US2930881A - Heater mounting means - Google Patents

Description

a. E. AMMERMAN HEATER MOUNTING MEANS Original Filed April 10, 1957 March 29, 1960 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. G. Edward Ammo-mu Hf (orney March 29, 1960 G. E. AMMERMAN 2,

HEATER MOUNTING MEANS Original Filed April 10, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. G Edward lnmverrmm fifforney March 29, 1960 a. E. AMMERMAN 2,930,831

HEATER MOUNTING MEANS Original Filed April 10, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. G- [a'wan/ Am/rernnp United States Patent F HEATER MOUNTING MEANS George Edward Ammerman, Oakmont, Pa., assignor to Edwin L. Wiegand Company, Pittsburgh, Pa.

19 a sl- 219- 5,)

My invention relates to means for mounting a heater on the wall of a body, particularly to means for mounting a tubular sheathed electric resistance heater on the wall of an oven of an electric range, and the principal object of my invention is to provide new and improved means of this character. This application is a continuation of my application of the same title, filed April 10, 1957, Serial Number 651,857.

Heretofore, the ovens of electric ranges had heating elements with male projections which plugged in and frictionally fit with female receptacles carried by a dielectric block usually supported by the rear wall of the oven and mounted in an aperture formed therein. This construction necessitated the unplugging of the element in order to remove it for replacement or cleaning purposes and quite frequently it was difficult to plug the element into its receptacle in view of the position of the oven and the cramped working space available therein.

Further it was diflicult to make the necessary electrical connections between the dielectricblock and the wiring at the rear of the range which connected to a source of electrical energy since such connections had to be made from the rear of the range. Additionally, replacement of the heating element in ranges of different types or manufacture presented serious problems since there was no standardization of the dielectric blocks, the wall openings in which they were receivable, or in the method of mounting the blocks to the oven wall. Because each range type had its own peculiar design of element and terminalblock, it was necessary for a service man to stock many different types in order to be prepared to render reasonably prompt service.

My invention has overcome the foregoing disadvantages by providing a mounting for an oven heater which may be assembled with the oven supporting wall from within the ovenwithout requiring access, even for electrical connections, to the rear of the range. Further, my invention eliminates the relatively expensive dielectrio block and provides a heater mount whereby the heater may be readily swung clear of the adjacent wall of the oven for cleaning purposes without disturbing any electrical connections. Additionally, my invention is ideal for replacement purposes since it may be assembled with any one of a number of different types and/or manufacture of ranges regardless of the previously employed element types, dielectric block, or'wall opening.

In the drawing accompanying this specification and forming a partof this application, there is shown, for purpose of illustration, embodiments which the invention may assume, and in these drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of an .enclosure, such as formed by the oven of an electric range, illustrating an embodiment of my invention supported from an oven wall,

Figure 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, exploded perspective view of the assembly shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a further enlarged sectional view of the 2,930,881 Patented Mar. 29, 1960 ice parts in assembled relation and generally corresponding to the line 3-3 of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a still further enlarged sectional view gen-v erally corresponding to the line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of a detail,

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 3 but with the parts assembled in a slightly different manner,

Figure 7 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of my invention,

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional View generally corresponding to the line 8-8 of Figure 7,

Figure 9 is a reduced size view similar to Figure 8 but of still another embodiment of the invention, certain parts being omitted from the drawing in the interest of clarity, and

Figure 10 is an exploded perspective view of the shown in Figure 10.

The presently disclosed embodiments of the invention are particularly adapted to be used in combination with the oven of an electric range but are, however, not limited to such use. .As best seen in Figure 1, such oven may comprise a bottom wall 10, a top wall 11, side walls 12 and a rear wall 13. Although not shown, a door normally closes the front of the oven. Usually, a heating element 14 is carried by rear wall 13 adjacent bottom wall 10, accordingly, the present invention is shown to be arranged in this conventional manner. It is to be understood that conventional ovens frequently carry a broiler element (not shown) which is positioned adjacent top wall 11; however, this element has been omitted from the drawings in the interest of simplicity since it is mounted in substantially the same manner as is element 14.

