Abstract: A cooking appliance having an upper cooking unit pivotally mounted on a lower cooking unit for rotation substantially about a horizontal axis into three different positions, a first position in which the upper cooking unit is on top of the lower cooking unit to form a contact grill, a second position in which the upper cooking unit is substantially horizontally oriented with and parallel to the lower cooking unit to form therewith a double grooved griddle, and a third, generally upright, position intermediate the first and second positions to provide access to the lower cooking plate when the appliance is being used as a contact grill. The cooking plates have elongate grooves which are generally parallel to an axis of the hinge that connects the upper and lower cooking units together and which grooves increase in depth from one side of the cooking appliance to the other for carrying liquid cooking byproducts away from the food being cooked.

Abstract: A temperature-controlled container for transporting biologic tissue and human skin is set out wherein an outer insulated container houses a power source, a thermostat means, a heating means, a power source and interior container along with a retention means for holding the sample in place and a lid that interlocks with the open elongated chamber area by a T-shaped friction plug. The thermostat means may be a microchip and heating element so that the sample and interior temperature does not vary from a given temperature parameter. A eutectic pack which is a solid at room temperature and experiences a phase change to the liquid state at temperatures exceeding room temperature is provided to insure that a minimal super-ambient temperature is maintained.

Abstract: A portable compressed air heating system for delivering a flow of heated air directed at a substrate. The system first includes a hot air distribution member for placement in juxtaposition with the substrate and thereafter distributing heated air collected from a heater module. Second, the system includes a heater module for receiving and heating a continuous volume of air, and is equipped with an adjustable velocity production element for drawing and delivering heated air to the hot air distribution member. An interface conduit connects the heater module to a system controller disposed upstream therefrom, and includes circuitry directed by the controller for operation of the heating module. The system controller includes an air-in port for receiving air, an air-out port for distributing air, a heater-power conduit, a temperature controller, an air pressure monitor, and an air pressure adjuster.

Abstract: A snow melter, comprising a melting assembly and a handle assembly. The melting assembly comprises a melting plate which contains an electric heating element. The melting assembly also has a top plate which is made of an insulating material, and a bottom plate which is porous or has a grating for allowing snow to contact the melting plate but prevents the user from inadvertently contacting the melting plate. The handle assembly has a proximal end having upper and lower handgrips, and a distal end which attaches to the melting assembly. The distal end is preferably attached to the melting assembly at an operating angle which is substantially ten to twenty five degrees from a normal line to the point of attachment between the handle assembly and the melting assembly. An extension cord connects the melting plate to a power source, and is preferably mounted on a spring loaded spool which is located near the distal end of the handle.

Abstract: A personal cooking appliance including a container having a first recess, a first edge surrounding the recess, a timer mounted on a front side of the container, a switch installed on a front side of the container, a pair of lugs each having an elliptical opening, and two grips mounted on respective lateral sides of the container, a first heater arranged within the container and electrically connected with said timer and the switch, a rectangular lid having a second recess, the second recess being less than the first recess in depth, a second edge surrounding the first recess, a third edge surrounding a front and two lateral sides thereof, a pair of ears each having a pin adapted to fit into the elliptical opening, a protective plate provided on a front side of the lid, and a handle fixedly mounted on the protective plate, and a second heater arranged within the container and electrically connected with the timer and the switch, whereby the personal cooking appliance is particularly fit for a bachelor living i

Abstract: An apparatus having a self contained heat source and water supply enables the wet removal of adhesively secured floor tile upon application of heat. The apparatus includes an infrared heater fed by a propane fuel tank and a water supply fed by a pressurizing water system. The method of removing floor tiles upon application of heat in a wet environment minimizes airborne asbestos dust or other contaminants. The self contained infrared heater eliminates any potential of electrical shock hazard.

Abstract: A pipe connecting member which includes a cylindrical receiving member has a first end and a second end. The first end of the cylindrical receiving member has a fusion part into which an end portion of a resin pipe can be received, and also has a coil buried therein. The coil has two energization terminals to allow the coil to be heated by energization thereof. The second end has a connecting part. A conduit composing part having at least one opening is provided, and the connecting part of the second end of the receiving member is connected to one opening of the conduit composing part.

