Abstract: A sintered ceramic heater, particularly a heater for a glow plug of a diesel engine, includes a sintered ceramic heater, which generates heat upon receiving an electric current, supported by an electrically insulating sintered ceramic body. The heater element includes a U-shaped cross-section outer portion integrally sintered with and covering a central portion. Each portion is formed of a sintered ceramic body of a mixture of electrically conductive ceramic powder having an average diameter of not more than 2 .mu.m and selected from the group consisting of MoSi.sub.2, WSi.sub.2, TiB.sub.2 and TiC, and 35-75 mol % of electrically insulating ceramic powder, e.g., Si.sub.3 N.sub.4. The central and outer portions have the same composition.

Abstract: In an ignition device, a preheater in the wall of a carburetor is connectable to an ignition heater in series and the heaters are controlled by the switching operation of relay contacts. Both heaters are connectable in series during the ignition operation to limit current flowing to the ignition heater.

Abstract: Device for fuel injection in combustion chambers of, in particular, selfigniting combustion engines with an injection nozzle (10) and a subsequently switched incandescent wire (20) which has a conduit (30) surrounded by a double heating layer (33) on the inside for passing through of the injection streams. The double heating layer (33) consists of an inner heating layer (35) which is separated from a second heating layer (37) by an electrical insulator. In the parallel as well as the series switching of the two heating layers (35,37), a two stage heating of the double heating layer (33) is possible. The inner heating layer (35) reaches the required end temperature required for ignition in a relative short time, while the second heating layer (37) assures a high energy density of the ceramic support mass (38).

Abstract: A self-regulating electric glow plug for an air-compressing internal combustion engine includes an elongated tube having a first end arranged within a plug housing and a second closed end defining a tubular component adapted to extend into a combustion chamber of the engine to produce heat when heated to a glowing condition. A coiled electric resistance heating element is disposed entirely within the tubular component and is embedded in a mass of thermally conductive electrical filling the tube. The resistance element includes two oppositely wound resistance wire coils connected in an end-to-end serially connected array with the first coil being located closest to the glow plug housing and the second coil being located closest to the closed tube end. The first coil has a higher positive temperature coefficient of resistance than the second coil.

Abstract: A cigarette box with self-lighting device and spare lighter is comprised of a main box and a spare box. The main box is in "L" shape, with a pivoted main box cover plate which has a view window and a retaining plate chute and can be optionally opened, closed and fixed. One side of the interior of the main box has a cigarette self-lighting device, and the other side has a spare cigarette lighting device. Ten cigarettes may be stored in the main box. The spare cigarette box is dish shaped and is pivoted to the main box cover plate at the outside. A mobile wave-shape cover plate is pivoted to the front of the spare box for storing 10 cigarettes. A lighted cigarette will be ready for the user with a light touch on the self-lighting button.

Abstract: Hydrogen ignitor and housing structure having high-strength and lightweight characteristics for surface mounting within a nuclear reactor containment vessel are disclosed. A unitary main body is formed from stainless steel sheet metal free of internal or external structural bracing to provide an open-ended enclosure for placement and interconnection of electrical transformer equipment for the hydrogen ignitor. The open end of the main body enclosure is hermetically sealed with a unitary stainless steel sheet metal cover plate which interlocks with the main body sidewall so that forces, due e.g. to changes of pressure, tending to distort the configuration of the sidewall or cover plate, are absorbed by both through such interlocking. Hermetic sealing of the enclosure is maintained while providing limited access for external placement of an ignitor glow probe and for line voltage power supply internally of the enclosure.

Abstract: To decrease the preheat time and power requirements in preheater-type glow plugs for Diesel engines, a closed ceramic tube (20), for example of aluminum oxide and of about 5 mm diameter has, on the bottom (21) thereof applied a layer or film-like heater element (24, 24'), for example in an undulating or zig-zag configuration (FIG. 2) or in form of a constriction or pinch (FIG. 4: 24') to provide a concentrated point or strip source of heat. The heater layer itself is protected by a protective coating (25) and, to provide for the required heat distribution, the underlying bottom (21, 21') of the tube (20, 20') supports an insulating intermediate layer and possibly a heat conductive layer is intermediate. Preheat times in the order of 1-2 seconds, with lower current consumption than prior wound-wire plugs can be obtained.

Abstract: A hand held rechargeable glow plug igniter includes a rechargeable battery, an extension member electrically connected to one terminal of the battery and extended outwardly therefrom and a Headlock connector mounted on the opposite end of the extension member for establishing electrical connection between the battery and the glow plug of a model airplane engine. A recharger unit for the glow plug igniter includes an AC adapter, the DC output of which is directed to a plug having a probe end of one polarity and a wider diameter base end of opposite polarity with a conductive peripheral contact member connected to the base end for releasable engagement by the Headlock connector.

