Abstract: This invention relates to a spring wire clip for attachment to small plate-like metallurgical specimens and similar articles for the purpose of supporting them in free standing condition on one edge, such clip being characterized by a length of spring wire bent at a point midway between the ends thereof to produce a V-shaped crotch joining together a pair of oppositely bent generally S-shaped limbs. Each of these limbs includes a leg and a foot joined by a heel that defines a contact point which engages a face of the specimen with the limbs astraddle thereof. The feet diverge and their free ends produce toes that rest atop the supporting surface and engage same at spaced points on opposite sides of the specimen. The heels are normally spring-biased into contact with one another or opposite faces of a specimen inserted therebetween.

Abstract: Accurate, reproducible results in the tensile testing of thin metal foils are obtained by a method which comprises before placing the test specimen in a tensile testing machine, working the side edges of the test specimen until the edges are parallel and flaw-free, aligning the work specimen between spaced grip end members, securing end portions of the aligned test specimen to the grip end members, each of said grip end members containing female member means in face-to-face relationship to each other. The female member means are located on either side of and perpendicular to the plane of the test specimen and couple with corresponding male member means secured to the jaws of the tensile testing machine.An aligning apparatus employed in the method of the invention comprises an alignment box having a longitudinal bottom wall and two upright side walls, first and second removable grip end members disposed at each end of said box and means for securing the grip end members within the box.