Abstract: A ceramic burner plaque is described being of a predetermined thickness defined between first and second planar surfaces and through which a plurality of burner ports (6) pass from one surface to the other. The ports are arranged in offset rows and a plurality of polygonal channels (10) are cut into the second surface (8) of the plaque, said channels also being arranged in offset fashion rows and being of a depth less than the thickness of the plaque. The channels are ideally octogonal in shape and of a width which widens progressively from the narrow base of the channel within the thickness of the plaque towards the second surface. The width of the channels at their base is ideally similar or marginally greater to the dimensions of the burner ports and the shape and position of the channels is such that a plurality of burner ports are coincidental with the base thereof.

Abstract: A candle stand for holding and displaying a plurality of candles. The candle stand includes vertical rods that form a rigid tripod structure by attaching at the upper ends of the rods via washers, a pivoting, threaded attachment mechanism, and a threaded handle. The rods support horizontal rings that are provided with individual candle holders. The rods are provided with hooks spaced at intervals. The rings are provided with sets of projecting fingers that form channels. To attach the rings to the rods, the hooks are inserted into the corresponding channels on the rings. This forms an attractive, three-dimensional structure that is sufficiently rigid so as to hold a plurality of candles safely, yet is easily disassembled and collapsed into essentially flat components for easy shipping or storage.

Abstract: A gas burner is provided that simulates wood burning fire and the glowing ember effect of real wood or coal burning. The burner has a burner pan which is covered by a refractory material and a ceramic material. Burner ports are formed through the refractory and ceramic materials. Methods for forming such a burner are also provided.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for use in burners of furnaces such as those used in steam cracking. The apparatus includes a burner tube having a downstream end and an upstream end for receiving fuel and air, flue gas or mixtures thereof. A burner tip is mounted on the downstream end of the burner tube adjacent a first opening in the furnace, so that combustion of the fuel takes place downstream of the burner tip. At least one passageway has a first end at a second opening in the furnace and a second end in a primary air chamber adjacent the upstream end of the burner tube. The passageway also has structure for injecting steam into the passageway and a means for drawing flue gas from the furnace through the passageway.

Abstract: A cooking apparatus includes a body provided in a top thereof with an opening, at least one heating unit arranged on both sides of the body, a grill unit mounted on a top of the body, and a heat reflecting unit arranged toward the heating units below the opening of the body. The grill unit includes a plurality of grill pipes that are filled with water, arranged to be regularly spaced apart from each other and configured to form the effective grill portion. The heating unit includes a pair of heating units arranged on both sides of the body toward the opening of the body. The heating unit is arranged to be inclined at an angle ranging from 30° to 90° (preferably, about 70°) with respect to the effective grill portion of the grill unit. The heating unit is a ceramic heater.

Abstract: A combustion chamber assembly for a heating device includes a combustion chamber housing which forms a combustion chamber, and an ignition member which projects with an ignition section into the combustion chamber. An evaporator medium, surrounding the combustion chamber radially outward at least regionally, is provided on an outer circumferential wall, bounding the combustion chamber radially outward, of the combustion chamber housing, into which evaporator medium fuel to be evaporated is introduced through the outer circumferential wall.

Abstract: A solar installation is described. It has a solar element and a diffractively and/or refractively operating optical apparatus by way of which the incident sunlight is passed directedly perpendicularly on to the solar element. The optical apparatus is caused to track the position of the sun by way of a tracking device. The optical apparatus uses a light-deflecting foil having portions of different natures with a structure having a different optical action. By virtue of the action of the tracking device the holographic foil is moved relative to the solar element so that different portions of the foil move into an operative position above the solar element in succession during the tracking procedure.

Abstract: A smoke guide structure used in a kitchen hood having a housing, an air buffer with an air inlet and an air outlet provided inside the housing, and a fan and fan motor assembly provided inside the air buffer and adapted to draw off smoke produced during cooking is disclosed to include an outer shell mounted inside the housing, an inner shell mounted inside the outer shell, an air path defined between the outer shell and the inner shell and connected to the air inlet of the air buffer, and a grease trap fastened to an orifice of the air path and adapted to accumulate waste grease produced in the air path.

Abstract: A convection steam cooking device utilizes forced recirculation of gases along a primary recirculation path that extends through a steam chamber so that gases from the cooking cavity flow through the steam chamber and are subjected to a “steam bath” that alters the gases by adding heat and/or moisture. The cooking device includes a cooking cavity, a fan, a steam chamber disposed beneath the cooking cavity with a lower pool area for holding water and an upper steam collecting area disposed directly above the pool area, and a removable baffle disposed between the cooking cavity and the steam chamber with a perforated section remote from the fan and disposed at an upward angle. The primary forced recirculation path extends from the main cooking cavity, through the baffle, substantially across the steam collecting area, through a duct to the fan, and back to the main cavity.

Abstract: A range hood cleaning assembly having a primary reservoir in fluid communication with a range hood motor housing. Wash fluid from the primary reservoir may be dispersed against grease laden surfaces of the fan and motor housing where it drains back to the primary reservoir, optionally via a secondary reservoir. Grease washed by the fluid floats to the top of an outlet chamber in the primary reservoir and out a drainage hole to an external receptacle. Alternatively, the grease may drain from the top of the secondary reservoir to the external receptacle. The primary and secondary reservoirs are shaped and sized to fit below the motor housing.

