Thermocouple temperature measuring instrument and method of measuring

Claim 1

A portable instrument for measuring the temperature of an electrically conductive member, comprising a housing including first and second parts, means connecting said parts for relative movement of said parts between an open position where said parts are separated and a closed position where said parts are closely adjacent each other and form a substantially closed interior, two thermocouple conductors, one end of each of said conductors being mounted on said first housing part, said one ends being spaced apart and extending into the interior of said housing, said housing being adapted to receive said member within said interior and to be temporarily attached to said member, means on said second housing part for pressing said member against said ends of said conductors when said housing parts are in said closed position and for holding said one ends in electrically conductive engagement with spaced apart locations of said member, the portion of said member between said locations forming part of a thermocouple junction between said one ends and said junction generating an EMF which is a function of the temperature of said junction, the other ends of said conductors being electrically connected to means which responds to said EMF.