Abstract: A device and a method for measuring the mass loss rate of a sample of combustible material placed on a mass-sensitive platform. The material has been formed into a block through which a heating wire has been inserted that thermally degrades the block when an electric current is passed through the embedded wire. Because the terminal ends of the embedded wire deform when heated, attachments that supply the current to these terminals exert spurious forces on the block resulting in inaccurate mass measurements. To eliminate these forces, the terminal ends of the heating wire are connected to high conductivity leads that are dipped into electrically insulated reservoirs of a conductive fluid, typically mercury, to which a power supply provides a potential difference. As the terminal ends of the heating wire deform under the resulting current, the leads are free to move in the conductive fluid without exerting any forces on the block, allowing the true mass loss rate of the sample to be measured.

Abstract: A tire bead inspection machine comprises a base on which a tire may be mounted for inspection. A frame is mounted on the base from which a first roller is cantilevered with a generally vertical axis and a pair of rollers on either side of the first roller are cantilevered in a direction transverse to the first roller, that is with generally horizontal axes. The frame is moveable on the base in a fashion to insert the first roller into the tire and force the bead outward, and at the same time swing the pair of rollers toward the vertical against their spring mountings in such a way that they exert force against the sidewall of the tire. In this fashion, the bead is grasped somewhat scissor fashion between the first roller and the pair of rollers. The first roller exerts a force against the inner part of the bead and the pair of rollers resist the force exerted by the first roller.