Abstract: A cooking appliance includes burners having ports that are aligned in a defined alignment with respect to an adjacent structure of a burner body or the cooking appliance within a piloting zone so that the adjacent structure guides the formation of a flame kernel at an outlet of the port. The adjacent structure may be ports which also form flame kernels withing the piloting zone of the burner port outlet, a structural portion of the burner body such as an extended lip protruding beyond the burner port or a separate structure such as a flame rod or other target that stabilizes the flame kernels at the burner port outlet. Such structures provide a method for improving the turndown ratio of burners by preventing lifting or backlash of the flame kernels generated at the burner port outlets by aligning the ports in conjunction with an adjacent structure within a piloting zone.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus and a method for stretching a human body in a substantially horizontal attitude. The apparatus places the body under a predetermined tensile load, uniformly distributed over the length of the body. The apparatus applies the loading force gradually in order avoid shock loads on the body. The apparatus may be operated easily and safely by the user, without assistance from another person.

Abstract: A cooking appliance includes burners having ports that are aligned in a defined alignment with respect to an adjacent structure of a burner body or the cooking appliance within a piloting zone so that the adjacent structure guides the formation of a flame kernel at an outlet of the port. The adjacent structure may be ports which also form flame kernels withing the piloting zone of the burner port outlet, a structural portion of the burner body such as an extended lip protruding beyond the burner port or a separate structure such as a flame rod or other target that stabilizes the flame kernels at the burner port outlet. Such structures provide a method for improving the turndown ratio of burners by preventing lifting or backlash of the flame kernels generated at the burner port outlets by aligning the ports in conjunction with an adjacent structure within a piloting zone.

Abstract: A self-penetrating fastener for clamping and retaining tubing or the like to a support surface in spaced relationship thereto. A pin member is formed with a recess beneath the head and adjacent the shank of the pin. A flexible channel shaped liner is carried on the shank so that the liner is forced upwardly of the shank, responsive to the driving of the fastener, into and following the contour of the recess to diminish the throat dimension of the recess and substantially surround the tubing received and clamped therein with a single driving impact from a tool.