Abstract: A testing machine includes a pair of spaced side-by-side rails spanned by a carriage and opposite thereto a piston/cylinder mechanism between each rail and an associated crosshead. A wire cable, sling or the like is connected between the carriage and the crosshead and when the pistons of the piston/cylinder mechanisms are forcefully extended from the cylinders the sling is brought under tension loading upwardly to 3,000,000 lbs. Each side rail is formed of a plurality of sections with each section being defined by relatively long metal rail members joined by tubes and carrying studs and a first series of rebars. A second series of rebars spans a joint between adjacent rail sections. The metal rail members of adjacent sections are spaced from each other to define a gap therebetween. Concrete is poured into the sections to eventually surround, embed and unitize the sections upon subsequent solidification of the concrete.

Abstract: A cable gripping block is provided with sectional cover plates for easy and quick removal, where the cover plates are secured to the cable gripping block by cylindrical tenons projecting from the cable gripping blocks, through cavities in the sectional cover plate. The tenons absorb any transverse forces generated by the clamping action of the cable gripping block.