Abstract: Improved automatic ignition system (10) for gas fired devices such as boilers, clothes dryers, ranges, and the like. The system (10) is of the type including a variable resistance ignition means (16) having a particular temperature characteristic disposed in proximity to the burner (14) for igniting gas flowing therethrough when the ignition means (16) is energized. The improved system includes detection means (12) for repeatedly measuring the resistance of the ignition means (16) and for comparing such measurements, and activating means (12) for activating the gas valve opening means (56) to open the valve (60) when the detection means (12) establishes that the ignition means (16) is in the portion of its temperature characteristic where the temperature thereof is sufficient to ignite gas.

Abstract: In a glow plug, a pair of ceramic rods having longitudinal bonding surfaces are used as a heating rod. A resistor including a heater, and a pair of lead portions connected to both ends of the heater and extending to rear ends of the ceramic rods is continuously disposed on one bonding surface of the ceramic rods. One of the lead portions extends through a hollow metal holder, while the other lead portion is connected to an external connecting terminal mounted through an insulating member.

Abstract: The electrical resistance hot-plate of the plug of the lighter comprises a holder which houses and retains a heating element in the form of a metal strip shaped, for example, in accordion-pleated folds or a coil, so as to have consecutive turns which together define respective flat faces at the two opposing edges of the strip, at least one of which is so situated in correspondence with an open side of the holder for receiving the tip of a cigarette. The consecutive turns of the strip are spaced apart so as to define a plurality of interstices, and the holder has at least one opening opposite its open side to expose a greater part of the corresponding flat face of the heating element and allow a flow of air from one face of the element to the other.

Abstract: A glow plug for accelerating the ignition of fuel in a combustion chamber of a diesel engine is disclosed. The glow plug comprises a shell releasably engagable with a head of a combustion chamber of the diesel engine, and an electrically conducting, tubular heater carried by and electrically connected to the shell. The heater has an open end within the shell, and an opposed closed end extending longitudinally therefrom. The glow plug also comprises a heating filament disposed within the heater adjacent to the closed end and electrically insulated from the tubular body thereof. The heating filament has a first end electrically connected to the closed end of the heater and a second end; it is one which heats to a predetermined design temperature when a specified voltage is applied thereto. The glow plug also comprises an insulator carried by the shell, and a terminal assembly carried by the insulator.

Abstract: A ceramic heater-element to be incorporated into a plug to be pressed into a socket provided on a front inner car-body, thereby providing a cigarette-lighter, which comprises an annular shaped heater-portion having a radially extending gap thereby providing two opposing end-portions, and a pair of electrode-portions, each being extended substantially downwardly from each of the two end-portions while being in a parallel relationship with a center axis of the heater-portion, wherein respective cross-sectional dimensions through which the electric current flows are so arranged that the cross-sectional area of the heater-portion is relatively smaller than either of the cross-sectional areas of the electrode-portions.

Abstract: Glow plugs (16), (17), (18), (19) for a Diesel engine are connected to a power source (12) through a switch (13) to receive electrical power. A time constant circuit including a capacitor (32) and resistors (31), (33) is connected to the power source (12) through another switch (27) together with the glow plugs (16), (17), (18), (19). The time constant circuit is constructed so that the voltage across the capacitor (32 ) is proportional to the temperature of the glow plugs (16), (17), (18), (19). A comparator (34) opens the switches (13), (27) to disconnect the power source (12) from the glow plugs (16), (17), (18), (19) and time constant circuit when the voltage across the capacitor (32) is above a predetermined value and closes the switches (13), (22) to connect the power source (12 ) to the glow plugs (16), (17), (18), (19) and time constant circuit when the voltage across the capacitor (32) is below the predetermined value.

Abstract: An igniter is disclosed having a heat generator responsive to an ignition signal for igniting powder. comprises a first connector insulatingly supporting a first pair of electrical conductions having their one ends connected across the heat generator, filter means provided in circuit with one of the first electrical conductors for prohibiting passage of any high frequency signal other than the ignition signal, resilient means electrically connecting the first electrical conductors, the resilient means resiliently contacting at least one of the first electrical conductors, a second connector insulatingly supporting a second pair of electrical conductors having their one ends connected across an ignition signal source, and a second connector adapted to engage the first connector so as to bring the second electrical conductors into electrical connection with the respective first electrical conductors and to take the resilient means out of contact with the first electrical conductor.

Abstract: An electric resistance heating element of the hairpin type is provided by a molybdenum disilicide resistance wire loop transversely connected to molybdenum disilicide terminals. The resistance wire is sandwiched between the ends of two pieces of terminal wire and the ends of these pieces are butt welded together on the resistance wire, to form each terminal.

