US3753787A — Spring loaded thermocouple unit and mounting cap …

Claim 1

Independent Claim 407 words

In combination with a thermocouple unit adapted to be inserted within bores of varying depths and including insulated thermocouple conductors terminating within a tube at the front end portion thereof to be pressed into firm engagement with an end wall of a bore or the like, a coil spring encircling the thermocouple unit and carried thereby so forward compression thereof will apply a forwardly directed force to the thermocouple unit, the coil spring encompassing a longitudinal extent of said thermocouple unit so that at least a portion of the coil spring in a compressed state spaced from the front end thereof will be adjacent to a mounting cap connecting point associated with bores of varying depths, the improvement comprising a thermocouple mounting cap having a longitudinally extending open-ended passageway therein adapted to receive said coil spring and thermocouple unit extending therein, said mounting cap having means for anchoring the same with respect to the outer end of a bore in which said thermocouple unit is to be mounted, and a thin elongated member made of a resilient material and having a first end portion forming an abutment for said coil spring when compressed toward the front of said thermocouple unit resiliently to hold the thermocouple unit in place against the inner wall of a bore, said end portion of said thin elongated member extending laterally within said passageway where it intercepts a portion of said coil spring, a liftable handle-forming means on the outside of said cap and formed by a lateral extension of said end portion of said thin elongated member and terminating in a second end portion which extends substantially around the outside of thE mounting cap where the end thereof is anchored to said cap for providing sufficient flexibility thereto that said handle forming means can be readily raised to a point where said abutment - forming end portion can be removed from between the turns of said coil spring, the resiliency of said thin elongated member resiliently urging said first abutment forming end portion of said thin elongated member into a center portion of said mounting cap passageway, where it intercepts said coil spring, said handle-forming means when lifted moving said first end portion of said resilient thin elongated member away from said coil spring to provide clearance for the relative longitudinal movement of said thermocouple unit and attached coil spring, on the one hand, and the mounting cap, on the other hand.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 407 words

In combination with a thermocouple unit adapted to be inserted within bores of varying depths and including insulated thermocouple conductors terminating within a tube at the front end portion thereof to be pressed into firm engagement with an end wall of a bore or the like, a coil spring encircling the thermocouple unit and carried thereby so forward compression thereof will apply a forwardly directed force to the thermocouple unit, the coil spring encompassing a longitudinal extent of said thermocouple unit so that at least a portion of the coil spring in a compressed state spaced from the front end thereof will be adjacent to a mounting cap connecting point associated with bores of varying depths, the improvement comprising a thermocouple mounting cap having a longitudinally extending open-ended passageway therein adapted to receive said coil spring and thermocouple unit extending therein, said mounting cap having means for anchoring the same with respect to the outer end of a bore in which said thermocouple unit is to be mounted, and a thin elongated member made of a resilient material and having a first end portion forming an abutment for said coil spring when compressed toward the front of said thermocouple unit resiliently to hold the thermocouple unit in place against the inner wall of a bore, said end portion of said thin elongated member extending laterally within said passageway where it intercepts a portion of said coil spring, a liftable handle-forming means on the outside of said cap and formed by a lateral extension of said end portion of said thin elongated member and terminating in a second end portion which extends substantially around the outside of thE mounting cap where the end thereof is anchored to said cap for providing sufficient flexibility thereto that said handle forming means can be readily raised to a point where said abutment - forming end portion can be removed from between the turns of said coil spring, the resiliency of said thin elongated member resiliently urging said first abutment forming end portion of said thin elongated member into a center portion of said mounting cap passageway, where it intercepts said coil spring, said handle-forming means when lifted moving said first end portion of said resilient thin elongated member away from said coil spring to provide clearance for the relative longitudinal movement of said thermocouple unit and attached coil spring, on the one hand, and the mounting cap, on the other hand.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 62 words

The combination of claim 1 wherein said abutment-forming first end portion of said thin elongated member and said handle-forming means are different parts of a single wire-like member, and the handle-forming means is formed by a folded back intermediate portion of the wire-like member with said abutment being a transverse extension of said folded back intermediate portion of said single wire-like member.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 29 words