The heating element 14 chosen to illustrate the present invention comprises a conventional tubular heating element of the sheathed embedded type. This heater is formed from an elongated heater rod whose intermediate portion 114 generates heat when current is passed therethrough and whose terminal connector portions 214 are adapted to be connected to a source of electric energy. As herein shown, the intermediate portion of element 14 is formed to a rectangular configuration to provide legs which extend along respective oven walls. The terminal portions of the element are disposed in side-hy-side, adjoining relation to provide legs 15 for a purpose to be seen.

The present invention is particularly adapted for use as a replacement element in ovens originally equipped with the aforementioned dielectric block and as seen in Figure 2, the rear wall 13 of the oven has an opening 16 from.which the block has been removed. Briefly, the present invention comprises a body 17 which is adapted to be secured to the interior of wall 13 overlying opening 16 and to which element 14 is pivotally secured. The function of body 17 is to overlie the relatively large opening 16 and provide for pivotal mounting of the element without altering in any way the wall 13 of the oven. It is extremely important that no holes need be drilled or other alterations made to the oven in order to replace the original heating element with the one herein disclosed. The importance of this feature will readily become apparent when one considers the cramped working space within theoven and the danger of chipping or otherwise damaging its interior-surface in the event an attempt is made to drill a hole therein.

Body 17'(see especially Figures 2 and 4) is herein shown to comprise a shallow, rectangular, sheet metal box having a front wall 18, side walls 19, a top wall 20 and a bottom wall 21. As may be seen, no rear wall is provided, the rear of the box being open for reasons to appear. As shown in Figure 4, the bottom wall 2;

parts of the box, intermediate its extent, provides a foot portion which extends through opening 16 in oven wall 13 and has a downwardly turned flange portion 22 which is adapted to engage behind oven wall 13 adjacent the lower margin of aperture 16,to locate the lower edge of the box and maintain it in position against the oven wall.

The means presently provided for holding the top of the box against the wall comprises a pair of members 23 each having a tongue portion 24 which extends through respective vertical slots 25 formed in front wall 18 of the box. Each member 23 is adapted to extend through opening 16 and each has a flange portion 26 which engages behind oven wall 13 adjacent the upper margin of opening 16. Members 23 are adapted to be secured to the box by means of screws 27 which pass through respective slots 25 and threadably engage respective members 23. As will be evident, vertical slots 25 permit members 23 to be raised and lowered to provide for assembly of the box with oven wall 13 entirely from the inside of the oven and also provide adjustability whereby the box may be readily secured to walls having openings of greater or less vertical height than herein shown.

In the present embodiment of the invention and as best shown in Figure 2, wall 18, intermediate vertical slots 25, has a pair of enlarged apertures 28 for passing respective terminal legs 15 of the heating element. Disposed above and spaced from each aperture 28 is a horizontally extending slot 29 for a purpose to be disclosed.

In the embodiment disclosed in Figures 1 through 6, each leg 15 of the element carries a clip 30 by means of which the element is secured to body 17. Each clip is preferably formed of spring material and comprises a body portion 31 and a tongue portion 32 (see especially Figure Clip 30 is preferably formed from a length of suitable strip material and bent so that body portion 31 provides a pair of spaced, generally parallel leg portions 33, 34. The terminal portion 35 of leg portion 33 is herein shown bent at right angles to its leg portion so that its free end abuts leg portion 34. This provides a sturdy box section for a purpose to appear.

4 prong portions thus provide resilient, spaced abutments on tongue portion 32 for a purpose to be disclosed.

After the terminal block previously mentioned has been removed from aperture 16 in wall 13 of the range, the heater herein disclosed will be assembled with range wall 13 in the followingmanner: Each member 23 will be assembled with body 17 (see Figures 2 and 4) so that tongue portions 24 extend through respective slots 25 in the body and each is disposed so that flange portions 26 of these members are turned away from flange portion 22 of the body. As best seen in Figure 2, the tongues 24 are formed by inwardly facing cuts. Each of the members 23 may be turned so that its tongue aligns with a respective slot 25 and thereafter the tongue is moved through such'slot, from the rear of wall 18, an amount to dispose the inwardly facing cuts in alignment with the marginal portions defining a respective slot 25. The member 23 is then turned ninety degrees so that the tongue bears against the front surface of wall 18 and opposite margins of the inwardly facing cuts slidably engage respectively with the front and rear surfaces of wall 18 margining a respective slot. The members 23 are therefore keyed to the body 17 for vertical adjustment. Screws 27 will then be passed through respective slots 25 and threaded into respective members 23.

