Abstract: A portable gas burner which is usable in remote areas without electricity is provided for use as a fire place burner, or as a camp fire burner or as a stove burner or as a grill burner. The novel gas burner comprises a base unit onto which is mounted a hollow ceramic fiber top which is connected to the base unit so as to form a gas manifold therebetween for receiving a mixture of gas and air. A manually operable gas valve means in said base unit is connected to a gas supply. The valve when opened allows a mixture of gas and air to flow through a gas line into the gas manifold until such time as a temperature thermocouple sensing element is heated sufficiently to hold manually operable gas valve open.

Abstract: An oven, including an inner compartment comprising side walls, a lower wall, an upper wall and a back, an outer compartment defining a casing and surrounding the inner compartment in order to delimit therewith a continuous intermediate space, a heat generating device for producing heat by conduction, convection or radiation connected to the casing and mounted between the inner compartment and the outer compartment, a source of energy, with the exception of sources of microwaves, connected to the heat generating device and intended to generate the heat, and at least one heating zone, opposite which is situated the heat generating device, the heat generating device is mounted so as to be movable relative to the casing and to the heating zone, wherein the two compartments are substantially concentric and the heat generating device is mounted so that the heat generating device rotates between the inner compartment and the outer compartment.

Abstract: Combustibles such as oily substances adhered to or impregnated in metallic articles are removed, before the articles are subjected to a heat-treatment for carburizing or sintering them, by heating them in a heating chamber with a combustion tube, and discharging the combustibles outside of the chamber after having sucked under a negative air pressure the combustibles into the tube instantly they have been evaporated from the articles and after having burnt the combustibles in the tube.

Abstract: An outdoor cooking apparatus (10) for use over an open fire pit. The cooking apparatus has three legs (12, 14 and 16 or 216) mounted together by a connector plate (18) in a tripod shape. The third leg of the apparatus includes a top portion (16A), a middle portion (16B) and a bottom portion (16C or 216C). The top and bottom portions extend downward at an angle and are connected by the horizontal middle portion. The middle portion extends horizontally away from the first and second legs such that the bottom portion of the third leg is spaced farther apart from the first and second leg than the top portion of the leg. A screw mechanism (36 or 236) is mounted on the bottom portion of the third leg to move the cooking surface (56) vertically. The cooking surface is mounted by a telescoping arm (58 or 258) to the sleeve (38 or 238) of the screw mechanism. The telescoping arm can be extended or retracted to horizontally move the cooking surface.

Abstract: A solar heat storage and heat pump system includes an insulated heat storage vessel filled by a liquid heat storage medium. A first heat exchanger is deeply immersed in the storage vessel, with solar panel means operatively connected by a pair of delivery and return conduits to the first heat exchanger for delivery of solar-heated liquid to the first heat exchanger, and return. A second heat exchanger is shallowly immersed in the vessel, and a heat pump is operatively connected by a pair of conduits to the second heat exchanger for pumped circulating delivery of heat storage liquid to said heat pump for use in both heating and cooling operation.

Abstract: A catalytic insert for an existing fireplace structure includes a frame for carrying a catalyst member. The frame is disposed in the fireplace structure at a vertically elevated position such that an upper chamber is formed in the structure, and such that at least a portion of the combustion products generated in the fireplace flow into the chamber through the catalyst member and exit the chamber into the room in which the fireplace structure is located. A support member extends from the frame to the fireplace structure bottom wall. The support member provides the main source of support of the frame within the fireplace structure. The frame and support member are adapted to be positionable in an existing fireplace structure to allow catalytic reaction of combustion products generated in the fireplace structure. The frame of the insert can also be adjustable to conform to multiple configurations of the fireplace structure.

Abstract: A gas lighter which includes a gas lighter unit controlled by a press button switch to produce a flame at a flame nozzle thereof for burning, a sliding track at one side of the gas lighter unit, a slide box mounted in the sliding track and moved in and out of a bottom side of the gas lighter unit, a slide moved in and out of the slide box and holding a cutter blade for cutting a head of a cigar being inserted into a blade hole on the slide box, and a sliding switch adapted to lock the slide box and the slide when the slide box and the slide are received inside the gas lighter unit.