Abstract: A temperature measurement device for rotary kilns comprises a stripping sleeve rigidly mounted in a bore or the shell of a rotary kiln and has one end portion extending into the rotary kiln. A ceramic ring is mounted at the one end portion of the sleeve and a protective tube is slidably mounted in the stripping sleeve and through the opening in the ceramic ring. A thermocouple is disposed in the protective tube at one end portion thereof that corresponds to the one end portion of the stripping sleeve. The protective tube is lifted to retract its one end portion until the end thereof is disposed in the ceramic ring thereby scraping off any crust thereon and the tube is then lowered to such an extent that the one end portion thereof protrudes from the ceramic ring so that temperature measurement can be effected.