Abstract: A detachable metallic safety guard for use with a portable electric immersion heater is formed as an endless metallic band defining an open central area for receiving the heating element of the heater with the inner periphery of the band in spaced surrounding relationship to the heating element. The vertical height of the band is greater than the height of the heating element and the band is provided with openings allowing fluid to circulate therethrough. The guard is adapted to be directly attached to the heating element by a pair of clips carried by a diametric crossbar secured at its ends to the band. The band includes at least two tabs extending radially inwardly for providing peripheral support for the heating element. The heater may be a portable floating heater.

Abstract: An electric heater with thermal self-circulation of the room-air which is heated by means of electric resistors (7) placed in the core (6) of the heater. The heater is made of three or four casing elements (1) at the corners of which vertical gables (2) form frames for air slots (3) through which some of the room-air flows into the heater where a vertical separation wall (4) partly conducts air through air slots (5) between metal sheets (9A) and (9B) to the core (6) of the heater and partly to the channel (8) between casing element (1) and metal sheets (9A) and (9B) which is open at its upper and lower end to vertical air-flow on the outside around the core (6) when electric resistors (7) are activated for cooling the outer wall surfaces of the heater.

Abstract: An electric lighter for a vehicle includes a lighter plug insertable into a dashboard socket having a bimetallic yoke engageable with an end of the plug for energizing the glow coil of the plug. An overload protective device is disposed in the socket and comprises a bimetallic snap-action disc disposed immediately below the yoke and connected electrically in series therewith. The snap-action disc has a first shape in its operating condition where it completes the circuit to the glow coil through the yoke and assumes a second shape when it snaps to its switch-off position in response to an overload condition to open the circuit to the glow coil. The snap-action disc remains in its switch-off position after cooling and must be manually reset to its operating position to restore operability of the lighter by the engagement of a manually actuated reset device associated with the socket with a peripheral portion of the snap-action disc.

Abstract: A thermode having a relatively long and thick blade composed of a high thermal conductivity, low thermal expansion material, e.g., molybdenum, provides an elongated contact surface for bonding a row of leads of an electronic component to a circuit board. A thermode holder is coupled to the blade by means of a plurality of struts, including a pair of outer struts, each connected at one end of the respective ends of the blade and at an acute angle facing the other outer strut, and a pair of shorter inner struts, each connected with the blade intermediate the ends of the blade and at an acute angle facing the outer strut adjacent thereof, such that in response to a force urging the blade against the circuit board, the outer struts cause a negative deflection of the blade with respect to the board and the inner struts decrease the magnitude of the deflection. The blade is heated by electric current supplied thereto from a transformer through the inner and outer struts.

Abstract: An ohmic heating apparatus for heating flowable media which is flowing through a conduit comprises electrodes exposed to the flowing media and supply means connected to the electrodes and to the media to pass a heating current through the flowable media. The electrodes are made of a material of closed microporosity having a resistance to surface fouling. The material of closed microporosity is preferably made of vitreous carbon.

Abstract: The electric cigarette lighter combines the handling advantages of rotating operation with the contacting advantages of pressing operation. A shaft is rotationally fixed to a rotary knob but axially slidable with respect thereto. A heater body affixed to the shaft is brought from an initial position to an operating position through a rotating movement of the rotary knob and a superimposed rotary thrust movement of the shaft. The heater body is automatically returned from the operating position to to the initial position through likewise superimposed rotary thrust spring forces of one or two restoring springs.

Abstract: A hair styling iron for selectively effecting hair straightening or curling includes a generally circular cross-section electrically heated barrel. A tongue is movable relative to the barrel for selectively clamping a strand of hair between the tongue and the peripheral surface of the barrel for curling hair wound therearound. The barrel comprises a first and second pipes each having a generally semi-circular cross section with a top rounded outer surface and a flat bottom outer surface. The pipes are movable relative to each other between a closed position where the flat bottom surfaces are kept in closed relation to each other and an open position where the bottom surfaces are spaced away from each other. In the closed position, a strand of hair can be held between the opposing flat bottom surfaces of the first and second pipes in order to substantially straighten or uncurl the hair. Thus, the hair styling iron can alone provides hair curling and straightening capabilities.

