EP1130323A1 - Multifunctional fire - Google Patents

Abstract

The solid fuel or gas fire comprises a cast iron or steel sheet fire chamber (1). The fire chamber comprises a combustion chamber provided with a primary air inlet opening, an exhaust gas opening (3) and a combustion chamber access opening. There are several doors (6) giving access to the combustion chamber able to be placed opposite the access opening by rotation of a movable support (5) on which the doors are hinged.

Description

Subject of the invention

The present invention relates to a new multifunctional fireplace, stove or insert type, solid fuel, preferably wood, or gas.

State of the art

Many types of stoves, fireplaces, inserts or "cassettes", mainly wood, are known and exist in multiple embodiments that meet to the tastes and requirements of the user.

Thus, these allow a large choice of possibilities ranging from hearth or real open fire to traditional stove with continuous operation, passing through glass ceramic or glass door resistant insert fire, completely or partially embedded in the masonry.

The criteria can be functional such as the performance requirement (closed hearth and possibly running at idle, in continuous), the demand for forced air in the room where the fireplace (secondary air intake and use of fans for example), the possibility of grilling or cooking (use in barbecue mode oven or oven with warming compartment).

In addition, the insert or "cassette", on the door glazed, requires an external air supply which sweeps the inside of the glass, to keep it clean.

This constraint prevents the use of the insert in continuous operation, at idle (requiring at least 8 hours of autonomy). The insert therefore does not allow achieve very high efficiency operation like in the full-door stove, whose air supply is minimized.

The criteria can also be purely aesthetic or related to perception (play of fire flames wood, characteristic odor, crackling embers).

Document DE 3527810 A proposes a fireplace combining several features. This fireplace has essentially a heating body delimiting a room combustion, a grate surmounting an ashtray, a combustion air intake and smoke evacuation.

The heating body has a wall cylindrical resting on a base at its base and is connected to its upper part to the smoke evacuation.

Front access to the bedroom combustion is obtained from the fact that the cylindrical wall vertical does not cover the entire periphery of the room.

A drum-shaped ferrule, surrounding concentrically the vertical wall of the chamber and can rotate on its axis, consists of several parts, part being covered with a panel of material transparent, for example glass, a second part is lined with a grid or lattice, or a perforated sheet serving as a spark arrester, and a third part is consisting of a sheet metal plate, while a fourth part is only constituted by an open frame giving direct access to the combustion chamber.

We can say that this document describes a general principle but gives no indication of the way to solve a number of drawbacks that don't are sure to appear when using this type of household. In particular, the various panels, in especially the glass part are fixedly mounted on the drum and therefore do not allow or do not allow that hardly cleaning.

When using a glass wall, we observes in particular that it is quickly soiled by soot deposits. In principle, we can significantly reduce these deposits by providing an external air supply which sweeps the inside of the glass. However, this is not achievable that in combination with a good seal, which in particular is very difficult to obtain in a system comprising a movable part which can be moved in front of the fixed part limiting the combustion chamber.

No measures are planned to ensure the sealing of the moving parts relative to the chamber combustion, this makes it practically impossible to satisfactory operation in "continuous" mode.

Finally, any garnishes sealing between the moving part and the fixed part is easily deteriorate during movement of the part mobile, when no precaution is taken to avoid the friction of the movable part on the fixed part.

GB 667 570 A provides screens two-part spark arrester for an open hearth, arched shape and different types, which can be at choices retracted or rotated in front of the hearth. One of the screens may be one sheet and another may be formed by a grid, trellis or the like.

Aims of the invention

The object of the present invention is to propose a fireplace designed in such a way that it allows remedy the drawbacks of the state of the art.

The invention relates in particular to a hearth multifunctional allowing the user to benefit of several distinct features which are the high efficiency heating, visual pleasure equivalent to that provided by a traditional open fire and use for grilling or cooking with the same apparatus.

The invention also aims to propose adequate measures to reduce soiling, at least the glazed part, by tar or soot deposits.

Main characteristic features of the invention

The present invention relates to a solid fuel, preferably wood, or gas, consisting of a heating body made of cast iron or sheet steel, comprising a combustion chamber provided with an opening for the primary air intake, at least one opening for the evacuation of consumed gases and an access opening to said combustion chamber, characterized in that said fireplace has one or more doors that can give access to said combustion chamber and which can be brought into with respect to said access opening, by a movement of rotation or translation of a mobile support on which the door (s) are hinged, each door allowing the user to benefit from at least one feature clean of said hearth.

Preferably, it is expected that a position of the mobile support discovers the access opening and, that minus another position of the support brings in front the access opening a door which can be glazed, full, or furnished with a trellis or the like serving as spark arrester.

The term "door" should be understood in the sense wide, as being a movable panel articulated by a hinge, hinges or hinges, for sealing access opening.

Advantageously, in order to ensure at least in the features that make sealing necessary, that is to say in the case of obturation, whether by a glass door or by a door fitted with a sheet metal, seals are provided, on the one hand between the body of the combustion chamber and the movable support and, on the other hand between the doors and the mobile support.

