Abstract: An improved solid heat transfer element composed of an elongate member having a generally cylindrical surface with male vortex generating protrusions is provided. The vortex generating protrusions, which may be referred to as “turbulators,” provide improved heat transfer by convection to a flow of air transverse to the elongate members without substantially increasing the pressure drop in the flow of air passing over the members. Advantageously, a plurality of the heat transfer elements, or of straight portions of a single serpentine heat transfer element, may be arranged in an aligned or staggered array of elements or straight portions. Many advantageous profile shapes of the element and vortex generators are provided, including aerodynamic profile shapes that are symmetrical with respect to a fluid flow to provide low drag and pressure drop. Heat in the element may be generated by means of electrical resistance or absorption of radiation.

Abstract: A multielement resistor may be assembled into a matrix from a plurality of resistor elements (12) of a U shape construction. The elements (12) are suspended from their upper portions by connecting brackets (16) which are supported by a supporting frame (14). Connecting brackets are preferably of electrically conducting material and insulated from supporting frame (14). Power input/output brackets (18) are provided.

Abstract: A heating apparatus for an enclosure including at least a ceiling and a side wall, the apparatus includes a plurality of electrical resistance heating wires or sections of electrical resistance heating wire, and support means therefor. The support means include support members each having a first part adapted to be secured relative to the ceiling or side wall and a second part which projects inwardly of the enclosure, the second part including a plurality of spaced apart heating wire support formations. The support members and the heating wire support formations are arranged such that in use substantial portions of the length of each of the plurality of the heating wires or sections of heating wire, are supported side by side by the support members each parallel to or generally parallel to each other and to the ceiling or side wall of the enclosure.

Abstract: A modular igniter system which preferably provides either direct electrical connection between the metallized ends of the hot surface igniter and the socket contact, or indirect electrical connection by a short lead wire held in place on the hot surface element by an active metal braze.

Abstract: A heater element assembly for an electric heater, with a first and a second spaced element support. The first spaced element support has a peripheral edge surface and first and second slots extending inwardly from the edge surface, and an aperture therebetween; and a resistive heating element including first and second coiled sections and a connecting section disposed therebetween. The connecting section includes a mediate loop portion, wherein the first and second coiled sections are disposed between and engage the first and second spaced element supports. The connecting section extends through the slots, and the loop portion extends through the aperture, to secure the resistive heating element to the first element support.

Abstract: A support assembly for an open coil heating element including a planar mounting plate having longitudinally spaced and offset cutouts therethrough with a separate insulator positioned within each cutout by sequentially introducing the insulator through the cutout and longitudinally shifting the insulator within the cutout to overlie the upper and lower surfaces of the mounting plate. The two insulators are locked within their mounted positions within the cutouts by a locking frame affixed to the mounting plate and abutting against the insulators to preclude movement of the insulators from their mounted positions.

Abstract: A heat dissipating resistor grid has a rectangular or annular frame including side members carrying blocks or panels of insulating material having cavities in their inner surfaces. The resistor element is a zigzag strip formed from individual flat lengths of resistance material, each length having offset ends in opposite directions, adjoining offset ends forming a sandwich with a conductive support strip which extends beyond the offset end and terminates in projections which mate with the cavities in the insulating material. The support strip may extend into the space between the adjoining strips of resistance material forming a heat sink therein. The projecting ends of the support strip may be flat lengths, may be cut into tabs, may be formed into hollow cylinders in one piece with the support strip, may be solid cylindrical studs affixed to the support strip, or solid rod bent into U-shape with the base inside the offset ends.

Abstract: A radiant heating panel is formed using a foam insulation core surrounded by a reinforcing mesh and having a pair of wiring harness fixtures snapped over each end of the reinforced core. A radiant heating wire is strung back and fourth between the fixtures to provide a radiant heating element and the core structure, including the radiant heating element, is then wrapped in a paper wrapper which is secured to the core through the reinforcing layer on the side of the core opposite the heating element. A cementicious thermal insulating layer is applied to encase the heating element and the paper wrapper is wrapped into overlying relationship with the cementicious layer to substantially completely enclose the core.

Abstract: A resistor grid for diesel electric locomotives and the like has a rigid frame comprising outer metal side pieces and one or more pairs of inner metal side pieces spaced from each other, and columns of resistor ribbon fan-folded between each outer and outermost inner side piece, and between certain inner side pieces. Supporting means interengaging each fold of the ribbons are insulated from and carried on each side by a metal strip which rides on its adjoining side piece so as to accommodate expansion of the resistor ribbon. The ribbon is indented between folds to stiffen it and increase its span and may by provided with a support rod centered between its side pieces. The resistor grid is preferably positioned in forced air cooled resistor banks face-to-face with conventional narrow span grids, and improves the cooling of such conventional banks.

Abstract: A resistance heater element for an electric room heater includes a resistive heating conductor (1) supported by an insulating support (2) mounted on the support flange (9) of an electric fan (4) in the heater which passes a stream of room air across the conductor (1). The insulating support (2) is cylindrical, with its axis parallel to the direction of the air stream, and includes at least one pair of nested mica bands (5, 5') bound together by fillets (6) connected to the support flange (9). The heating conductor (1) comprises at least one wire of resistive material bent in a zig-zag manner to form a plurality of radial loops each having portions extending inwardly and outwardly of the cylindrical bands (5, 5'). The central portion (11) of each loop is bent over and retained between the pair mica bands (5, 5') with the inner portion of each loop emerging radially from the inner band (5) through apertures (13) provided therein.

