Abstract: A sheathed-element glow plug has a front resistance heating filament connected in series with a rear resistance regulating filament having a higher positive temperature coefficient (PTC) than the front filament. The rear filament is made of cobalt/iron alloy consisting of 44-80% by weight cobalt, 20-35% by weight iron, up to 1% miscellaneous components and nickel, if present, in an amount of 0 to less than 15% by weight. The alloy has a resistance ratio (20.degree.-1000.degree. C.) which is no more than approximately 7.5 in the range from about 100.degree. C. to between about 400.degree. C. to about 600.degree. C., and which ratio rises sharply to values from 7.5 to greater thin 12 in the range from 400.degree. C. to 600.degree. C. to about 900.degree. C.

Abstract: A hair curling iron and apparatus for heating same are provided. The hair curling iron is comprised of a pair of elongated heat conductive semi-cylindrical tubular barrels having an inner flat surface. The barrels have handles and are pivotally connected together whereby the flat surfaces of the barrels may be brought together enclosing hair between. When closed together, the outer shape of the barrels is round, around which the hair is wound to give a curling effect. The size of the barrels, however, is such that the curling iron can not be readily placed in the heating chamber of a conventional curling iron oven. Thus, the instant invention provides for a heat conducting plate having vertical heat conducting rods to be fixed to the top of the oven in heat transfer relationship therewith. The barrels of the curling iron are hollow and open-ended and fit over the heat-conducting rods whereby the curling iron may be heated.

Abstract: A hair curling apparatus includes an adapter sleeve mounted to the end of the hot air delivery conduit of a hand-held hair dryer. A hot air delivery tube extends through the adapter sleeve and terminates in an apertured portion projecting forwardly of the sleeve. Rotatably mounted on the projecting portion is a circumferentially apertured and bristled hollow hair curling sleeve for effecting hair curling procedures. The hair curling sleeve includes a plurality of vanes in the interior thereof which react with the directed hot air flow through the apertured portion of the delivery tube to impart rotation to the hair curling sleeve. The adapter sleeve includes a manually operable valve for controlling the air flow through the delivery tube to the curling sleeve.

Abstract: An electric thermal storage heater with a heat storage brick assembly enclosed within an insulating sheath and an outer shell or housing; there is a space between the outer shell and the insulating sheath through which low temperature air is passed; the brick assembly has air flow openings therethrough into which the electric heating elements may be slipped during installation, and the openings communicate with entrance and exit passages which supply air to and through the brick assembly; air valving is provided to close and modulate the air flowing through the brick assembly and through the low temperature air path; the heating elements maintain the temperature of the bricks between 500.degree. F. and 1300.degree. F., depending upon the expected heating load; and air ducts and a fan move air from the storage heater to the duct system of a heat pump or similar forced air heating device.

Abstract: An electrically conductive ceramic material containing at least 20 wt % of Mo.sub.5 Si.sub.3 C and having a resistance-temperature coefficient no greater than 5.times.10.sup.-4 deg.sup.-1 is used to make the heating element of a self-controlling type glow plug having a resistor with a larger temperature-resistance coefficient, such as iron or nickel, connected in series to the heating element for controlling the supply of electric current to the heating element. The ceramic material is made by firing a ceramic powder mixture of Mo and Si mixed with carbon black.

Abstract: A tool for shaping wax and wax-like substances has a handpiece containing an electrical connector for connection to a source of electrical power and an opening in which an electrically heated tool tip is removably mounted for the convenient interchange of tips. The tool tip is held in a fixed predetermined position in the opening by ridges in the opening interlocked with complementary notches on the tip and is removably mounted within the opening in electrical connection with the connector. A cooling air gap is formed between the outer surface of said tip and the inner surface of said opening by the interlocked ridges and notches to prevent overheating of the handpiece. The tip comprises two spaced apart electrically conductive parallel wires which are connected at one end to form a continuous tip which defines a confined air gap of a defined configuration which is suitable for holding and shaping wax.

