Portable brinell hardness tester

Abstract

A portable Brinell metal hardness tester has a test head mounted in a carriage, movable vertically along elevating screws, and includes an adjustable valve for relieving hydraulic pressure within the test head where the valve includes a stem, an interior member, and an intermediate member.

1 . A portable Brinell metal hardness tester comprising:
 (a) a carriage movable vertically along elevating screws;   (b) a test head, mounted in the carriage, for applying preselected force to a test piece, the test head comprising:
 i) a pressure release valve for releasing hydraulic fluid pressure when desired, comprising:
 (1) a handle, extending outward from the test head for opening and closing the release valve, comprising:
 (A) a ring-like portion receivingly gripping a shaft portion of the pressure release valve; 
 (B) an intermediate portion connected to the ring-like portion; 
 (C) a blade portion connected to the intermediate portion, of upstanding planar configuration. 
 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The tester of  claim 1  wherein the blade portion is oriented in a coplanar relationship with an axis about which the shaft rotates. 
     
     
         3 . The tester of  claim 2  wherein the blade portion is trapezoidally shaped. 
     
     
         4 . The tester of  claim 1  wherein the pressure release valve handle has a planar lower surface for facing slidable contact with a planar exterior surface of the test head. 
     
     
         5 . The tester of  claim 1  wherein the ring-like and intermediate portions have planar upper surfaces that are parallel with the lower surface. 
     
     
         6 . The tester of  claim 1  wherein the blade portion is narrower than the diameter of the aperture. 
     
     
         7 . The tester of  claim 1  wherein the blade portion extends upwardly from the lower surface a greater distance than the intermediate and ring-like portions. 
     
     
         8 . The tester of  claim 1  wherein the intermediate and ring-like portions extend upwardly from the lower surface a common distance. 
     
     
         9 . The tester of  claim 1  wherein a first part of the blade portion remote from the aperture extends upwardly from the lower surface a greater distance than a second part of the blade portion which is more proximate the aperture. 
     
     
         10 . The tester of  claim 9  wherein a blade portion upper surface connecting the first and second parts of the blade portion is planar. 
     
     
         11 . The tester of  claim 1  wherein the blade portion is of uniform transverse thickness. 
     
     
         12 . The tester of  claim 1  wherein the common distance the intermediate and ring-like portions extend upwardly from the lower surface is greater than transverse thickness of the blade portion. 
     
     
         13 . The tester of  claim 1  wherein the blade portion further comprises:
 (a) a vertically extending edge surface proximate the ring-like portion; 
 (b) a second vertically extending edge surface at an extremity remote from the ring-like portion, the second vertically extending edge surface being longer than the first vertically extending edge surface; and 
 (c) extremities of the first and second vertically extending edges remote from the planar lower surface being connected by a straight edge. 
 
     
     
         14 . A tampering detector for use with a device having an adjustable valve for relieving hydraulic fluid pressure upon reaching an adjustably selected level, the adjustable valve having a cap at one extremity, with the cap threadedly engaging a valve intermediate portion extending from a body portion of the device, the cap being exterior of the device body portion, the tapering detector comprising:
 (a) a sheet, comprising:
 i) a first portion having a periphery for fitting about a top surface of the cap; 
 ii) a second portion extending radially away from the first portion; and 
 iii) a third portion connected to the second portion remotely from the first portion, having sides perpendicular to the second portion; 
   (b) adhesive on the sheet for securing the sheet first portion to the cap and the sheet third portion to the valve intermediate portion extending from the body portion of the device.   
     
     
         15 . A tampering detector for use with a hardness tester having an adjustable valve for relieving internal hydraulic fluid pressure upon reaching an adjustably selected level, the adjustable valve having a cylindrical cap, the cap being removably connected to an intermediate cylindrical portion of the valve extending from the test head, the cap being exterior of the test head, comprising:
 (a) a frangible laminar sheet, comprising:
 i) a first portion for fitting on a circular exterior end of the cylindrical cap; 
 ii) a second portion connected to the first portion; and 
 iii) a third portion connected to the second portion remotely from the first portion, for fitting on the valve intermediate portion; 
   (b) the sheet including adhesive for securing the sheet first portion to the cap and the sheet third portion to the valve intermediate portion extending from the test head so that the sheet must be torn when separating the cap from the valve intermediate portion.   
     
     
         16 . A tampering detector for use with a metal hardness tester including an adjustable valve for relieving hydraulic fluid pressure upon reaching an adjustably selected level, the adjustable valve having a circular cover connecting to an intermediate portion of the adjustable valve extending from a test head portion of the tester, the cover being exterior of the test head, comprising:
 (a) an adhesive sheet, comprising:
 i) a first portion for adhering to the cover; 
 ii) a second portion extending from the first portion; and 
 iii) a third portion connected to the second portion remotely from the first portion for adhering to the valve intermediate portion so that the sheet must be torn when separating the cover from the valve intermediate portion. 
   
