Cushioning material test device

Claim 2

An impact test device comprising a vertically extending tube having an open lower end, a base spaced below the lower end of the tube and adapted to retain on the upper side thereof fronting toward said tube a product to be impact tested, a capsule confined within the bore of the tube for movement axially of the tube toward the open tube end, said capsule being of such an axial dimension that it may project through the said lower open tube end to impact a product on the base while the upper end of the capsule is retained within the tube, a shuttle confined within the capsule of lesser axial dimension than the capsule and capable of movement axially from an upper end of the capsule toward a lower end of the capsule, cooperable means carried by the shuttle and capsule for releasably retaining the shuttle at an upper end of the capsule, means independent of the capsule for raising the shuttle from a released position to the secured position at the upper end of the capsule and means independent of the shuttle for raising the capsule with the shuttle therein upwardly in the said tube.

Claim 3

An impact test device comprising a vertically extending tube having an open lower end, a base spaced below the lower end of the tube and adapted to retain on the upper side thereof fronting toward said tube a product to be impact tested, a capsule confined within the bore of the tube for movement axially of the tube toward the open tube end, said capsule being of such an axial dimension that it may project through the said lower open tube end to impact a product on the base while the upper end of the capsule is retained within the tube, a shuttle confined within the capsule of lesser axial dimension than the capsule and capable of movement axially from an upper end of the capsule toward a lower end of the capsule, cooperable magnetic means carried by ththe shuttle and capsule for releasably retaining the shuttle at an upper end of the capsule, said tube having in the periphery thereof an axially extending slot, the capsule having a rod projecting through the said slot to permit raising of the capsule in the tube, and the capsule also having in the periphery thereof an axially extending slot arranged to lie coincident with the slot of the tube, and the shuttle having a rod projecting through the slot of the capsule whereby the shuttle may be raised from a lower capsule end to an upper capsule end to attach the capsule and shuttle together.

Claim 4

An impact test device comprising a vertically extending tube having an open lower end, a base spaced below the lower end of the tube and adapted to retain on the upper side thereof fronting toward said tube a product to be impact tested, a capsule confined within the bore of the tube for movement axially of the tube toward the open tube end, said capsule being of such an axial dimension that it may project through the said lower open tube end to impact a product on the base while the upper end of the capsule is retained within the tube, a shuttle confined within the capsule of lesser axial dimension than the capsule and capable of movement axially from an upper end of the capsule toward a lower end of the capsule, cooperable magnetic means carried by ththe shuttle and capsule for releasably retaining the shuttle at an upper end of the capsule, said tube having in the periphery thereof an axially extending slot, the capsule having a rod projecting through the said slot to permit raising of the capsule in the tube, and the capsule also having in the periphery thereof an axially extending slot arranged to lie coincident with the slot of the tube, and the shuttle having a rod projecting through the slot of the capsule whereby the shuttle may be raised from a lower capsule end to an upper capsule end to attach the capsule and shuttle together.

Claim 5

An impact test device comprising a vertically extending tube having an open lower end, a base spaced below the lower end of the tube and adapted to retain on the upper side thereof fronting toward said tube a product to be impact tested, a capsule confined within the bore of the tube for movement axially of the tube toward the open tube end, said capsule being of such an axial dimension that it may project through the said lower open tube end to impact a product on the base while the upper end of the capsule is retained within the tube, a shuttle confined within the capsule of lesser axial dimension than the capsule and capable of movement axially from an upper end of the capsule toward a lower end of the capsule, cooperable magnetic means carried by the shuttle and capsule for releasably retaining the shuttle at an upper end of the capsule, said tube having in the periphery thereof an axially extending slot, the capsule having a rod projecting through the said slot to permit raising of the capsule in the tube, and the capsule also having in the periphery thereof an axially extending slot arranged to lie coincident with the slot of the tube, and the shuttle having a rod projecting through the slot of the capsule whereby the shuttle may be raised from a lower capsule end to an upper capsule end to attach the capsule and shuttle together, and said capsule having means projecting into the slot thereof to grasp and hold the rod projecting through the slot as the rod is urged axially in the slot.

Claim 6

An impact test device comprising a vertically extending tube having an open lower end, a base spaced below the lower end of the tube and adapted to retain on the upper side thereof fronting toward said tube a product to be impact tested, a capsule confined within the bore of the tube for movement axially of the tube toward the open tube end, said capsule being of such an axial dimension that it may project through the said lower open tube end to impact a product on the base while the upper end of the capsule is retained within the tube, a shuttle confined within the capsule of lesser axial dimension than the capsule and capable of movement axially from an upper end of the capsule toward a lower end of the capsule, cooperable magnetic means carried by the shuttle and capsule for releasably retaining the shuttle at an upper end of the capsule, said tube having in the periphery thereof an axially extending slot, the capsule having a rod projecting through the said slot to permit raising of the capsule in the tube, and the capsule also having in the periphery thereof an axially extending slot arranged to lie coincident with the slot of the tube, and the shuttle having a rod projecting through the slot of the capsule whereby the shuttle may be raised from a lower capsule end to an upper capsule end to attach the capsule and shuttle together, and said capsule having means projecting into the slot thereof to grasp and hold the rod projecting through the slot as the rod is urged axially in the slot.

