
force thus exerted being indicated with great precision by a graduated tube shewing
the height of the liquid in the stationary vessel.
The adjustable vessel may be raised or lowered by means of a vertical screw and
gearing and the rate at which the liquid flows from this vessel into the vessel con-
taining the float or plunger is regulated by means of an adjustable valve in the
bottom of the moveable vessel.
This valve is connected to a lever which when the vessel is in its lowest position
comes in contact with a fixed stop and opens the valve automatically to its fullest extent
in order to facilitate the return of the liquid from the stationary vessel.
When the material breaks or yields to the strain or pressure the float being released
tends to rise and the liquid to fall suddenly in the stationary vessel and in the
graduated tube and in order to maintain an indication of the exact height (or
pressure) of the liquid at the moment when the material gave way the tube may
be provided with a valve which is closed automatically by the action of the float
or otherwise and prevents the liquid from falling or the tube may be provided
with a sliding indicator suitably balanced being acted on by the liquid and connected
with a wheel and ratchet or other equivalent arrangement capable of obtaining the
desired result.
The stationary vessel is preferably of cylindrical shape and the float is of the
same form as the vessel so as to nearly fill the said vessel."
1000
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London,
Agents..

page_text: ади бшог маюга.
1
I HENRI BUIGNET, of 21 Place de l'Hotel de Ville Havre France Engineer
do hereby declare the nature of this Invention and in what manner the same is
to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement :-
According to this Invention the block of cement or other material to be tested is
connected so that a strain can be brought upon it by a moveable part actuated by
mercury or other liquid flowing into a vessel from another vessel charged with such
liquid and capable of vertical adjustment. By raising this moveable vessel the liquid
flows into the first named vessel and a pressure is exerted therein and through
the moveable part thereof the strain on the material being tested is gradually increased
the amount of force thus exerted being indicated with great precision by a graduated
tube into which the liquid also passes in proportion to its entry into the first named
vessel.
The moveable vessel may be raised or lowered by means of a vertical screw and
gearing or by hand upon vertical guides or in any other suitable way.
The principle on which the apparatus made according to this Invention acts
may be described as follows reference being made to Figure 1 of the accompanying
drawings.
Two vertical tubes T and T¹ (the former rigid and the latter flexible) commu-
nicate with each other. The tubo T' terminates in a vessel R at the bottom of
which is a valve s. The said vessel R is capable of vertical adjustment. The said
tubes T and T¹ and adjustable vessel R communicate with a stationary vessel C
closed on its upper side by a diaphragm D so that whilst the vessel is liquid tight
the diaphragm D is capable of moving. The apparatus is then filled with a liquid
preferably mercury up to the level shown by the dotted line xy. If the adjustable
vessel R be raised to the position R' whilst the valve s is kept closed the level of
the liquid in the tube T will not alter owing to the atmospheric pressure and the
liquid will remain in contact with the underside of the valves provided the
adjustable vessel be not raised beyond a certain height so as to exceed equilibrium
between the liquid and the atmospheric pressure.
When the valves is opened the liquid will flow into the stationary vessel (and
if the diaphragm be unyielding will rise in the tube T. The diaphragm will receive
'

page_text: a pressure proportional to the area of its surface which pressure can be measured
at any moment by the difference between the original level of the liquidy and
the height reached by the liquid in the tube T at the time of the trial.
The height of the liquid in the tube T¹ above the liquid in the tabe T does not
influence the pressure exerted on the diaphragm-the weight of the liquid in the
tube T¹ being balanced by atmospheric pressure.
By transforming and employing the pressure exerted on the diaphragm and at the
same time graduating the tube T a pressure may be produced and measured simul-
taneously. The effort which is exerted under the diaphragm resulting from the flow
of the liquid from the adjustable holder R is continuous and may be either rapidly or
slowly increased but owing to its continuity no shock is produced.
And in order that my said invention may be fully understood I shall now proceed
more particularly to describe the same and for that purpose shall refer to the
several figures on the annexed sheet of drawings the same letters of reference indicating
corresponding parts in all the figures.
Figure 2 is an elevation of the apparatus Figure 3 is a vertical section of the same
Figure 4 is a section through 1-2 in Figure 6, Figure 5 is a section through 3-4
Figure 6 and Figure 6 is a plan.
The apparatus is constructed with a base A in which is formed a vessel () and above
which is an elliptical shaped frame B supporting the parts acting directly on the
cement or other material. The vessel is closed on its upper side by an india rubber
or the like diaphragm d kept in position by an annular plate or ring E E and is pro-
vided with a vent or orifice closed by a plug p¹ Figure 3 and two cavities I) and H
Figures 3, 5 and 6, the cavity D communicating by the flexible tube J with the
adjustable vessel I Figures 3 and 4 and the cavity H communicating with the pressure
guage tube by a channel n terininating in a vent or orifice closed by a plug p
Figure 5. On the diaphragm d a bronze disc F of a smaller diameter than the inside
diameter of the ring E E supports a C shaped arm M supported in a vertical position
by a screw rod P sliding in a guide Q on the upper part of the frame B. To the
arın M is attached a clip or holder N facing a corresponding clip or holder N¹ con-
nected to the frame B by a screw threaded bolt O which by means of a hand wheel or
nut R is capable of vertical adjustment. The pressure guage K Figures 2 and 4
attached to the base by any ordinary watertight joint is enclosed by a case provided
with a scale and has at its upper end an arrangement for registering consisting of a
ratchet wheel Figure 2 with a groove for the reception of a thread at one end of
which is suspended a cylindrical ivory indicator i and at the other a counterweight ja
small spring lever / being provided serving to arrest or allow the return of the wheel
after registration by the indicator.
7"
The adjustable vessel I Figure 4 is preferably of cylindrical shape and closed at the
top by a screw lid through which works a rod t connected to a central valve t¹ so that
the said valve can be adjusted as required by means of the rod t. Vertical divisions
on the rod and a line traced on the screw lid afford the means for regulating the
opening of the valve by observing the angular displacement of the rod. A spherical
valve b opening upwards forms the means of communication between the tube J and
the adjustable vessel I.
The vessel I is moved by hand up and down (a slotted tube L acting as a guide)
and is provided with an automatic catch c by which the vessel is retained in its highest
position. The adjustable vessel I being automatically filled with mercury from the
cavity D and the cavity H containing enough to cover the bottom of the vessel to the
depth of a few millimetres the remaining space in the chamber C is completely filled
with water. The adjustable vessel I being at the bottom of the guide tube L and the
indicator i resting on the mercury in the pressure gauge tube. The working of the
machine is as follows:-
A block or briquette X to be tested is introduced between the clips N N¹ the clip N'
being adjusted to its position by means of the nut or hand wheel R, the valve t' is then
opened a certain amount and the vessel I raised as far as it will go.