     
     
         17 . The tampering detector of  claim 16  wherein the sheet is paper. 
     
     
         18 . The tampering detector of  claim 16  wherein the sheet is polymeric. 
     
     
         19 . The tampering detector of  claim 16  wherein the sheet accepts ink. 
     
     
         20 . The tampering detector of  claim 15  wherein the first portion has a circular periphery of lesser diameter than the cover. 
     
     
         21 . The tampering detector of  claim 20  wherein the sheet accepts ink. 
     
     
         22 . A portable Brinell metal hardness tester having a test head for applying preselected force to a test piece by pumping to apply hydraulic fluid pressure of a prescribed level to a ball contacting a test piece, the test head including an adjustable valve for relieving hydraulic fluid pressure upon reaching an adjustably selected level, the adjustable valve having a cylindrical cover, the cover connecting to an intermediate portion of the valve extending from the test head, the cover being exterior of the test head, comprising:
 (a) a valve tampering detection ink receptive adhesive sheet including:
 i) a first part adhering to the cover; and 
 ii) a second part connected to the first part remotely from the cover and adhering to the valve intermediate portion so that the first part of the sheet remains with the cover and the second part of the sheet remains with the valve intermediate portion as sheet tears when the cover is separated from the valve intermediate portion. 
   
     
     
         23 . A portable Brinell metal hardness tester with a test head, mounted in a carriage, for applying preselected force to a test piece by reciprocating manual arcuate movement of a handle to pump hydraulic fluid into a ram pressure chamber to move a ram cylinder within the test head towards the test piece, comprising:
 (a) a handle mounted on a rotatable shaft connected to the test head;   (b) gears within the test head for converting rotary motion of the shaft into longitudinal movement of a hydraulic fluid pumping piston within the test head;   (c) a stop connected to the carriage for limiting angular movement of the handle with the shaft.   
     
     
         24 . A portable Brinell metal hardness tester comprising:
 (a) a carriage movable vertically along elevating screws;   (b) a test head, mounted in the carriage, for applying preselected force to a test piece including:
 i) a reciprocable pumping plunger for supplying hydraulic fluid pressure to a ball contacting the test piece, the pumping plunger having a rack formed therein; 
 ii) a rotatable gear engaging the rack, for imparting longitudinal motion to the plunger upon rotation of the gear; 
   (c) a manually movable lever connected to the gear and being rotatable therewith, pivotally mounted on the test head exterior, for imparting rotary movement about the axis of rotation of the gear; and   (d) a stop, connected to the carriage and positioned to contact the lever at a predetermined position of lever angular movement, for limiting lever angular travel and thereby limiting angular movement of the gear to a preselected amount.   
     
     
         25 . The portable Brinell metal hardness tester of  claim 24  wherein the stop further comprises:
 (a) an elongated strap facingly contactingly connected to the carriage; 
 (b) a lever travel limiting member extending perpendicularly from the strap proximate one end thereof to interfere with the lever upon the lever exceeding a preselected amount of angular travel from a starting position; 
 (c) the strap being at a preselected angle to position the lever travel limiting member at a pre-designated position to limit lever angular travel from the starting position. 
 
     
     
         26 . The portable Brinell metal hardness tester of  claim 25  wherein the lever travel limiting member is cylindrical with an axis perpendicular to the strap and to a geometric plane in which the lever travels. 
     
     
         27 . A Brinell metal hardness tester having a test head for applying hydraulic fluid pressure of a prescribed level to a ball contacting a test piece, comprising:
 (a) an adjustable valve for relieving hydraulic fluid pressure within the test head upon reaching an adjustably selected level, comprising:
 i) a stem comprising:
 (1) a head for fitting against a seat; 
 (2) a shaft connected to the head; 
 (3) a spring abutting the head and residing slidably about the shaft; 
 (4) a cap having a passageway therethrough for slidable passage of the shaft therewithin; 
 (5) the spring contacting the cap remotely from the head and resiliently compressingly resisting movement of the head away from the seat; 
 
 ii) an interior member comprising:
 (1) a first end receiving the cap and being externally threaded for engagement with a threaded passageway; 
 (2) a second end for receiving a wrench, for manual rotation of the interior member; 
 
 iii) an intermediate member having a central passageway extending axially therethrough and comprising:
 (1) a central portion having an axially facing annular surface; 
 (2) a first end portion extending coaxially with the central passageway; 
 
 iv) a second end portion, extending coaxially with the central passageway, and being externally threaded at the end thereof remote from the central portion; 
    the interior member first end receiving the cap of the stem, with the bore in the interior member being positioned to receive the shaft upon axial movement of the head and resultant compression of the spring;    a central portion of the interior member extending slidably through the central passageway of the intermediate member;    rotation of the interior member within the threaded passageway moving the cap axially, with the valve stem exerting greater or lesser force at the valve seat according to the direction of axial movement of the interior member compressing or relieving the spring.   
     
