Abstract: Apparatus is provided for conducting flexure tests on a rectangular test m. The apparatus includes a bearing apparatus, a support structure for supporting a beam for deflection, and a deflection guide for flexing the test beam at a predetermined point. The bearing apparatus includes a pintle and a roller bearing axially mounted on a first end of the pintle. The second end of the pintle is mounted in the jaws of the chuck lathe for eccentric rotation of the roller bearing. The support structure includes two locating brackets for supporting the ends of the test beam. The support structure further includes caging apparatus for caging movement of the test beam. The deflection guide is positionable on top of the test beam between the locating brackets, so that a central impeller element faces the upper surface of the test beam. When the bearing makes contact with the deflection guide during eccentric rotation the impeller element engages and flexes the test beam at a mid-point thereof.

Abstract: Describes a process for applying non-destructive cyclical mechanical stress to planar items in order to simulate the effects of cyclical thermal stresses. Latent defects are accelerated and screened early in a manufacturing process.

Abstract: A hydraulic hose impulse tester capable of simultaneously testing multiple samples of hydraulic hose in a stationary-impulse condition and in a flexing-impulse condition in the same test environment. The tester eliminates varying extraneous factors which can affect comparative test results by performing the static and dynamic tests simultaneously. Alternatively, all sample hoses can be tested in either a static or dynamic condition.

Abstract: A system for testing the properties of a material used in sealing gaps between aircraft panels. The system includes a first device having a pair of interior plates positionable on opposite sides of a first specimen, a pair of intermediate plates located on the sides of the interior plates remote from the first specimen, a pair of exterior plates located on the sides of the intermediate plates remote from the specimen, drive shafts coupled to the exterior plates, a first mechanism connected to the drive shafts for imparting motion thereto, and a first electrical device connected to the interior plates for testing the properties of the first specimen during the operation of the first mechanism.

Abstract: A fatigue testing system subjects a test specimen to a rotary stress applied about an axis at one or both ends which is perpendicular to the axis of the test specimen. The stress applied may be selected from sinusoidal, random, impulse or a signal generated by the stresses applied to an actual in service specimen. A servo applies the stress to the test specimen through a coupler and the changes in the electrical resistance of a portion of the test specimen is sensed to detect the initiation and propagation of a stress failure.

Abstract: A pair of wire specimens supported within a transparent frame established by two sets of pulleys are interconnected between a common powered rotor and a pair of wire tensioning weights protectively enclosed by plastic sheathings. The wire specimens are simultaneously and cyclically displaced along direction changing paths through test medium during a testing operation terminated in response to rupture detected by sensing switches engaged by the weights.

Abstract: A cyclic fatigue testing apparatus intended for testing the cyclic fatigue of samples such as ceramic or the like, in which it comprises a vibration plate assembly comprising a flex plate provided with piezoelectric element layer(s) on at least one surface thereof, a sample supporting member disposed on the vibration plate for supporting the sample and a loading member for forcing the samnple onto the supporting member. The apparatus can operate over a wide frequency range by adjusting the position of the sample supporting member with respect to the flex plate and selecting the frequency of an alternating voltage to be applied to each piezoelectric element layer.

Abstract: Mechanism for determining the fatigue properties of helicopter rotor blade flexbeam sections using one motor driven eccentric for imparting combined bending, twisting and deflection loads to a flexbeam.

Abstract: The quality of dynamic behavior of tennis rackets and/or selected parts of tennis rackets is ascertained by vibrating the rackets and by monitoring one or more parameters of vibratory movement which are indicative of the quality of the corresponding part of or the entire racket. The rackets and/or selected parts of the rackets can be vibrated at a constant or at a variable frequency for selected intervals of time. The parameter may constitute the slope of the curves denoting the phase of vibration, the frequency of vibration, the width of the resonance frequency of the selected part and/or others.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for durability (fatigue) testing of prosthetic heart valves or other check valves. The apparatus is circular in plan and includes a test fixture in which the valves are circularly arranged, located with communicating passages, such passages communicating with bellows closed at one end. The bellows are carried by a swash plate journalled to a motor by a coupling providing an adjustable tilt axis. The tilt axis determines the amplitude of the motion or flow of the fluid, as the bellows alternately expand and contract. A central bypass chamber includes orifices which are selectively varied in effective cross section to control an amount of the test fluid which bypasses the test samples, thereby determining fluid pressure differential across the sample valves. Fluid in the apparatus can be heated by an electric heater to temperatures similar to human blood, a temperature probe monitoring the temperature for its control.

Abstract: A method of determining fatigue life of metals that are subject to the cyclic load. A metal that exhibits a half-value width that varies depending upon the degree of deformation by fatigue is melt-adhered onto a recessed portion formed in a metal of which the life is to be determined. The two metals are subjected to the cyclic load simultaneously. Then, the melt-adhered metal is irradiated with an X-ray, and a half-value width of an S-N curve of the resulting diffracted X-ray is measured, thereby to determine the fatigue life of the metal of which the life is to be estimated. The method is effective for accurately determining the life even for the metals which exhibit half-value widths that change very little depending upon the degree of deformation by fatigue.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for durability (fatigue) testing of various samples (materials, valves, components and other objects) involves use of a test fixture for clamping a sample to be tested in a closed fluid environment and providing fluid passages on opposite sides of the object to be tested through which a bellows-actuated fluid oscillator causes axial oscillating flow of fluid, causing the sample to undergo repeated bidirectional axial pressures producing flexing in the case of a membrane of elastic material or repeated closing and opening in the case of a valve, etc., in response to oscillation of the fluid in the passages. The device is particularly suited for "blister testing" of elastomers and for life testing of prosthetic heart valves and other valves.

