IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO DUROMETERS

摘要

The present invention provides improvements in and relating to durometers. More specifically, the invention provides a durometer comprising an indentor (7), means (9) for applying a predetermined force to the indentor (7), and means for measuring the extent to which the indentor (7) indents a material being tested in response to the predetermined force. The characterising feature of the invention is a self contained module (4) which is formed by the indentor (7) and the force applying means (9). The module (4) can be removed from the measuring means so as to allow an alternative module having a different indentor and/or force applying means to be substituted. A modified durometer may be thereby provided which is capable of operating on an alternative hardness scale. The present invention thus enables a single durometer, provided with a multiplicity of interchangeable heads, to operate in different hardness scales.