Donald A Matthews

US Patent:

57929610, Aug 11, 1998

Filed:

Apr 10, 1997

Appl. No.:

8/835921

Inventors:

Thomas P. Giebner - Gulfport FL
Christopher S. Giebner - Treasure Island FL
Donald K. Matthews - Holiday FL

Assignee:

Giebner Enterprises, Inc. - St. Petersburg FL

International Classification:

G01N 302

US Classification:

73826

Abstract:

A portable fastener tester system for measuring the pullout strength of a fastener that is comprised of an electronic processing unit electrically coupled to a load cell, an optical reader, an opto chopper disc, and a display, a motor having a shaft coupled to a small drive gear which engages a large drive gear, and a tester assembly comprised of a driving member, a case housing, a power nut assembly and a captured nut retained within the power nut assembly. The captured nut is forceably rotated by the motor and engaged small and large drive gears so to foreceably translate the driving member upward through the power nut assembly thereby applying a pulling force on a fastener being tested. The load cell being utilized to transfer the pulling force from the driving member to the fastener, electrically sense the applied force and transmit data to the electronic processing unit for being displayed to the user. The portable fastener tester system providing for a constant rate of travel of the driving member and fastener during testing thereby providing for highly accurate, precise and repeatable measurement results.