Abstract: A hot glue gun is provided with a heating chamber having an annular-shaped liquid glue retention chamber which is defined to extend between a wall of the heating chamber and the periphery of a solid glue stick feed region of the heating chamber. The annular shaped liquid glue retention chamber is sized such that during operation of the glue gun, not substantially less than ten percent (10%) of the volume of the chamber will contain melted glue which is disposed between the periphery of the solid glue stick feed region and the interior surface of the heating chamber. The rearward end of the heating chamber is sealed by a bushing having an inner surface with an interior diameter which is slightly smaller to approximately the same size as the exterior diameter of the periphery of the glue sticks, and thereby provides a seal for sealing liquid glue within the heating chamber.

Abstract: A warming tray is provided for holding and preheating removable heating cartridges of hot glue guns. The heating cartridges include electrically powered heating elements and releasable interfaces for releasably connecting the heating elements to a power supply. The warming tray includes a platform having a drip pan, and plurality of heating cartridge stations which are spaced apart and extend adjacent to the drip pan. Each of the heating cartridge stations has a power interface member for releasably connecting to a releasable interface of one of the heating cartridges to provide electric power to the heating element. The heating cartridge stations have lineally extending, upwardly protruding portions which define alignment members for engaging within an alignment channel formed into the heating cartridges. A mounting rail extends across the platform, parallel to and spaced apart from the drip pan.