1. In a flame lighter including an electric circuit, a resistance heater, a gas valve solenoid, and a fuse connected in series with each other across a power source in said circuit, an electrode having an opening therein mounted to surround said resistance heater and make electrical contact therewith if said heating element is moved beyond a predetermined amount or if a conductive foreign body enters the area, said electrode being coupled in said circuit to the side of said power source opposite said fuse, said fuse being of such size as to accommodate the normal current flow through said series circuit but to open if shorting occurs.

3. In a gas burner having structure forming at least one aperture from which an inflammable gas stream may issue, a flame lighter including an electric heating element positioned sufficiently close to said gas stream as to ignite the gas stream and produce a flame, said electric heating element being also located sufficiently below said aperture that convection currents acting on said flame lift the flame above said electric heating element to minimize flame damage thereto, a normally closed solenoid-actuated gas valve connected in series with said gas burner to control the flow of gas through said apertures, said solenoid-actuated gas valve being electrically coupled in series with said electric heating element to insure that said heating element is energized before said gas valve can open, an additional electrical load connected in parallel with said gas valve, both said gas valve and said additional load being in series with said heating element, thereby increasing current through the heating element to permit a larger cross-sectional area to be employed for said heating element with resulting increase in efficiency and durability.

5. In a gas burner having structure forming at least one aperture from which an inflammable gas stream may issue, a flame lighter including an electric heating element positioned sufficiently close to said gas stream as to ignite the gas stream and produce a flame, said electric heating element being also located sufficiently below said aperture that convection currents acting on said flame lift the flame above said electric heating element to minimize flame damage thereto, a positioning plate which is made of electrically conductive material and has an opening formed therein, an electric circuit, said electric heating element being in said circuit and supported within said opening, a fuse electrically coupled in said circuit in series with said electric heating element, and means in said circuit coupling said positioning plate to the side of said electric heating element opposite said fuse, said fuse being of such size as to carry the normal current flow through said electric heating element but to open in response to the short circuit caused by contact between said electric heating element and said positioning plate.

8. In a gas burner having structure forming at least one aperture from which an inflammable gas stream may issue, an electric circuit, a flame lighter including an electric heating element in said circuit positioned sufficiently close to said gas stream as to ignite the gas stream and produce a flame, said electric heating element being also located sufficiently below said aperture that convection currents acting on said flame lift the flame above said electric heating element to minimize flame damage thereto, a normally closed solenoid-actuated gas valve mechanically connected in series with said gas burner to control the flow of gas through said apertures, said solenoid-actuated gas valve being electrically coupled in said electrical circuit in series with said electric heating element to insure that said heating element is energized before said gas valve can open, and a blower and a blower motor utilized in combination with said gas burner, said blower motor being electrically connected in said electric circuit in series with said electric heating element and in paralLel with said solenoid-actuated gas valve.

9. In a gas burner having structure forming a main flame aperture from which a main stream of burner gas may issue and also having structure forming a pilot flame aperture from which a pilot stream of gas may issue, a flame lighter including an electric heating element, said electric heating element being positioned sufficiently close to said pilot flame aperture as to be in the path of unignited gas therefrom during the ignition period to ignite the pilot stream and produce a continuous pilot flame, said electric heating element also being located sufficiently below said pilot flame aperture that convection currents acting on said pilot stream promptly lift the pilot stream above said electric heating element so that the pilot flame will thereafter be clear of the heating element during continued operation thereof to thereby minimize flame damage to the heating element from the continuous operation of the pilot flame.

10. In a gas burner having structure forming at least one aperture from which an inflammable gas stream may issue to provide a continuously operating main burner stream, a flame lighter including an electric heating element, means for continuously energizing said heating element while the main burner stream is operating, said heating element being positioned sufficiently close to said gas stream as to be in the path of unignited gas only during the ignition period to thereby ignite said gas and main burner stream and produce a main flame which is adapted to continue to burn as long as the burner is in operation, said electric heating element being also located sufficiently below said aperture that convection currents acting on said flame promptly lift all flame portions above said electric heating element so that all flame portions will thereafter be clear of the heating element during continued operation of the burner to thereby minimize flame damage to the continuously energized heating element from the continuously operating flame.