Portable electric radiant space heating panel

Claim 1

An electrical heater including a radiant heating panel; a back panel; and a reflector panel disposed between said heating and back panels; said heating panel being a metal sheet having a front face with a decorative design thereon and a rear face with an insulating enamel coating with an electrically resistive heating grid formed thereon; support means holding said three panels in spaced converging relationship from bottom to top to enhance the upward flow of convection air through the heater; said support means including side support members carrying clamps to support said reflector panel and wherein said back panel is secured to said side support members; said back plate having a bottom and a horizontal top flange thereby defining a housing with an open front face, and said radiant heating panel being supported by said top and bottom flanges of said back panel and positioned in the open front of said housing with the front face of said radiant heating panel exposed through said open front; said back panel bottom flange having openings therein communicating with a first converging air passage formed between said reflector panel and said back panel and with a second converging air passage formed between said radiant heating panel and said reflector panel; and wherein the upper end of said first converging air passage is formed by the horizontal top flange of said back panel and the upper surface of a horizontal top flange on said reflector panel, said horizontal top flange of said back panel and said upper surface providing a generally horizontal upper air passage directing the flow of air out through an opening disposed in the front of the housing above the heating panel; the upper end of said second converging air passage being formed by the under surface of said top flange of said reflector panel, said under surface of said top flange being generally horizontal and directing the flow of air out through an opening disposed in the front of the housing above the heating panel; and wherein said side support members form the side walls of said first and second converging air passages.