Each member 23 will then be slid to the bottom of its slot 25 and the body 17 then assembled with wall 13, from the interior of the oven, by passing flange 22 wall'18 of body 17.

Each leg portion 33, 34 is slit at 36 and 37 to provide a pair of opposed finger portions 38, 39 whose adjoining ends are of V formation to closely engage respective terminal legs 15 of the element. It is to be understood that the adjoining ends of finger portions 38, 39 are spaced apart a distance to provide an aperture slightly smaller than the outside diameter of element leg 15. For a purpose to be disclosed, leg portion 34 has an end portion bent at right angles to provide tongue portion 32.

Each clip 30 will be assembled with its respective element leg 15 by passing respective terminal connector portions 214 through the clip aperture and forcing the clip on to and along the leg 15 until the clip is spaced as desired from the terminal connector portion. Note that tongue portion 32 is on the side of the clip adjacent terminal connector portion 214 and that the tongue portion is spaced radially from and extends parallel to the axis of the element leg 15 with which it is assembled. In forcing the clip over the element leg, finger portions 38, 39 will be slightly sprung (see Figure 5) and since the clip is formed of spring material, the finger portions will bite into the element leg and prevent unintentional relative movement of the clip along the leg.

In the present embodiment, tongue portion 32 is divided into three prongs in side-by-side relation comprising outer prongs 40 and an intermediate prong 41. An intermediate portion of prong 41 is bent up out of the plane of tongue 32 and an intermediate portion of each of the prongs 40 is bent down out of the plane of the tongue. These upwardly and downwardly bent With clips 30 'on respective element legs 15, the element will be disposed in the oven and the lead wires (not shown) connected to respective terminal connector portions 214 of the element. With these connections made, the free ends of element legs 15 will be passed through respective apertures 28 in body 17 and through wall aperture 16 to dispose the heat generating portion 114 of the element on the side of wall 13 defining the interior of the oven and to dispose the terminal connector portions 214 of the element on the other side of wall 13 away from the heated oven interior.

Each tongue portion 32 of respective clips 30 Will be forced through respective slots 29 to project into the space provided between oven wall 13 and front wall 18 of the body 17 so that leg portions 34 of each clip will lie against wall 18 and close respective apertures 28 therein. Since prongs 40, 41 are resilient, they will spring sufficiently to permit the abutment provided by theintermediate prong portions to pass through the relatively narrow slot 29; however, after passing through slot 29, the abutment provided by respective intermediate prong portions will assume its original position shown in Figure 5 and thus engage behind front wall 18 of the body to resiliently resist withdrawal of the tongue portion 32 and consequent disassembly of element 14 from body 17. In the event element 17 must be subsequently replaced, clips 30 may be disassembled from the body by prying them out of slots 29 and another element assembled with the body as hereinbefore disclosed.

his to be understood that with tongues 32 of clips 39 passed through slots 29, the tongues and the respective defining marginal portions of slots 29 cooperate to pro vide a pivot about which the element 14 is rotatable. Apertures 28, through which respective element legs 15 4 pass, are somewhat larger than the element legs to provide for sufficient pivotal movement of the element to provide easy access to bottom wall 10 of the'oven for cleaning purposes When the element portion within the interior of the oven and spaced from the body 17 is elevated. When '13 of the oven. This is particularly important when the,

heater is assembled with oven walls having apertures 16 "which are so low in height or 'so narrow in width that the tongue portions will not be aligned with the wall aperture.

"With certain range constructions, the wall aperture which normally receives the terminal block is so narrow in width that members 23 cannot be used therewith because their spacing, when secured to body 17, is greater than the width of the wall aperture.