Abstract: A flameless portable cigarette lighter includes a hollow housing containing a pair of batteries and having a front wall with an opening sized to allow only the insertion of a cigarette therethrough for contact with a vertically oriented electric resistance heating filament in the housing for igniting the cigarette. A flexible closure is formed integrally with a switch actuator slidabaly mounted on the housing front wall and movable therewith from a first position closing the opening to a second position allowing access therethrough of a cigarette. A switch is provided in the housing for selectively connecting the batteries to the filament for energization thereof and includes a flexible resilient conductor having a free end movable into electrical contact with a pole of one of the batteries by engagement with a protuberance at the upper end of the closure when the closure is in its second position.

Abstract: A dispenser for dispensing material from a collapsible tube includes a housing and a cover connected to the housing by pins that enable movement of the cover in an arc toward and away from the housing in clamshell-like fashion. An inflatable bladder is received in a recess of the housing and, when inflated, bears against the tube for collapsing the tube and directing material in the tube toward an application site.

Abstract: A detachable metallic safety guard for use with a portable electric immersion heater is formed as an endless metallic band defining an open central area for receiving the heating element of the heater with the inner periphery of the band in spaced surrounding relationship to the heating element. The vertical height of the band is greater than the height of the heating element and the band is provided with openings allowing fluid to circulate therethrough. The guard is adapted to be directly attached to the heating element by a pair of clips carried by a diametric crossbar secured at its ends to the band. The band includes at least two tabs extending radially inwardly for providing peripheral support for the heating element. The heater may be a portable floating heater.

Abstract: An electric hot air blower has a casing having a discharge portion containing a heating element and variable speed motor driven air blower and provided with a pistol grip handle for manipulation of hot air blower. A pair of pivotally mounted triggers frontally positioned in vertically spaced relationship in the center of the pistol grip handle selectively operate respective ones of a pair of spring-biased open incremental switches disposed in the handle for variably controlling the air blower motor speed in concert with the intensity of the heating element. The triggers are lockable in a selected position between an off and the maximum position of the incremental switch actuated thereby by a releasable locking button engageable with locking teeth on the trigger.

Abstract: An electric soldering iron has an elongated hollow handle casing having a tubular hollow holder extending from one end thereof and supporting a soldering bit heated by an electric heater within the holder. A forked suction pipe is secured to the holder and includes a main pipe having an intake port at one end disposed adjacent to the soldering tip and an outlet port at its other end connected to an induced-draft fan assembly through a flexible air pipe. A branch pipe of the suction pipe extends laterally from the main pipe and has an intake port connecterd to the interior of the casing through a heat resistant hose. Actuation of the induced-draft fan causes soldering fumes generated at the tip to be drawn into the main pipe and for cooling ambient air to be drawn through the casing from an inlet at its other end to remove excess heat from the casing.

Abstract: A tool for shaping wax and wax-like substances has a handpiece containing an electrical connector for connection to a source of electrical power and an opening in which an electrically heated tool tip is removably mounted for the convenient interchange of tips. The tool tip is held in a fixed predetermined position in the opening by ridges in the opening interlocked with complementary notches on the tip and is removably mounted within the opening in electrical connection with the connector. A cooling air gap is formed between the outer surface of said tip and the inner surface of said opening by the interlocked ridges and notches to prevent overheating of the handpiece. The tip comprises two spaced apart electrically conductive parallel wires which are connected at one end to form a continuous tip which defines a confined air gap of a defined configuration which is suitable for holding and shaping wax.

Abstract: A seat cushion heated by an electrical resistance heating element sandwiched between two seat cushion sections is covered by a flexible sheet cover integral with two web projections projecting from an edge of the cushion and spaced apart lengthwise of such cushion edge a distance for reception of a hand therebetween, and a battery housing tube elongated lengthwise of such cushion edge arranged substantially parallel thereto, having ears projecting from the side of the battery housing tube nearer the cushion, spaced apart lengthwise of the tube a distance corresponding to the spacing of the web projections and secured to the web projections, a cap for closing one end of the battery housing tube and openable for insertion of a battery into the housing tube and the other end of the housing tube being closed by a cover including a rotary switch for energizing the electrical resistance heating element by a battery in the battery housing tube.