The combination of claim 1 wherein said retractable abutment means has an inner end positioned to make frictional contact with the thermocouple unit to inhibit relative rotational movement therebetween.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 62 words

The combination of claim 1 wherein said thermocouple unit includes an outer rough surfaced jacket portion encompassed by the portions of said coil spring to be opposite the outer end of said bores of varying depth, said inwardly extending and urged abutment means resiliently urged against said rough surfaced jacket portion making a locking contact therewith to inhibit relative rotational movement therebetween.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 34 words

The combination of claim 1 wherein said mounting cap has a threaded inner shank portion to be directly threaded into a threaded outer portion of a bore into which it is to be mounted.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 68 words

The combination of claim 1 wherein there is provided an adaptor unit which has a threaded inner shank portion to be directly threaded into a threaded outer portion of a bore into which it is to be mounted and a bayonet joint-forming outer portion, and said mounting cap having a bayonet joint-forming inner portion complementary and interlockable with the said bayonet joint-forming outer portion of said adaptor unit.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 299 words

A thermocouple mounting cap for mounting a coil spring encircled theremocouple unit firmly within a bore having a selection of depths, said mounting cap having a longitudinally extending passageway therein adapted to receive a coil spring encircled thermocouple unit extending therethrough, said mounting cap having means for anchoring the same at the outer end of said bore on which the thermocouple unit is to be mounted, and abutment means forming an abutment for the coil spring when the thermocouple unit has been pushed through the longitudinal passageway of the mounting cap into a position firmly engaging the inner end of the bore, said abutment means being resiliently urged laterally inwardly within the passageway to a point therein at which it can intercept a turn of said coil spring, the abutment means being manually retractable to provide clearance for the longitudinal movement of said thermocouple unit through said passageway, a handle-forming means on the outside of said cap which means is manually movable outwardly to retract said abutment means against a resilient restraining force, so release thereof will cause the extension of the abutment means into the center portion of said passageway, and said abutment and handle-forming means being different parts of the same wire-like member, the handle-forming means being formed by a folded back intermediate portion of the wire-like member with said abutment means being a transverse extension of said folded back intermediate portion of said wire-like member, the end of said wire-like member remotE from the end forming said abutment means being anchored to said mounting cap at a point substantially spaced from said handle-forming means for providing sufficient flexibility thereto that said handle-forming means can be readily raised to a point where said abutment forming means can be removed from between the turns of said coil spring.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 299 words

A thermocouple mounting cap for mounting a coil spring encircled theremocouple unit firmly within a bore having a selection of depths, said mounting cap having a longitudinally extending passageway therein adapted to receive a coil spring encircled thermocouple unit extending therethrough, said mounting cap having means for anchoring the same at the outer end of said bore on which the thermocouple unit is to be mounted, and abutment means forming an abutment for the coil spring when the thermocouple unit has been pushed through the longitudinal passageway of the mounting cap into a position firmly engaging the inner end of the bore, said abutment means being resiliently urged laterally inwardly within the passageway to a point therein at which it can intercept a turn of said coil spring, the abutment means being manually retractable to provide clearance for the longitudinal movement of said thermocouple unit through said passageway, a handle-forming means on the outside of said cap which means is manually movable outwardly to retract said abutment means against a resilient restraining force, so release thereof will cause the extension of the abutment means into the center portion of said passageway, and said abutment and handle-forming means being different parts of the same wire-like member, the handle-forming means being formed by a folded back intermediate portion of the wire-like member with said abutment means being a transverse extension of said folded back intermediate portion of said wire-like member, the end of said wire-like member remotE from the end forming said abutment means being anchored to said mounting cap at a point substantially spaced from said handle-forming means for providing sufficient flexibility thereto that said handle-forming means can be readily raised to a point where said abutment forming means can be removed from between the turns of said coil spring.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 88 words

The mounting cap of claim 7 wherein said wire-like member is anchored at its outer end to the mounting cap by an inturned end portion anchored in an opening in said mounting cap and extends from its anchored end part way circumferentially around the mounting cap where it projects outwardly therefrom, said abutment means projecting transversely of the folded back portion of said wire-like member at a point spaced from the outer end thereof and passing through an opening in the mounting cap into the mounting cap passageway.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 60 words

