Apparatus for visually demonstrating stress patterns in a photoelastic model

Claim 2

Apparatus for visually demonstrating stress patterns in a structural member formed of a photoelastic material, said apparatus comprising means forming a hollow frame having a pair of window openings therein, a pair of light polarizing panels mounted on said frame so as to cover said window openings, track means on said frame, and adjustable support and load applying units movably mounted and guided on said track means, each of said units comprising nut means slidably mounted on said track means so as to be non-rotatable with respect to said frame, and screw means threadably supported in said nut means for engagement with a structural member disposed within said hollow frame and between said panels, said units being capable of applying variable loads to a member within said frame so as to visually demonstrate varying stress patterns in the member to a viewer observing the member through said panels.

Claim 3

Apparatus according to claim 1 further including a structural member engaging block rotatably mounted on said screw means for engagement with a structural member disposed within said frame.

Claim 4

Apparatus for visually demonstrating stress patterns in a structural member, said apparatus comprising a hollow frame, said frame including means forming connected plates arranged in a spaced-apart side-by-side relation in substantially parallel planes, said plates having a pair of window openings therein arranged in a substantially aligned relation, means on said plates forming a track within said frame extending at least partially around the peripheries of said window openings, nuts mounted in said track for sliding non-rotatable movement partially about the peripheries of said window openings, a structural member formed of a photoelastic material and disposed in a position spaced from said plates and between said window openings, screw means supported in said nuts and advanceable therethrough into engagement with said structural member for applying a load thereto, and light polarizing panels mounted on said plates in positions covering said window openings.

Claim 5

Apparatus for visually demonstrating stress patterns in a structural member, said apparatus comprising a hollow frame, said frame including means forming connected plates arranged in a spaced-apart side-by-side relation in substantially parallel planes, said plates having a pair of window openings therein arranged in a substantially aligned relation, means on said plates forming a track within said frame extending at least partially around the peripheries of said window openings, nuts mounted in said track for sliding non-rotatable movement partially about the peripheries of said window openings, a structural member formed of a photoelastic material and disposed in a position spaced from said plates and between said window openings, screw means supported in said nuts and advanceable therethrough into engagement with said structural member for applying a load thereto, and light polarizing panels mounted on said plates in positions covering said window openings.

Claim 6

Apparatus according to claim 3 further including structural member support means positioned between said window openings and attached to said plates for engagement with said structural member so as to constitute a support therefor.

Claim 7

Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said support means has mutually perpendicular support surfaces on either of which said structural member can be supported.

Claim 8

Apparatus according to claim 5 wherein at least one of said nuts is movable on said track to a position in which the screw means advanceable therethrough is alignable with one of said support surfaces and another one of said nuts is movable to a position on said track to a position in which the screw means advanceable therethrough is alignable with the other one of said support surfaces.

Claim 9

Apparatus according to claim 3 further including a block member mounted on each of said screw means and located within said frame for rotatable movement relative to said screw means, said block member being engageable with said structural member for transferring load thereto without transmitting turning friction of said screw means to said structural member.