Abstract: An electrically heated portable seat for automobiles includes a flexible and liquid-impervious container having spaced top and bottom surfaces, a sponge-like material bonded to the inner surface of the container, a liquid absorbed in the sponge-like material, and an electrical heating element for heating the liquid inside of the container. The seat is plugged into a wall outlet in a house just before its use. After the seat is warmed up, it is carried to a car and placed on the car seat.

Abstract: A battery powered electric curling brush/iron includes an elongated cylindrical electrically heated wand detachably connected to the end of a hollow handle by a pair of separable electrical connector terminals. The handle houses rechargeable batteries for supplying electrical power to the wand through the connector terminals and a charging circuit for recharging the batteries from an external AC household source through a connector plug movable from a retracted position in the handle to an extended position projecting through an opening in a wall thereof.

Abstract: An electric curling iron has a handle and unitary curling structure with first and second elongated generally aligned oppositely extending shell sections aligned oppositely extending shell section. Each section is provided with a separate PTC resistance heating element and the two shell sections have different diameters and/or different bristles and/or at least one hair clamping arm. The handle is adapted to be selectively slipped onto either of the two shell sections, whereby at the same time an electrical connection is established between the heating element in the other shell section and an electrical power supply on the handle.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an electrically operated appliance, such as a hair dryer, a hair clipper, or a hair blower, which appliance comprises an elongated handle including cooperating first and second handle pieces, means for assembling together the first and second handle pieces, a water-proof switch assembly including an electrical switch and a movable acuator, ribs and yokes integrally extending from and within the handle pieces and engaged with surfaces on the switch assembly to immoveably locate the switch assembly within the handle and with the actuator extending lengthwise of the handle, and a switch operating slide carried by the handle for movement relative thereto lengthwise of the handle and connected to the actuator for movement thereof in response to slide movement.

Abstract: An electric curling iron includes a handle containing a reversible DC motor for rotating an elongated, generally cylindrical curling mandrel extending from the front end of the handle and coupled to the motor by a clutch so as to prevent injury to the user. The mandrel is electrically heated and controls are provided on the handle for selecting the speed and direction of mandrel rotation as well as the level of mandrel heating. A clamp for releasably retaining a strand of hair is carried by the mandrel for rotation therewith. A manually activated actuating mechanism on the handle is designed to allow opening and closing of the clamp while the mandrel is rotating.

Abstract: A hand-held electrically heated tool for applying heat to an object includes an elongated metallic tubular handle open at its forward and rear ends and having a plurality of raised relatively-spaced longitudinally extending vanes formed on its the inner surface and extending between the forward and rear ends thereof. An exposed metal electrical resistance heating element forming a wire tip is mounted in an insulator disposed in the forward end of the handle in engagement with the vanes with the tip extending forwardly of the handle. A spherically concave portion of the insulator reflects heat away from the handle.

Abstract: A hair appliance has a hair winding portion extending axially from the end of a handle covered by a flexible sleeve member adapted to be depressed in order to activate a movable part of the hair appliance. The hair appliance is of relatively uniform cross-section along its length and in the case of a curling iron provided with a hair retaining clip biased adjacent the barrel of the curling iron, the clip is provided with a longitudinal extension aligned with the body of the clip, with the extension overlying a recess in the handle and under the flexible sleeve member. The clip is opened by squeezing or depressing the flexible sleeve member to move the extension into the recess. In the case of a curling brush having a rotatable barrel, a similar construction results in the barrel locking mechanism being situated under the flexible sleeve member so that depression of the latter operates the locking mechanism.

Abstract: A heating element made of carbon, comprising a heating member including carbon powder and an insulating resin, the powder being kneaded with the resin, and a core member formed of an insulating material and having a higher fusing point than the heating member, the core member being disposed substantially centrally of the heating member.

Abstract: An electrically heated tool for appyling an anchoring device having a forwardly protruding nose carrying a hot melt adhesive and a rear recess surrounded by a circular rim has a housing having a head portion and a handle. The head portion has a planar front wall provided with a front recess dimensioned to receive the anchoring device. An electric heater in the head portion has a platen, dimensioned to extend into the rear recess of the anchoring device, protruding into the front recess. The dimensions of the front recess and platen are such that the nose of an anchoring device received in the front recess with the platen extending into the rear recess of the device and in contact with the rear of the nose thereof protrudes slightly forwardly beyond the plane of the front wall so that the nose of the device can be firmly pressed against a surface to obtain secure bonding of the device after the heater has been energized to melt the adhesive.