To provide for such eventuality, 'body 17 is provided with flange portions 42 which extend from respective side walls 19 of the body and such portions provide apertures 43 for passing suitable mounting screws. As seen in Figure 6 wherein there is illustrated a wall 13:: having a narrow aperture 16a, body 17 is secured to the wall by passing mounting screws 44 through apertures 43 in flange portions 42 and through apertures previously formed in oven wall 13a in alignment with respective apertures '43. 'Since wall 13a is rather thin, screws '44 are preferably sheetmetal screws which engage wall 130 to obviate the necessity of gaining access to the rear of the range :oven as would be necessary if screws 44 were of the type which requirednuts.

' The embodiment illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 is similar to the embodiment illustrated in 'Figures 1 through '5; accordingly, similar parts are identified by the same reference characters but with the sufiix b added.

In this embodiment, clips 30 have been replaced by a plate 45 which is apertured to pass respective legs 15b of the heating element 14b. This plate may be secured to the element legs by any means found suitable; for example, by crimping or welding. The upper margin of plate 45 is bent at right angles to provide a tongue 46 which corresponds to tongue 32 heretofore disclosed and tongue 46 is receivable Within a slot 47 which is similar to the previously mentioned slots 29.

Body 17b is adapted to be secured to wall 13!; in the same manner as body 17 is secured to wall 13'; however, difierent means are employed to hold element lab as- -sembled with. its body. After tongue 46 is inserted as far as possible in slot 47, a plate 48 is secured to body 17b whereby its outwardly flared lower edge 49 overlies slot 47 (see Figure 8). Plate 48 is preferably the same length as plate 45 for co-extension therewith and is secured to body 17!) by means of a sheet metal screw which passes through respective aligned apertures 51, 52 formed in plate 48 and in body 1715.

It will be understood that tongue 45 cooperates with a defining marginal portion of slot 47 to provide a pivot about which clement 14b is shiftable in the same manner as element 14. Note that since the outwardly flared portion 49 of plate 48 overlies slot 47, it effectively pre vents withdrawal of the tongue and consequent disassem bly of element 14:) from body 17b.

Body 17b differs slightly from body 17 in one other respect and, as shown in Figure 8, an intermediate portion 53 of bottom wall 215 of the body is bent upwardly from the plane of such bottom Wall and then downwardiy to provide flange 2211. This permits the lower portion of body 17b to extend below the lower margin of wall aperture 16b thus completely covering the latter when the body is assembled with the wall. This construction" fur- 6 'thermore provides :a wedging action which draws the lower portion of the body against the wall when the body is urged downwardly. If desired, a suitable connector 54 may be welded to portion .53 of the body to provide for attachment of a ground wire (not shown) Under circumstances when the wall aperture is so nar- .row that members 23 cannot be used, as before mentioned, and when it is not desirable to drill holes in the oven wall so that the body maybe attached by mounting screws which pass through the apertures in huge portions 42 of the body and engage the oven wall, the construction illustrated in Figures 9 and .10 maybe employed. This construction is similar to that illustrated in Figures 7 and .8; therefore, similar parts are identified with the safe reference characters but with the sufiix c added.

In this embodiment, body 17c is provided with 'a spring finger 55 which is welded or otherwise secured to the inside of wall 180 of the body and preferably centrally of its sidewalls 19c. Spring finger '55 has a pen tion adapted to extend through aperture of oven wall 130 and carries an abutment 56 which is adapted to be sprung to engagement behind wall 130 to draw the body against the wall and hold it against unintentional displacement therefrom. 5 7

Body will be assembled with wall 13c by tilting the body and passing flange portion 22c through aperture 16c and engaging such flange portion behind the wall adjacent the lower margin of the aperture. The upper part of the body will then be tilted toward the wall until the abutment 56 engages with the upper margin of the aperture. Pressing the body in a direction to urge it fiat against the wall will then cam abutment 56 down to permit it to pass through the wall aperture. After passing through the aperture, the abutment will then spring up to engagement behind the wall adjacent the upper margin of the aperture to thus draw the body flat against the wall and resiliently hold it in such position against unintentional displacement. With the body secured to the wall, the heating element and other associated parts (not shown) may be secured to the body in the manner heretofore described.

