Apparatus for testing elongated objects having a radially adjustable rotary probe

An apparatus for testing elongated objects which possibly have cross-sectional irregularities, comprising:

• a rotary test head which is adapted to rotate around a rotation axis, the rotary test head comprising a rotor having a central opening through which an object is adapted to pass while moving along the rotation axis, and at least one probe holding means movably mounted on the rotor, at least one probe mounted on the one probe holding means, the one probe holding means with the probe being mounted such that upon rotation of the rotor the probe is guided on a circular probe path around the object and that there is a radial spacing between the object and the probe, and
• switching means for modifying the radial spacing between the object and probe while the rotary test head is rotating, the switching means including an adjusting means movably mounted with respect to the rotor and engaging the at least one probe holding means so that when the adjusting means moves relative to the rotor the probe holding means moves relative to the rotor, and reversing means operatively coupled to the adjusting means and acting thereon to selectively move the adjusting means relative to the rotor, the reversing means being movable between two switching positions which are inherently stable in a way that the switching positions can each be maintained without energy supply from the outside and are stabilized during rotation by centrifugal forces,
• whereby movement of the reversing means between said two positions acts to correspondingly move said adjusting means and said probe holding means, to thereby modify the radial spacing between the object and probe.