Stand-off for resistance wires

A heater assembly comprising,

• a frame,
• an electrically insulating support mounted on the frame with an end spaced from the frame,
• an electric resistance heating coil mounted on the end of the support, the loops of the coil being axially spaced by a predetermined distance when the coil is unstressed,
• said support end having a central inverted T-shaped opening forming retention surfaces located at the ends of the cross bar of the T,
• said support retention surfaces being engaged by loops of the coil and spaced so the coil loops must be deflected to be mounted on or disengaged from the retention surfaces,
• said retention surfaces being operative to restrain the coil against axial movement and movement away from the support,
• said support end including cam surface means leading into the T-shaped opening and operative as the coil is moved toward the retention surfaces to deflect the coil loops from their unstressed spacing,
• the axis of the coil being transverse the retention surfaces during and after mounting the coil on the support,
• the support end including a stop surface engaged by a coil loop during assembly to limit movement of the coil onto the support while positioning coil loops to engage the retention surfaces.