Apparatus for non-destructive testing of a dielectric material including resilient dielectric coupling means positioned between an electrode and the material under test

Claim 1

IN A SYSTEM FOR CORONA TESTING OF A DIELECTRIC MATERIAL, A PAIR OF ELECTRODES ADAPTED FOR DISPOSITION ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF THE MATERIAL UNDER TEST, MEANS FOR APPLYING A HIGH VOLTAGE BETWEEN SAID ELECTRODES, MEANS FOR DETECTING CORONA DISCHARGES OCCURRING IN THE ELECTROSTATIC FIELD BETWEEN SAID ELECTRODES, AND COUPLING MEANS ADAPTED TO BE DISPOSED BETWEEN AT LEAST ONE OF SAID ELECTRODES AND ADJACENT SURFACE OF THE DIELECTRIC MATERIAL UNDER TEST FOR AVOIDING THE PRODUCTION OF CORONA DISCHARGES OUTSIDE THE DIELECTRIC MATERIAL UNDER TEST, SAID COUPLING MEANS COMPRISING A ROTATABLE TIRE OF RESILIENT DIELECTRIC MATERIAL SURROUNDING SAID ONE ELECTRODE AND ADAPTED TO BE COMPRESSED BETWEEN SAID ONE ELECTRODE AND THE ADJACENT SURFACE OF THE DIELECTRIC MATERIAL UNDER TEST TO ALLOW RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF THE ELECTRODE AND THE DIELECTRIC MATERIAL AND MEANS FOR ROTATABLY MOUNTING SAID TIRE.