On mine, the Thermocouple stands vertically at about the 10:30 position, just outside the metal ring. The thermocouple itself is about 1/16th inch diameter, with a blunt top and reaches up just 1/8 or so above the height of the ring. One of mine (the one that started quickest) has a gap of about 1/16th between the thermocouple and the ring. The other was no more than 1/8" away, but took 10 seconds to the better one's 5.
If you are bending these, use a padded pliers, be gentle.