Electric infra-red ray generator constituting atmosphere purifier

Claim 1

An electric infra-red ray generator for safely heating an object in an explosive atmosphere while at the same time oxidizing combustible gases coming in contact with it to purify the atmosphere, comprising: a supporting housing having an opening and having reflector means in the housing directed toward said opening; electrical emitter means in the housing between the reflector means and the opening and operative to emit shorter wave-length infra-red rays toward said opening; a screen of refractory material covering the opening of the housing and receiving said shorter wave-length infra-red rays and being heated thereby, the screen being sufficiently transparent to said shorter infra-red rays to pass a part thereof through the screen toward an object disposed outside the housing, the refractory material of the screen being elevated by the part of the infra-red rays not passed by the screen to a temperature at which the refractory material emits longer wave-length infra-red rays toward said object; and catalytic material impregnating the screen which serves as a support therefor, and the catalytic material being operative when heated with the screen to oxidize combustible gases coming into contact with the screen before they are heated by the emitter means to a temperature of auto-combustion.