Patent ID: 8785825

Claim:
A support structure for a heating element coil interlocking adjacent loops of the coil so that they are retained in a collinear and concentric arrangement while allowing the loops of the coil to move freely inward and outward from the central axis in unison, the support structure comprising: a plurality of vertical support column assemblies, each positioned around a circumference of the heating element coil, wherein each vertical support column assembly includes a plurality of individual spacers having a pitch, at least a portion of the vertical support column assembly residing at least partially inside a vertical channel of a stationary rail, wherein adjacent spacers include cooperating mating features and cooperating pocket forming features, the pocket forming features forming a pocket to enclose a loop of the coil, and wherein the vertical support column assembly moves slideably within the vertical channel in an axial direction parallel to the centerline and in a radial direction perpendicular to the centerline while cooperation of mating features on adjacent spacers are maintained.