Abstract: A domestic electric water heater comprises a cylindrical tank having a vertical wall and an inwardly curved bottom, the latter defining with the vertical wall an annular stagnant water zone susceptible of bacterial contamination by, for example, legionella bacteria. The tank is provided with an upper immersion heating element and a lower immersion heating element, the latter being located above to the annular zone of contamination. The tank further comprises an outer electric heating element mounted on the outer surface of the vertical wall at the level of the contamination zone and below the lower immersion element. This outer heating element is capable of bringing water in the contamination zone to a temperature sufficient to eliminate the danger of such bacterial contamination, the temperature being in the order of 46.degree. C.

Abstract: A flexible sheet member is mounted to an interior surface of a vehicular windshield, with the sheet member including a serpentine resistance heater directed therethrough in electrical communication with the associated vehicle. A rheostat effects selective heating in the resistance element. Further, a modification of the invention includes directional air conduits mounted to an interior surface of the sheet member to direct heated air within the passenger compartment, wherein the tubes include conduits, and the conduits each selectively mount a cap member at an upper terminal end thereof, wherein each cap member includes a pivotally mounted directing tube to selectively direct heated air throughout the vehicular passenger compartment.

Abstract: A handheld electrically powered hair dryer includes a main outlet nozzle and secondary air outlets for producing a diffuse distribution of air. A baffle arrangement is moveable between first and second positions to selectively deflect some or all of the air from the nozzle to the secondary air outlets. The baffle arrangement consists of a flexible crown-shaped metal foil disposed on the inside of the nozzle, and a mechanism for bending the foil radially inwardly to partially or completely block the nozzle when the baffle is moved toward the second position.

Abstract: An electric soldering iron has a barrel connected to a handle a one end and provided with an electric heating element for heating a tip at its other end. A detachable temperature sensor unit is located within the barrel and includes a tubular housing having a temperature sensor projecting from one end and positioned within a hollow bore in the tip to monitor the temperature thereof and electrical contacts on its other end readily detachably connected to electrical contacts of a heating control unit located within the handle. Either the temperature sensor or the housing is spring biased to urge the temperature sensor into close proximity with the tip.

Abstract: A color crayon pointer for reforming the point on used color crayons includes an elongated horizontally disposed housing (21) extending from a rear end (24) to a front end (22) along a pointing axis, with the front end having an opening aligned with the pointing axis through which the crayon end to be pointed is inserted. A metallic anvil (40) heated by an electric heater (44) is mounted in the housing and has a conical recess (42) concentric with the pointing axis for shaping the end of the crayon inserted through housing opening. A crayon guide (36) having a guide collar (37) spaced forward of the housing opening and the anvil (40) prevents inadvertent user contact with the anvil (40) while also insuring proper alignment of the crayon with the anvil recess (42) as it is inserted into the housing.

Abstract: A hand-held hair dryer includes a shroud surrounding an electric heater and defining a passage for delivery of blown air from a blower to a heated air exhaust opening at an end of the shroud. The shroud is provided with a plurality of smaller air exhaust orifices adjacent to and/or forward of the heater upstream of the air exhaust opening. The orifices are arranged in one or more rows and each orifice is associated with a metallic secondary heat transfer means for improving transfer of heat to the exterior of the shroud. The part of the shroud containing the orifices may be rotatable about the circumference of the shroud to change the direction of air flow. The heat transfer means may comprise a single metal plate containing the plurality of orifices or an individual metallic member associated with each orifice.

Abstract: An electric cigar lighter for installation in a dashboard of a motor vehicle, has an electrically conductive lighter plug containing an electrically conductive glow coil dish with a glow coil having one end electrically connected to the glow coil dish and another end connected to the lighter plug. A socket having a plug-in contact electrically connected to a negative-pole terminal establishes electrical connection with the lighter plug when the lighter plug is inserted therein. A switch associated with the lighter plug includes a fixed non-flexible contact element secured in the bottom of the socket in electrically insulated relationship thereto and electrically connected to a positive-pole terminal and the glow coil dish which is mounted at the end of the lighter plug and arranged for movement relative thereto into and out of electrical contact with the contact element.

