j. Field Ornithol.

, 60(1):56-59

PORTABLE

DEVICE

FOR

MEASURING

SEED

HARDNESS

R. JEFFERSON SMITH
dOd 25 Road

Grand Junction, Colorado81503 USA THOMAS BATES SMITH

Museumof Vertebrate Zoology University California of Berkeley, California 9d720 USA

Abstract.--A new portabledevicefor measuring the hardness seeds described. of is The seedcracker constructed is from a provingring mountedin a pair of pliers. The device measures x 24 x 25 cm and weighs 2.2 kg. In its presentform the devicerecordsa 12 maximal fracture forceof 222 Newtons,which is sufficientfor a wide variety of seeds, but larger forces may be measured usinga larger provingring. The precision, estimated by as by the correlation coefficient repeated of measurements, 0.999. is
APARATO PORTTIL PARA MEDIR LA DUREZA DE SEMILLAS

Resumen.--Se describe aparato portfitil para medir la dureza de semillas.E1 aparato un es construido un anillo o resortede presi6n(especie dinam6metro) de de montado una en pareja de tenazas;mide 12 x 24 x 25 cm y pesa2.2 kg. E1 artefactoejerceuna fuerza mxima para fracturaci6n 222 Newtons,lo que esadecuado de para una gran variedadde semillas.Su presici6nes de 0.999.

Feedingefficiencies seed of eatingbirdsdependin part on seed hardness and size(Grant 1986, Smith 1987). Determiningseed hardness generally requires a seedbe crackedand the maximum fracture force recorded. Most material testingdevices that measure forces, however,are complex andrequiretiained personnel operate to them(Beckwithand Buck1973). Moreover,theyare not portablein the field. In studies Darwin's Finches of (Geospiza)seedand fruit hardnesswere estimatedusing an instrument designed the McGill University EngineeringDepartment (Abbott et by al. 1977). In thispaperwe describe anotherportabledevice measuring for hardness.Our device is not restricted to cracking seeds,but may be modifiedfor other uses.For example,with few adjustments device the may be usedto recordthe forcerequired to pierceobjects suchas leaves. The seedcracker (Fig. 1) employs SoiltestPR series, a modelPR-005 provingring, availablethroughSoiltestInc., Evanston,Illinois. Proving ringsare essentially very precisespringsand have long beenthe standard in the engineering field for measuringthe forcesinvolvedin stress and strain.Because provingringsare oftenthe standard which otherforce by measuringinstrumentsare calibrated and have very high accuracies (Beckwith and Buck 1973), we feel they are advantageous over other forcemeasuringdevices. allow the proving ring to be easilyhandled To we mountedthe provingring to a pair of lineman'spliers. A mounting fixture consisting a 1.3 x 1.3 cm squaresteelL shaped waswelded of bar to the lowerjaw of the pliers,and a 7.9 cm 1.3 x 1.3 cm bar was welded to the upper jaw. The bar on the upper jaw providedthe mandrel. The
56

Vol. No. 60, ]

Device Seed for Hardness

[57

F]Gtm.1. Photograph Smith Seedcracker. of

58]

R.J. Smith T. B.Smith and

J.Field 1989 Ornithol. Winter

provingring was then attachedto the L shapedbar with a 0.62 cm bolt. An adjustableanvil consisting a 0.62 cm bolt was then screwedinto of thetopmounting holeof theprovingring (detailed blueprints available are from the authors).This allowsthe anvil to be adjusted that the force so may be applied axially through the seedinto the ring when the seedis crushed.Becausestressis proportionalto strain (Hetenyi 1950), the deflection flattening)of the ring is proportional the forcenecessary (or to to deflect the ring. A dial indicator which comesstandard with each provingring measures distanceof the deflection. the The placementof the provingring relativeto the plier hingeeliminateserrorsdue to hinge friction, allowing the provingring to directlymeasureappliedforce.The pliers providea forceratio of 3:1. In other words, a forceof 10 Newtons applied to the pliers exerts a force of 30 Newtons on the proving ring. Each provingring is calibratedby the manufacturer and records forcein pounds,kilograms,or Newtons.The accuracy eachring is determined of by the manufacturerof the ring and is estimated the correlation by coefficientof repeatedtrials. SoiltestInc. calculated provingring shown the in Figure 1 to have a correlationcoefficient 0.999. The dimensions of of the provingring pliers are 12 x 24 x 25 cm and the weight 2.2 kg. To measurehardnessthe objectto be crackedis placed betweenthe upperjaw of the pliers and the anvil of the proving ring. The anvil is adjusted accommodate to differentsizedobjects. The dial indicatorlocated at the centerof the provingring is setto zero. Forceis then slowlyapplied to the handle of the pliers until the seedcracks.The needleon the dial indicatoris equipped with a brakewhich records maximumdeflection the of the proving ring. Generally, there is an audible soundwhen the seed fractures,signalingto the user that the seedhas been cracked.The force is easilyobtained substituting readingfrom the dial indicatorinto by the a formula or table providedby the manfacturer. In its currentform the device capableof recording maximal fracture is a forceof 222 Newtons(approximately pounds). 50 This rangeis adequate for a wide varietyof seeds. instance, device capable accurately For the is of measuring very hard sedge seeds with hardnesses 150 N, intermediate of seeds suchas sunflowerhaving hardnesses approximately50 N and of alsovery soft seeds suchas millet which require between10 and 20 N to crack.For extremely hard seeds largerprovingring maybe employed. a
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We thank J. Rotenberry,N. Wheelwright, and the editor for helpful comments the on manuscript and B. Smith for helpingdefraythe costof materials.
LITERATURE CITED

ABBOTT, L. K. ABBOTT, I., ANDP. R. GRANT. 1977. Comparative ecology Galapagos of Ground Finches(Geospiza Gould): evaluationof the importance floristicdiversity of and interspecific competition. Ecol. Monogr. 47:151-184.
BECKWITH,T. G., AND N. L. BUCK. 1973. Mechanical measurements. 2nd. ed. Addison-

Wesley Publ. Inc., New York.

vol. o. 60,

Device Seed for Hardness

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GRANT,P.R. 1986. Ecologyand evolution Darwin's Finches.Princeton of Univ. Press, Princeton, New Jersey. HETENYI,M. 1950. Handbookof experimental stress analysis. Wiley, New York. SMITH,T.B. 1987. Bill sizepolymorphism intraspecific and nicheutilizationin an African
finch. Nature 329:717-719.

Received9 Nov. 1987; accepted Jul. 1988. 22