Abstract: An electrical cigarette-lighter device for mounting on a vehicle dashboard has a fixed hollow body part and a removable elongate candle part normally stowed in the body part. The candle part includes an electrically-energizable burner and a surrounding outer sleeve. To facilitate use of the device, the operative front face of the burner is arranged to face sideways in the sleeve and an access aperture is provided in the sidewall of the sleeve. With such an arrangement of the candle part, a user upon removing the candle part out of the dashboard-mounted body part, will normally only need to turn the candle part through 90.degree. to light a cigarette held between his lips.

Abstract: An electric gas ignitor is disclosed having a gas igniting fiber comprising a core of conductive refractory material and an outer, high strength, oxidation resistant coating. One aspect of the invention concerns a primary current path defined by at least a portion of the fiber core and comprising a material having a highly uniform resistance per unit length. A substantially uniform temperature distribution is thereby promoted on the fiber surface and the formation of localized "hot spots" is inhibited. The primary current path is preferably an anisotropic material having a preferred crystal orientation which uniformly conducts electricity along the fiber length.A second aspect of the invention is directed to the inclusion of a diffusion-barrier material between the fiber core and the oxidation-resistant coating to prevent diffusion of the core and coating, which changes the fiber operating temperature and decreases its operating life.

Abstract: A composition comprising negatively doped hot pressed particulate silicon carbide, the process for making the composition, an electrical hot surface fuel ignitor manufactured from the composition, a silicon brazed electrical connection for the ignitor and an ignitor circuit containing a dropping resistance.

Abstract: A glow plug for rotary piston engines adapted to be mounted in an engine plug hole so as not to project from the plug hole and to be traversed by a flow of fuel-air mixture temporarily trapped in the plug hole. The plug includes an elongated protective tube providing a straight root portion by which it is supported from a plug housing adapted to be inserted in a plug hole. The tube terminates in a closed end hook-shaped free tip portion spaced from the root portion and plug housing and lying in the same plane as the root portion. A helical heater coil is disposed in the protective tube with the pitch of the coil being smaller at the free tip portion than at the root portion so that greater heat is generated in the free tip portion than in the root portion.

Abstract: An apparatus for regulating the temperature of a model engine glow plug filament. Between pulses from a power circuit, an amplifier applies its output voltage to a filament current path comprising the filament and a resistive circuit. By means of feedback to the amplifier, the filament voltage is kept at a predetermined reference, and the output voltage is thereby an indication of the filament resistance, which is related to its temperature. The output voltage charges a capacitor whose discharge time determines the "on" time of the power pulses. By this method, temperature is regulated, and power is totally cut off when the filament temperature gets sufficiently high.

Abstract: An ignition aid for internal combustion engines includes a sintered refractory ceramic composite heating element having a high resistance central portion interposed between a low resistance terminal end portions. The heating element is positioned in a hollow electrically conductive body adapted to be removably inserted in an aperture in an engine. The heating element is disposed between and has its terminal end portions in electrical non-point contact with a bridge portion at one end of the hollow body and an electrode rod extending into the hollow body in sealed relation therewith. In one embodiment, the electrode rod comprises a pair of relatively movable parts, one of which is resiliently biased into engagement with the heating element by a resilient PTC resistance element electrically connecting the parts. In another embodiment, the heating element terminal portions are diffusion bonded to the electrode rod and bridge portion, respectively.

Abstract: A special regulating type of transformer is used to energize a hot surface igniter, a fuel valve and a fuse in a series circuit. The design of the regulating transformer is such as to provide an operating current in the igniter and valve that will not blow the fuse as long as the igniter is neither short-circuited, nor heated to a level which would be destructive.

Abstract: A glow element arrangement for electric cigarette lighters includes a disk-shaped semiconductor element of predetermined geometric configuration. The element has electrically conductive contacting surfaces for the supply of electrical current. Various arrangements are disclosed for protecting the semiconductor element, for supplying current to the contacting surfaces and for preventing stress from being applied to the semiconductor element.

Abstract: An electronic flash unit for use with a flash-trigger mechanism having a piezoelectric generator. An RF coil or inductor interconnects the piezo crystal and flash-trigger electrode and operates to modify the energy distribution of the piezo output pulse so as to more reliably fire the flashtube for a given amount of charge on the flash unit firing capacitor.

Abstract: An electrical resistance element with electrode portions comprising a thin resistance wire of a heat resistant material, such as molybdenum disilicide, MoSi.sub.2, which resistance wire has at least one end electrode of aluminium, having a much greater cross-sectional area than that of the resistance wire, wherein the end portion of the resistance wire is fused into the end portion of the respective electrode portion.Also disclosed is a method of connecting an electrode portion to one end of the resistance wire in an electrical resistance element by placing the end portion of the electrode within a surrounding sleeve, heating the sleeve with the electrode end therein to cause the outermost end portion of the electrode end to form a melt, introducing the resistance wire end into the melt and permitting the melt to solidify and finally removing the electrode and resistance wire connected thereto from the sleeve.