Patent ID: 7194916

Claim:
An apparatus for testing stiffness of an elongate article along a predetermined testing axis associated therewith, said article having first and second opposed surfaces aligned with a conveying path in a predetermined conveying position, the apparatus comprising: transport means for moving the article along said path through the apparatus in a conveying direction substantially transverse to said testing axis; at least one article bearing unit capable of contacting at least said first article surface at two spaced apart portions of the article; a first deflecting unit including a first working element capable of being disposed in a first substantially static position relative to the article conveying path and cooperating with said article bearing unit for applying a first thrust against a loaded area of the second article surface at an intermediary portion located between the spaced apart portions of the article as it moves transversely through the apparatus, to produce an article deflection of a first magnitude extending along a first deflection axis perpendicular to the conveying direction and the testing axis; a second deflecting unit including a second working element capable of being disposed in a second substantially static position relative to the article conveying path and cooperating with said article bearing unit for applying a second thrust against a loaded area of said first article surface at the intermediary portion of the article as it further moves transversely through the apparatus, to produce an article deflection of a second magnitude opposite to said first deflection magnitude and extending along a second deflection axis substantially parallel to the first deflection axis; at least one load measuring unit capable of generating signals indicative of respective magnitudes of said first and second thrusts; and a data processing device for deriving an indication of the stiffness of the article from said first and second opposed deflection magnitudes and said signals.