Abstract: A portable electric battery operated hair curler having a handle detachable from a curling barrel provided with an electric heating element. The handle contains rechargeable batteries and a recharger, and has a first set of electrical connectors at its front end for mating with a set of electrical connectors at the back end of the curling barrel. The handle further includes a second pivotally mounted electrical connection means in the front end of the handle connected to the battery charger for connecting the charger to an external power source. The pivoted second connection is accessible for use only when the barrel is detached from the handle and is then movable from a stored position in the handle to a position projecting from one side of the handle for connection to the external power source.

Abstract: A portable hand-held hair dryer having a housing formed with an elongate front edge portion along the edgewise direction of which is extended an air outlet for discharge of heated air. A hand grip is slidably connected to the front edge portion of the housing for movement therealong in a straight path between a retracted position in which the hand grip overlies the front edge portion to block the air outlet and a projected position in which the hand grip extends outwardly of the housing to be ready for being grasped by the hand of the user after opening the air outlet. A recess is formed in the housing at a portion adjacent to the function of the hand grip in its projected position so as to receive a portion of the user's hand grasping the hand grip. This recess is advantageous for providing a comfortable support of the hair dryer with a minimum projected length of the hand grip. A voltage selection switch is positioned so as to be accessible only when the hand grip is in its retracted position.

Abstract: A curling iron includes an elongated heating element attached at one end to a handle and having an outer circular peripheral surface provided with a plurality of generally arcuately spaced, radially open grooves extending longitudinally on the outer peripheral surface of the heating element between the first end adjacent the handle and second free end, with the grooves being axially open at the second end. Plurality of bars supporting hair grooming members are slidingly removably engaged in the grooves through the open ends thereof in heat exchange relation with the heating element. An auxiliary handle is attached to the second end of the heating element for preventing removal of the bars from the grooves, there being free, unlimited, bidirectional relative rotation between the auxiliary handle and the heating element.

Abstract: The temperature of a planar material (8) moving down a process path is measured by causing the material to pass through two openings (3,4) made in a waveguide (1) in such a way that the material effectively does not cut the electric field lines present on the walls of the guide (1) and also so the material (8) passes through the guide in a direction generally parallel to the electric field in the propagation mode of the waveguide and through a region of maximum field strength. The temperature of the planar material (8) is determined by measuring the thermal noise emitted by the material (8) as it passes through the slotted waveguide (1). The slots (3,4) for a rectangular waveguide operating in the TE.sub.10 mode are made along the centerline of the two broad sides of the guide.

Abstract: An electric hair curler comprises a handle and a barrel connected thereto for winding thereabout the hair. The barrel is provided with an electric heater for curling the hair wound on the barrel. The heater includes a plurality of resistor elements in the form of strips extending along the length of the barrel in generally parallel relationship with one another and being electrically connected in series by a corresponding number of bridging segments. The heater thus constructed is mounted on the barrel with the resistor elements thereof being exposed on the outer surface of the barrel in circumferentially spaced relationship with one another around the barrel, so that each of the resistor elements is in direct heat transfer contact with the hair to be wound on the barrel, thus greatly reducing the heat loss to assure effective heat transfer from the heater to the hair.

Abstract: The knob of a handpiece for use in a push-pull type electric lighter is provided with an increased diameter portion positioned in closer proximity to the ignition end than the handle portion of the knob. At least one O-ring or like seal is mounted around the periphery of the increased diameter portion of the knob. The outer end of the socket which protrudes through an aperture in a panel, and the portion of the handpiece extending out from the socket when fitted into the socket are encased (except for the handle portion of the knob) in a hollow open-ended tubular housing mounted on the face of the panel. The O-ring of the handpiece is adapted to engage the interior wall of the tubular housing and form a water-tight, slidable seal therewith yet permit the handpiece to be pushed into and be pulled from the socket by means of the handle portion of the knob. The portions of the socket extending to the rear of the panel may be, and preferably are, encased by another housing.

