Soil tester

Claim 3

A device as in claim 1, wherein said third means includes a fluid pressure motor.

Claim 4

A device as in claim 2, wherein the fourth means includes a helically-wrapped cam element and a cam follower element in engagement therewith.

Claim 5

A device as in claim 3, wherein one of said elements is actuated by the operator-controlled means.

Claim 6

A device as in claim 4, wherein said mounting means includes a hollow member; said motor carried within and rotatable relative to said hollow member.

Claim 7

A test device as in claim 5, said motor comprising a cylinder and a piston; and means connecting the cylinder for rotation by the remaining one of said elements.

Claim 8

A device as in claim 2, wherein the operator-controlled means includes a connection with said first means, whereby at least a portion of the operator-controlled means is movable relative to said first means in the course of applying said instrument-rotating force.

Claim 9

A device as in claim 7, wherein the load-varying means includes a. a cam element; b. a cam follower element; c. a source of fluid under pressure; d. a pressure regulator connected with said source and with said motor; and e. means interconnecting the operator-controlled means, the cam and cam follower elements, and the regulator.

Claim 10

A device as in claim 8, wherein said second means includes first and second tubes having a telescoping relationship with each other and a third tube having a telescoping relationshiP with said second tube.

Claim 11

A device as in claim 1, wherein the fourth means includes a helically-wrapped cam element and a cam follower element in engagement therewith.

Claim 12

A device as in claim 10, wherein one of said elements is actuated by the operator-controlled means.

Claim 13

A device as in claim 11, wherein said mounting means includes a hollow member, and said load applying means includes an element carried within and rotatable relative to the hollow member.

Claim 14

A device as in claim 1, wherein said second means includes first and second tubes having a telescoping relationship with each other and a third tube having a telescoping relationship with said second tube.

Claim 15

A device as in claim 13, wherein said third means includes a fluid pressure motor.

Claim 16

A device as in claim 14, wherein said load varying means includes a cam element and a cam follower element in engagement with the cam element, one element mounted on the third tube and the other mounted on the first-mentioned tube whereby relative telescoping of the tubes imparts relative movement of said cam and cam follower elements.

Claim 17

A device as in claim 15, and a pressure fluid source and a pressure regulator connected to supply fluid under pressure to said motor, and means connecting said regulator for operation by said cam follower element.

Claim 18

A device as in claim 1, and means to record the required instrument-rotating force as a function of said downward load.

Claim 19

A device as in claim 17, wherein the recording means includes a chart having two axes, a stylus, means mounting the stylus for movement parallel to one of the two axes, and means to move the chart relative to the stylus in a direction parallel to the remaining one of the two axes.

Claim 20

A device as in claim 18, wherein the chart is mounted on a cylindrical drum, and wherein the chart moving means includes means to mount and rotate the drum about an axis of rotation.

Claim 21

A device as in claim 19, wherein the means to move the stylus and the means to rotate the drum comprise value indicators one of which is connected to indicate and record the downward load on the soil-engaging instrument and the other is connected to indicate and record said force to rotate the soil-engaging instrument.

Claim 22

A device as in claim 1, wherein the operator-controlled means comprises a fluid-pressure operated ram connected to raise and lower said third means.

Claim 23

A device as in claim 21, wherein said fourth means comprises two shafts relatively rotatable about a common axis and rotatable as a unit when said instrument encounters no resistance to rotation, and resilient means connecting the two shafts.

Claim 24

A device as in claim 22, wherein the force measuring means comprises a drum mounted on one of said two relatively rotatable shafts, and a stylus mounted on the other one of said two relatively rotatable shafts, the drum adapted to hold a sheet of recording material and the stylus adapted to contact said sheet.

Claim 25

A device as in claim 23, wherein the means to vary the load comprises a pair of torque-transmitting elements rotatable in unison about a common axis and movable along their common axis relative to each other, and a spring connecting the pair of torque-transmitting elements for resiliently opposing said relative movement along their common axis.

Claim 26

A device as in claim 24, wherein one of the two relatively rotatable shafts is also one of said pair of torque-transmitting elements.

Claim 27

A device as in claim 1, wherein said fourth means comprises two shafts relatively rotatable about a common axis and rotatable as a unit when said instrument encounters no resistance to rotation, and resilient means connecting the two shafts.

Claim 28

A device as in claim 26, wherein the force measuring means comprises a drum mounted on one of said two relatively rotatable shafts, and a stylus mounted on the other one of said two relatively rotatable shafts, the drum adapted to hold a sheet of recording material and the stylus adapted to contact said sheet.

Claim 29

A device as in claim 27, wherein the means to vary the load comprises a pair of torque-transmitting elements rotatable in unison about a common axis and movable along their common axis relative to each other, and a spring connecting the pair of torque-transmitting elements for resiliently opposing said relative movement along their common axis.

Claim 30

A device as in claim 28, wherein one of the two relatively rotatable shafts is also one of said pair of torque-transmitting elements.

Claim 31

A device as in claim 1, wherein the means to vary the load comprises a pair of torque-transmitting elements rotatable in unison about a common axis and movable along their common axis relative to each other, and a spring connecting the pair of torque-transmitting elements for resiliently opposing said relative movement along their common axis.

Claim 32

A soil testing device comprising: a. a platform; b. a shaft; c. means mounting the shaft on the platform and for simultaneously rotating the shaft and moving it along its axis of rotation; d. a second shaft telescopingly engaging the first-named shaft; e. a spring engaging both shafts for yieldingly transmitting axial thrust from the first shaft to the second shaft while permitting telescoping of the first and second shafts; f. means for preventing relative angular movement of the first and second shafts during their relative axial telescoping movement; g. a third shaft supported by the second shaft for rotation therewith about coincident axes; h. means connecting the second and third shafts for transmitting axial thrust to the third shaft by the second shaft while preventing axial movement of the second shaft relative to the first shaft; i. spring means connecting the second and third shafts yieldingly to permit angular movement of the third shaft relative to the second shaft while the second shaft resiliently applies a torque to the third shaft; and j. means connecting the first and third shafts to indicate said relative axial movement as a function of transmitted axial thrust and said relative angular movement as a function of transmited torque.

Claim 33

A soil testing device comprising: a. a platform; b. a shaft; c. means mounting the shaft on the platform and for simultaneously rotating the shaft and moving it along its axis of rotation; d. a second shaft telescopingly engaging the first-named shaft; e. a spring engaging both shafts for yieldingly transmitting axial thrust from the first shaft to the second shaft while permitting telescoping of the first and second shafts; f. means for preventing relative angular movement of the first and second shafts during their relative axial telescoping movement; g. a third shaft supported by the second shaft for rotation therewith about coincident axes; h. means connecting the second and third shafts for transmitting axial thrust to the third shaft by the second shaft while preventing axial movement of the second shaft relative to the first shaft; i. spring means connecting the second and third shafts yieldingly to permit angular movement of the third shaft relative to the second shaft while the second shaft resiliently applies a torque to the third shaft; and j. means connecting the first and third shafts to indicate said relative axial movement as a function of transmitted axial thrust and said relative angular movement as a function of transmited torque.

Claim 34

A device as in claim 31, wherein the indicating means connecting the first and third shafts comprises a drum mounted on and movable with one of said shafts; and a stylus mounted on and movable with the remaining one of said shafts.