Vibration damped mounting for extensometer system

Claim 2

An extensometer apparatus comprising means for contacting a specimen for use with the extensometer apparatus, a frame mounting the means for contacting the specimen, means for indicating movement of the specimen contact means with respect to a reference position, the extensometer apparatus including a mass supported on a movable member in the apparatus transmitting vibrations to the extensometer apparatus which affect an output of the means for indicating movement, and means for coupling the mass to the member comprising a layer of damping material mounting the mass relative the member so that vibrations are not directly transmitted to the mass except through the layer of vibration damping material.

Claim 3

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mass comprises a counterweight to counterbalance pivotal movements of a portion of the extensometer apparatus.

Claim 4

The apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein the mass comprises a counterweight mounted to the frame for counterweighting portions of the frame with respect to a frame suspension member which is positioned between the specimen engaged by the specimen contact means.

Claim 5

The apparatus as specified in claim 1 wherein said mass comprises a support frame, means for supporting the support frame relative to a ground reference, and the means for supporting including the layer of damping material to couple the support frame to the ground reference.

Claim 6

The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the mass comprises a counterweight coupled to a pivoting, member on the support frame, the layer of damping material being mounted between the counterweight and the pivoting member.

Claim 7

An extensometer apparatus comprising a support frame for supporting at least two specimen contact means which have outer ends adapted to engage a specimen at spaced locations, and including means for indicating movement of the specimen contact means with respect to the loading axis of such specimen; means for hingedly coupling the support frame relative to the specimen contact means so that the specimen contact means can pivotally move relative to the support frame as dimensional changes occur in such specimen; a counterweight carried on the support frame and; means for mounting said counterweight with respect to the support frame comprising a vibration damping material supporting the counterweight to carry weight induced loading between the support frame and the counterweight.

Claim 8

An extensometer apparatus comprising a support frame for supporting at least two specimen contact means which have outer ends adapted to engage a specimen at spaced locations, and including means for indicating movement of the specimen contact means with respect to the loading axis of such specimen; means for hingedly coupling the support frame relative to the specimen contact means so that the specimen contact means can pivotally move relative to the support frame as dimensional changes occur in such specimen; a counterweight carried on the support frame and; means for mounting said counterweight with respect to the support frame comprising a vibration damping material supporting the counterweight to carry weight induced loading between the support frame and the counterweight.

Claim 9

The apparatus as specified in claim 6 wherein said vibration dampening material comprises a silicone foam rubber.

Claim 10

The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the specimen contact means is mounted on a base and is elongated relative to the means for hingedly coupling, and means for mounting the counterweight on the base through the damping material to counterweight the elongated specimen contact means.

Claim 11

The apparatus of claim 6 and means for supporting the support frame relative to an external mount independently of coupling to a specimen, and a depending link that establishes a second pivot axis for the support frame, and wherein the counterweight is connected to the support frame to counterbalance the support frame relative to the second pivot axis.

Claim 12

An extensometer system comprising: a support frame for supporting at least two specimen contact means which have outer ends adapted to engage a specimen in spaced location, and including means for indicating movement of the specimen contact means along the loading axis of such specimen, said support frame including a parallelogram linkage having first and second spaced apart substantially parallel beams, and third and fourth spaced apart substantially parallel beams positioned at right angles to the first and second beams; means for hingedly coupling the third and fourth members to the first and second members at spaced locations thereon, respectively; means for coupling a first of the specimen contact means to a first beam; means for coupling a second of said specimen contact means to the second beam, including means for indicating movement of the outer end of said second specimen contact means in direction along a loading axis of such specimen to be tested, the specimen contact means having axes substantially parallel to the axes of said first and second beams at a reference position of the specimen contact rods; and vibration damping means for supporting at least certain portions of the mass of the extensometer system relative to other portions to damp vibrations induced in said such system.

Claim 13

An extensometer system comprising: a support frame for supporting at least two specimen contact means which have outer ends adapted to engage a specimen in spaced location, and including means for indicating movement of the specimen contact means along the loading axis of such specimen, said support frame including a parallelogram linkage having first and second spaced apart substantially parallel beams, and third and fourth spaced apart substantially parallel beams positioned at right angles to the first and second beams; means for hingedly coupling the third and fourth members to the first and second members at spaced locations thereon, respectively; means for coupling a first of the specimen contact means to a first beam; means for coupling a second of said specimen contact means to the second beam, including means for indicating movement of the outer end of said second specimen contact means in direction along a loading axis of such specimen to be tested, the specimen contact means having axes substantially parallel to the axes of said first and second beams at a reference position of the specimen contact rods; and vibration damping means for supporting at least certain portions of the mass of the extensometer system relative to other portions to damp vibrations induced in said such system.

Claim 14

The extensometer system of claim 10 and means for mounting the support frame with respect to an external mounting, said means for mounting including the vibration damping means for supporting the support frame.