Patent ID: 7226207

Claim:
Temperature gauge adapter for use in connection with a sanitary conduit through which a liquid product flows whose temperature is to be monitored, the conduit including a tubular stub formed on said conduit to mount a temperature gauge and to permit a cylindrical rod probe of the temperature gauge to contact said fluid, the tubular stub having a flange ring formed at an upper end thereof; and wherein said temperature gauge has a body portion and a male threaded stem from which said rod probe extends; the adapter comprising: a flange disk of a diameter to mate with the flange ring of said tubular stub; a seal gland disposed between facing flat surfaces of said flange disk and the flange ring of said tubular stub; clamp means fitting over said flange disk and said flange ring for removably holding said flange disk in sealed engagement with said flange ring; a passageway formed in said flange disk of a sufficient diameter to permit the rod probe of the temperature sensor to penetrate therethrough; an O-ring seal seated within said passageway for sealably engaging said rod probe when the latter penetrates said passageway; and a female threaded nipple affixed on said flange disk and coaxial with said passageway, and having threads to mate with the male threaded stem of said temperature gauge.