Heater coil support

Claim 1

A ceramic heater support in accordance with claim 1 wherein said metal oxide material is zirconia and constitutes about 76 percent by weight of said coating.

Claim 5

A method for forming a ceramic heater support adapted for use in an infrared radiant heating device comprising the step of forming a water slurry with ceramic fibers selecTed from the group of glass fibers and aluminum silicate fibers, vacuum casting a grooved support block having a density of about 20 lbs./ft.3 from said slurry, coating the surfaces of said block with colloidal silica and heat curing said coated block in an air atmosphere at a temperature of about 300* F. to achieve sufficient strength to enable handling, applying a reflector coating to the grooved surface of said block said coating consisting essentially of a water suspension of a metal oxide material selected from the group consisting of zirconia, titania, tin oxide and a metal oxide composition consisting essentially of CaO - 24.6 percent, CaF2 - 4.9 percent, TiO2 - 30.0 percent, Sb2O5 - 40.5 percent, each in percent by weight, in a borosilicate glass enamel slip containing a small amount of emulsifier selected from the group of sodium pyrophosphate and enameler''s clay sufficient to maintain the solids content in suspension in the water with a consistency proper for the mode of application, drying said coating and firing said coating at about 1800* F. for about one hour, the firing schedule being to increase temperature about 300* F./hr., the resultant heater support having a shrinkage of less than 1 percent in actual use and being non-crazing and mechanically strong so as to support the electrical heating element.