Abstract: An electrically heated soldering iron which is particularly adapted for surface mounting components on printed circuit boards. A unitary member rotatably joins together a pair of channel-shaped arms and resiliently biases the arms in a normally open position which is defined by a pair of overlapping members in the center portion of the iron. The arms are selectively moveable by a user toward each other to a closed position and the channel portions of the arms are adapted to retain the unitary member, the pair of overlapping members, and detachable assemblies of U-shaped soldering tips for applying heat to surface mounted electronic components. The U-shaped soldering tips are comprised of dissimilar conductors joined together to unitarily provide a soldering tip, heating element for heating the tip and a thermocouple for sensing the temperature of the tip.

Abstract: A hair treating implement which has an electrical heating wire, a slidably removable support which the heating wire under tension, and a hand grip which can be connected with the support. The support is detachably connected to the hand grip by a longitudinally slidable tongue--and--groove interfit, and when connected, is engaged with electrical contacts in the hand grip. Electrical power is supplied to the heating wire through either an internal power source or an external power source, and hair is cut by the heating wire which is heated by the electrical power.

Abstract: A metallic soldering tip is disclosed having a forward, outer retaining rim and a rear inwardly tapered skirted end of the character to be fitted loosely over a ceramic rod heating element. The tip is axially slotted from its rear edge to a point forward of the retaining rim. An inner sheath over the rear portion of the ceramic rod has a flared forward end which engages the tapered skirted end of the soldering tip while the reduced diameter forward end of an outer retaining sheath engages the retaining rim of the soldering tip and is drawn forcefully rearwardly by a retaining nut threaded onto the handle or body of the soldering implement. The rearward displacement of the outer sheath forces the slotted skirted portion of the soldering tip to press inwardly against the ceramic heating element by virtue of the tapered relation between the inner sheath, the rear of the soldering tip, retaining rim and the forward end of the outer retaining sheath.

Abstract: A ceramic heater type glow plug includes a U-shaped ceramic heater consisting of a resistive ceramic material, a hollow metal holder, an external connecting terminal, a power control resistor, and a connecting unit. The hollow metal holder has a distal end portion for supporting the ceramic heater via insulating members. The external connecting terminal is insulatingly supported at a rear end of the metal holder. The power control resistor is arranged between one of terminal caps at a rear end side of the ceramic heater housed in the metal holder and the external connecting terminal and performs power supply control with respect to the ceramic heater. The connecting unit connects another one of the terminal caps at the rear end side of the ceramic heater to the metal holder. The power control resistor consists of a metal material having a larger positive resistance temperature coefficient than that of the resistive ceramic material constituting the ceramic heater.

Abstract: An electric hair dryer provided with an elongated rigid housing having inlet and outlet apertures at opposite ends is provided with an elongated handle secured to and spaced from the casing and extending lengthwise of the casing. The casing has a bottom surface facing the handle. The bottom surface is anatomically shaped to fit the back of a hand inserted between the bottom surface of the casing and the handle to support the hair dryer casing on the back of the hand.

Abstract: An improved radiator suitable for use with internal combustion engines in motor vehicles is provided. The invention converts conventional radiators, which ordinarilly provide heat to passenger compartments through exchange of heat built up in the coolant, into electrically operable radiators with electric resistance heating elements, commonly PTC resistors. The PTC resistors have self, temperature-regulating properties which prevent over heating. Additionally, sheet metal strips in heat-transmitting contact with the PTC resistors and spring elements acting on the sheet metal strips provide an efficient heat transfer mechanism whereby heat from the resistors is transferred without the self-regulating resistors constantly shutting off.

Abstract: An electric far-infrared heater has a plate-like porous metallic panel formed by an electroforming process installed in a box-like housing over an electric heating element therein. The panel is heated by the element and has its outer surface covered by a porous ceramic far-infrared emitting layer of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, TiO.sub.2, Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3, MgO, ZrO.sub.2, SiO.sub.2 or mixtures thereof. A stream of gas supplied to the interior of the housing is heated by the element and passes through the porous panel and far-infrared layer for discharge onto the object being heated.

