US 5,606,168 AGranted

In situ tensile testing machine and sample for a scanning electron microscope

AssigneeCentre National De La Recherche Scientifique

InventorsRemi Chiron, Jacques Fryet, Patrick Viaris De Lesegno

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Abstract

The invention relates to an in situ tensile testing machine (1) and specimen designed to be placed in the observation chamber of a scanning electron microscope (S.E.M.), and to receive the specimen. The machine is composed of a rigid frame (2) on which are disposed two traction heads (3, 4), at least one being movable, and each defining a cavity (3A, 4A) in which the corresponding end (9A, 9B) of the specimen (9) is capable of being anchored. The machine automatically locks and aligns the specimen. This modular and compact traction testing unit can be integrated without alteration into the microscope's observation chamber. A device (22) for heating the specimen (9) can be integrated into the machine. A reversing device is used to compress the specimen.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An in situ tensile testing machine for placement in an observation chamber of a scanning electron microscope and for receipt of a specimen interposed between two anchoring elements capable of allowing traction in one direction of the specimen by the ends thereof, for studying behavior of the specimen, said machine comprising:

a rigid frame;
two traction heads disposed on said rigid frame, at least one of said traction heads being movable and each said traction head defining a cavity for anchoring a respective end of the specimen by means of a pair of shoulders forming a narrowing opposing a sliding end of the specimen in a traction direction;
each said end of the specimen bearing upon said shoulders of a respective one of said traction heads by means of two slugs forming rollers, mounted freely between each said shoulder and a corresponding side part facing an end of the specimen.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.