Abstract: A reinforced connector assembly for a tubular grab railing has an upper tubing support that is aligned with the grab railing during use and a lower base portion bolted directly to the tubing support fastened to a wall or floor. The tubing support has an opening that divides it into upper and lower halves with a reinforcing plate hidden between them to form a three layer sandwich structure with at least one boss confined during use within the tubing. The connector assembly is a composite formed from an outer plastic resinous connector element and the hidden reinforcing plate which can be formed from steel. The reinforcing plate which provides reinforcement for the plastic components can include exposed ears on each side that frictionally engage and distend the tubing to prevent it from rotating during use. An adjustable connector assembly has two pivotally related portions to permit angular adjustment on site. A corner elbow, an end connector and an end extension are provided.

Abstract: A reinforced connector assembly for a tubular grab railing has an upper tubing support that is aligned with the grab railing during use and a lower base portion bolted directly to the tubing support fastened to a wall or floor. The tubing support has an opening that divides it into upper and lower halves with a reinforcing plate hidden between them to form a three layer sandwich structure with at least one boss confined during use within the tubing. The connector assembly is a composite formed from an outer plastic resinous connector element and the hidden reinforcing plate which can be formed from steel. The reinforcing plate which provides reinforcement for the plastic components can include exposed ears on each side that frictionally engage and distend the tubing to prevent it from rotating during use. An adjustable connector assembly has two pivotally related portions to permit angular adjustment on site. A corner elbow, an end connector and an end extension are also described.

Abstract: A reinforced connector for supporting a tubular grab railing has an upper tubing support that is aligned with the grab railing during use and a lower base portion which is attached to the tubing support, and is fastened a wall or floor as a pedestal for the tubing support. The tubing support has an opening extending longitudinally thereof that divides it into upper and lower halves with the reinforcing plate held between them. The halves of the tubing support are aligned with one another to form at least one boss that is constructed and arranged to engage and support one end of a section of the grab railing tubing. The connector assembly which supports a section of grab railing is formed from dissimilar structural materials including an outer plastic resinous connector element and a reinforcing plate. The reinforcing plate extends through the support to provide reinforcement for the tubing support including each boss and the tubing itself.

Abstract: The warming device of the present invention includes a food tray or pan formed from metal so as to promote the conduction of heat to the food contained in the pan. The pan is held within a sump vessel adapted to contain a heat transfer fluid such as water. The sump vessel is a unitary bowl-shaped container having side and bottom walls and an upper open wide mouth for receiving the food pan whereby the food pan, when inserted, is located within the sump vessel so that the bottom portion of the food pan is spaced from the wall of the sump vessel to define a chamber suited for containing water and steam between the sump vessel and the food pan. The sump vessel has heat-insulating qualities that reduce heat loss and promote the transmission of heat to the food pan. A heat dissipator plate formed from a metal or other conductor of heat is connected to a wall of the sump vessel with an air space between the heat dissipator plate and the sump vessel.

Abstract: A food warmer is provided which includes a metal food tray having side and bottom walls and a mouth at the top opening upwardly. A hollow well or sump vessel is provided around the food tray. The sump vessel is formed from a highly filled thermosetting plastic resin to provide a rigid monolithic body comprising at least about 15% and preferably about 30% to 80% by weight of an inert mineral filler, e.g. calcium carbonate (CaCO.sub.3) and fiberglass, and about 20% to 50% by weight of a thermosetting plastic resin so that the thermal conductivity of the food tray is at least about 50 times greater than that of the sump vessel. The sump vessel has bottom and side walls that enclose the sides and bottom of the food tray and is adapted to hold liquid, specifically water, as a heat transfer medium. An electric heating element is supported from a wall of the sump vessel between the walls of the sump vessel and the food tray for heating the food when energized.

Abstract: A food warmer is provided which includes a food containment vessel or pan having side and bottom walls and a mouth at the top opening upwardly. A hollow well or sump vessel is provided around the food containment vessel. The sump vessel has bottom and side walls that enclose the sides and bottom of the food containment vessel, and is adapted to hold liquid, specifically water, as a heat transfer medium. An electric heating element is provided in the sump vessel between the walls of the sump vessel and the containment vessel for heating the food when energized. The sump vessel is preferably spaced from the food containment vessel to define a chamber between them. The electric heating element is positioned in the chamber, preferably at a location spaced apart from the food containment vessel to heat the food containment vessel by means of radiant and convection heating and by conduction when the sump vessel is filled with water.

Abstract: A combination food warming vessel and lifting frame is described in which a food warming vessel of conventional construction includes side and bottom walls and an upper open wide mouth with a rim extending therearound can be lifted by a separate ring-shaped lifting frame element which encircles the food warming vessel. The lifting frame includes a central opening adapted to receive the food warming vessel so that the rim of the vessel rests on the upper surface of the lifting frame. The frame includes portions that extend laterally beyond the edge of the rim which are adapted to be grasped manually for lifing the vessel. Hinged to the frame on one side thereof is a cover support arm which has a clasp at its free end for connecting the arm to a cover for the vessel. This allows the cover to be raised by pivoting the arm from the hinged connection with the lifting frame. The lifting frame, arm and cover can all be separated from the vessel when the vessel is to be refilled or cleaned.

Abstract: A lid support is described for a food warming vessel which includes lid support arm comprising a channel with a pair of parallel vertical flanges connected by a center panel and a lid connector supported at the free end of the arm and extending downwardly between the flanges. The connector comprises a retaining member formed from sheet material with at least one recess for the handle of a cover with structure for securing the handle in the recess of the connector.

Abstract: The present invention provides a hinged clamp which allows ease in both installing and removing drop-in type food warmers. A warmer well which is placed or dropped into a cut out defined in a counter top includes an outwardly extending flange to support the warmer well on the counter top. A nut provided on the outer surface of the warmer well has a corresponding threaded member which secures a clamping means which includes a body portion and an arm. To secure the warmer well in place, the body portion and arm are positioned away from the warmer well and secured to the nut by the threaded member, which causes the arm to secure against the counter top.

Abstract: This is a removable hinge mechanism particularly designed for use with steam table food containers for removably attaching a separate cover to the upper portion of the container, thus providing a support for holding the cover when the same is lifted from the container to provide access to the food confined therewithin.The hinge mechanism is attached to the container by a releasable clamping action between the inner and outer portions of the rolled edge or flange formed at the top of the container and to the cover by an open-ended loop to permit complete removeability from the container and the cover for cleaning.