Extensometer support

A support for an extensometer used for determining changes in a dimension of a test specimen held in a test frame comprising an elongated flexible strip having a first end adapted to be supported with respect to a test frame and a second end, said flexible strip having a longitudinal axis extending generally in the same direction as the direction of extension of a specimen with which the support is to be used, an elongated support arm, means to attach said arm to said second end of said flexible strip in position extending generally normal to the strip, and means to mount an extensometer at a portion of said arm spaced from said flexible strip, said flexible strip being of sufficient size to provide a force to counterbalance the weight of an extensometer to be mounted at an outer end of said support arm, and said flexible strip permitting substantially unrestricted movement of said extensometer in a direction axially along said elongated support arm, and in directions generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of said support arm.

An assembly for supporting an extensometer for sensing dimensional changes of a specimen mounted in a test frame comprising a flexible resilient strip having a longitudinal length, a width transverse to its length, and a thickness, means adapted to mount said strip with respect to a test frame used for applying force to a specimen, an elongated support arm having a longitudinal axis, means to connect said support arm to said flexible strip in position spaced from the means adapted to mount, and separate means at the outer end of said support arm to mount an extensometer thereon, at least one of the two last mentioned means comprising a releasable adjustable member for permitting adjustment in direction along the longitudinal axis of said support arm, said means adapted to mount said strip orienting said strip so that the length of said strip extends generally in the same direction as the direction of force applied to a specimen with which the assembly is to be used and the width of said strip is substantially normal to the longitudinal axis of said support arm.

A method of supporting an extensometer with respect to a test frame applying force to a specimen with which an extensometer is to be used comprising supporting an extensometer on a support arm extending generally at right angle to the direction of force applied to a specimen with which the extensometer is to be used, and supporting said support arm at a location spaced from an extensometer supported on the support arm with a flexible resilient elongated member configured to provide a resilient force on the support arm substantially balancing the weight of the extensometer to support the extensometer independently of the specimen with which the extensometer is being used.