US3874239A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Surface thermocouple
Assignee: Desco Corp
•
Filing: 1974-03-04
•
Granted: 1975-04-01
•
Expires: 1994-03-04
Abstract
Abstract A surface thermocouple assembly including a metal sheath having thermocouple conductors extending therethrough in spaced relation from each other and from the sheath by electrical insulating material, an opening in the sheath wall at the hot junction end and through which the conductors are extended, a ceramic plug receiving the conductors and mounted in the opening, a fusion weld of the conductors outside the plug, and a V-shaped pad with a knife-shaped edge integrally formed at the junction end. The termocouple is made from a length of sheathed thermocouple conductors by forming a keyhole slot at the junction end, removing the insulation around the conductors, bending the conductors through the opening of the keyhole slot, mounting a ceramic plug in place, fusion welding the ends of the conductors outside the plug to define the thermojunction, inserting a metal end plug at the junction end, welding closed the slot and the end plug in position, and building up a V-shaped welded pad at the hot junction end. Thereafter, mounting of the thermocouple assembly onto a surface for which the temperature is to be monitored includes the positioning of the hot junction end onto the tube with the knife-shaped edge of the pad in engagement with the tube, and providing void-free welds between the pad and the tube such that the distance between the thermojunction and the tube surface is substantially less than the distance between the junction and the closest free surface of the mounting welds.
Inventors
- 👤 Philip F Finney
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 15:42
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01K; G01K1/00; G01K1/14; G01K1/143
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
195 words
A surface thermocouple assembly for monitoring the temperature of a surface to which it is attached wherein one end of the assembly is a cold junction end for connection to a temperature readout instrument and the other end is a hot junction end, said assembly comprising, an elongated tubular metal sheath, a pair of spaced thermocouple conductors within the sheath, electrical insulating material spacing and supporting said conductors within the sheath in insulating relation from each other and from the sheath, said conductors at the cold junction end adapted to be connected to the readout instrument, said conductors at the hot junction end being bent at substantially right angles to the sheath axis and extending through an opening in the sheath wall, a ceramic insulating plug in the opening receiving and holding said conductors in spaced and insulated relation from each other and from the sheath, a fusion weld at the ends of the conductors outside the plug defining the thermocouple hot junction, and a pad integral with the sheath and the hot junction, said pad having a substantially knife-shaped edge for direct engagement with the surface for which the temperature is to be monitored.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
195 words
A surface thermocouple assembly for monitoring the temperature of a surface to which it is attached wherein one end of the assembly is a cold junction end for connection to a temperature readout instrument and the other end is a hot junction end, said assembly comprising, an elongated tubular metal sheath, a pair of spaced thermocouple conductors within the sheath, electrical insulating material spacing and supporting said conductors within the sheath in insulating relation from each other and from the sheath, said conductors at the cold junction end adapted to be connected to the readout instrument, said conductors at the hot junction end being bent at substantially right angles to the sheath axis and extending through an opening in the sheath wall, a ceramic insulating plug in the opening receiving and holding said conductors in spaced and insulated relation from each other and from the sheath, a fusion weld at the ends of the conductors outside the plug defining the thermocouple hot junction, and a pad integral with the sheath and the hot junction, said pad having a substantially knife-shaped edge for direct engagement with the surface for which the temperature is to be monitored.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
17 words
The assembly of claim 1, wherein the pad is defined by a weldment at the hot junction.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
29 words
The assembly of claim 2, wherein the weldment is externally defined by a pair of surfaces extending substantially tangential to the sheath and merging to the knife-shaped edge thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
14 words
The assembly of claim 3, wherein the surfaces are angularly spaced apart about 90*.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
36 words
The assembly of claim 1, wherein the shortest distance between the hot junction and the knife-shaped edge is substantially less than the distance between the hot junction and either of the opposed ends of the pad.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
36 words
The assembly of claim 1, wherein the shortest distance between the hot junction and the knife-shaped edge is less than one-half the distance between the hot junction and either of the opposed ends of the pad.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
