Patent ID: 8826711

Claim:
An apparatus for measuring a temperature of a steel slab while the steel slab is being transferred in a first direction, the apparatus comprising: a temperature probe comprising a main body, a pointed tip and a temperature sensor, the pointed tip being connected to the main body and configured to poke into the steel slab and comprising an outer layer and a filler, the temperature sensor being embedded in the filler and configured to measure a temperature of the material while the pointed tip is in contact with the steel slab by poking; a first moving mechanism configured to move the probe along the first direction while the steel slab is being transferred in the first direction; and a second moving mechanism configured to move the probe along a second direction perpendicular to a substantially planar top surface of the steel slab toward and away from the steel slab, wherein the second mechanism comprises: two opposing guide frames spaced apart from each other, each guide frame comprising a guide groove extending in the second direction perpendicular to the substantially planar top surface of the steel slab, two guide protrusions, each of which extends from the main body of the probe to one of the guide grooves and is engaged with one of the guide grooves, and a leadscrew located between the guide frames, engaged with the probe and configured to rotate so as to move the probe in the second direction to poke into the steel slab.