In view of the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that I have accomplished at least the principal object of my invention and it will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiments herein described may be variously changed and modified, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the invention is capable of uses and has advantages not herein specifically described, hence it will be appreciated that the herein disclosed embodiments are illustra tive only, and that my invention is not limited thereto.

, I claim:

1. The combination of an electric heater and of means for securing the latter to an apertured wall, comprising an electric heating element, a body securable to one side of said wall overlying the aperturetherein and to which said element is pivotally secured for extension through said wall aperture, and means connected to said body and extending through said aperture and engageable with the other side of said wall for drawing said body against said one wall'side.

2. The combination of an electric heater and of means for securing the latter to an apertured wall, comprising an electric heating element having a heat generating portion and a terminal connector portion, a body securable to one side of said wall overlying the aperture therein and to which said element is pivotally secured for extension through said wall aperture to dispose said heat gem erating portion on said one side of said wall and said terminal connector portion on the-other side of said wall, and means connected to said body and extending through said wall aperture from said one wall side and engageable with the other side of said wall for drawing ,said body against said one wall side. I

3. The combination of an electric heater and of means for securing the latter to an apertured wall, comprising an electric heating element, a body securable to one side of said wall overlying the aperture therein and to which said element is pivotally secured for extension through said wall aperture, and means connected to said body and extending through said aperture and engageable with the other side of said wall for drawing said body against said one wall side, said means being relatively movable transversely of the wall apertures axis to provide for ready assembly of said body with said wall from said one wall side and with wall apertures of various sizes.

4. The combination of an electric heater and of means for securing the latter to an apertured wall, comprising an electric heating element, a body securable to one side of said wall and having an aperture in register with the wall aperture, interengageable means in part carried by said element and in part carried by said body and cooperable to pivotally secure said element to said body with said element extending through respective apertures to dispose spaced portions of said element on respective sides of said wall, and means connected to said body and extending through said wall aperture and engageable with the other side of said wall for drawing said body against said one wall side, said means being relatively movable transversely of the wall apertures axis to provide for ready assembly of said body with said wall from said one wall side and with wall apertures of various sizes.

5. The combination of an electric heater and of means for securing the latter to an apertured wall, comprising an electric heating element, a body securable to one side of said wall and having an aperture in register with said wall aperture and having a flange portion which extends through said wall aperture for engagement with the other side of said wall, interengageable means in part carried by said element and in part carried by said body and cooperable to pivotally secure said element to said body with said element extending through respective apertures to dispose spaced portions of said element on respective sides of said wall, and means carried by said body for extension through said wall aperture and engagement with the other side of said wall for securing said body to said one wall side, said means being movable toward and away from said flange portion to vary the spacing therebetween to provide for ready assembly of said body with said wall from said one wall side and with Wall apertures of various sizes.

6. The combination of an'electric heater and of means for securing the latter to an apertured wall, comprising an electric heating element, a body securable to one side of said wall, said body having a slot and also having an aperture in register with said wall aperture and said body further having a flange portion which extends through said wall aperture for engagement with the other side of said wall, interengageable means in part carried by said element and in part carried by said body and cooperable to pivotally secure said element to said body with said element extending through the wall and body apertures to dispose spaced portions of said element on respective sides of said wall, and means carried by said body and having a portion slidably disposed in said slot and another portion disposed through said wall aperture and into engagement with the other side of said wall for securing said body to said one wall side, said means being movable, lengthwise of said slot toward and away from said flange portion to vary the spacing therebetween to provide for ready assembly of said body with said wall from said one wall side and with wall apertures of various sizes. a

7. The combination of an electric heater and of means for securing the latter to an apertured wall, comprising a body secured to one side of said wall and having a portionspaced from said one wall side, said portion having a first aperture aligned with the wall aperture and 'a second aperture spaced from said first aperture, an

electric heating element extending through respective aligned. apertures to dispose spaced portions of said element on respective sides of,'said wall, and means carried by said element extending through said second aperture and into said space, said means cooperating with a defining marginal portion of said second aperture to provide a pivot about which said element is shiftable and said space providing for free movement of said means during pivotal movement of said element.

