Autographic impact tester

Claim 1

AN IMPACT TESTING INSTRUMENT A BASE, A CLAMPING MEANS INCLUDING A FIXED ABUTMENT SECURED TO SAID BASE AND MOVABLE MEMBER MOUNTED ON SAID BASE FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID FIXED ABUTMENT, A TRANSDUCER DISPOSED BETWEEN SAID ABUTMENT AND SAID MOVABLE MEMBER AND ADAPTED TO SUPPORT A TEST SAMPLE AGAINST SAID ABUTMENT WHEN HELD AGAINST SAID SAMPLE BY SAID MOVABLE MEMBER, SAID TRANSDUCER HAVING A FIRST AND A SECOND PAIR OF OPPOSED SIDES, SAID SIDES BEING SECURED TOGETHER TO FORM A HOLLOW, SUBSTANTIALLY RECTANGULAR BOX WITH SAID FIRST PAIR OF SIDES OVERLAPPING SAID SECOND PAIR OF SIDES, STRAIN GAUGES SECURED TO AN INSIDE PORTION AND AN OUTSIDE PORTION OF EACH SIDE OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF OPPOSED SIDES, AND MEANS FOR APPLYING AN IMPACT FORCE TO A CLAMPED SIDE OF SAID SAMPLE WHILE SAID SAMPLE IS CLAMPED AT A PREDETERMINED PRESSURE BETWEEN SAID ABUTMENT AND THE OUTER FACE OF ONE OF SAID SECOND PAIR OF OPPOSED SIDES, SAID STRAIN GAUGES BEING RESPONSIVE TO THE DEFLECTION OF SAID FIRST PAIR OF SIDES CAUSED BY THE REACTION FORCE DEVELOPED BY THE FLEXURAL BENDING AND BREAKING OF SAID SAMPLE AND PROVIDING A SIGNAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE IMPULSE ABSORBED BY SAID SAMPLE.