Apparatus for testing articles

Claim 3

The apparatus for testing articles such as can ends and the like for leaks as claimed in claim 1 wherein said upper platen is further provided with a downwardly facing gas bubble capturing chamber sized and shaped to capture gas bubbles trapped by the platens and the clamping means and vent means for discharging gas captured by the chamber.

Claim 4

The apparatus for testing articles such as can ends and the like for leaks as claimed in claim 2 wherein said upper platen is shaped to provide a peripheral edge which overlaps the lower platen and the clamping means with said chamber peripherally located in said upper platen to effectively capture gas bubbles escaping upwardly in the liquid around the lower platen and clamping means.

Claim 5

The apparatus for testing articles such as can ends and the like for leaks as claimed in claim 1 wherein said liquid damper is provided with a downwardly convex transparent surface shaped to shed gas bubbles arising from the viewing port to maintain a clear unobstructed view of the article being tested.

Claim 6

The apparatus for testing articles such as can ends and the like for leaks as claimed in claim 4 wherein said transparent liquid damper is further provided with an upwardly convex transparent surface shaped to shed liquid droplets into the liquid-containing basin.

Claim 7

The apparatus for testing articles such as can ends and the like for leaks as claimed in claim 1 wherein said clamping means further includes a shaft extending upwardly from the bottom of the basin, said lower platen being movable along said shaft, said shaft being affixed to the upper platen and said transparent liquid damper, said shaft further being vertically movable and sized to raise the upper platen and transparent liquid damper above the surface of the liquid and to lower the upper platen for clamping against the lower platen, and means for moving said lower platen above the surface of the liquid to provide dry access to the test chamber for article loading and removal.

Claim 8

The apparatus for testing articles such as can ends and the like for leaks as claimed in claim 6 wherein said upper and lower platen are annular and coaxially mounted on the shaft, with said upper platen radially extending beyond the lower platen and provided with a downwardly facing annular gas bubble capturing slot peripherally surrounding the lower platen and means for discharging gas bubbles captured by the slot away from the viewing path to thE port.

Claim 9

The apparatus for testing articles such as can ends and the like for leaks as claimed in claim 7 wherein said lower platen moving means further includes a coiled spring coaxially located with the shaft and sized to urge the lower platen above the liquid surface upon the raising of the shaft and stop means disposed between the bottom of the basin and the lower platen to seat the lower platen upon the submergence thereof by the lowering of the shaft and enable the development of full clamping pressure between the upper and lower platens.

Claim 10

The apparatus for testing articles such as can ends and the like for leaks as claimed in claim 8 wherein said lower platen is provided with a plurality of test chambers distributed about the shaft and with said upper platen provided with corresponding ports aligned with the test chambers and with said annular gas bubble capturing slot surrounding said test chambers and ports to preserve a clear unobstructed view of articles being tested.

Claim 11

An article leak tester comprising a liquid-retaining basin, a lower platen provided with an article test chamber having an upwardly open end, the open end of the test chamber being shaped and sized for sealing thereof by one side of an article to be tested and placed over the open end, said lower platen being disposed for submergence in the liquid in the basin, an upper platen having a viewing port therein, said upper platen viewing port being aligned with the test chamber in the lower platen and having an article-contacting edge to form a seal around the article''s other side opposite to said one article side, said viewing port exposing said article other side for inspection, said upper platen being disposed for submergence in the liquid in the basin and movably mounted relative to the lower platen for insertion and removal of articles over the test chamber and seating the article-contacting edge against an article disposed over the test chamber, said upper platen being provided with a gas bubble capturing chamber effectively surrounding the test chamber to prevent gas bubbles trapped by the liquid submergence of the platens from disturbing the view of the article other side through the liquid and viewing port, a vent coupled to the gas capturing chamber and disposed to discharge gas therefrom away from the viewing path, and means for pressurizing the test chamber with a gas at a pressure selected to reveal leaks by causing bubbles to rise from the article''s other side through the viewing port whereby article leaks may be quickly and accurately detected.

Claim 12

An article leak tester comprising a liquid-retaining basin, a lower platen provided with an article test chamber having an upwardly open end, the open end of the test chamber being shaped and sized for sealing thereof by one side of an article to be tested and placed over the open end, said lower platen being disposed for submergence in the liquid in the basin, an upper platen having a viewing port therein, said upper platen viewing port being aligned with the test chamber in the lower platen and having an article-contacting edge to form a seal around the article''s other side opposite to said one article side, said viewing port exposing said article other side for inspection, said upper platen being disposed for submergence in the liquid in the basin and movably mounted relative to the lower platen for insertion and removal of articles over the test chamber and seating the article-contacting edge against an article disposed over the test chamber, said upper platen being provided with a gas bubble capturing chamber effectively surrounding the test chamber to prevent gas bubbles trapped by the liquid submergence of the platens from disturbing the view of the article other side through the liquid and viewing port, a vent coupled to the gas capturing chamber and disposed to discharge gas therefrom away from the viewing path, and means for pressurizing the test chamber with a gas at a pressure selected to reveal leaks by causing bubbles to rise from the article''s other side through the viewing port whereby article leaks may be quickly and accurately detected.

Claim 13

The article leak tester as claimed in claim 10 and further including a transparent liquid damper positioned over the viewing port and partially submerged within the liquid in the basin, said damper dampening liquid surface motions for enhanced inspection of submerged articles.

Claim 14

The article leak tester as claimed in claim 11 wherein the transparent damper is a transparent lens selected to enlarge the view of the article''s other side.

Claim 15

The article leak tester as claimed in claim 12 wherein said transparent damper is hollow and shaped in the form of a lens with the hollow filled with a liquid of a different index of refraction from the liquid in the basin to enlarge the view of the article''s other side as seen through the viewing port.

Claim 16

The article leak tester as claimed in claim 10 wherein the lower platen is mounted to the basin for movement above and below the surface of the liquid.

Claim 17

The article leak tester as claimed in claim 10 wherein said upper platen extends beyond the peripheral edge of the lower platen to capture gas bubbles arising from around the lower platen and channel these gas bubbles to the gas bubble capturing chamber in the upper platen.