Method and apparatus for automatic melt indexing

US5008081A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• KD Holdings Group, Inc. · US

Inventors

• David A. Blau · Cupertino, US
• John W. Meadows · Los Altos, US
• Thomas M. Sherlock · Los Altos Hills, US
• Fred H. Stengel · Palo Alto, US
• Robert M. Studholme · Saratoga, US
• Kenneth Wada · San Jose, US
• Christopher Kepner · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 11, 1988
• Grant date: Apr 16, 1991
• Expiry date: Oct 11, 2008

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10T436/11
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

Computer-controlled method and apparatus for automatic melt index testing, including a housing with a base carrying a heater block having a bore therein for receiving a metal cartridge. A cartridge carousel is rotatably carried on the base, and carries a plurality of such cartridges, each cartridge having a plug at the bottom end thereof with a orifice through the plug, and each cartridge having a bore therein for receiving a sample of a test substance and for receiving a piston on top of the pellets. A lift arm grasps the cartridges, one at a time, and places each cartridge into the heater block, under the control of a microcomputer, by both lifting and rotating the transfer arm. The transfer arm includes a solenoid-operated grip for grasping the cartridges. The test unit carries a lift mechanism with a weight mounted atop a tamping rod, and an optical sensor for determining the height of the weight relative to the lift machinism. The weight is lowered by the lifting mechanism until it bears down upon the pellets, and then the cartridge is heated until the test substance melts. The weight is then used to extrude the melted substance through the plug orifice until it has fallen a c…