Abstract: A tubular high efficiency, non-contaminating fluid heater includes an elongate tubular member having a coil-like configuration and a sidewall which defines an elongate tubular chamber formed from an inert material through which fluid is adapted to flow. The tubular member includes an inlet and an outlet and a plurality of elongate electrical resistance heaters sheathed with the same inert material are disposed in said tubular chamber for heating the fluid as it flows through the tubular chamber.

Abstract: A beverage brewing apparatus which includes a heated water reservoir, a heating element retained in the reservoir, and a thermostatic and a low water sensor configuration positioned in a heat exchange relationship with the heated water reservoir. The thermostatic and low water sensing configurations position the temperature sensors outside of the water reservoir to prevent the heated accumulation of mineral and other deposits thereon. A niche is formed in the wall of the heated water reservoir for receiving the thermostatic sensor configuration. A retaining cover is positioned over the niche to enclose the thermostatic sensor configuration in the niche. A portion of the niche against which the sensors are positioned is thinned in order to more accurately read the corresponding temperatures.

Abstract: An electrothermal color-varying instrument for inducing color change in a color-varying layer includes a heat generating element composed of a sintered barium titanate thermistor in face-to face contact with a heat transmitting member having a heating end portion for transmitting heat to the thermal color-varying layer. The thermistor has:(i) a positive temperature coefficient on the electrical resistance within a temperature range from 25.degree. C. to 70.degree. C.;(ii) a volume resistivity at 25.degree. C. (.rho..sub.25) within a range of 9.8.times.10.sup.-3 to 2.97.times.10.sup.5 .OMEGA..multidot.cm; and(iii) a ratio (.rho..sub.70 /.rho..sub.25) of the volume resistivity at 70.degree. C. to that at 25.degree. C. within a range of 5.ltoreq.(.rho..sub.70 /.rho..sub.25).ltoreq.400.The electrothermal heat generating element generates heat under the application of a voltage in the range of 0.8 to 40 volts and maintains a saturated heating temperature within a range of 30 to 100 degrees C.

Abstract: A method of combining electric heating with a wood-heated masonry furnace is provided. The masonry furnace has an outer jacket (1) and at least one fire chest (5, 6) arranged therewithin for burning the wood. Cheek conduits (8) between the outer surface of the fire chest and the inner surface of the outer jacket, are provided. The conduits are connected to the fire chest (5, 6) at one end and to a flue (9) at the opposite end. At least one electric resistor element (13) is installed inside the furnace. In order that electrical heating could be easily combined with any existing masonry furnace, holes (14) are drilled in the fire cover (10) of the furnace and the at least one resistor element (13) is arranged to hang from the fire cover (10) in the air space (8, 16) inside the furnace.

Abstract: A heating pad for pets and livestock that includes a plastic surface and an envelope containing a reflective insulation upon which is mounted an electric heating circuit. The reflective insulation includes layers of foil and bubble insulation to store, distribute and direct the heat upward towards the animal while reducing heat loss through the ground or mounting surface. A temperature sensitive switch is provided to conserve energy by permitting power flow between maximum and minimum temperatures, while a lamp is provided to indicate when the unit is drawing energy. The disclosure includes a modification to permit the unit to be used as a fluid storage and warming shelf.

Abstract: An improved vaporization system includes an automated valve and positive displacement pumping system using a pair of pumps operating in opposition to one another to provide continuous and constant volumetric flow at a constant predetermined pressure to an improved vaporizer using a stack of heated disks to flash vaporize the liquid. The valves are improved by providing one way flow.

Abstract: A boiler for the production of steam and/or hot water has a principal enclosure limited by a watertight wall for containing water, a bottom water extraction outlet,a water supply inlet, an upper steam outlet and a level detector controlling the water level in the enclosure. Electric immersion heating elements are provided in the enclosure for heating the water to generate steam. At least one section of the enclosure wall adjacent the water level on which scale deposits are likely to form is deformable by flexion and is stressed by time-varying deformations of the wall produced by variations of water and/or steam pressure in the enclosure which causes the film of scale deposited on the inner surface of the at least one deformable section to break up and become detached so that they fall to the bottom of the enclosure for easy elimination by drainage of the water from the enclosure through the bottom water extraction outlet.

