Article and method for stabilizing a rock chip

1. A method comprising

disposing a retention member adjacent a planar surface, the retention member forming one or more inner side walls which, together with the planar surface, define a retention member void sized to receive a laminar rock chip;

disposing the laminar rock chip in the retention member void such that a laminar plane of the laminar rock chip is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the planar surface;

placing into the retention member void a flowable material capable of hardening, the flowable material flowing between a bottom surface of the laminar rock chip and the planar surface and further flowing around the laminar rock chip such that substantially all of the surface area of the laminar rock chip is covered by the flowable material;

causing the flowable material to harden into a solid while retaining the laminar rock chip in place so that the laminar plane of the laminar rock chip remains substantially perpendicular to the plane of the planar surface, thereby forming a plug of solid material having the laminar rock chip embedded therein;

removing the plug from the planar surface and abrading a top surface of the plug, the top surface and a bottom surface of the plug being substantially parallel to one another, and the top surface being sufficiently abraded so that a contact surface portion of the laminar rock chip is exposed at the top surface; and

placing the bottom surface of the plug upon a hardness testing device support plate and contacting the contact surface portion of the laminar rock chip at the top surface with a primary contact member of the hardness testing device so that force is applied by the primary contact member to the contact surface portion of the laminar rock chip in a vector which is within the laminar plane of the laminar rock chip,

so that a hardness of the laminar rock chip is measured.

2. A method according to claim 1 further comprising abrading the bottom surface of the plug so that the top surface of the plug is substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the plug.

3. A method according to claim 1 further comprising removing the plug from the retention member.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the flowable material comprises an epoxy.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the flowable material comprises a metal alloy.

6. A method according to claim 4 further comprising removing the plug from the retention member.

7. A method according to claim 1 further comprising disposing the laminar rock chip adjacent a stabilizing member, wherein the stabilizing member comprises at least one support member, wherein the support member retains the laminar rock chip such that the laminar plane of the laminar rock chip is substantially perpendicular to the plane of the planar surface.

8. An article comprising a laminar rock chip substantially surrounded by and imbedded within a plug comprised of a solid material, the plug forming a top planar surface and a bottom planar surface substantially parallel with the top planar surface, the laminar rock chip forming a contact surface portion exposed at the top planar surface of the plug, a laminar plane of the laminar rock chip being substantially perpendicular with the top planar surface.

9. The article according to claim 8 , wherein the laminar rock chip is comprised of shale.

10. The article according to claim 9 , wherein the solid material is either an epoxy or a metal alloy.

11. The article according to claim 10 , wherein the solid material is a metal alloy having a melting point below 72° C.

12. The article according to claim 11 , wherein the plug is further comprised of a solid retention member forming a perimeter of the plug.

13. The article according to claim 8 , wherein the solid material is either an epoxy or a metal alloy.

14. The article according to claim 13 , wherein the solid material is a metal alloy having a melting point below 72° C.

15. The article according to claim 8 , wherein the plug is further comprised of a solid retention member forming a perimeter of the plug.

16. A method comprising

disposing a retention member adjacent a planar surface, the retention member forming one or more inner side walls which, together with the planar surface, define a retention member void sized to receive a laminar rock chip;

disposing the laminar rock chip in the retention member void;

placing into the retention member void a flowable material capable of hardening, the flowable material flowing between a bottom surface of the laminar rock chip and the planar surface and further flowing around the laminar rock chip such that substantially all of the surface area of the laminar rock chip is covered by the flowable material;

causing the flowable material to harden into a solid while retaining the laminar rock chip in place, thereby forming a plug of solid material having the laminar rock chip embedded therein;

removing the plug from the planar surface and abrading a top surface of the plug, the top surface and a bottom surface of the plug being substantially parallel to one another, and the top surface being sufficiently abraded so that a contact surface portion of the laminar rock chip is exposed at the top surface; and

placing the bottom surface of the plug upon a hardness testing device support plate and contacting the contact surface portion of the laminar rock chip at the top surface with a primary contact member of the hardness testing device so that force is applied by the primary contact member to the contact surface portion of the laminar rock chip,

so that a hardness of the laminar rock chip is measured.

17. A method according to claim 16 further comprising abrading the bottom surface of the plug so that the top surface of the plug is substantially parallel to the bottom surface of the plug.

18. A method according to claim 16 further comprising removing the plug from the retention member.

19. A method according to claim 16 wherein the flowable material comprises an epoxy.

20. A method according to claim 16 wherein the flowable material comprises a metal alloy.

21. A method according to claim 19 further comprising removing the plug from the retention member.

22. An article comprising a laminar rock chip substantially surrounded by and imbedded within a plug comprised of a solid material, the plug forming a top planar surface and a bottom planar surface substantially parallel with the top planar surface, the laminar rock chip forming a contact surface portion exposed at the top planar surface of the plug.

23. The article according to claim 22 , wherein the laminar rock chip is comprised of shale.

24. The article according to claim 23 , wherein the solid material is either an epoxy or a metal alloy.

25. The article according to claim 24 , wherein the solid material is a metal alloy having a melting point below 72° C.

26. The article according to claim 25 , wherein the plug is further comprised of a solid retention member forming a perimeter of the plug.

27. The article according to claim 22 , wherein the solid material is either an epoxy or a metal alloy.

28. The article according to claim 27 , wherein the solid material is a metal alloy having a melting point below 72° C.

29. The article according to claim 22 , wherein the plug is further comprised of a solid retention member forming a perimeter of the plug.