Abstract: A heater for heating dionized water and other liquids which may be very aggressive solvents, the heater constituting one or more heating units having an external cylindrical housing of PTF Teflon or similar material and closed at each end with headers of similar material which contain ports for ingress and egress of the fluid. A concentric inner tubular member of polysilicon surrounds one or more infra red heating elements which, when energized, radiate intense heat into the chamber within the inner tube. This tube acts to confine and reflect the heat back into the chamber thereby heating the liquid to a high temperature very quickly. Relatively little heat passes through the wall of the inner tube to the surrounding chamber. Liquid is directed into the outer chamber, across the length of the inner tube, through a passage at the opposite end and into the inside chamber. The flow across the other surface of the inner tube is warmed somewhat but insufficiently to damage the outer tube.

Abstract: An electric thermal storage heating unit including (i) an insulated housing defining a storage chamber with two laterally extending linear openings through the base of the storage chamber, (ii) a plurality of heat-sink bricks within the storage chamber which define separate vertical ducts above each of the lateral linear openings, and (iii) a pair of substantially planar, serpentine electrical heating elements each defining an uppermost portion with parallel upper right and upper left sides and a lowermost portion with parallel lower right and lower left sides wherein the uppermost portion is angled with respect to the lowermost portion within the plane defined by the element so as to cause the right and left sides of the lowermost portion to extend at an obtuse angle of less than 180.degree.

Abstract: A glow plug for a diesel engine includes a first resistor serving as a heating element, second and third resistors, a sheath which incorporates the first, second, and third resistors, a heat-resistant insulating powder filled in the sheath to insulate the first, second, and third resistors from each other, and a cylindrical housing for holding the sheath. The second and third resistors are connected in series with the first resistor, are made of a material having a positive resistance-temperature coefficient, and have a positive resistance-temperature coefficient larger than that of the first resistor. The heat capacity of a given sheath portion having the third resistor therein is set larger than that of the other sheath portions.

Abstract: A safety cutout device for electric loads, particularly for use in pressing irons and portable heating apparatus, has a temperature switch, such as a bimetallic switch, which is adapted to be connected in series with the electric load. An electrical component adapted to be connected in parallel with the load and having an open and a closed switching state, and being normally open, is connected in series with a resistor adapted to be connected in parallel with the load and arranged in heat transfer relationship with the temperature switch and for heating the temperature switch to its operating temperature to open the switch. A further resistor, which continuously bridges and heats the temperature switch to an extent sufficient to maintain the temperature switch in its actuated open position, is connected in parallel with the temperature switch and adapted to be connected in series with the load.

Abstract: A reflector surface furnace includes an open ended ellipsoidal or near ellipsoidal reflector segment having two focal areas, there being a source of radiation in the one focal area, the material to be processed being placed into the other focal area, the furnace is completed as inventive improvement by two end segments of parabolic or near parabolic configurations each having an axis of symmetry that coincides with an axis of symmetry of the central ellipsoid and interfaces with the ellipsoid in these focal areas, the two parabolical end segments have focal points which namely coincide with the focal points of the ellipsoidal segment, but for control purposes there may be separation.

Abstract: An infrared electric panel heater includes an open side covered by a sintered or electroformed porous metallic panel. An electric sheathed heating element is installed in the housing in contact with the inner surface of the porous panel. The outer surface of the porous panel is substantially entirely covered with a ceramic layer, selected from the group consisting of Al.sub.2 O.sub.3, TiO.sub.2, Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3, Mg O, ZrO.sub.2, SiO.sub.2 and mixture thereof, which emits far-infrared rays when heated.

Abstract: A pair of plates of good heat and electric conductivity have a plurality of openings and a plurality of foraminous areas. The plates are secured to one another with the openings and foraminous areas of the two plates aligned with one another. The plates are connected to terminals of opposite electrical polarity and are insulated from one another. A plurality of perforated PTC thermistor elements are clamped between the plates and in electrical contact therewith. Each element is aligned with openings in the plates. The openings and foraminous areas are so disposed that the openings associated with the elements are surrounded on at least two sides by foraminous areas.