Abstract: An electric iron arrangement has a housing provided with electrical contacts through which the heating means of the iron can be energized, a base for supporting the iron when not in use, and a detachable power cord having a connector engageable with the contacts of the iron and enabling the iron to be used for cordless or corded ironing. A three-position actuator is provided on the base for selectively actuating cooperating locking devices in the base and connector to:(1) lock the connector to the iron to allow for corded ironing,(2) lock the connector to the base to allow for cordless ironing, or(3) lock the connector to both the iron and the base to allow for transport of the iron and base as a unit.

Abstract: A housing supports a pair of insulating posts carrying electrical conductors connected a battery set located in the housing. A nonconductive base carries an exposed electric heating wire on the upper surface thereof, opposite ends of the heating wire being connected to electrically conductive side plates connected on the base, a spring biases the base upwardly so that the side plates are normally spaced from the conductors and the upper part of the base carrying the exposed heating wire extends through a hole in a cover supported by the housing. A press bar is pivoted to the housing and can be moved downwardly to engage an object to be sealed supported on the upper part of the base in contact with the exposed heating wire to urge the base downwardly and cause the side plates to engage the conductors and heat the heating wire.

Abstract: An electrical impulse hot hole punch apparatus is presented herein for making a tear-resistant hole in a sheet of thermoplastic film. The apparatus includes an electric heating element which is supported for selective reciprocal movement transverse to a sheet of film between a first position, remote from the film, and a film melt position at which the heating element is positioned proximate to the film. An impulse generating circuit is operative in response to the heating element being moved to its film melt position for purposes of supplying an electric current pulse to the heating element. The current pulse has a time duration on the order of one half cycle of an AC voltage pulse and is of a magnitude sufficient to heat the heating element to a temperature in excess of the melting point of the film.

Abstract: A nestable heated bowl comprises an outer wall, an inner wall and a bottom wall integrally connected to one another, for example, by molding plastic. The inner wall defines a cavity for receiving material such as water or food. The bottom edge of the outer wall defines an open lower end of the bowl. The bottom wall is spaced upwardly from the plane of the bottom edge of the outer wall. The inner wall and outer wall taper upwardly to define a space and are joined together to define a bowl edge. The inner wall, outer wall, and bowl edge of a second bowl are adapted to be received in said space in a compact, interengaging stackable fashion. An electric heating element, thermostat and cord are carried on underside of the bottom wall. When the bowl is inverted, the cord is windable around the thermostat adjacent to the heating element so as not to interfere with the interengaging nesting of a second bowl with the first bowl during shipment.

Abstract: An apparatus for heating the inner cylindrical wall of a device, such as a bearing, gear, sprocket, coupling, sleeve, or the like, for expanding the cylindrical wall to facilitate the installation of the device on a receiving element includes a source of heated air coupled to an elongated cylindrical air distributor having an outer diameter small than the inner diameter of the cylindrical wall. Adjustable supports position and align the air distributor and the device to allow distributor to be inserted into the device with their central axes substantially coaxially aligned so that an annular space is created therebetween into which heated air is communicated from the distributor through a plurality of opening on the distributor. Annular baffles on the distributor close the opposite sides of the annular space while allowing exhaust of sufficient heated air to prevent undesired pressure buildup in the space.

Abstract: A fluid heater having a fluid chamber with a base wall and an upright sidewall is positioned above a feed chamber having an upper wall. A plurality of identical tubular passage heaters, each having an upper outlet end connected to the fluid chamber base wall and an inlet end connected to the upper wall of the feed chamber, are disposed in at least one lateral protective niche recessed with respect to the fluid chamber upright wall. Return ducts located inwardly of the passage heaters connect the base wall of the fluid chambers to the upper wall of the feed chamber. Thermostatically controlled electric heating elements helically disposed on the passage heaters produce a thermosphonic circulation of fluid from the feed chamber through the passage heaters to the fluid chamber and back to the feed chamber through the return ducts. The heating capacity of the fluid heater can be varied within wide limits by energizing different numbers of passage heaters.