Abstract: A grid assembly for converting electrical energy to heat and then dissipating same. A plurality of parallel grid members include outwardly extending legs received in holes provided on mutually facing surfaces on polyester glass insulator members. The grid members are arranged in a continuous serpentine path from an input to an output terminal. The grid members are of sheet metal construction with the cylindrical legs formed by a radiused sheet metal configured leg portion of one grid member positioned adjacent an identical configured and mutually opposed leg portion of an adjacent grid member. The main body of each grid member extends from the legs through a flat portion and then through a diverging end portion spacing the main bodies of the grid members apart. In an alternate embodiment, the grid members are arranged with different lengths to provide a particular sized and configured grid assembly.

Abstract: A heater assembly includes a housing which both channels air flowing around a heating element and provides support structure for the elements holding the heating element. In one embodiment, a lower U-shaped channel has recesses in opposed sidewalls to engage down-turned ends of holding elements. A second U-shaped channel is attached to form a hollow duct open at opposite ends. In a second embodiment, a U-shaped channel is made of flexible material so that the spacing between opposed sidewalls may be varied. A holding element is secured between the sidewalls by separating the sidewalls to allow insertion of the holding means.

Abstract: Resistance heating element, with a heat conductor led in meander pattern, which is fastened in the zone of the meander arches in bearing elements, characterized in that between the bearing elements there is arranged a heating conductor of at least one one-piece sheet metal stamped part strip (4) with bearing pins (25) and slide pins (27).

Abstract: An improved heating apparatus for heating a small room or confined space has an electric heater element affixed to a mounting frame assembly by means of notched heater element supports. The notched heater element supports are operably disposed within slots located around the periphery of the mounting frame assembly. When the heater element is strung through the supports, and stretched therebetween, the supports are biased into a locked position. Cool air is drawn through louvers located in the side panels of the upper housing portion and blown through the mounting frame assembly by a fan located at the rear of the apparatus housing. The cool air is warmed by the heater element and warm air is blown through a front grill attached to the front panel of the apparatus housing.

Abstract: A precision resistor for use in electrical circuits arranged on printed circuit boards is produced from a band of thermally conductive alloy. The band is selectively surface treated with a conductive coating to improve solderability in the region of the resistor where it is connected to conductors of the circuit board.

Abstract: An electrical resistance heater comprises a unitary ceramic coil support and mounting member having a horizontally elongated coil support portion around which a helical coil of conductive wire is wound and a vertically downward extending leg portion at each end thereof extending through apertures in a mounting plate. The leg portions have vertical slots therein receiving terminal posts extending through the mounting plate and the leg portions being further provided with horizontal grooves therein receiving deformable portions of the mounting plate to rigidly connect the support member thereto.

Abstract: A heating element for electrical appliances which include a meander-form winding of resistance heating wire, two or more supporting plates arranged parallel to an incident flow direction of air produced by the blower and having openings in which turns of the winding are located. Metallic spacer elements are provided for connecting the supporting plates with a voltage tap being provided on at least one of the turns of the winding. At least one of the spacer elements is provided with a prolongation which projects beyond one of the supporting plates and is deformable to constitute a sleeve engaging about a turn of the winding.

Abstract: A frame supported grid resistor having a plurality of resistors of the ribbon type has located between adjacent ribbon resistors, strips of conductive material containing nonconductive bushings which engage and separate the adjacent ribbon resistors.

Abstract: A heating element for an electrical appliance having a blower (e.g. a fan heater or a hair drier) comprises a wire looped in linear formation (e.g. zig-zag or sinuous) the loops being held in position by support plates so that there are at least two loop rows transverse to the air flow direction and disposed in succession in that direction and so that the loops in one of those rows are placed opposite to gaps in the other. In an element having four loop rows with a center taping for two-stage power control the electrical connections are disposed on only one support plate with the center tapping connection at the same side of the plate as the means supply connections; also, the loops in a first pair of rows are aligned with one another and are offset from the loops in the second pair which are also aligned with one another.

Abstract: A heater element for an electrical appliance (especially one having a blower, such as a fan heater, hair drier or the like) consists of a resistance heating wire looped in linear formation (e.g. zig-zag) and held transversely of the air flow direction by at least one support plate disposed parallel to said direction. The element has a voltage tapping point at the tip of one of the loops which projects beyond the other loops and has its tip fixed to an insulating panel parallel to said support plate. Said tip may be riveted or secured by an eye in a recess in said insulating plate.

Abstract: An electrical heating mat comprises an electrical resistance heating wire arranged in a loop formation with substantially straight leg portions between curved portions. A plurality of spaced apart spacer strips made of thermoplastic material are provided to hold the heating wire its looped formation. Each spacer strip comprises an elongated narrow strip body having a plurality of spaced open-sided were receiving loops having an inner dimension assuring snap-fit reception of the wire therein. One end of each strip body is provided with a snap-in coupling member dimensioned to snap-fit into a wire receiving loop at the end of an adjacent spacer strip to enable a plurality of mats to be interconnected together to form a larger unit. Spacer lands extending generally parallel to the leg portions of the heating wire may connect the spacer strips together.

Abstract: A ceramic insulator having sidewalls, a front wall and a back wall with an outwardly extending mounting shoulder at the upper end of the front and back walls; a passageway extending between the sidewalls of the insulator to form an open interior portion within the insulator which receives a ribbon heating element and a slot in the front wall connecting with the open interior portion of the insulator for insertion of a ribbon heating element into the open interior portion; a bearing surface within the open interior portion to support a ribbon heating element; and an elongated radiused rib extending outwardly from each sidewall below the bearing surface to provide curved contact surfaces for a ribbon heating element.