Electric heating elements

An electric heating element for browning food in a microwave oven having a metal bottom wall, said heating element comprising an elongated tubular metal sheath, a resistance coil within said sheath and held spaced from the inner wall of the latter by compacted refractory material, said heating element having a terminal portion at an end thereof and an active heating portion inwardly of such end, said terminal portion being connected to a side wall of said oven in cantilever fashion so that said active heating portion closely overlies the bottom wall of said oven, the improvement comprising:

• a support for maintaining said active heating portion in predetermined spaced relation above said oven bottom wall, free of arcing between said support and said bottom wall but without mechanical or fused connection therebetween,
• said support comprising a wire leg shaped to provide a bight and legs extending from said bight, and further comprising a block of rigid insulating material having a bottom surface adapted to engage and rest on said oven bottom wall, said block having a slot opening from said bottom surface and providing a segment interiorly of said block, said slot being of a shape to receive said wire leg with said bight under and around said segment and spaced from said bottom surface sufficiently to prevent arcing between said bight and said oven bottom wall, and said legs extending upwardly on opposite sides of said segment, the free ends of said legs being firmly connected to said sheath in spaced-apart relation to hold said block in position wherein its upper surface is engagable with that part of the sheath between said legs to restrict upward movement of said block and thereby maintain said segment within the confines of said bight and legs.