Abstract: A portable electric water heater has spaced concentrically disposed ferromagnetic electrodes defining an annular chamber for an electrically conductive liquid to be contained between the electrodes. The electrodes are encased in a housing having a liquid inlet and outlet and wired to pass an electric heating current between the electrodes and through the liquid therebetween to heat the liquid in the annular chamber. The liquid acts as a switch, breaking the heating current flow when no liquid is present in the annular chamber. An electromagnetic induction coil is disposed around one of the electrodes and has one of its leads connected to the electrode. The other induction coil lead and the other electrode are connected to a source of electric current. Completion of the electric circuit by introduction of a liquid between the electrodes also energizes the electromagnetic induction coil to further heat the fluid.

Abstract: An electrical lock thawing device includes a housing formed from a water-proof rubber material and enclosing a rechargeable battery and an electrical heating element. A switch on the housing is operative to selectively connect the battery to the heating element and a removable elongated blade extends through a slot in an end wall of the housing. The blade is heated by the heating element and is insertable into a key slot of a frozen lock. An electrical plug on a rotatable cylindrical member is mounted for movement between extended and retracted positions with respect to the housing and serves to connect the rechargeable battery to a conventional AC outlet. A resilient detent member selectively actuated by a spring-biased push button is operative to secure the rotatable plug in a selected position. The removable thawing blade may be formed in a variety of different key configurations for use in various different locks. A spring ball detent is utilized to removably retain the blade within the housing.

Abstract: A self temperature control type glow plug has a metallic shell in which ceramic heater having a glow resistor of a tungsten-based alloy embedded in a silicon nitride ceramic is placed in a manner to extend beyond the front end of the shell. A temperature-regulating resistor of nickel, iron or nickel-iron alloy is embedded within the metallic shell in series with the glow resistor. Each resistor has a positive temperature coefficient (PTC), with the positive temperature coefficient of the glow resistor being smaller than that of the temperature-regulating resistor. The electrical resistance ratio of the temperature regulating resistor to the glow resistor falls within a range of 0.35 to 0.60 at room temperature.

Abstract: A low wattage two-four cup displacement water heating apparatus includes a fill basin positioned above a thermostatically controlled electrically heated water reservoir and communicating therewith through a fill tube extending downwardly from the basin to the lower portion of the reservoir. A dome in communication with the reservoir protrudes upwardly therefrom into the basin. A discharge tube having an entry end located in the dome and positioned approximately the bottom level of the basin extends downwardly through the reservoir to an external discharge end. The dome and a venting tube associated with the discharge tube minimize evaporative water loss from the reservoir through the discharge tube.

Abstract: An electric heating attachment for electrically heating the exterior portion of a sewer vent of a building to keep the vent from clogging from snow and/or ice and frost that may accumulate on the building roof. The attachment has an elongated rod insertable into the vent a with an electric heating tape extending along the length thereof. Laterally extending arms on an upper portion of the rod engage the top edge of the vent to limit the extent of the insertion of the rod into the vent. The section of the rod extending above the lateral arms terminates in a hoop portion having a portion of the heating tape extending therealong to heat the area immediately above the sewer vent to keep this area open to the atmosphere by melting the snow and/or ice above the vent.

Abstract: An apparatus for electrically heating non-flammable gases, supplied to an applicator gun comprises an elongated housing having an elongated electric heater located centrally and longitudinally therein and a metallic helically coiled tube spaced from and surrounding the heater. The coiled tube is substantially co-extensive in length with the heater and has an inlet end and an outlet end connectable to an applicator gun. An elongated preheating tubing section is disposed length-wise of and surrounded by the helically coiled tube in spaced heat exchange relation with the electric heater. The preheating tubing section has an inlet end connectable to a supply of non-flammable gas and an outlet end connected to the inlet end of the coiled tube.

