Patent ID: 7874726

Claim:
A thermocouple comprising: a support tube having a first distal end, a second distal end, and a longitudinal axis, said support tube including a pair of bores extending between said first distal end and said second distal end; a sheath disposed about at least a portion of said support tube; a first wire disposed within one of said bores; a second wire disposed within the other of said bores, said second wire formed of a different metal than said first wire; a junction formed between an end of said first wire and an end of said second wire, wherein said junction is located adjacent to said first distal end of said support tube; and a cap operatively attached to said second distal end of said support tube, said cap having a first bore to receive said second distal end of said support tube and a second bore through which said first and second wires extend, said cap further including a web formed between said first and second bore, said web including a first aperture for receiving said first wire and a second aperture for receiving said second wire, said apertures being sized to allow said first and second wires to slide freely therethrough in response to thermal expansion or contraction of said first and second wires; and a loop formed of a portion of said first and second wires extending from said cap.