Pneumo Corporation

Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company

William H Schwagerman

Robert K Frake

Temperature sensors and methods of manufacturing thereof, having an intermediate stop disposed along a set of wires, the intermediate stop is secured to the set of wires such that an insulator can be properly positioned around proximal end portions of the set of wires during assembly of the temperature sensor.

Temperature sensors and methods of manufacture thereof

A multipoint thermocouple assembly for monitoring temperatures at various locations in a utilization environment includes an elongate thermocouple support strap insertable lengthwise into a protective hollow well or the like. Mounted on the support strap are a plurality of thermocouples which are generally held against longitudinal movement relative to the support strap but the respective measuring junctions thereof are supported by respective camming members connected to a common cable for simultaneous longitudinal movement of the camming members relative to the support strap for urging the measuring junctions outwardly into thermally conductive engagement with respective wall portions of the well. The support strap and actuation cable are laterally flexible so that the assembly may be coiled for ease in fabrication, installation and shipping. Each camming member includes an outwardly angled guide tube having opposed camming surfaces operative respectively to force the respective measuring junction outwardly and inwardly upon movement of the actuation cable in opposite directions. During insertion of the assembly into the well or during withdrawal therefrom, the measuring junctions are held out of contact with the inside wall of the well for ease of insertion and removal of the entire assembly from the well without damage to the measuring junctions. Only after full insertion of the assembly into the well are the measuring junctions mechanically and controllably loaded or tensioned against the inside wall of the well. The invention also relates to a multipoint thermocouple assembly/well combination and its method of assembly.

Flexible type multipoint thermocouple assembly

A multipoint thermocouple assembly for monitoring temperatures at various locations, for example, at different depths in a process vessel, includes a plurality of thermocouples, a protective tube well having a hollow interior, elongate guides in the protective well for guiding respective thermocouples along the interior of the protective well, and wedges in the guides at respective axial locations along the protective well for urging the measuring junctions of respective thermocouples into thermal transfer contact with the wall of the well. In one form of the invention, the guides may comprise plural channels on the exterior surface of an elongated support member, formed as by attaching fins or dividers to such exterior surface, or by providing a plurality of splines on such exterior surface. In another form of the invention, a plurality of elongated thin walled guide tubes are brazed or welded to the exterior surface of a plurality of longitudinally spaced support rings. The guide tubes have openings in the outer walls thereof at the respective points of thermocouple measuring junction locations, and wedges in the tubes at such points for urging the measuring junctions out through the openings at such points. The well when inserted in a process vessel protects the thermocouple measuring junctions while positioning them simultaneously to sense temperature at different respective locations or depths in the vessel. The invention also relates to methods for making a multipoint thermocouple assembly and for replacing a thermocouple therein.

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McHenry, IL, United States of America

William H Schwagerman