High-capacity wide-range variable rotational rate vane testing device
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsDavid C Young, Andrei Abelev, Philip J Valent
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Abstract
System and method for measuring shear strength and viscosity of sediments that extends both the maximum rotational rate attainable and the maximum torque sustainable, and includes a high data acquisition rate and data storage. Also a method of making an apparatus, and method of using the apparatus for accurately measuring, peak, evolution, and residual values of the undrained shear strength, yield, and viscous and plastic flow characteristics of cohesive sediments at various pre-set and variable values of the rotational velocity of a vane sensor.
Claims17
A method for manufacturing an apparatus for measuring characteristics of sediments comprising:
- attaching a main tower to a base plate;
- connecting a main measurement head to the main tower by a constant load spring mechanism, said constant load spring mechanism positioning said main measurement head, said main measurement head including a drive motor;
- coupling a load cell shaft with the drive motor and a sensor drive shaft within a drive shaft housing via a coupler, the load cell shaft including a load cell;
- and
- attaching a detachable sensor to the sensor drive shaft by an attachment mechanism.
An apparatus for measuring characteristics of sediments comprising:
- a main tower attached to a base plate;
- a main measurement head connected to said main tower by a constant load spring mechanism, said constant load spring mechanism positioning said main measurement head, said main measurement head including a drive motor;
- a load cell shaft coupled with said drive motor and a sensor drive shaft within a drive shaft housing via a coupler, said load cell shaft including a load cell;
- a sensor attached to said sensor drive shaft by an attachment mechanism;
- a vessel holding a sample, said sensor measuring characteristics of the sample,
- wherein said sensor supplies the measured characteristics to said load cell, and
- wherein said load cell supplies the measured characteristics to a computer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.