A soundproof heat shield member for an exhaust manifold comprises a metal substrate of a given three-dimensional shape, a nonwoven fabric disposed on a surface of the metal substrate facing an exhaust manifold, and a woven wire cloth of metal wires disposed on a surface of the nonwoven fabric and fixed to the metal substrate, and is excellent in the sound absorbing property, heat shielding property and durability.

A radially-resilient seal can frequently pop out its annular groove defined in a carrier when the carrier and an overlapping housing are telescopically assembled. Such misorientation of the seal prevents proper seating of the seal against the housing and ultimately permits leakage of pressurized fluid past the seal. The present invention provides a compact sealed joint and fool-proof method of assembly which maintains proper orientation of a radially-resilient seal during telescopic assembly of a carrier and a housing. The sealed joint includes an annnular member having a diametrically tapered internal surface. The annular member positively ensures that the seal will properly seat against a housing inner surface which is not only physically inaccessible to the assembler but is also hidden from the assembler's view by an outer casing during the telescopic assembly.

An electric hotplate, having an insulator bearing at least one electrical heating resistor, comprising: a metal plate heatable by the at least one electrical heating resistor, having substantially flat upper and lower surfaces and a downwardly directed rim near its outer circumference, the rim and lower surface defining a space therebetween, and the upper surface forming a cooking surface for receiving cooking vessels placed thereon; the insulator having a plurality of insulating layers, the at least one heating resistor being disposed on the upper surface of the uppermost layer; a basket-shaped metal lattice surrounding the insulator about its outer surface and holding the plurality of insulating layers together, the insulator and metal lattice forming an independently positionable heater/insulator assembly; and, fasteners at the rim for engaging the metal lattice and holding the heater/insulator assembly in position at least partly in the space.