Abstract: In an indentation hardness tester a specimen placed on a specimen table is brought to a position just under an indenter mounted on one free end of a balance having its fulcrum received by a fulcrum bearing member, the balance is turned about the fulcrum by a test load to make an indentation in the specimen by the indenter and then the size of the indentation is measured through a microscope including an objective lens. The fulcrum bearing member for receiving the fulcrum of the balance is vertically movably mounted on a stationary part so that the indenter mounted on the balance is brought up from or down to a position right above the specimen table in close proximity thereto, and the microscope or at least its objective lens is pivotally mounted on the stationary part so that the objective lens turns to or turns away from a position right above the specimen table.

Abstract: A material testing machine includes two detecting means of indenter pressing force detecting means provided with a displacement detector or a strain gage type detector and amount of penetration detecting means provided with a displacement detector. When it is detected by a pulse that the output of the detector of the indenter pressing force detecting means has reached a predetermined value, the output of the detector of the amount of penetration detecting means is latched by the pulse and latched output is used as the output of the amount of pentration detecting means. In a further embodiment, the two detectors are provided with a pulse generator and counting means for counting pulses generated therefrom.