page_text: As soon as the raising of the vessel I commences the valve closes and the mercury
gradually flows from the vessel I through the tube J into the cavity D of the stationary
vessel. The mercury compresses the water in the vessel C which tends to raise the
diaphragm d and with it the disc F the arm M and the clip N and thus acts on the
block X, but since the block is prevented from rising by the action of the clip N¹
the diaphragm remains unyielding or stationary.
Since the flow continues and the mercury can find no other vacant space a pressure
is developed in the liquid which is exerted under the diaphragm and transmitted to
the mercury contained in the cavity H under this pressure it is finally forced up the
gauge tube K raising at the same time the indicator i. On the pressure overcoming
the resistance of the block, the latter breaks and the mercury in the graduated tube
immediately falls, but the indicator retained by the pawl and ratchet arrangement
remains at the height to which the mercury was raised. For a fresh trial, the adjust-
able vessel is lowered to the bottom of its course the mercury raises the valve band
immediately re-enters the adjustable vessel from the cavity D. Thus of all the
elements which determine the pressure exerted, the height of the mercury in the
graduated tube is the only variable quantity, the strain on the briquette or block
boing in proportion to the height of the mercury in the gauge tube and a graduated
scale on the said gauge tube or on the case surrounding it indicates the intensity of
the strain at any moment during the testing operation.
It will be seen from the above description that the testing operation is very simple
and the operations attending it may be briefly stated as follows:
The block to be tested is placed in position between the clips or holders raising or
depressing the lower clip or clips so that it may be in contact with the block. The
adjustable vessel is then raised to its highest point until the block gives way,
the corresponding figure on the graduated scale opposite the indicator represents the
pressure or breaking strain.
For a fresh test bring the adjustable vessel back to its lowest point and disengage
the pawl of the ratchet wheel of the registering arrangement in order to cause the
descent of the index finger or indicator on to the mercury standing at zero on the
scale of the pressure gauge or graduated tube.
In this way, the tension of material can be tested, tests for compression may be
performed with the same apparatus and for this purpose it will only be necessary
to introduce two movable pieces of a suitable form between the clips or holders
in such a manner that the article is compressed in place of being subject to tensile
strain. Such a combination is merely a special application of the principle herein-
before more fully described and it is evident that this and other modifications in
the structural details, may be introduced according to the nature of the material to
be tested for example, without affecting the principle illustrated in the example
herein before described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :-
First. In an apparatus for testing cement or other materials a vessel into which
liquid is supplied so that the pressure in the vessel is gradually increased in com-
bination with an appliance to which the block of cement or other material to be tested
is affixed so that as the pressure in the vessel increases additional strain is brought
upon the cement or other material substantially as hereinbefore described.
Second. In an apparatus for testing cement or other materials a stationary vessel
provided with a diaphragm or its equivalent in combination with a vessel capable of
of vertical adjustment a gauge glass or tube for indicating the height of the column
of liquid acting on the said diaphragm and means for connecting the said diaphragm
or its equivalent with the article to be tested substantially as hereinbefore described.
Third. An apparatus for testing cement or other materials constructed with a
diaphragm d connected with the article to be tested and placed over a vessel C

page_text: communicating with two chambers or cavities D and H the chamber D being connected
by a flexible tube or its equivalent with a moveable vessel J provided with an
adjustable valve t¹ and the chamber H being connected with a vertical tube K
provided with means for indicating the height to which the liquid rises therein
substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.
Fourth. The combination and arrangement of parts constituting the improved
apparatus for testing cement or other materials substantially as hereinbefore described
with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 4th day of February 1889,
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents.
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
47, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Agents.