The assembly of claim 1, wherein the shortest distance between the hot junction and the knife-shaped edge is less than one-fourth the distance between the hot junction and eithEr of the opposed ends of the pad.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
36 words
The assembly of claim 4, wherein the shortest distance between the hot junction and the knife-shaped edge is substantially less than the distance between the hot junction and either of the opposed ends of the pad.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
36 words
The assembly of claim 1, wherein the conductors extend parallel to each other and axially in the sheath and are aligned along a plane extending coaxial with the axis of the opening in the sheath wall.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
13 words
The assembly of claim 1, wherein the insulating material is compacted powdered ceramic.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The assembly of claim 1, wherein the hot junction is aligned substantially with the outer surface of the sheath.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
19 words
The assembly of claim 1, wherein the hot junction is aligned substantially with the knife-shaped edge of the pad.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
220 words
In combination with a heat exchanger tube carrying a fluid to be heated and subjected to high temperature gases and flame, a surface thermocouple assembly mounted on the tube for monitoring the temperature thereof, said assembly including a hot junction end secured to the outer surface of the tube and a cold junction end connected to a temperature readout instrument, said assembly comprising, an elongated tubular metal sheath, a pair of spaced thermocouple conductors within the sheath, electrical insulating material spacing and supporting said conductors within the sheath in insulating relation from each other and from the sheath, said conductors extending from the cold junction end for connection to the readout instrument, said conductors at the hot junction end being bent at substantially right angles to the sheath axis and extending through an opening in the sheath wall, a ceramic insulating plug in the opening receiving and holding said conductors in spaced and insulated relation from each other and from the sheath, a fusion weld at the ends of the conductors outside the plug defining the thermocouple hot junction, a pad integral with the sheath and the hot junction, said pad having a substantially knife-shaped edge for direct engagement with the outer surface of the tube, and weld means providing a void-free weld union between the pad and the tube.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
220 words
In combination with a heat exchanger tube carrying a fluid to be heated and subjected to high temperature gases and flame, a surface thermocouple assembly mounted on the tube for monitoring the temperature thereof, said assembly including a hot junction end secured to the outer surface of the tube and a cold junction end connected to a temperature readout instrument, said assembly comprising, an elongated tubular metal sheath, a pair of spaced thermocouple conductors within the sheath, electrical insulating material spacing and supporting said conductors within the sheath in insulating relation from each other and from the sheath, said conductors extending from the cold junction end for connection to the readout instrument, said conductors at the hot junction end being bent at substantially right angles to the sheath axis and extending through an opening in the sheath wall, a ceramic insulating plug in the opening receiving and holding said conductors in spaced and insulated relation from each other and from the sheath, a fusion weld at the ends of the conductors outside the plug defining the thermocouple hot junction, a pad integral with the sheath and the hot junction, said pad having a substantially knife-shaped edge for direct engagement with the outer surface of the tube, and weld means providing a void-free weld union between the pad and the tube.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
50 words
The combination defined by claim 13, wherein said weld means welds the pad to the tube such that the heat path between the hot junction and the outer tube surface is substantially less than the heat path between the hot junction and the nearest surface subjected to gases and flames.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
50 words
The combination defined by claim 13, wherein said weld means welds the pad to the tube such that the heat path between the hot junction and the outer tube surface is less than half the heat path between the hot junction and the nearest surface subjected to gases and flames.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
42 words
The combination defined by claim 13, wherein said pad having a knife-shaped edge is V-shaped and defined by a pair of surfaces merging to the knife edge and angularly spaced about 45* from the surface of the tube when properly positioned thereon.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
25 words
The combination defined by claim 13, wherein the fusion weld of the conductors defining the hot junction is at the knife-shaped edge of the pad.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-03-31 | 1978-09-30 | 1979-04-01 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-03-31 | 1982-09-30 | 1983-04-01 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-03-31 | 1986-09-30 | 1987-04-01 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |