Electric immersion heater assembly

Claim 1

IN COMBINATION: A METAL TANK HAVING A THIN SUBSTANTIALLY UNIFORM-THICKNESS WALL FORMED WITH A CIRCULAR OPENING, AN ELECTRIC HEATER FOR HEATING THE CONTENTS OF SAID TANK, A METALLIC SUPPORT MEMBER WELDED TO THE EXTERIOR OF SAID WALL IN SURROUNDING RELATION TO SAID TANK OPENING AND REENFORCING THE TANK WALL THEREAT, SAID SUPPORT MEMBER HAVING AN OPENING THERETHROUGH COAXIAL WITH AND OF A GREATER DIAMETER THAN SAID TANK OPENING TO LEAVE EXPOSED AN ANNULAR EXTERIOR WALL SURFACE MARGINING SAID CONTAINER APERTURE AND FORMING AN ANNULAR GASKET LIP, IT BEING NECESSARY ONLY TO WELD SAID SUPPORT MEMBER TO SAID TANK WALL FOR GOOD MECHANICAL CONNECTION WITHOUT REQUIRING A FLUIDTIGHT CONNECTION THEREBETWEEN, A MOUNTING PLATE AND A SHEATHED ELECTRIC HEATING ELEMENT EXTENDING NORMALLY OF SAID MOUNTING PLATE AND IN LIQUID-TIGHT RELATION THROUGH AN OPENING IN THE LATTER WITH AN ACTIVE HEATING PORTION PROJECTING FROM AN INNER SIDE OF SAID MOUNTING PLATE AND DISPOSED WITHIN SAID TANK AND A TERMINAL PORTION PROJECTING FROM THE OUTER SIDE OF SAID MOUNTING PLATE FOR CONNECTION TO A SOURCE OF ELECTRICAL ENERGY, A RING GASKET CONCENTRIC WITH AND DISPOSED WITHIN SAID SUPPORT MEMBER OPENING AND HAVING ONE SIDE SEATED AGAINST SAID ANNULAR LIP AND ITS OPPOSITE SIDE ENGAGING THE INNER SIDE OF SAID MOUNTING PLATE, AND MEANS CONNECTING SAID MOUNTING PLATE AND SAID SUPPORT MEMBER FOR DRAWING SAID MOUNTING PLATE TOWARD SAID GASKET LIP TO COMPRESS SAID GASKET THEREBETWEEN AND THUS SEAL SAID TANK OPENING AGAINST LEAKAGE OF FLUID THERETHROUGH.