Abstract: A desoldering tool for removing soldered electronic components from printed circuit boards includes a plurality of electric heater bars disposed in spaced apart, opposed relationship so as to grasp the component to be removed. The heater bars are shaped to contact the solder terminations to be desoldered and are composed of an alloy of high electrical resistivity, such as Nichrome. The heater bars are each removably attached to a pair of cantilever spring plates carried by the enlarged end of the handle of the desoldering tool by a different pair of bus bars enclosed in a molded plastic housing providing support and electrical insulation. One bus bar of each pair is rigidly attached to one spring plate while the other bus bar is attached to the other spring plate so that the cantilever spring plates urge the heater bars against the solder terminations and retain the component for physical removal.

Abstract: An electric curling iron includes an electrically heated cylinder having an exterior surface around which hair is wrapped for applying heat to the hair being curled and a partial cylindrical clamp member pivotally movable toward and away from the cylinder for clamping the hair against the cylinder. Rotation of the curling iron during use is facilitated by a main handle and clamp handle coupled to the heated cylinder and clamp member, respectively. The main handle and clamp handle are elongated members grippable in one hand of the user of the iron and are freely rotatable relative to the cylinder and clamp member so as to enable the cylinder and clamp member to be rotated within the hand of the user while hair is clamped between the clamp member and cylinder. The main and clamp handle are each provided with a locking mechanism selectively movable between a first position locking the respective handles against rotation and a second position wherein the respective handles are free to rotate.

Abstract: A hand-held electric soldering/desoldering tool has an elongated soldering tip secured to one end of an elongated handle in substantially coaxial alignment therewith by means of a three-point, spring loaded mechanical suspension arrangement resiliently securing the soldering tip to the handle for allowing excessive pressure applied to the handle to be taken up by the spring-loaded suspension thereby preventing such excessive pressure from being applied to a workpiece. The three-point suspension arrangement includes three support members fixed to the handle and having juxtaposed ends passing freely through aligned openings in a support plate attached to the soldering tip. Each support member has a head biased into engagement with the support plate by a coil spring surrounding the support member and disposed between the support plate and handle.

Abstract: An electrically heated hair curling iron has first and second handles pivotally connected at one end for movement toward and away from each other. Supported on the free ends of the handles are an electrically heated rod and a press plate which respectively project outwardly from the free ends. A electric power supply cord is connected to the electrically heated rod by a rotatable connector formed as a protrusion on one of the pivotally connected ends of the handles on the opposite side of the handles from the free ends thereof. The axis of rotation of the connector is coaxial with the centerline between the two handles and is in the same plane as the pivotal connection between the handles. Thus the iron can be easily rotated without twisting the power cord. The iron has an adjustment to regulate the opening angle of the handles and a releasable lock for securing the handles together in closed condition.

Abstract: A battery operated cautery includes a cylindrical housing configured to retain a voltage source, such as a plurality of batteries, and an electrically heated cautery tip carried by the front end of the housing and adapted to be selectively energized from the power source by a manually operable switch on the housing. The switch includes a contact element having rear end connected to a terminal of the power source and a front end movable into and out of engagement with a terminal electrode of the electrically heated tip to make and break the circuit between the tip and the power source by a operation of a depressible switch actuator on housing. A removable safety cover configured to mount on the front of the housing encloses the switch actuator and heating tip to prevent inadvertent switch actuation and to protect the tip when the cautery is being stored or transported.

Abstract: An electric heater for insertion into a small container and comprising a heater core, a heater can having one closed and one open end in which the heater core is operatively embedded, a heater coil carried by said heater core only on a portion thereof adjacent the closed end of the can, a thermostat extending transversely of said heater core adjacent the open end of the heater can, the thermostat being insulated from the heater core.

Abstract: A curling iron in which two electrically heated winding mandrels with separate independently operable pivoted hair clamps project in spaced side-by-side relation from a handle. The mandrels are angularly adjustable relative to the handle to enable one clamp to be placed in any desired angular position relative to the other clamp and thereby enable waves and curls of various forms and shapes to be formed by the clamps and mandrels. To permit the mandrels to be adjusted angularly relative to the handle, conductive plugs on the ends of the mandrels are adapted to be telescoped in various angular positions into conductive sockets formed in the end of the handle.