Abstract: An espresso coffee making system includes an unpressurized boiler vessel with an electric heating element arranged outside the boiler vessel for heating water in the boiler vessel for delivery to a perforated filter holder of the espresso coffee maker. A tube is provided between the electric heating element and the boiler vessel that is in thermal contact with both the heating element and the boiler vessel. A valve allows water from the boiler vessel to be recirculated by a pump through the tube to generate steam, without overheating the water contained in the boiler vessel.

Abstract: A hand-held electric curling iron has a hollow elongated barrel selectively insertable sequentially into one of a plurality of different diameter cylindrical hair rollers during the process of curling hair. The barrel communicates with an electric heater-blower assembly in the curling iron handle and has a plurality of apertures along its length for delivering a stream of heated air radially outwardly into the interior of the roller for heating the hair wound thereon. Each roller is provided at its ends with projecting collars for receiving and locating the barrel within the roller with a circumferential gap between the perforated portion of the roller and the barrel. The collars have circumferential apertures which cooperate with a retaining clip on the handle for securing the roller in place during use.

Abstract: A defroster having storage area for storing a heat releasing substance and a defrosting plate having a product supporting surface surrounded by an upstanding perimeter edge wall and arranged above the storage area in heat exchange relationship therewith has a receiving groove extending around a portion of at least one perimeter edge of said defrosting plate for receiving ice water which results from defrosting of a frozen food product positioned on the supporting surface of the defroster. The storage area includes a hot water reservoir in a first embodiment and the storage area includes a mounting tray for holding a heating element in a second embodiment of the invention. The defroster also includes a cover which covers the product supporting surface, The defroster enables frozen food products such as raw meat and fish to remain fresh after defrosting, and is an improvement over defrosting at room temperature, defrosting in a microwave oven, or defrosting in a refrigerator, etc.

Abstract: A portable warm air humidifier for delivery to a room a steam air mixture of uniform moisture and at a temperature that does not cause sensation of pain. A steam ejector is used to mix the steam from an evaporation chamber with the air entering the humidifier with the advantage, among others, of eliminating the need for motors and blowers. A difference in the water level between a water supply compartment and the evaporation chamber provides a constant pressure in the evaporation chamber which is necessary to drive generated steam through a steam nozzle communicating with the steam ejector. The dimensions of the steam nozzle are determined in relation with the rate of steam generation in accordance with steam velocity to effectively eliminate or minimize the noise normally associated with the passage of steam through a nozzle.

Abstract: A portable electric heater including a housing having a rear wall, a substantially planar front wall, a bottom support and a top wall. Retained by the housing are a resistive heating element and an electrical circuit for connecting the heating element to an electrical power source. The circuit includes a switch having a closed condition that connects the heating element to the electrical power source and an open condition that disconnects the heating element from the electrical power source. Included with the switch is a manually operable actuator projecting from the front wall and movable in a single motion between a stable first position producing the closed condition and a stable second position producing the open condition, and wherein the actuator is shaped and arranged to be moved into the second position in response to contact with a substantially planar surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to a steam generator for humidifying an airplane air conditioning system. The steam is generated in a container (21). A support (50) enables a translational movement of a tubular part (49) connectable to a duct of a humidifier along the main axis of the container (21) in order to connect it with the outlet opening (24) of the container (21). Inside container (21), there are at least two electrodes (31, 32, 33) that are partially immersed in water and which are energized under a constant voltage up to a certain level of current in electrodes (31, 32, 33). Also, container (21) includes a fuse 38 with one end connected to a first of the terminals, the other end of the fuse being of the connected to one of the electrodes (31, 32, 33). A regulating unit (60) measures and maintains the intensity that current passing through electrodes (31, 32, 33). At the time of the installation of a new container, the regulating unit (60) determines whether the fuse (38) is or is not conductive.

