Abstract There is described an apparatus for determining the behaviour of powder of granular material under stress, comprising, at least one flexible boundary arranged to abut one face of a sample of the powder or granular material, means to apply stress to the sample through the flexible boundary, a detector to detect the position of the flexible boundary as the sample is stressed, and a control to adjust the position of the flexible boundary. The detector may comprise an electrical circuit, advantageously a make and break circuit. There is also described an apparatus for determining the behavior of powder or granular material under stress, comprising at least one flexible boundary arranged to abut one face of a sample of the powder or granular material, means to apply stress to the sample through the flexible boundary, and adjusting members attached to the flexible boundary to cause it to strain as the sample strains under the applied stress. Preferably, movement of the adjusting members of the flexible boundary automatically adjusts an adjacent flexible boundary.
Inventors
👤 Jonathan R. F. Arthur
👤 Trebilcock Dunstan
Bibliographic Details
Application Number—
JurisdictionUS
Data Sourcegoogle_patents
Last Synchronized2026-11-09 02:29
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N3/00; G01N3/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
102 words
An apparatus for determining the behaviour of powder or granular material under stress, comprising: four flexible boundaries arranged to abut four faces of a cuboid sample of the powder or granular material; means to apply stress to the sample through the flexible boundaries in two perpendicular directions; adjusting members arranged at the lateral edges of the said faces and each operatively connected with two adjacent flexible boundaries; and control means to adjust the said adjusting members whereby adjustment of each said member adjusts the two said adjacent flexible boundaries to allow them to strain as the sample strains under the applied stress.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
102 words
An apparatus for determining the behaviour of powder or granular material under stress, comprising: four flexible boundaries arranged to abut four faces of a cuboid sample of the powder or granular material; means to apply stress to the sample through the flexible boundaries in two perpendicular directions; adjusting members arranged at the lateral edges of the said faces and each operatively connected with two adjacent flexible boundaries; and control means to adjust the said adjusting members whereby adjustment of each said member adjusts the two said adjacent flexible boundaries to allow them to strain as the sample strains under the applied stress.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein each flexible boundary is in the front face of a pressurized bag which is supported by a backing plate arranged on the back of the bag, the backing plate being adjustably connected to the two adjusting members at the edges of each flexible boundary.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
30 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the or each bag is supported around an adjustable frame which is contacted by the backing plate, and connected to the adjusting members.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein on the two faces of the sample which are not stressed by the said stress applying means, there is provided a flexible sheet which is adapted to strain along with those two faces, the flexible sheet being connected to the adjusting members and the backing plates of the stressed faces.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
An apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a detector to detect the position of each flexible boundary as the sample is stressed.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
16 words
An apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the detector comprises an electrical make and break circuit.