Simulation and measurement apparatus

Claim 2

In an evacuable simulator, an improved transport mechanism within the evacuable portion of the simulator comprising: a support wheel; a specimen mounting member on said support wheel, said specimen mounting member including means for mounting a plurality of separate specimens; means for measuring the temperature of each of said specimens; and means for moving said support wheel for transferring said specimen mounting member between a simulation station within the evacuable portion of the simulator and a measurement station also within the evacuable portion of the simulator.

Claim 3

In a simulator as defined in claim 1 an improved support wheel comprising: a cruciform support member; a pivotal mounting for said support member at the center of said cruciform, and between said simulation station and said measurement station; a plurality of said specimen mounting members, one located at the end of each of the arms of the cruciform support member.

Claim 4

In a simulator as defined in claim 2 an improved specimen mounting member comprising: a plate mounted at the end of each cruciform arm for rotary motion in the plane of the support member; a plurality of specimen receiving locations on one face of said plate; and a driven gear at the periphery of said plate; said simulator further comprising: a driver gear engaging said driven gear and connected to drive means external to the evacuable portion of the simulator.

Claim 5

In a simulator as defined in claim 1 an improved support wheel having a plurality of support sites each for one of said mounting members; and wherein each of said mounting members comprises; a plate mounted for rotary motion within the plane of the support wheel and including drive engaging means for effecting rotary motion of said plate; a plurality of specimen receiving locations in a circular pattern on one face of said plate, each of said locations including a specimen securing member, a thermocouple element, and means for urging the thermocouple element into contact with a specimen in the respective receiving location; and a thermocouple lead wire enclosure on said plate to accommodate a continuous length of wire sufficient to permit limited rotary motion of said plate without binding of the wire.

Claim 6

In a simulator as defined in claim 1 an improved transport mechanism wherein: said support wheel comprises a support member having a plurality of arms, a loop at the end of each of said arms; and further comprising a plurality of said specimen mounting members, one located at the end of each of the arms of the support member, each of said specimen mounting members comprising: a low friction bearing mounted in said loop; a plate mounted in said bearing for rotary motion in the plane of the support member; a driven gear at a periphery of said plate; a plurality of specimen receiving locations on one face of said plate, each of said locations including means for holding a specimen in place, thermocouple adapted for contacting a specimen in said location, and means for passing leads from the thermocouple to a periphery of said plate; and an enclosure on the opposite side of said plate from said specimen receiving locations, said enclosure having a plurality of openings on the periphery thereof for receiving thermocouple lead wires and having sufficient internal volume to accommodate a continuous length of thermocouple lead wire in a loose circumferential array to permit limited rotary motion of said plate without binding of the wire; and said plate further comprising; an unobstructed rear portion opposite said specimen receiving locations for contact with a heat exchanger.