Abstract: A process for adding objects to a candle. Methods are disclosed for adding an object before the fuel has assumed its final state and after the fuel has assumed its final state. Several related approaches for introducing the object are disclosed, including making an incision to insert the object, retracting the fuel away from its container in order to slip the object in between the fuel and the container, and creating a melted region in the fuel which will allow the object's insertion. Once the object is in place, the fuel is locally heated above its melting temperature in order to reflow the fuel around the object. The candle is then cooled so that the fuel transitions back into its normal state.

Abstract: A grilling apparatus including an ash receptacle and a grill assembly. The grill assembly includes a firebox and at least one support arm connecting the firebox to the ash receptacle for pivotal movement of the grill assembly between a cooking position and a cleaning position. In an alternative embodiment, the grilling apparatus includes two grill assemblies coupled to the ash receptacle for pivotal movement between cooking and cleaning positions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pocket lighter of the type that comprises a fuel container (1), a valve (2), which regulates the opening and closing of said container, a pyrophoric flint (6), a revolving toothed wheel (8), which can produce sparks that are directed towards the valve (2), spring means (7), which exert a force that applies the flint against the toothed wheel, and two disks (10) having end journals (12) that move in respective housings (13). The inventive lighter is characterised in that, in addition to acting as the force transmission element between the finger and the wheel (8), the disks (10) also serve as a rotor for a braking device in which the stator is formed by an element (15) that rubs against said rotor. More specifically, the stator of the braking device comprises a spring (15) which acts on a smooth surface of the rotor (10) in a radial or tangential direction. The spring (15) may form part of the actual structure of the button (14) or it may be independent of said button.

Abstract: A single burner, heat exchanger combination for particular use in a hot air furnace, includes a plurality of spaced heat exchangers, each heat exchanger having an inlet port for receipt therein of combustion gases. A unitary burner for producing combustion gases includes a burner face defined by a plurality of spaced fins for passing therethrough a combustible gas. The inlet ports of each of the heat exchangers are disposed adjacent to and in fluid communication with the passages defined by the burner face fins. A hot air furnace comprising the single burner, heat exchanger combination also includes a blower adapted to blow air over the heat exchangers and an induction blower in fluid communication with the outlets of the heat exchanger adapted to draw the combustion gases through the heat exchangers and to discharge such combustion gases outwardly from the furnace.

Abstract: A self-contained disposable single-use heat generating apparatus comprising a heat generating pack having a first bag layer defined by a first surface area bonded to a second bag layer defined by a second surface area and creating a pouch therebetween. A heat generating agent is disposed within the pouch and adapted to consume air at a predetermined consumption rate in an exothermic reaction. At least a portion of one of the first surface area and the second surface area comprises an air permeable surface area having a predetermined airflow rate such that the heat generating agent remains substantially evenly distributed within the pouch. A method of providing therapeutic heat is also provided.

Abstract: A grill assembly that may be assembled and disassembled without the use of tools is disclosed. The grill assembly has a housing having a front wall, a rear wall and opposing side walls. The front and rear walls are removably connected to each of the side walls. The housing also has a top surface and a bottom surface and a grilling surface across generally the top surface of the housing. There is also a base which receives the bottom surface of the housing. The base is provided with a knee wall that retains the housing in place in the assembly. The base is provided with a reservoir adapted to receive water for reducing the risk of fire due to burning grease, fat or other flammable material.

Abstract: A rack oven having an oven interior, an access door, a baking chamber, a passive steam generator, and a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger includes a chamber containing burners, an undivided exhaust collection plenum positioned above the burner chamber, and a plurality of straight heat exchange tubes extending upwardly between and communicating with the burner chamber and the collection plenum. A blower circulates air within the oven interior among the heat exchange tubes, the steam generator and the baking chamber, and the steam generator produces steam using the circulating air heated by the heat exchange tubes.

Abstract: A swimming pool heater that heats a private swimming pool and can be used to provide heating for a house, a cottage or a commercial swimming pool. Wood, that is often found around pools, is used as primary fuel. This oven has a cylindrical external appearance and is disposed horizontally. It is made of an interior wall and an exterior wall in between which water circulates. The interior wall plays the role of fire chamber and heat exchanger; the section having the shape of an annular zig-zag offers more surface for heat exchange than a simple cylinder thus increasing the overall heater efficiency. The left-over ashes insulate the bottom of the heating chamber replacing often used tiles. For general use, logs and branches are used as fuel, and an increase of 20 to 30 degrees F. of the water of a typical garden pool is attained overnight.

Abstract: A combustion heater comprising an induction chamber provided with an inlet, a combustion chamber in fluid communication with the inlet of the induction chamber, means for moving an oxydizer from the inlet of the induction chamber to the combustion chamber, a fuel reservoir, a frame defining a fuel passageway, means for moving a fuel from the fuel reservoir through the fuel passageway to the combustion chamber, means in fluid communication with the fuel passageway for shearing a fuel prior to combustion, means in fluid communication with the fuel passageway for heating the fuel prior to combustion, and means for combusting a fuel oxydizer mixture within the combustion chamber.

Abstract: A warm air furnace system has a valve for controlling the flow of fuel, and a mixing component for receiving fuel from the valve and mixing the fuel with air to form an air-fuel premix. The warm air furnace system also has a burner assembly for receiving the air-fuel premix from the mixer, and an inducer for pulling the air-fuel premix through the burner assembly. The air-fuel premix drawn from the burner assembly is ignited into a flame by an ignition element. The flame transfers heat to a heat exchanger in communication with and positioned between the burner assembly and the inducer. The heat exchanger, in turn, transfers heat to air being passed over the heat exchanger by a circulation fan. The heated air passed over the heat exchanger then provides heat to a user of the furnace.