The mounting cap of claim 7 wherein the mounting cap has a cylindrical shank portion open at the opposite ends thereof to define said open-ended passageway thereof, and the inner end of said shank portion being threaded where it can be anchored directly within the corresponding threaded portion of a bore in which the thermocouple unit is to be mounted.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 354 words

In combination, a thermocouple unit adapted to be inserted within bores of varying depths and including a jacket in which extend insulated thermocouple conductors terminating within a tube at the front end portion of said jacket, said tube to be pressed into firm engagement with an end wall of a bore, a coil spring carried by and encircling the jacket of said thermocouple unit and carried thereby so the forward compression thereof will apply a forwardly directed force to the thermocouple unit, the coil spring encompassing a longitudinal extent of said jacket so that at least a portion of the coil spring in a compressed state spaced from the front end thereof will be adjacent to a mounting cap connecting point associated with bores of varying depths, and a thermocouple mounting cap having a longitudinally extending open-ended passageway therein adapted to receive said coil spring and thermocouple unit extending therein, said mounting cap having means for anchoring the same with respect to the outer end of a bore in which said thermocouple unit is to be mounted, and releasable thermocouple unit position fixing means having a first end portion forming an abutment for said coil spring when compressed toward the front of said thermocouple unit resiliently to hold the thermocouple unit in place against the inner wall of a bore, said end portion of said means extending laterally within said passageway and being inwardly resiliently urged into positive engagement with said thermocouple unit jacket, said thermocouple unit jacket and inwardly resiliently urged end portion of said means making positive engagement for preventing relative rotational movement therebetween, said means having a manually engageable portion on the outside of side mounting cap and connected to said end portion of said means for moving said end portion outwardly to withdraw said end portion from the turns of the coil spring to provide clearance for the relative longitudinal movement of said thermocouple unit and attached coil spring, on the one hand, and the mounting cap, on the other hand, the release of the retracted end portion of said means once again establishing an abutment for the coil spring.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 354 words

In combination, a thermocouple unit adapted to be inserted within bores of varying depths and including a jacket in which extend insulated thermocouple conductors terminating within a tube at the front end portion of said jacket, said tube to be pressed into firm engagement with an end wall of a bore, a coil spring carried by and encircling the jacket of said thermocouple unit and carried thereby so the forward compression thereof will apply a forwardly directed force to the thermocouple unit, the coil spring encompassing a longitudinal extent of said jacket so that at least a portion of the coil spring in a compressed state spaced from the front end thereof will be adjacent to a mounting cap connecting point associated with bores of varying depths, and a thermocouple mounting cap having a longitudinally extending open-ended passageway therein adapted to receive said coil spring and thermocouple unit extending therein, said mounting cap having means for anchoring the same with respect to the outer end of a bore in which said thermocouple unit is to be mounted, and releasable thermocouple unit position fixing means having a first end portion forming an abutment for said coil spring when compressed toward the front of said thermocouple unit resiliently to hold the thermocouple unit in place against the inner wall of a bore, said end portion of said means extending laterally within said passageway and being inwardly resiliently urged into positive engagement with said thermocouple unit jacket, said thermocouple unit jacket and inwardly resiliently urged end portion of said means making positive engagement for preventing relative rotational movement therebetween, said means having a manually engageable portion on the outside of side mounting cap and connected to said end portion of said means for moving said end portion outwardly to withdraw said end portion from the turns of the coil spring to provide clearance for the relative longitudinal movement of said thermocouple unit and attached coil spring, on the one hand, and the mounting cap, on the other hand, the release of the retracted end portion of said means once again establishing an abutment for the coil spring.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 38 words

The combination of claim 10 wherein the locking engagement between the end portion of said means and the jacket of the thermocouple unit is obtained by a frictional engagement therebetween effected by the provision of a rough surface.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1976-08-20	1977-02-19	1977-08-21	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1980-08-20	1981-02-19	1981-08-21	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1984-08-20	1985-02-19	1985-08-21	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Spring loaded thermocouple unit and mounting cap therefor

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