Gas operated heaters

Claim 1

A GAS OPERATED HEATER COMPRISING: A CAUSING HAVING AN END WALL WITH AN INLET FOR SUPPLYING GAS INTO THE ADAJACENT END OF SAID CUASING; DIFFUSING MEANS SUBSTANTIALLY FILLING SAID CAUSING, SAID DIFFUSING MEANS INCLUDING A DIFFUSER PLATE MEMBER ADJACENT TO SAID END WALL OF SAID CASING, A FIRBROUS MASS OF LOW THERMAL CONDCUTIVITY EXTENDING FROM ADJACENT TO SAID PLATE MEMBER TO THE OTHER END OF SAID CASING, AND A CATALYTIC OXIDIZING LAYER SUBSTANTIALLY DEFINING THE OTHER END OF SAID CASING, SAID CATALYTIC OXIDIZING LAYER BEING IMPREGNATED WITH A CATALYST, SAID PLATE MEMBER HAVING A RECESS ADJACENT SAID END WALL DEFINING WITH SAID END WALL AN ELONGATED PATH COMMUNICATING WITH SAID INLET; AND MEANS DEFINING A PLURALITY OF APERTURES THROUGH SAID PLATE MEMBER AND COMMUNICATING WITH SAID PATH, SAID, SAID GAS PASSING THROUGH SAID APERTURES IN SAID PLATE MEMBER AND SAID FIBROUS MASS WITHOUT SUBSTANTIAL OXIDIZATION AND BEING OXIDIZED AS IT PASSES THROUGH SAID CATALYTIC OXIDIZING LAYER WHEREBY THE OXIDATION PRODUCTS ARE FREE TO EXIT FROM SAID CASING.