Nuclear gauge
AssigneeTroxler Electronic Laboratories, Inc.
InventorsWilliam F. Troxler, Jr., Wewage Hiran Linus Dep, Robert Ernest Troxler
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A gauge is provided for measuring one or more characteristics of a construction material such as a road surface. The gauge includes a detector, a base that carries the detector, and a source housing carried by the base and defining a shield material circumferentially extending inwards. A source rod is positioned within the housing and carries a source that is translatable between a shielded position within the housing and a measuring position external of the housing. The source rod has a source shield on the top thereof and a shield material spaced-downwardly from the source such that the source is completely enclosed when contained within the base.
Claims14
A gauge comprising:
- a detector;
- a base that carries the detector;
- a source housing carried by the base and defining a shield material circumferentially extending inwards;
- and
- a source rod positioned within the housing and carrying a source that is translatable between a shielded position within the housing and a measuring position external of the housing, the source rod having a source shield on the top thereof and a shield material positioned-downwardly from the source such that the source is encapsulated when in the shielded position,
- wherein the housing defines a failure zone about a bottom thereof, such that in a failure where the base separates from the source housing, the source remains shielded within the source housing.
A method of measuring one or more characteristics of a construction material, the method comprising:
- forming a hole in a ground or road surface;
- positioning a gauge such that a source of the gauge and the hole are aligned;
- authenticating user access by one or more authentication methods;
- translating the source into a measuring position;
- and
- recording, analyzing and displaying measurements from the detector.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.