Apparatus for detecting the presence of hard solid particles in a body of softer solid substance

Claim 2

In an apparatus for detecting the presence of hard solid particles in a body of softer solid substance, a fluid pressure chamber with a group of closely-spaced probes extending therefrom, which probes are of uniform length with their exposed ends normally in a common plane and with their opposite ends terminating within said pressure chamber wherein there is a fluid pressure, whereby said opposite ends of all of the probes are yieldably restrained by the fluid pressure against relative movement when several or all of the probes of the group are projected into a mass of solid substance to be tested, and movement of one probe relative to another indicates the presence of harder and softer bodies in the mass with means for indicating any such relative movement, the invention wherein: a. the probes of said group are all carried by a common matrix with numerous holes therethrough forming one wall of the pressure chamber, one hole for each probe, and each probe has an intermediate portion slidably fitted in the hole in which it is received, the exposed end of the proBe comprising a needlelike extension of the intermediate portion, and wherein b. common means is provided in the pressure chamber against which said opposite end of any probe will move to actuate indicating means when the pressure in the chamber is insufficient to keep the said probe extended against the resistance of a hard particle encountered by such probe as the goup of probes are projected into the substance to be tested.

Claim 3

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said common means comprises an electrically conductive plate extending over and spaced above said opposite ends of all the probes said spacing providing electrical isolation therebetween, said plate being free to move upwardly under the urging of any of the probe members.

Claim 4

The apparatus as set forth in claim 2, wherein said common matrix and said probes are electrically conductive and in electrical contact and are electrically connected to an indicating means electrical circuit, with said electrically conductive plate also being electrically connected to the indicating means circuit, which circuit is completed when any one or more of the said opposite ends of the probes contact said conductive plate to indicate the probe contacting a hard solid particle.

Claim 5

The apparatus set forth in claim 1, wherein said opposite end of each probe is an enlarged terminal portion of greater diameter than the intermediate portion, said terminal portion being within the pressure chamber and normally seated against the matrix whereby its effective projected area exposed to pressure in the chamber is greater than the area of the hole in which the intermediate portion is fitted when said enlarged terminal portion of the probe is so seated.

Claim 6

The apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein a sealing means is arranged on the top of said common matrix with matrix apertures for the holes in the matrix, and the underside of each of the respective enlarged terminal portion of said probes seats when the pressure chamber is pressurized to seal said pressure chamber.

Claim 7

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said common means is spaced above said opposite ends of said probes when the pressure chamber is pressurized by a distance slightly less than the minimum thickness of the hard particles sought to be detected.

Claim 8

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said pressure chamber is reciprocably moveable from a position above the support platform for the mass to be tested to a position with the downwardly extending probe ends substantially penetrating the mass to be tested.

Claim 9

The apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein reversing means are included for effecting instant reversing of direction of the downwardly moving pressure chamber when the common means is engaged by upward movement of any one of said probes.

Claim 10

The apparatus as set forth in claim 7, wherein a stationary stripper plate having aligned probe receiving apertures is mounted between the reciprocably moveable pressure chamber and the support platform for the mass, whereby the mass is readily removed from the probes upon upward movement of the pressure chamber.

Claim 11

The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the holes of said common matrix are arranged in a spiral pattern radiating outward from the center of the common matrix with the holes being uniformly spaced along the spiral to provide a random array of probes.

Claim 12

In an apparatus for detecting the presence of hard solid particles in a body of softer solid substance, a fluid pressure chamber with a group of closely-spaced probes of uniform length with their exposed ends normally in a common plane and with their opposite ends terminating within the pressure chamber, wherein there is a fluid pressure, whereby said opposite ends of all of the probes are yieldably restrained by fluid pressure against relative movement when several or all of the probes of the group are projected into a mass of solid substance to be tested, and upon penetration of the probes into the Soft solid substance termination of the movement of one probe with respect to the direction of continued penetration of the other probes indicates the presence of a harder body within the softer body with electrical means for indicating any such relative probe movement, the invention wherein: a. the probes of said group are all carried by a common matrix with numerous holes therethrough forming one wall of the pressure chamber, one hole for each probe, and each probe has an intermediate portion slidably fitted in the hole in which it is received, the exposed end of the probe comprising a needle-like extension of the intermediate portion, the said opposite end of the probe being an enlarged terminal portion of greater diameter than the intermediate portion, said terminal portion being within the pressure chamber and normally seated against the matrix whereby its effective projected area exposed to pressure in the chamber is greater than the area of the hole in which the intermediate portion is fitted when said enlarge terminal portion of the probe is so seated, said common matrix and said probes being electrically conductive and in electrical contact with each other and electrically connected to an indicating means electrical circuit; and said combination wherein b. an electrically conductive plate extends over and is spaced above the terminal portions of all the probes, said spacing providing electrical isolation between the plate and the probes, said conductive plate also being electrically connected in the indicating means electrical circuit so that the enlarged terminal portion of any probe will move upward to electrically contact said conductive plate and complete the indicating means electrical circuit when the pressure in the chamber is insufficient to keep the enlarged terminal portion normally seated on the matrix against the resistance of a hard solid particle encountered by the probe.

Claim 13

In an apparatus for detecting the presence of hard solid particles in a body of softer solid substance, a fluid pressure chamber with a group of closely-spaced probes of uniform length with their exposed ends normally in a common plane and with their opposite ends terminating within the pressure chamber, wherein there is a fluid pressure, whereby said opposite ends of all of the probes are yieldably restrained by fluid pressure against relative movement when several or all of the probes of the group are projected into a mass of solid substance to be tested, and upon penetration of the probes into the Soft solid substance termination of the movement of one probe with respect to the direction of continued penetration of the other probes indicates the presence of a harder body within the softer body with electrical means for indicating any such relative probe movement, the invention wherein: a. the probes of said group are all carried by a common matrix with numerous holes therethrough forming one wall of the pressure chamber, one hole for each probe, and each probe has an intermediate portion slidably fitted in the hole in which it is received, the exposed end of the probe comprising a needle-like extension of the intermediate portion, the said opposite end of the probe being an enlarged terminal portion of greater diameter than the intermediate portion, said terminal portion being within the pressure chamber and normally seated against the matrix whereby its effective projected area exposed to pressure in the chamber is greater than the area of the hole in which the intermediate portion is fitted when said enlarge terminal portion of the probe is so seated, said common matrix and said probes being electrically conductive and in electrical contact with each other and electrically connected to an indicating means electrical circuit; and said combination wherein b. an electrically conductive plate extends over and is spaced above the terminal portions of all the probes, said spacing providing electrical isolation between the plate and the probes, said conductive plate also being electrically connected in the indicating means electrical circuit so that the enlarged terminal portion of any probe will move upward to electrically contact said conductive plate and complete the indicating means electrical circuit when the pressure in the chamber is insufficient to keep the enlarged terminal portion normally seated on the matrix against the resistance of a hard solid particle encountered by the probe.