Abstract: An electric air or gas heater includes a plurality of equal diameter elongated linear serpentine resistive wire heating elements circularly arranged in parallel about a common axis and disposed within a cylindrical chamber having separable air or gas entrance and exit sections at its opposite ends. Each heating element is disposed in a close-fitting ceramic or quartz tube. The tubes are supported by discs at the opposite ends of the chamber which block air or gas flow outside the cross-sectional area of the tubes. Each heating element has a ceramic cylinder extending through the center thereof through which a wire for electrically connecting adjacent pairs of heating elements extends.

Abstract: An electric glow element has a heating-conductor coiled band inside of a glow-coil dish, with a mechanically strong clamped connection between the coiled band and the glow-coil dish. The connection has good electrical conductivity, and is formed by a first bead in the glow-coil dish base wall and a side wall of the glow-coil dish which is concavely curved towards the inside of the dish. A second bead is formed outside of the first bead, and serves to clamp a band end of the heating-conductor coiled band firmly, fixing the heating-conductor coiled band end between the base wall and the side wall. In a second embodiment, a single bead connects the base wall and the curved side wall. The single bead extends below the plane of the base wall, and receives the second band end. The second band end extends out of the coil plane of the coil, and the glow coil is disposed in the interior of the glow coil dish and is oriented so as to have its coil plane generally parallel to the base wall.

Abstract: A hairdrying apparatus having a motor driven blower assembly and a C-shaped air duct of tubular construction discharging adjacent the palm of the user's hand is mountable directly on the user's hand without additional straps. The air duct is configured to tightly extend around an edge of the hand and secure the dryer to the hand as a result of the inherent compression of the C-shape of the duct against the topside and palm of the hand. A layer of resiliently compressible thermal and electrical insulation material may be provided on the surfaces of the duct contacted by the hand to further aid in securing the apparatus to the hand.

Abstract: An apparatus for warming medical instruments, such as a stethoscope, includes a wall mountable, multi-walled, vented housing having a front access opening closed by a hinged translucent panel and an open bottom. A reflective, flexible metal liner having a lower portion overlying the open housing bottom reflects radiant heat from an electric lamp heat source in the housing toward an instrument to be heated vertically positioned in a support formed in the lower portion of the liner and aligned with a slot in the lower portion leading to the access opening. The heat source is thermostatically controlled.

Abstract: A self temperature control type glow plug includes first and second resistor elements and a sheath. The sheath diameter of a first portion of the sheath in which the first resistor element is embedded is set to be smaller than the sheath diameter of a second portion of the sheath in which the second resistor element is embedded, wherein the ratio of the latter diameter of the former diameter ranges from 1.3:1 to 2:1. A tapered portion of the sheath joining the first and second sheath portions encloses a gap larger than at least the sheath diameter of the portion in which the first resistor element is embedded between the first and second resistor elements. The first and second resistor elements are connected to each other within the gap through a connecting means having a substantially zero resistance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a flame-type heater plug for an air-compression fuel-injection internal-combustion engine, especially a direct-injection and superchargable internal-combustion engine. The heater plug includes a heater tube arranged in the course of a plug housing and protective tube and has an integrated first control coil at a level of passage orifices in the protective tube, heating coil and a second control coil arranged outside the protective tube at a side of the heating coil opposite the first control coil. A heater-tube portion which projects from the protective tube and is located in the flow path of the intake air in the suction pipe of the internal-combustion engine is provided in which the second control coil is arranged for further influencing the power of the heating oil.

Abstract: A heating coil assembly for use in an air blower device has an annular support element, a first end cap, a core having a heating coil spirally wound thereon, a sleeve surrounding the coil and core, and a second end cap. All components have a centrally disposed non-circular bore therein for receiving a heavy gauge non-circular wire retainer, swaged at one end, which extends through the entire assembly and is retained by a press washer at an opposite end. The interior of the sleeve is spaced from the coil forming an axial channel for air flow over the coil. Axial openings in the end caps form air inlets and outlets for the channel. The coil has several leads, at least one of which extends through an axial opening in one of the end caps. The heating coil assembly has a small number of components, which are easily assembled and simultaneously axially and radially positioned and retained relative to each other by the wire retainer.