8. The combination of an electric heater and of means for securing the latter to a wall having a pair of juxtaposed apertures, comprising a sheathed electric heating element extending through one of said apertures to dispose spaced portions of said element on respective sides of said wall, and clip means for pivotally securing said element to said wall' and having a first portion connectable to said element and comprising a pair of legs spaced axially of said element and each resiliently urged to engagement therewith, said clip means having avsecond portion spaced radially from and extending parallel to said element for extension through said other aperture and cooperating with a defining marginal portion thereof to provide a pivot about which said element is shiftable.

9. The combination of an electric heater and of means for securing the latter to an apertured wall, comprising a body securable to one side of said wall and having a portion on said one wall side separated from the latter to provide a space therebetween and said portion having a first aperture aligned with the wall aperture and a second aperture spaced from said first aperture, means carried by said body and extending through said wall aperture for engagement with the other side of said wall to secure said body and said wall together and said means being relatively movable toward and away from each other to accommodate wall apertures of various sizes, a. sheathed electric heating element extending through re. spective aligned apertures to dispose spaced portions of said element on respective sides of said wall, and means having a first portion secured to said element and a second portion spaced radially from and extending axially of said element for extension through said second aperture and into said space, said second means portion cooperating with a defining marginal portion of said aperture to provide a pivot about which said element is shiftable and said space providing for free movement of said second means portion during pivotal movement of said element.

10. The combination of an electric heater and of means for securing the latter to an apertured wall, comprising a body securable to one side of said wall and having a portion on said one wall side separated from the latter to provide a space therebetween and said portion having a first aperture aligned with the wall aperture and a second aperture spaced from said first aperture,- a sheathed electric heating element extending through respective aligned apertures to dispose a heat generating portion of said element on said one side of said wall and a terminal connector portion on the other side of said wall, means extending through said wall aperture and engageable with the other side of said wall for drawing said body against said one wall side, said means being relatively movable transversely of the wall apertures axis to provide for ready assembly of said body with said wall from said one wall side and with wall apertures of various sizes, and means having a first portion secured to said element and a second portion spaced radially from and extending axially of said element for extension through said second aperture and into said space, said second means portion cooperating with a defining marginal portion of said aperture to provide a pivot about which said element is shiftable and said space providing for free movement of said second means portion during pivotal movement of said element.

11. The combination of an electric heater and of means for securing the latter to an apertured wall, comprising a "body, a sheathed electric heating 'element'pivotally carried by said body, and means for securing said body to said wall and providing for assembly of said body with said wall .from one side of the latter, said securing means including a pair of members connected tosaid body and extending from one side thereof and through the wall aperture and having transverse portions hooking behind said wall, at least one of said members being movable to vary the sight distance between it and the other member to thereby provide clearance for passage of said transverse portions through said wall aperture.

12. The combination of an electric heater and of means for securing the latter to an apertured wall, comprising a plate member having marginal transversely extending flanges, said member being adapted to overlie the wall aperture and said flanges spacing said plate member from one side of the wall, a pair of hook members extending from said plate member in the direction of said flanges and through the wall aperture and having transverse portions hooking behind the opposite side of the wall, at least one of said hook members being movable to vary the sight distance between it and the other member to thereby provide clearance for passage of said hook members through the wall aperture, a sheathed electric heating element, and means for connecting said element to said plate member, comprising a portion secured to said heating element and a portion extending through an opening in said plate member and terminating in the space between said plate member and said wall.

13. The combination of an electric heater and of means for securing the latter to an apertured wall, comprising a plate member having spaced openings and marginal transversely extending flanges, said plate member being adapted to overlie the wallv aperture and said flanges spacing said plate member from one side of said wall, a

pair of hook members extending from said plate member in the direction of said flanges and through the wall aperture and having transverse portions hooking behind the opposite side of the wall, at least one of said hook members being movable to vary the sight distance between it and the other member to thereby provide clearance for passage of said hook members through the wall aperture, a sheathed electric heating element extending through one of the plate member openings so that an active heating portion extends from one side of said plate member and a terminal portion extends from the opposite side and through the wall aperture, and means for pivotally mounting said heating element on said plate member including a portion firmly connected to said heating element and a tongue portion extending through the other opening in said plate member and forming a pivot with a marginal surface of said other opening, said one opening being sufficiently larger than the adjacent portion of said heating element to provide for swinging movement thereof, and the space between said plate member and said wall accommodating swinging movement of said tongue portion.

