Abstract: A heating device useful for a variety of relatively small heating applications is disclosed. The heat source for the device comprises a hermetically sealed cartridge containing a chemical mixture which produces heat, but substantially no gas, upon ignition. The device itself comprises a thermal-conductive body into which the cartridge is inserted and an insulating cover for all but a portion of the body. The body is constructed for optimizing heat transfer from the cartridge to such exposed portion. The exposed portion may be employed as a grill, or a container may be releaseably secured to the exposed portion for use as a warming pan for liquid or semi-solid substances. Alternately, the body may include one or more recesses for receiving specially shaped food items such as sausages, frankfurters or food packets.

Abstract: A self-contained heating device useful for a variety of heating applications is disclosed. In a preferred form the device comprises a hermetically sealed cartridge, containing a chemical mixture which produces heat but substantially no gas upon ignition, disposed in a heating unit which also includes a means for igniting the cartridge and a heat transfer sleeve surrounding the cartridge. The sleeve is constructed for optimizing heat transfer from the cartridge and includes in one embodiment a plurality of internal ridges which support the cartridge and define, together with the cartridge and the body of the sleeve, a plurality of air spaces. In a second embodiment a tubular aluminum oxide liner is provided for the sleeve and in still a third embodiment a coated or uncoated screen liner.

Abstract: A self-contained heating device useful for a variety of heating applications is disclosed. In a preferred form of the invention a hermetically-sealed cartridge containing a chemical mixture which produces heat, but substantially no gas, upon ignition is disposed in a heating unit which also includes a means for igniting the cartridge and a heat transfer sleeve surrounding the cartridge. Preferably, the chemical mixture comprises an alumino-thermic mixture and the igniting means is a percussion primer cap. To increase the percentage of successful ignitions in such a device, a cone-shaped depression is formed in the alumino-thermic reactive mixture adjacent the percussion cap, which depression is preferably filled with a ignition mixture of finely divided aluminum and Fe.sub.2 O.sub.3 or Fe.sub.3 O.sub.4.