Abstract: A pebble-bed evaporator and superheater assembly includes a tubular pressure shell with internal baffles, the latter including a plurality of apertures therein for passage of gas therethrough. Contained within the shell are heater elements and pebble elements which store heat and transfer the same to liquified gas which is vaporized and flows through the shell whereby the gas supplied to the shell and is heated to a predetermined elevated temperature above its input temperature. The heated gas output of the shell flows to a mixer unit connected to the shell and the mixed gas flows out of the mixer. Connected to the mixer is a supply of liquified gas to cool the high temperature gas entering the mixer from the shell such that the temperature of the gas exiting the mixer is below the temperature of the heated gas exiting the shell. In this way the temperature of the gas exiting the mixer is controlled to the desired level.

Abstract: A system for electrically heating a volume of windshield cleaning fluid in a motor vehicle includes a metallic vessel connected between a windshield fluid reservoir and a nozzle for spraying the windshield with the fluid. The vessel has a metal heater wall heated by PTC thermistors thereon and provided with a plurality of metal heat exchange pins extending into an internal chamber in the vessel through which the fluid flows to be heated. A control circuit is provided and includes an electronic timer circuit for controlling the length of time the thermistors are energized to heat the fluid in accordance with the prevailing ambient temperature, an engine speed sensor including a pulse stretching circuit for preventing energization of the thermistors if the engine of the vehicle is not running, and a differential input circuit for simplifying the attachment of the system to a standard windshield cleaning fluid pump.

Abstract: A battery powered electic cigarette lighter is formed of a half-case body and a half-case lid which can be snapped together to form a lighter casing in a manner which does not require any screws or welding. The half-case body and the half-case lid are formed with grooves which enable a spring loaded shutter to be slidably mounted in the casing. A detent in the form of a projection of the rear face of the shutter and a recess formed in the lighter casing holds the shutter in a fully closed position. The casing also contains structure which enables contacts, switch members, and a heater element to be set in position in the half-case body and to be retained in place when the half-case lid is snapped into position. The lighter casing also includes a battery compartment which is closed by a lid which is either pivotal or slidably received in grooves which are formed in the half-case body and half-case lid.

Abstract: A device for heating chemical tanks includes at least one heat exchanger coil immersed inside a chemical tank. An inert gas, such as nitrogen, is heated and made to flow through the coil to heat a solution in the chemical tank to the desired temperature, which is sensed by a sensor. If microfractures form in the heat exchanger coil, the inert gas simply bubbles out of the solution and does not adversely impact the purity of the solution. In addition, the bubbling of the gas indicates the presence of a microfracture. A second heating coil is provided, and also provides heated inert fluid for heating the solution in the tank. The fluid flow through the first coil is controlled linearly to maintain the temperature at the desired temperature. The fluid flow through the second coil is controlled impulsively to quickly return the solution to the desired temperature after a temperature transient occurs, such as after a relatively cool object is immersed into the solution.

Abstract: An iron comprises a heating element (97) and heating-control means (96) for the heating element. It has a humidity detector (60) which measures the degree of humidity of the fabric and which influences the electric power dissipated in the heating element. In order to measure the degree of humidity a circuit (99) measures the resistivity of the fabric between two contact electrodes (62a, 62b) and subsequently averages the electric signal resulting from the movement of the iron on the fabric. A circuit (89) may be added which measures the rhythm of the variations of said electric signal and which thus detects whether the iron is in use or not in use.

Abstract: The boiling water washing machine provides a safety control device for a heater. The safety control device comprises a metal bracket sealingly mounted on a tub. On the top of the bracket the heater is contactedly mounted. On the inner of the bracket the thermistor is installed for initially detecting the temperature of the heater, and the thermostat is installed for controlling the heater when the thermistor cannot operate properly. At the brim of the metal bracket a fuse assembly is mounted. The fuse cuts off the electrical supply when excessive heat is transmitted through the metal bracket.

Abstract: A conversion assembly for converting a gas burner of a multi-burner gas operated cooking range of a recreational vehicle to an electric burner for operation by the electrical generator of the vehicle or by an external campground electrical power supply so that the range is both electrically and gas operable includes an electric heating element sized for insertion into the recess of the recreational vehicle range deck in place of a removed gas burner, an electrical control mountable on the range control panel in place of the removed gas control valve of the removed burner and a spring clip engageable with a radial support for the heating element for securing the element in the recess. A threaded plug is provided for plugging the hole in the range gas line left by removal of the gas control valve. A cover is provided for placement over the electric control for preventing spillage from damaging the control and wiring thereof.