Abstract: An attachment for supplying a filler wire to an electric soldering iron of the pen type includes an independent support butt having an upper housing provided with a V-shaped groove defined by two lateral faces of a dihedron. The cylindrical body portion of a pen type soldering iron is received in the groove and fixed therein by a flexible, length adjustable clamp passing around the body and having its ends fastened to the butt so as to maintain the body tangentially to the faces of the dihedron so that it forms a unit with the butt. The adjustable clamp permits soldering irons whose bodies are of different diameters to be immobilized in the groove. The support butt is provided with a manually operable trigger actuated mechanism for incrementally feeding and guiding a length of filler wire toward the heated tip of the supported soldering iron during use. The power supply lead for the electric heating element of the electric soldering iron extends through a passage in the support butt.

Abstract: A hot air hair curler includes a cylindrical hollow handle having an air inlet at one end and a cylindrical hollow barrel having air outlet openings in its sidewall extending from the other end. An electric heating element and a motor driven fan are enclosed within the handle, together with a switch to which is connected an electrical supply cord. The switch, being relatively large, is positioned in the handle near the air inlet and is connected to a slide button positioned forwardly on the handle by a rigid actuating arm positioned within a longitudinal channel within the handle. The actuating arm defines a wireway providing convenient routing for wires from the switch to the motor and heating element.

Abstract: A heating device designed to be used within a refrigerated environment is provided with at least a first plate which is electrically insulated from an underlying resistance heater circuit. Plural insulating layers beneath the resistance heater reflect heat back toward the plate. The entire assembly is sealed against moisture.

Abstract: An electrically heated hair curling iron includes a handle with a tubular electric heating element having a first end adjacent the handle, a second and spaced outwardly from the handle, and an outer peripheral surface provided with a plurality of accurately spaced grooves extending longitudinally between the first end and the second end. A removable hair grooming attachment is mounted on the heating element and includes an annular frame having a plurality of accurately spaced longitudinal support bars slidably engaged in the grooves through a first frame end having an inner diameter larger than that of the heating element. The opposite end of the frame has an inner diameter less than that of the heating element and abuts the second end of the element to limit the sliding movement of the attachment toward the handle and a detachable fastener extends through the abutting ends of the frame and heating element to secure the frame in place.

Abstract: An electrically heated curler/styler includes an elongated handle having a rotatable elongated longitudinally split heating barrel projecting from the forward end thereof and defining a longitudinal space, open at its forward end, between the split portions of the barrel. A non-rotatable elongated flat blade-like clamp fixed to the forward end of the handle projects into the space between the split portions of the barrel, each of which is provided with a separate internal electric heater. The handle is provided with a button for manually rotating the split barrel from a first position wherein the longitudinal edge of the split barrel portions are spaced from the longitudinal edges of the clamp so that strands of hair can be inserted therebetween and a second position wherein the inserted hair strands are clamped between the longitudinal edges of the clamp and the split barrel portions for curling and/or styling.

Abstract: An electric hair curling appliance includes a metallic heater tube extending fixedly from one end of a handle and containing an electric heating element. A tubular member including a hair grooming attachment removably received on an inner metal tube is telescopically mounted on the heater tube and is capable of axial and rotary motion relative thereto. A manually operable lever on the one end of the handle cooperates with first and second surfaces on the adjacent end of the tubular member to selectively (1) lock the tubular member against rotary or axial movement (2) lock the tubular member against axial movement while permitting rotary movement thereof and (3) permit axial and rotary movement of the tubular member to facilitate telescopic removal or mounting of the tubular member on the heater tube. The hair grooming attachment may be rotatably or nonrotatably mounted on the inner metal tube and may include a plurality of rows of hair grooming teeth or a pivotally mounted hair clamping member.

Abstract: A relatively inexpensive electric soldering iron and handle structure can be constructed so as to be relatively simple to assemble by utilizing cooperating holding elements within a tubular handle to form a holder. This holder serves to support or hold a socket adapted to support a heating element and a cord retainer in place within the handle. The holder is in turn held in place within the handle through the use of cooperating detent elements on both the holder and on the handle. The parts of the soldering handle structure are dimensioned so that the parts previously identified can be inserted as a unit into the handle through one end of the handle as the cord is withdrawn outwardly from the other end of the handle.

Abstract: An electrically heated hair curling appliance includes a handle assembly having an electric heating element extending fixedly from one end thereof and a removable tubular hair grooming member mounted on the heating element for rotary and axial movement relative thereto. The hair grooming member may include, on its outer surface, a plurality rows of teeth defining a brush or a pivoted hair clamping member.