Claim 7

An impact test device comprising a base for retaining on an upper surface thereof a sample to be impact tested, a tube extending vertically above the base and having a lower open end tereof in spaced relation with the base, holder means retaining the sad tube in the said spaced relation, said tube having longitudinally extending sections in abutting relation providing the overall length of tube, a collar retained by one tube section of each abutting pair of sections, said collar projecting from the periphery of one section axially of the section to receive the adjacent section, a capsule slidably confined within the tube for movement axially of the tube toward the said loWer open end of the tube, said capsule being of such dimension axially of the tube that it may project from the said lower end of the tube to impact a sample on the base while the upper end of the capsule is retained within the tube, a shutle confined within the capsule and of lesser axial dimension than the capsule so that it may move from an upper end of the capsule toward a lower end upon the application of sufficient force to the shuttle, magnetic means for releasably retaining the shuttle in an upper end of the capsule, said tube having a first slot in the periphery thereof extending axially of the tube and said capsule having a slot in the periphery thereof extending axially of the capsule and communicating the interior of the capsule through the first said slot with the exterior of the said tube, resilient means projecting into the slot of the capsule intermediate the length of the slot well below the upper end of the capsule, a finger grip and guide pin projecting from the capsule through the slot of the said tube to permit raising the capsule in the said tube, and a rod projecting from the shuttle through the overlying slots to permit moving the shuttle to the upper end of the capsule, said rod being of such dimension as to engage and be retained by said resilient means when said shuttle is subjected to a force to cause it to move toward the lower end of the capsule.

Claim 8

An impact test device comprising a base for retaining on an upper surface thereof a sample to be impact tested, a tube extending vertically above the base and having a lower open end tereof in spaced relation with the base, holder means retaining the sad tube in the said spaced relation, said tube having longitudinally extending sections in abutting relation providing the overall length of tube, a collar retained by one tube section of each abutting pair of sections, said collar projecting from the periphery of one section axially of the section to receive the adjacent section, a capsule slidably confined within the tube for movement axially of the tube toward the said loWer open end of the tube, said capsule being of such dimension axially of the tube that it may project from the said lower end of the tube to impact a sample on the base while the upper end of the capsule is retained within the tube, a shutle confined within the capsule and of lesser axial dimension than the capsule so that it may move from an upper end of the capsule toward a lower end upon the application of sufficient force to the shuttle, magnetic means for releasably retaining the shuttle in an upper end of the capsule, said tube having a first slot in the periphery thereof extending axially of the tube and said capsule having a slot in the periphery thereof extending axially of the capsule and communicating the interior of the capsule through the first said slot with the exterior of the said tube, resilient means projecting into the slot of the capsule intermediate the length of the slot well below the upper end of the capsule, a finger grip and guide pin projecting from the capsule through the slot of the said tube to permit raising the capsule in the said tube, and a rod projecting from the shuttle through the overlying slots to permit moving the shuttle to the upper end of the capsule, said rod being of such dimension as to engage and be retained by said resilient means when said shuttle is subjected to a force to cause it to move toward the lower end of the capsule.

Claim 9

In a process of comparing the energy absorption characteristics of materials, the steps of releasably supporting a shuttle within a capsule, impelling the capsule and so supported shuttle in a linear direction against a material to be tested to cause the capsule to be subjected to a shock force in the lineal direction, supporting the capsule laterally during the capsule travel and during impact with the material, initially subjecting the capsule to a shock force insufficient to separate the shuttle from the capsule and then repeating the subjection of the capsule and shuttle to higher levels of shock to attain the shock force necessary to separate the shuttle from the capsule whereby an indication of the energy absorption characteristic of the material is indicated.

Claim 10

In a process of comparing the energy absorption characteristics of materials, the steps of releasably supporting a shuttle within a capsule, impelling the capsule and so supported shuttle in a linear direction against a material to be tested to cause the capsule to be subjected to a shock force in the lineal direction, supporting the capsule laterally during the capsule travel and during impact with the material, initially subjecting the capsule to a shock force insufficient to separate the shuttle from the capsule and then repeating the subjection of the capsule and shuttle to higher levels of shock to attain the shock force necessary to separate the shuttle from the capsule whereby an indication of the energy absorption characteristic of the material is indicated.