Abstract: A panel assembly for terminating a plurality of thermocouple leads is disclosed. The panel assembly has sufficient mass that it can stabilize at the temperature of the surrounding air. All thermocouple termination posts are of a common metal such as copper so that all subsequent leads can be copper and thereby reduce termination errors due to subsequent thermoelectric effects. A temperature measuring device is embedded in the mass of the panel assembly for measuring the temperature of the termination points of the thermocouple leads. Recorder jacks are provided so that an external recorder may record the outputs of the thermocouple.

Abstract: A method for simultaneous compensation of a plurality of thermocouple signals where the thermocouple leads are terminated to dissimilar metals without using individual ice junctions for compensation of each thermocouple signal is disclosed. The thermocouple leads are all terminated to individual connectors as reference junctions which are held at the same temperature by a block of metal which stabilizes thermally with its environment. The temperature of the metal block is measured by an integrated circuit temperature transducer which produces an analog electrical signal proportional to the temperature detected. This signal is digitized and a microprocessor calculates the temperature of the metal block which is placed on a first data bus. Additional microprocessors are connected to the individual thermocouple leads. These microprocessors convert the thermocouple signals into an uncorrected digital temperature.