Nonwelded thermocouple junctions

Claim 2

In a thermocouple assembly including at least a pair of dissimilar thermocouple wires, a quantity of temperature-resistant insulating material that surrounds the wires so as to confine and maintain the wires in spaced-apart relation, and a metallic outer sheath intimately surrounding the insulating material so that the wires are fixedly confined therein in insulated relationship relative to the sheath, and wherein the confined insulating material terminates short of one end portion of the sheath so that a void region is defined by the one end portion into which the end portions of the thermocouple wires extend; junction-forming means mounted within said void region so as to form a stable mechanical and electrical junction between the extending end portions of said wires, said junction-forming means comprising at least a pair of small metallic wire-confining tubes and a metallic outer confining tube, one each of said small metallic tubes being mounted about and in intimate contact with one each of said extending end portions of the thermocouple wires, said outer confining tube being intimately mounted about said wire-confining tubes and disposed within said sheath to complete said junction and completely fill the void region.

Claim 3

A nonwelded thermocouple assembly adapted for use in high-temperature environments comprising: a. an elongated electrically conductive sheath comprised of refractory metal and having opposed end portions; b. a plurality of thermocouple wires each comprising a refractory metal composition including at least one metal selected from the group of refractory metals consisting of tungsten, rhenium and molybdenum with the composition of said wires being selected for use in high-temperature environments, said thermocouple wires being positioned within said sheath in predetermined space relation to said sheath and to each other, said refractory thermocouple wires extending therewithin along at least the major portion of the length of said sheath; c. electrically conductive plug means comprised of a refractory metal and positioned adjacent one of said opposed ends of said sheath, said plug means being formed to define receiving aperture means for the end portions of each of said plurality of refractory metal thermocouple wires with said plug means being swaged into intimate engagement with said ends of each of said refractory metal thermocouple wires for effecting a mechanically bonded thermocouple junction therebetween; d. electrical insulating means composed of a refractory material for use in high-temperature environments and surrounding said wires and occupying the remaining space within said sheath; e. and an end closure cap of a refractory metal joined to and providing a protective enclosure for said one end portion of said sheath.

Claim 4

The thermocouple assembly of claim 4 in which said plug means includes a plurality of spaced individual receiving apertures for said plurality of wires and in which said thermocouple wires are straight and positioned in substantially parallel relation over the length of said sheath.

Claim 5

The thermocouple assembly of claim 5 in which said sheath is swaged into intimate engagement with said plug means to form a thermocouple junction of the grounded type.

Claim 6

The thermocouple assembly of claim 6 in which said plug means comprises a single unitary cylindrical plug.

Claim 7

The thermocouple assembly of claim 6 wherein said plug means comprises a plurality of similar unitary cylindrical plug members each having a receiving aperture for accommodating an end portion of an individual one of said therMoelectric wires and wherein said plug means further includes a sleeve member that is swaged about and into intimate surrounding relationship with said cylindrical plug members.

Claim 8

The thermocouple assembly of claim 4 wherein said plug means includes a singular receiving aperture for said plurality of thermocouple wires and wherein said plug means is maintained in predetermined spaced relation to said sheath and said end closure cap by said temperature-resistant insulating means to form a thermocouple junction of the ungrounded type.

Claim 9

In a nonwelded thermocouple assembly adapted for use in high-temperature environments, the combination comprising: a. an elongated electrically conductive sheath comprised of a refractory metal and having opposed end portions; b. a thermocouple wire comprised of a refractory metal composition including at least one metal selected from the group of refractory metals consisting of tungsten, rhenium and molybdenum with the composition of said wire being selected for use in said high-temperature environments, and wire being positioned within said sheath in predetermined spaced relation to said sheath, said refractory metal thermocouple wire extending therewithin along at least a major portion of the length of said sheath; c. electrically conductive plug means comprised of refractory metal and positioned adjacent one of said opposite ends of said sheath; d. said plug means having a longitudinal passageway for receiving said thermocouple wire and said plug means being swaged into engagement with said thermocouple wire to provide an intimate electrically conductive connection therebetween; e. electrical insulating means, composed of a refractory material for use in high-temperature environments, occupying substantially all of the remaining space within said sheath; f. and an end closure cap of a refractory metal joined to and forming a protective enclosure for said one end portion of said sheath.

Claim 10

The thermocouple assembly of claim 10 in which said sheath is swaged about said plug means to form a thermocouple of the grounded type.