Expendable phase change detector device

Claim 1

AN EXPENDABLE PHASE CHANGE DETECTOR DEVICE ADAPTED FOR VERTICAL DISPOSITION FOR USE IN OBTAINING A COOLING CURVE OF MOLTEN MATERIAL OUTSIDE OF THE MELTING FURNACE COMPRISING A BODY MEMBER, TEMPERATURE SENSING MEANS SUPPORTED BY SAID BODY MEMBER AND EXTENDING FROM ONE END OF SAID BODY MEMBER A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE, SAID TEMPERATURE SENSING MEANS HAVING ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS EXTENDING THROUGH AT LEAST PART OF SAID BODY MEMBER TOWARD THE OPPOSITE END THEREOF AND FORMING PLUG-IN ELECTRICAL CONTACT STRUCTURE ACCESSIBLE FROM SAID OPPOSTE END OF SAID BODY MEMBER, TUBULAR WALL STRUCTURE CARRIED BY SAID BODY MEMBER AT SAID ONE END THEREOF AND TOGETHER THEREWITH FORMING AN OPEN END LIQUID-TIGHT WELL AROUND SAID TEMPERATURE SENSING MEANS SO THAT UPON VERTICAL DISPOSITION OF THE DEVICE SAID OPEN END OF SAID WELL IS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AND SAID WELL RETAIN A QUANTITY OF MOLTEN MATERIAL, SAID TUBULAR WALL STRUCTURE HAVING A LENGTH SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER THAN SAID PREDETERMINED DISTANCE WHICH SAID TEMPERATURE SENSING MEANS EXTENDS BEYOND SAID ONE END OF SAID BODY MEMBER WHICH FORMS THE BOTTOM OF SAID WELL, SAID TUBUALR WALL STRUCTURE AND BODY MEMBER BEING COMPRISED OF MATERIAL HAVING THE CHARACTERISTIC OF RETARDING THE COOLING OF A SAMPLE OF THE MOLTEN MATERIAL TO BE RECEIVED IN SAID WELL, THE DEPTH OF SAID WELL BEING RELATED TO SAID PREDETERMINED DISTANCE SAID TEMPERATURE SENSING MEANS EXTEND BEYOND SAID BOTTOM OF SAID WELL SO AS TO MAINTAIN SAID TEMPERATURE SENSING MEANS WITHIN THE SAMPLE OF MOLTEN MATERIAL IN SAID WELL BELOW ANY SHRINKAGE CAVITY FORMED IN THE SAMPLE DURING COOLING.