Patent ID: 6872924

Claim:
An electric heater assembly comprised of: (a) a metal tubular-shaped container having an inside surface and having a layer of electrically insulating material on said inside surface, said layer having a thickness in the range of 10 to 500 mils, said tubular container having an upper portion and a lower portion; (b) a compacted powdered heating media having a controlled electrical resistivity contained in said container extending between said upper portion and lower portion; (c) a first electrical current conduction means contacting said upper portion of powdered media; and (d) an electric current feed conductor extending through said powdered media to a second electric current conduction means contacting said lower portion of said powdered media to permit electric current to flow from said first means through said powdered media to said second means, the electric current feed conductor having a layer of electrically insulating material on the surface thereof to prevent electrical short circuiting, the electrical resistivity of said media generating heat upon flow of said electric current.