Rotary contactor for thermocouples

Connector means for use in electrically connecting first ends of a pair of stationary electrical leads to a pair of rotary thermocouple terminals mounted on a rotatable container, said thermocouple terminals being on a thermocouple projecting into the interior of said container for sensing the temperature of the contents therein, the second ends of said pair of stationary electrical leads being adapted to be electrically connected to terminals of a potentiometer responsive to voltage generated by said thermocouple, said connector means comprising:

• a post-like rotary sub-assembly having a longitudinal axis about which it is adapted to rotate when said container rotates;
• a stationary arm-like sub-assembly mounted on said postlike rotary sub-assembly;
• said post-like rotary sub-assembly comprising, a base having mounted therein in electrically insulated relationship two contact pins one of which is formed of thermocouple material A corresponding to one material of said thermocouple and the other of which is formed of a different thermocouple material B corresponding to the other material forming said thermocouple, both of said pins having terminals at one end of said base for mating electrical contact with said pair of thermocouple terminals and said contact pin formed of material A projecting axially from the opposite end of said base, a dielectric sleeve embracing a section of said axially projecting pin portion adjacent said base, a slip ring sleeve formed of material B embracingly mounted on said dielectric sleeve with the end adjacent said base being electrically connected to the adjacent end of said contact pin formed of material B, first sleeve bearing formed of material B embracingly supporting said slip ring adjacent said base, a first spring-loaded sleeve brush formed of material B embracing said slip ring, a first pair of conductors formed of material B electrically connecting said first sleeve bearing and said first spring-loaded sleeve brush respectively to a first end of one of said stationary electrical leads and which is formed of material B, a second sleeve bearing formed of material A embracingly supporting said projecting pin portion at a location spaced from said slip ring, a second spring-loaded sleeve brush formed of a material A embracing said projecting pin portion, and a second pair of conductors formed of material A connecting said second sleeve bearing and said second spring-loaded sleeve brush, respectively, to a first end of the second of said stationary electrical leads and which is formed of material A;
• and, said stationary arm sub-assembly comprising, a body member having a transverse opening for receiving therein said axially projecting pin portion with one section of said transverse opening serving as a seat for said first sleeve bearing and with a spaced section thereof serving as a seat for said second sleeve bearing, said body member having space therein for receiving said first and second spring-loaded sleeve brushes and said body member providing support for said first and second pairs of conductors and said first ends of said stationary electrical leads.

Connector means for use in electrically connecting first ends of a pair of stationary electrical leads to a pair of rotary thermocouple terminals mounted on one end of a rotatable container, said thermocouple terminals being on a thermocouple projecting from said container end into the interior thereof for sensing the temperature of the contents therein, the second ends of said pair of stationary electrical leads being adapted to be electrically connected to terminals of a potentiometer responsive to voltage generated by said thermocouple, said connector means comprising:

• a post-like rotary sub-assembly having a longitudinal axis about which it is adapted to rotate when said container rotates;
• a stationary arm-like sub-assembly mounted on said post-like rotary sub-assembly;
• said post-like rotary sub-assembly comprising, a base having mounted therein in electrically insulated relationship two contact pins one of which is formed of thermocouple material A corresponding to one material of said thermocouple and the other of which is formed of a different thermocouple material B corresponding to the other material forming said thermocouple, both of said pins having terminals at one end of said base so as to mate in electrical contact with said pair of thermocouple terminals and said contact pin formed of material A projecting axially from the opposite end of said base, a dielectric sleeve embracing a section of said axially projecting pin portion adjacent said base, a slip ring sleeve formed of material B embracingly mounted on said dielectric sleeve with the end adjacent said base being electrically connected to the adjacent end of said contact pin formed of material B, a first sleeve bearing formed of material B embracingly supporting said slip ring adjacent said base, a first spring-loaded sleeve brush formed of material B embracing said slip ring, a first pair of flexible conductors formed of material B electrically connecting said first sleeve bearing and said first spring-loaded sleeve brush respectively to a first end of one of said stationary electrical leads and which is formed of material B, a second sleeve bearing formed of material A embracingly supporting said projecting pin portion at a location spaced from said slip ring, a second spring-loaded sleeve brush formed of material A embracing said projecting pin portion, and a second pair of flexible conductors formed of material A connecting said second sleeve bearing and said second spring-loaded sleeve brush, respectively, to a first end of the second of said stationary electrical leads and which is formed of material A;
• and, said stationary arm sub-assembly comprising, a body member having a transverse opening for receiving therein said axially projecting pin end with one end of said transverse opening serving as a seat for said first sleeve bearing and with the other end thereof serving as a seat for said second sleeve bearing, and said body member having space therein for receiving said first and second spring-loaded sleeve brushes and having passageway space therein for receiving said first and second pairs of flexible conductors and said first ends and adjacent portions of said stationary electrical leads.

For use in connector means for electrically connecting first ends of a pair of stationary electrical leads to rotary thermocouple terminals mounted on a rotatable container, said thermocouple terminals being on a thermocouple projecting into the interior of said container for sensing the temperature of the contents therein, the second ends of said pair of stationary electrical leads being adapted to be electrically connected to terminals of a potentiometer responsive to voltage generated by said thermocouple, a post-like rotary sub-assembly comprising, a base having mounted therein in electrically insulated relationship two contact pins one of which is formed of thermocouple material A corresponding to one material of said thermocouple and the other of which is formed of a different thermocouple material B corresponding to the other material forming said thermocouple, both of said pins having terminal portions at one end of said base for electrical connection with said pair of thermocouple terminals and said contact pin formed of material A projecting axially from the opposite end of said base, a slip ring sleeve formed of material B embracingly mounted in non-conductive relationship on said axially projecting pin portion with the end of said slip ring sleeve adjacent said base being electrically connected to the adjacent end of said contact pin formed of material B, first sleeve bearing and brush means formed of material B embracingly directly supporting said slip ring sleeve, first conductor means formed of material B electrically connecting said first sleeve bearing and brush means to a first end of one of said stationary electrical leads and which is formed of material B, second sleeve bearing and brush means formed of material A embracingly directly supporting said projecting pin portion at a location spaced from said slip ring sleeve, and second conductor means formed of material A for connecting said second sleeve bearing and brush means to a first end of the second of said stationary electrical leads and which is formed of material A.