     
         28 . A fitting adapted to reside at least partially within a threaded passageway in a housing for adjustably varying force on a valve ball contacting a valve seat defining an end of the passageway, to relieve pressure of hydraulic fluid within the housing at the ball-valve seat juncture upon that pressure reaching an adjustably selected level, comprising:
 (a) a stem having first and second ends, the first end fitting against the ball as the ball contacts the valve seat, the stem residing within the passageway;   (b) a spring interposed between and contacting the first and second ends of the stem;   (c) an interior member having a first end contacting the second end of the stem and a second end adapted to receive a wrench, the interior member first end having external threads for engagement with the threaded passageway, rotation of the interior member moving the interior member axially within the passageway to compress or decompress the spring between the stem first and second ends according to direction of interior member movement thereby to increase or decrease force on the ball applied thereto by the stem first end.   
     
     
         29 . The fitting of  claim 28  further comprising:
 (a) an intermediate sleeve member having external threads for engaging the threaded passageway with a central passageway slidably receiving the interior member upon rotation of the interior member moving the interior member axially within the threaded passageway. 
 
     
     
         30 . The fitting of  claim 29  wherein the intermediate sleeve member external threads are first external threads located proximate an intermediate member first end; the intermediate sleeve member having a second end sized for sliding passage through the threaded passageway. 
     
     
         31 . The fitting of  claim 28  further comprising a cap for fitting on the second end of the intermediate member. 
     
     
         32 . A pressure relief valve for a Brinell hardness tester, residing at least partially within a threaded passageway in the tester housing for adjustably varying force on a valve ball contacting a valve seat defining an end of the passageway, to relieve pressure of hydraulic fluid within the tester housing at the ball-valve seat juncture upon that pressure reaching an adjustably selected level, comprising:
 (a) a stem having first and second ends, the first end fitting against the ball as the ball contacts the valve seat, the stem residing within the passageway;   (b) a spring interposed between and contacting the first and second ends of the stem;   (c) an interior member having a first end contacting the second end of the stem and a second end adapted to receive a wrench, the interior member first end having external threads for engagement with the threaded passageway, rotation of the interior member moving the interior member axially within the passageway to compress or decompress the spring between the stem first and second ends according to direction of interior member movement thereby to increase or decrease force on the ball applied thereto by the stem first end.   
     
     
         33 . The valve of  claim 32  further comprising:
 (a) an intermediate sleeve member having external threads for engaging the threaded passageway with a central passageway slidably receiving the interior member upon rotation of the interior member moving the interior member axially within the threaded passageway. 
 
     
     
         34 . The valve of  claim 33  wherein the intermediate sleeve member external threads are first external threads located proximate an intermediate member first end; the intermediate sleeve member having a second end sized for sliding passage through the threaded passageway. 
     
     
         35 . The valve of  claim 34  further comprising a cap for fitting on the second end of the intermediate member 
     
     
         36 . A portable Brinell metal hardness tester comprising:
 (a) a carriage movable vertically along elevating screws;   (b) a test head, mounted in the carriage, for applying preselected force to a test piece, the test head comprising:
 i) a pressure relief valve comprising:
 (1) a stem having first and second ends, the first end fitting against the ball as the ball contacts the valve seat, the stem residing within the passageway; 
 (2) a spring interposed between and contacting the first and second ends of the stem; 
 (3) an interior member having a first end contacting the second end of the stem and a second end adapted to receive a wrench, the interior member first end having external threads for engagement with the threaded passageway, rotation of the interior member moving the interior member axially within the passageway to compress or decompress the spring between the stem first and second ends according to direction of interior member movement thereby to increase or decrease force on the ball applied thereto by the stem first end. 
 
   
     
     
         37 . The portable Brinell metal hardness tester of  claim 36  further comprising an intermediate sleeve member having external threads for engaging the threaded passageway with a central passageway slidably receiving the interior member upon rotation of the interior member moving the interior member axially within the threaded passageway. 
     
     
         38 . The portable Brinell metal hardness tester of  claim 37  wherein the intermediate sleeve member external threads are first external threads located proximate an intermediate member first end; the intermediate sleeve member having a second end sized for sliding passage through the threaded passageway. 
     
     
         39 . The portable Brinell metal hardness tester of  claim 36  further comprising a cap for fitting on the second end of the intermediate member.