Abstract: An electrically powered hand held hair curling appliance includes a barrel (2) for delivering warm air to the hair. The barrel (2) is selectively manually adjustable in diameter to allow curls of different diameters to be formed. The barrel (2) includes a number of barrel elements (3), each provided with a plurality of apertures (3d). The elements (3) are manually movable radially outwardly or inwardly to expand or contract the barrel (2), with the elements (3) overlapping one another when contracted, but always allowing unobstructed air flow from the interior of the barrel (3) out through apertures (3d) to the hair.

Abstract: A forced gas electric heater has a serpentine heating element disposed within a cylindrical glass tube. Infrared radiation emanating from the heating element enters the glass tube whereby part of the infrared radiation is directed within the wall of the glass tube to the edge of the glass tube. An infrared sensor is in line of sight with the edge of the glass tube. The infrared sensor senses the hot spot temperature of the heating element and, together with a controller, limits the maximum hot spot temperature of the heating element.

Abstract: An electric iron includes a handle having first and second members. Electronic components are mounted in a first one of the handle members. An electrostatic protection carrier is mounted in the second of the handle members. The electrostatic discharge protection carrier includes a first electrically conductive track extending parallel to and lying adjacent a first section of a seam formed by joining said first and second handle members. A second electrically conductive track extends parallel to and is spaced from said first track and extends parallel to and lies adjacent a second section of the seam. A third electrically conductive track interconnects the first and second tracks. An electrical conductor is connected to a selected one of the first or second tracks and to a portion of the iron normally held at a relatively low potential for transmitting any electrostatic discharge voltage collected by said electrostatic discharge protection carrier to said low potential iron portion.

Abstract: An engine block heater is for an engine block having passage walls which define a fluid passage. The engine block has a heater socket which extends from the outer surface of the engine block toward its interior. The heater socket is separated from the fluid passage by the passage walls. The engine block heater comprises a heater housing having an exterior heating surface. The exterior surface has substantially the same shape as the heater socket enabling insertion of the heater housing into the heater socket and substantial heat transfer contact between a substantial portion of the exterior heating surface and the heater socket. A connector mounting is attached to the heater housing. The connector mounting is adapted for connection to an electrical power source. The heater housing has a heating element therein which can be heated by electrical connection of the electrical power source to the connector mounting enabling the heater housing to transfer heat to the engine block.

Abstract: A smokeless carpet seaming iron for melting an adhesive on a carpet tape wherein non-contaminated air is discharged into the ambient from the seamer includes a housing which contains a vent outlet and an open bottom. First and second filters are disposed internally of said housing and are accessible externally of said housing for removal and replacement. An electrically heated sole plate is disposed internally of said housing for creating heat at said open bottom of said housing. And a motor and a fan with filters are disposed internally of said housing between the first and second filters for creating a suction within said housing drawing smoke and fumes created during the carpet seaming operation through the open bottom into the housing for filtration by the first and second filters before discharge through a vent head to the ambient atmosphere.

Abstract: A supplementary passenger compartment heating assembly for use in conjunction with an automobile HVAC system having a forced air duct opening to the compartment includes a generally rectangular cross section air distribution duct molded integrally with the forced air duct from a heat conductive PTC polymer material. The air distribution duct has a pair of sides separated by a plurality of ribs extending therebetween so as to provide increased heat transfer area to the air forced therethrough.

Abstract: A sheath heater is formed by connecting first and second helical resistive elements having different positive resistance temperature coefficients in series, and incorporating the first and second resistive elements in a sheath such that the two resistive elements are embedded in a heat resistance electric insulating powder. The sheath diameter of a sheath portion in which the first resistive element is embedded is set to be smaller than that of a sheath portion in which the second resistive element is embedded. In addition, the first and second resistive elements are connected to each other, through connecting ends extending to be located within the outer diameter of the first resistive element, within a gap larger than the sheath diameter of the sheath portion in which the first resistive element is embedded.