Abstract: A battery electrode fatigue simulator having a frame which supports therein a pivotal and a stationary beam. The pivotal and stationary beams secure therebetween an electrode plaque which is to undergo the fatigue simulation. Also mounted to the frame is a rotatable cam of predetermined dimension which acts upon a cam follower forming part of the pivotal beam thereby causing cyclic movement or displacement of the pivotal beam. This cyclic displacement is transferred to the plaque as a cyclic stress in tension. Measurements are made of the displacement of the pivotal beam as well as resistance of the plaque during the application of the cyclic stress. The cyclic displacement versus resistance relationship is representative of the fatigue a battery electrode will undergo during actual battery operation.

Abstract: A mechanical timber grading machine comprises inlet and outlet clamping stations for a length of timber. Each clamping station comprises a number of support and clamping rolls. Midway between the clamping stations is an oscillating station also comprising clamping and support rolls carried in a sub-frame. A push rod applies a vertical oscillating force to the sub-frame (which is carried on a swinging frame). A pair of strain guages are provided on the pushrod to detect the reaction of the timber plank. This plank is moved through the machine by causing the support rolls at the clamping stations to rotate. The oscillating forces is preferably applied at between 20 and 100 Hz. and are applied both positively and negatively.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of stress grading timber, and a timber stress grading machine. The method and machine involve continuously moving a length of timber and stressing the moving length by applying a transverse load thereto. The length is supported by two supports between which the load is applied and the load causes a deflection of the timber length. The load and/or deflection are measured and the moving length is stressed differently by thereafter applying a different load to the timber length at the same position while supported in the same fashion to obtain a different deflection. The different load and/or deflection are measured and the original load and original deflection are related to the different load and different deflection according to predetermined criteria, thereby to grade the timber length. The machine provides means for carrying out the method.

Abstract: An apparatus for testing a power transmission belt is disclosed, wherein a test belt is mounted between a pair ot pulleys secured to first ends, respectively, of a pair of shafts disposed in parallel and a drive belt is mounted, through idlers, between another pair of pulleys respectively secured to the other ends of the shafts. One of the shafts is supported on a movable plate adapted to be moved in conformity with the length of the test belt. Pitch diameters of these pulleys are determined to exert torque on the shafts to thereby apply tension to the belts. The idlers are disposed so as to avoid displacement of the drive belt regardless of the length of the test belt, and one of the idlers is movably disposed to further control tension of the drive belt.

Abstract: An apparatus for testing power transmission belts is disclosed, wherein a drive belt is mounted between at least one drive motor and at least one intermediate shaft, and a test belt is mounted between at least one driven motor and said intermediate shaft. A variable load is applied to the test belt by causing an r.p.m. differential between the motors and a slippage of the belts with respect to pulleys secured to the drive and driven motors and the intermediate shaft.

Abstract: An apparatus for testing power transmission belts is disclosed, wherein at least one test belt is mounted between at least one drive and driven motors each having corresponding numbers of drive and driven pulleys, respectively. The pitch diameter of the drive pulley is larger than that of the driven pulley to generate electric power in the driven motor. The test belt is subject to various loads due to torque variation of both drive and driven motors or either one of the motors by connecting a transformer to both or either one of the motors.

Abstract: A method for measuring the fatigue of a test-piece subjected to mechanical stress. The test-piece is stressed and pulses of ultrasonic waves are transmitted along the surface region of the stressed area and received. The acoustic attentuation of the waves, due to the fatigue caused by the stress, is measured and provides an indication of the amount of fatigue.

Abstract: The loss modulus of a material is ascertained by subjecting a sample of the material to a mechanical vibration at the resonant frequency of the material. The dynamic driving force required to maintain the material in mechanical vibration at its resonant frequency is measured. Next, the static driving force required to displace the same material the same distance as when vibrating is measured. The quotient of the dynamic force divided by the static force is proportional to the tangent of the angle between elastic modulus and loss modulus of the material, or tan .delta.. Since the frequency of the material, when in vibration, is related to the elastic modulus of material, the loss modulus may be readily computed by multiplying the elastic modulus by tan .delta..An apparatus capable of performing this method includes a driving system that vibrates the sample material at its resonant frequency using a sinusoidal driving force which is 90.degree.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus for testing and matching a pair of cross-country skis. The apparatus measures the weight of the potential user and compares this weight with the force required to bring each ski of a pair to a degree of flatness required to obtain satisfactory gripping area on the ski. The apparatus also provides an arrangement for identifying the extent of the gripping area and distinguishes the same from the sliding areas of the skis so that they may be readily identified for the application of various waxes thereto with different skiing conditions.

Abstract: Footwear tester comprising a machine stand, a prime mover mechanism mounted on the machine stand, a footwear block supporting mechanism which supports freely a footwear block to be automatically advanced and retreated by said prime mover, a footwear block inclining mechanism which performs changes of the posture of said mechanism for supporting freely the footwear block, front operation mechanism and rear operation mechanism for controlling changes of the posture of said footwear block from the outside, and lift mechanism for bringing up and down a ground stand, wherein said respective mechanisms are interconnected with one another so as to control changes of the posture of the footwear block.