Bond line test tool

Claim 1

A tool for testing the integrity of the bond line at the interface of the skin and core of a honeycomb panel structure, comprising: a. means for gripping a wall of a core cell of the honeycomb panel, wherein said means for gripping, includes: 1. a rod threaded at one end, tapered at the other end to form a jaw, and having a longitudinal aperture near the jaw end; 2. a first half-pear configurated component, affixed to the lower portion of said rod, having a flanged upper end, a longitudinal aperture in line with said aperture of said rod, and a journaled longitudinal portion between said flanged upper end and said longitudinal aperture; 3. a second half-pear configurated component having a flanged upper end, a jaw configurated lower end shaped to mate with said jaw of said rod, a longitudinal aperture in line with said aperture of said rod and with said aperture of said first half-pear configurated component, and a journaled longitudinal portion between said flanged upper end and said longitudinal aperture; 4. an aligning and holding pin of dimensions suitable for fitting into and aligning said longitudinal apertures of said rod, said first pearlike configurated component and said second pearlike configurated component, and for holding said components together; 5. a retaining ring, with a vertical slit, with said retaining ring of suitable dimensions for fitting into said journaled portions of said first and second pearlike configurated components, and for holding said components together; 6. and, a knob holed and threaded at its geometric center to mate with the threaded end of said rod. b. means for applying a controlled tensile pull to the bond line at the skin-to-core interface by pulling on the gripped core cell wall, wherein said means for applying a controlled tensile pull to the bond line, includes: 1. a first hollow cylinDrical tube having four suitably positioned openings in its wall, a beveled bottom periphery, diametrically opposed slots in its wall, and an alignment groove in its wall extending upwardly for a predetermined length from said beveled bottom periphery; 2. a cylindrical coil spring, wholly within said first hollow cylindrical tube, compressed to a predetermined length and disposed between pins at its lower end, and at its upper end by a collar having a longitudinal opening, with said collar being held in position at the top of said hollow cylindrical tube by a retaining pin fitted into one of said openings in said first hollow cylindrical tube and the opening in said collar; 3. and, a trigger with a trigger pin affixed thereto and an upwardly extending loop, mounted on said first hollow cylindrical tube, and releasably engaged to said first hollow cylindrical tube by said trigger pin which fits into one said suitably positioned opening in said first hollow cylindrical tube; with said means said means for gripping passing through the center of said first hollow cylindrical tube and cooperating with the tensile pull means by having said spring act against said collar which, in turn, acts against said knob which thereby transmits the tensile force to said rod when said trigger pin is released; and c. means for supporting and guiding said gripping means and said tensile pull means.