Patent ID: 8286498

Claim:
A method for testing mechanical properties of composite cable specimens, said specimen having a top end, a bottom end, and an at rest length, the method comprising: a. securely fastening the top end of a cable specimen to a top mounting block and the bottom end of said specimen to a bottom mounting block; b. securely fastening a witness to said top and bottom mounting blocks, said witness comprised of a top rod securely attached to said top mounting block at one rod end and having a hollow opposite rod end and a bottom rod securely attached to said bottom mounting block at one rod end and having a stem opposite rod end, said stem fitting within said hollow end of said top rod such that said top and bottom rods of said witness can freely move together or apart directly with any corresponding movement of said top and bottom mounting blocks; c. applying a force to separate said top and bottom mounting blocks; and d. measuring any displacement between said top and bottom witness rods resulting from the application of said separating force, whereby said measured displacement of the witness is a measurement of the increased length of the entire cable specimen from its at rest length and from which measurement mechanical properties of said specimen may be determined.