Hand carried enhanced soil penetrometer system
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of Agriculture
InventorWilliam M. Iversen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The hand carried enhanced penetrometer includes an electrical linear actuator system to advance a soil penetration rod into a test site soil during a penetrometer test. The penetrometer also includes a base plate system that uses an operator's static body weight to anchor the penetrometer to a test site surface during a penetrometer test. In operation, an operator places at least one foot on a penetrometer structural base plate and activates the linear actuator to advance a penetration rod into the test site soil. The tripod embodiment of the system includes an operator's seat that allows an operator to conduct a penetrometer test in a seated position while passively anchoring the penetrometer in place at the test site. The invention includes monopod, bipod, and tripod embodiments.
Claims18
A hand carried penetrometer system, the system comprising:
- a structural frame comprising at least one vertical structural element;
- an electrical linear actuator connected to and supported by the structural frame;
- a penetrometer rod positioned to be advanced and retracted by the actuator;
- a standardized cone at a distal end of the penetrometer rod;
- a data logger that records force required to advance the penetrometer rod at predetermined soil depths;
- and
- at least one base plate rigidly connected to the bottom of a vertical structural element, the base plate extending parallel to a surface of a test site soil;
- wherein the system is a hand carried penetrometer system and, during a penetrometer test, as the actuator advances the penetrometer rod into the test site soil at a steady rate, an operator directs his/her body weight to the at least one base plate so that the operator's body weight anchors the penetrometer to the test site soil;
- the force required to advance the penetrometer rod at predetermined soil depths;
- the depths being precisely measured from the base plate by measuring extension of the actuator, and recorded to the data logger together with the resistance to penetrometer rod movement through the soil.
A hand carried penetrometer system, the system comprising:
- a structural frame comprising at least three vertical structural elements extending upward from a test site soil, the at least three vertical structural elements being connected by at least two horizontal structural elements so that the frame has a “T” shape when viewed from above the system;
- an electric linear actuator connected to and supported by the structural frame, the linear actuator being positioned between two of the at least three vertical structural elements;
- a penetrometer rod positioned to be advanced at a steady rate by the linear actuator;
- a standardized penetrometer cone located at a distal end of the penetrometer rod;
- a data logger that records force required to advance the penetrometer rod at predetermined soil depths;
- at least one base plate rigidly connected to the bottom of a vertical structural element, the base plate extending parallel to a surface of a test site soil;
- and
- an operator's seat connected to one of the at least two horizontal structural elements;
- wherein the system is a hand carried penetrometer system and,
- during a penetrometer test, as the actuator advances the penetrometer rod into the test site soil at a steady rate, resistance to penetrometer rod advancement at precise depths determined by measurement of extension of the actuator in relation to the base plate is recorded in the data logger as the rod moves through the soil;
- and the operator's body weight applied to the operator's seat anchors the penetrometer to the test site soil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.