Patent ID: 7137306

Claim:
In a mechanical material testing system that controllably deforms a specimen, an apparatus for imparting self-resistive specimen heating to the system, the apparatus comprising: a fixture having: first and second conductive support arms which support first and second opposing anvil assemblies, respectively; and a mount fixedly secured to a frame of the testing system and which is mechanically connected to and permits each of the first and second support arms to vertically move independent of the other, wherein the mount exerts opposing forces on the support arms sufficient to hold the specimen in position between the opposing anvil assemblies and establish abutting electrical contact between the specimen and each of the anvil assemblies so as to permit heating current to flow through the anvil assemblies and the specimen without causing substantially any arcing therebetween but insufficient to deform the specimen as it is being self-resistively heated by the heating current, wherein the mount comprises first and second rails and first and second slide plates, the first and second rails being fixedly secured to the frame, said first and second slide plates are adapted and constrained to slideably move vertically along the first and second rails, respectively, and the first and second support arms being physically and respectively connected to the first and second slide plates; and at least one shaft that is used to controllably strike either the first or second support arm so as to move the support arms towards each other and cause the first and second anvil assemblies to controllably compress and deform the specimen.