Troxler Electronic Laboratories, Inc.

Alfred W Jordan

Robert Ernest Troxler

John T Eagan

Wewage H L Dep

Michael R Dishman

Wewage H Dep

The present invention provides an improved thin layer nuclear density gauge comprising a gauge housing having a vertical cavity therethrough and a base, a first radiation detector located at a first position within said housing and adjacent to said base of said housing, a second radiation detector located at a second position within said housing and adjacent to said base of said housing, a vertically moveable source rod extending into said cavity of said gauge housing, a radiation source operatively positioned within a distal end of said source rod, at least one bearing operatively positioned to guide said source rod within said cavity, and means for vertically extending and retracting said source rod to a plurality of predetermined source rod positions so as to change the spatial relationship between said radiation source and said first and second radiation detectors. The source rod has a maximum radial movement of less than about 0.003 inch at each predetermined position. The present invention also provides a gauge with an improved radiation shield assembly comprising a sliding block operatively positioned to move laterally between said first position and said second position, a spring engaging said sliding block and biasing said sliding block into said first position, and a fixed block, said fixed block including a track engaging said sliding block and guiding movement of said sliding block.

Thin layer nuclear density gauge

Thin layer nuclear density guage

A capacitance monitor for monitoring the moisture content of soil is disclosed in which a capacitance sensing probe having a generally cylindrical probe body and an elongate tubular handle is inserted into an access tube to measure the capacitance of the soil and to thereby determine the moisture content of the soil. The cylindrical probe body has aluminum electrodes separated by a polypropylene dielectric spacer and two sets of circumferentially spaced apart spring biased stainless steel plungers that extend radially outwardly from the probe body to engage the side wall of the access tube and to center the probe body within the access tube. The two sets of plungers are located at opposite ends of the probe body. The capacitance monitor also includes a top cap assembly mounted on the extreme upper end portion of the access tube that includes a cover plate having beveled side walls to engage the spring biased plungers on the probe body to urge the spring biased plungers radially inwardly for easy insertion of the probe body into the access tube. The top cap assembly also includes a stop assembly means for engaging circumferential grooves on the tubular handle to control reproducibly positioning the probe body at predetermined depths within the access tube.

Capacitance monitor for soil moisture

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Raleigh, NC, United States of America

Alfred W Jordan