14. Means for securing a sheathed electric heating element to an apertured support, comprising a clip formed of a single piece of spring-metal which is bent upon itself to provide a pair of spaced generally parallel legs which have a transverse integral connection at one end, one leg having a transversely bent terminal portion which is slit to form a plurality of parallel tongues having portions deformed in opposite directions from the plane of the terminal portion to constitute yieldable spring abutinents insertable under compression through the support aperture from one side of the support and thereafter expanding to engage against the opposite side of the support to hold said clip in place thereon, said spaced legs having aligned openings for passing said heating element and each leg having a spring finger which in part defines the 'leg opening and whichbites into the sheath of said heat ing element.

15. Means for securing a sheathed electric heating element to 'an apertured support, comprising clip means formed of a single piece of springernetal ,strip which is bent to provide a pair of spaced generally parallel .legs connected at one set of ends by an integral transverse portion, one of said legs at the other end having a terminal portion bent transversely to bear against the other leg to form a rigid box section, and said other leg having a transversely bent terminal portion which is slit to form a plurality of parallel tongues having portions deformed in opposite directions from the plane of said last mentioned terminal portion to constitute yieldable spring abutments insertable under compression from'one side of the support and thereafter expanding to engage against the opposite side of the said support to hold said clip in place thereon, said spaced legs having aligned openings for passing said heating element and each leg having a spring finger which in part defines the leg opening and which bites into the sheath of said heating element.

16. An adapter assembly for mounting an electric heater to an apertured wall, comprising a shallow sheet-metal box, means for mounting said box to the wall generally overlying the wall aperture and with the open side of the box directed toward the wall, the closure side of said box having aperture means aligned with the wall aperture when said box is thus mounted, a sheathed electric heating element, a sheet-metal plate rigidly connected to the terminal portion of said heating element and extending transversely thereof, and means connecting said plate to the closure side of said box to position portions of said heating element through the aligned apertures and on opposite sides of the apertured wall.

17. An adapter assembly for mounting an electric heater to an apertured wall, comprising a shallow rectangular sheet-metal box, fastening means carried by said box and adapted to be disposed through the wall aperture and engaged behind a wall surface margining said wall aperture for mounting said box to the wall generally overlying the wall aperture and with the open side of the box directed toward the wall, the closure side of said box having aperture means aligned with the wall aperture when said box is thus mounted, a sheathed electric heating element, a sheet-metal place rigidly connected to the terminal portion of said heating element and extending transversely thereof, and means connecting said plate to the closure side of said box to position portions of said heating element through the aligned apertures and on opposite sides of the apertured wall.

18. The construction according to claim 17 wherein said box has flanges extending outwardly from opposite side edges thereof, said flanges being apertured to pass fastening screws which are threaded into corresponding openings formed in said wall to draw said box against said wall, this method of assembly of said box with said wall being used when the aperture in said wall is too small to pass said fastening means.

19. An adapter assembly for mounting an electric heater to an apertured wall of an oven, comprising a shallow rectangular sheet-metal box, means for mounting said box to the wall generally overlying the wall aperture andwith the open side of the box directed toward the wall, the closure side of said box having a pair of apertures aligned with the wall aperture when said box is thus mounted, an electric heating element comprising an elongated sheath containing a heating resistance which is electrically insulated from said sheath and has terminals at the opposite ends of the sheath, said sheath being formed to a geometrical shape at its intermediate portion with terminal portions in spaced side-by-side relation, a sheetmetal plate rigidly connected across said terminal portions, and means pivotally connecting said plate to the closure side of said box to position the terminal portions of said heating element through respective apertures in l1 l2 s gidbox closure side and through the aperture insaid 2,640,672 Bedford r. June 2, 1953 oven wall and on opposite sides of the latter. 7 2,828,403, Ammerman Mar. 25, 1953 2,918,560 Kruse -De'c. 22, 1959. References Clted 1n the file of th1s patent v UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 FOREIGN PATENTS 11,688,853 Clayton Oct. 23, 1928 636 ,432- Great Britain Apr. 26, 195

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