Plastometer and method

Claim 1

A PLASTOMETER COMPRISING, A PAIR OF SPACED, PARALLEL ELONGATED SIDE MEMBERS, A FIRST PLATE EXTENDING BETWEEN AND SECURED TO SAID SIDE MEMBERS ADJACENT THE LOWER ENDS THEREOF, A SECOND PLATE EXTENDING BETWEEN AND SECURED TO SAID SIDE MEMBERS ADJACENT THE UPPER ENDS THEREOF, A FLAT, CIRCULAR PLATEN SECURED TO THE UPPER FACE OF SAID FIRST PLATE, A BAR SECURED TO AND EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SIDE MEMBERS AT A POINT ADJACENT TO BUT SPACED FROM SAID FIRST PLATE, SAID SECOND PLATE AND SAID BAR HAVING OPENINGS THERETHROUGH WHICH ARE IN ALIGNMENT WITH SAID PLATEN, AN ELONGATED ROD SLIDABLY MOUNTED IN SAID OPENINGS FOR MOVEMENT TOWARDS AND AWAY FROM SAID PLATEN, A SECOND FLAT CIRCULAR PLATEN SECURED TO THE LOWER END OF SAID ROD, A CROSS BAR SECURED TO SAID ROD ADJACENT TO BUT SPACED FROM THE UPPER END THEREOF, A PAIR OF SCREQ EYES ADJUSTABLY THREADED ONE IN EACH END OF SAID CROSS BAR, A PAIR OF EXTENSION SPRINGS CONNECTED AT ONE OF THEIR ENDS TO SAID BAR AND AT THEIR OTHER ENDS TO SAID SCREW EYES WHEREBY SAID SECOND MENTIONED PLATEN SECURED TO THE LOWER END OF SAID ROD IS NORMALLY URGED AGAINST SAID FIRST MENTIONED PLATEN TO PRESS A TEST SAMPLE THEREBETWEEN, ONE OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS EXTENDING ABOVE SAID SECOND PLATE A SUBSTANTIAL DISTANCE, A DIAL INDICATOR SECURED TO THE EXTENDING PORTION OF SAID ONE OF SAID SIDE MEMBERS AND HAVING AN ACTUATING PLUNGER IN CONTACT WITH THE UPPER END OF SAID ROD WHEREBY THE THICKNESS OF THE TEST SAMPLE PLACED BETWEEN SAID PLATENS WILL BE INDICATED ON SAID DIAL INDICATOR, AND A PIN SECURED TO AND EXTENDING FROM SAID ROD ADJACENT THE UPPER END THEREOF TO FACILITATE RAISING OF THE ROD AGAINST THE TENSION OF SAID SPRINGS TO PERMIT INSERTION OF A TEST SAMPLE BETWEEN SAID PLATENS.