sample such that the foam sample is compressed by a predetermined percentage of its thickness releasing the compressive force and measuring the thickness versus time of the recovering foam sample as it returns to its pre deformed state application_number US 87740801 A description a device for automatically measuring the rate of recovery from the compression of a foam sample is described in the device foam samples are compressed between a support surface and a compression surface the support surface rests on a stack of gage blocks which shim the foam sample to the proper elevation and enable speedy and accurate setup of the apparatus between test runs a face of the compression surface engages the foam sample resting on the support surface while an opposing face of the compression surface supports the lightweight core of a displacement measuring device one advantage of such a configuration is that the compression remains uniform over the surface area of the foam sample which in turn enables more accurate measurement of the recovery rate of the foam referring to fig1 and 2 an exemplary embodiment of a rate recovery measuring device is shown generally at 22 rate recovery measuring device 22 which is hereinafter referred to as u201c device 22 u201d comprises a press cylinder.