Abstract: An infrared heating element of the present invention includes a facing (preferably a fiberglass cloth) which is cut to a desired shape and size, an insulating blanket of the same shape and size as the facing, a heating filament sandwiched between the facing and the insulating blanket. The insulating blanket, which is preferably a ceramic fiber blanket, is rigidized by soaking the blanket is a rigidizing solution, such as a colloidal silica solution, The step of rigidizing the blanket provides at least one face of blanket which is impregnated with the rigidizing solution and a core which remains free of rigidizing solution. While the insulating properties of the blanket at the surfaces are reduced by the rigidizing, the insulating properties of the core of the blanket are not substantially affected.The heating element is included in a portable dryer for use in drying items such as screen printed articles.

Abstract: A traveling oven system is adapted for use synchronously with an extrinsic conveyor, particularly for shrink wrapping purposes by heating an object such as a pallette, package, or other article of manufacture covered by a polyethylene film bag to shrink the bag about the same. The system includes a bell-type oven having a housing with side wall portions, front and rear wall portions, and a top wall, being open at the lower end and having infrared heating panels on predetermined wall portions. The oven is supported above the conveyor by a tram carried by a gantry extending along the conveyor for vertical movement of the oven with respect to the conveyor and also for horizontal movement in forward and reverse directions along a reach of the conveyor. A vertical drive is included for vertically reciprocally moving the oven between an upper position with the lower end of the oven above objects at least partially enclosing such objects for heating thereof.