Abstract: A temperature-adjustable electric soldering iron manipulable with a single hand to change the temperature of the iron comprises a handle, a circuit board, a Nichrome tip heating wire, a cover for the wire and a soldering tip. On the circuit board are two mercury switches, a diode, and five resistances, connected in a manner to provide four circuits connected with the Nichrome wire so that the tip can be heated to four different temperatures dependent upon which circuit is connected in series with the Nichrome wire. The circuit board is placed inside the handle and the mercury switches are arranged so that holding the handle in a completely horizontal position shuts off the electric circuit, but tilting it forward or backward, or turning it around to the left or to the right actuates the mercury switches by means of the function of the mercury drop which connects respective circuit contacts at either end of the switches to place a different one of the four circuits in series with the Nichrome wire.

Abstract: A suction desoldering tool has an elongate handle, an elongate housing defining a bore therethrough and extending co-axially from one end of the handle solder, a collecting chamber in the handle, and a tubular heating bit holder. The holder is mounted in the end of the housing remote from the body and includes a body portion surrounded by an electric heating element for receiving the bit and a tubular portion of lesser wall thickness providing communication between the bit and collecting chamber. The tubular portion is surrounded by an imperforate sleeve which defines an insulating air space along the tubular portion to enable the full length of tubular portion to be maintained above the liquidus temperature for solder melted by the bit during a desoldering operation, so that the melted solder can be drawn into the collecting chamber through the bit and holder by a source of suction connected to the chamber.

Abstract: An electric soldering iron having an elongated handle with an electric heating element attached therein and including a removable tip member located to receive heat from the heating element and a holding member to hold the tip relative to the heating element is improved by forming said heating element as an elongated flat blade heating element having a elongated flat planar heated surface. The heating element is so located in the handle to extend outwardly from the handle. The tip member includes a body having an elongated flat planar heat transfer surface which fits against the planar heated surface of the heating element and receives heat therefrom. The tip member further includes an operative tip extending away from the remainder of the tip member. A retaining tube detachably secured at one end to the handle fits over the heating element and tip member and except for its operative tip and maintains them in a fixed relationship with respect to each other and to the handle.

Abstract: A hand-held steam hair curler-brush includes a perforated open-ended metallic cylinder extending forwardly from a handle. Secured to the handle and extending into the interior of the cylinder is a cylindrical member containing an electric heating element and having a closed end remote from the handle and a side wall spaced from the interior of the cylinder to define a first annular space therebetween. A rotatable perforated cylindrical barrel surrounds the cylinder and is spaced therefrom by first and second supports at the ends of the cylinder to define a second annular space therebetween. The support at the end of the cylinder remote from the handle includes a manually actuatable steam producing means closing the open end of the cylinder and arranged to create steam in the first annular space by bringing water into contact with the heated closed end of the cylindrical member.

Abstract: A telescoping electric hair curling iron includes a molded hollow handle of plastic material having front and rear openings and a longitudinally extending thumb-operated cantilever spring element integrally molded as part of the handle wall. The forward end of the cantilever spring element is downwardly bent to form a depressible thumb button immediately adjacent the front handle opening for operating a spring-biased elongated hair gripping clip pivotally mounted on an electrically heated hair curling rod arranged for slidable telescopic movement through the front opening between a retracted storage position within the handle and an extended operative position outside the handle when the curling rod is in the operative position. The curling rod as heated by a PTC heating element therein. A swivel cord connector is mounted on the inner end of the curling rod and is slidable therewith within the handle and in the retracted position of the curling rod extends out the rear handle opening.

Abstract: A collapsible electric curling iron includes an elongated hollow handle open at one end and an elongated, generally cylindrical heat conductive housing mounted on the handle for movement between an operative use position where the housing extends out of the handle through the open end and an inoperative storage position where the housing is confined within the handle. A cap on the inner end of the housing cooperates with a collar and guides on the handle to prevent side-to-side or "rocking" movement of the housing in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the handle during movement between the operative and inoperative positions. The housing has a longitudinal bore, generally polygonal in transverse cross section, which accommodates a thin planar electric heating element placed diagonally across the bore and having side edges engaged in diametrically spaced corners of the bore.