In order to avoid damaging the seal between the mobile support and the combustion chamber during moving the mobile support, it is expected that the support mobile is guided to move away from the room during the rotation or translation and be applied with interposition seal on it when stopped in a operational position bringing a door towards access opening.

The movement of rotation or translation is carried out by any appropriate means, for example by movement on a raceway by means of rollers or ball bearings integral with said movable support.

According to a first embodiment Illustrative of the invention, the hearth comprises a body of heater which is cylindrical and a movable support on a circular raceway, fitted with doors that can be brought sequentially in front of said opening sliding access.

Advantageously, the mobile support is a drum concentric with the cylindrical heating body and radius greater than that of said heating body.

Particularly advantageously, the drum has two or three doors depending on the shape of a arc of a circle, each door being subtended by an angle in the center of 120 °.

According to a second preferred embodiment of the invention, the hearth is of the built-in insert type in a masonry, whose doors are brought sequentially opposite said access opening by displacement (sliding or rolling) of the mobile support on at least one guide or straight rail.

If the mobile support according to the second form illustrative embodiment of the invention is plan, at least a door which is not in front of the access opening to the the heating element is advantageously retracted in a housing provided for this purpose in masonry.

Two variants are possible for this second embodiment according to the invention which provide each of the specific advantages.

According to the first variant, the movement of sliding relative to the access opening vertically (top to bottom and bottom to top) and, depending on a second embodiment, the movement takes place horizontally, from left to right and vice versa.

In both of these variants, minus a closed position of the access opening which consists of a glass door. In addition and preferably another closed position can, in particular in the version of a horizontal movement of slip, be constituted by a cover plate or a spark arrester. In either case, the door is also articulated on a hinge (hinges), itself horizontal or vertical.

The most logical solution for make this type of fireplace with at least one double functionality, i.e. direct access to the combustion without obturation and total obturation or partial using a glazed part, consists of providing a frame serving as a frame in front of the access opening and to mount it externally, in the foreground, the door forming swinging or tilting depending on whether the hinge or the hinges are arranged vertically or horizontally. The sliding movement relative to the access opening causes, in this case, said frame (dormant) and the door, by a suitable slide system mounted on the frame.

Aesthetically, this solution is little happy. Indeed, the retraction of the frame leaving, at less in the open position, appear the combustion without any facing or framing.

This disadvantage can be avoided depending on the invention and particular advantages can be obtained when the frame is in the foreground and it is mounted on a hinge or hinges secured to the fireplace, while the glass door slides vertically and / or horizontally with respect to said frame.

Sliding can be done using telescopic slides, rollers or any other means ensuring both the movement and the guiding of the sliding door.

In the case of vertical sliding, a cable-pulley and counterweight system can be used to facilitate movement.

To facilitate access to the mechanism, the cleaning the inside of the sliding door and for technical or practical reasons, this is the carrier frame (not the door) that pivots (including mechanisms) around a horizontal axis or vertical.

The sliding door and its frame (or support), can be made in various shapes and proportions based on configurations indicated.

The sliding door can be full, glazed or hollowed out (partially or totally) and this, in all the movement configurations described above.

Because the supporting frame (or box) is placed in the foreground in relation to the sliding door, moving the door does not cause a change of the “physiognomy” of the home, mainly in the case where the door is glazed. When glazed, the sliding door can be devoid of metal frame, at least on its lower side, so that a partial displacement can be envisaged without creating visual obstacle on the background (flames); this possibility of partially raising the glazed part is particularly important insofar as it allows to remedy most of the repression problems, without altering the vision of the flames in the hearth.

A device is provided so that in position raised (partial or total), the gasket of the door remains applied over its entire length.

Brief description of the drawing

Figures 1 and 2 show views in perspective of a particular form of execution preferred of the invention, in the form of a cylindrical drum stove.

Figure 3 shows a schematic view of above a drum according to the invention, provided with its doors (open).

Figure 4 shows a front view of a drum according to the invention, provided with its doors (closed).

Figure 5 illustrates a sectional view of a combustion chamber body and a drum as well gaskets in the case of a closed door.

Figure 6 is an enlarged detail view of FIG. 5 illustrating the articulation of a door and the locking of the neighboring door.

Figure 7 corresponds to Figure 5 in the open door.

Figure 8 is a similar overview in Figure 5 illustrating the guide and drum support as well as boss and exhaust to ensure the rotation of the drum, without friction on the joints.

Figures 9 and 10 are details of two parts shown in figure 8.

Figure 11 shows a front view schematic of a cassette with several doors sliding.

Figures 12 and 13 illustrate schematically the two variants of a sliding door vertically and horizontally in a frame.

Figures 14 to 21 illustrate, for these two variants, the possible movements of the frame in which slides the door, respectively on a horizontal axis and vertical.

Figure 22 shows a sectional view of a combustion chamber body and a sliding door vertically or horizontally, as illustrated by example in Figures 12 and 13.

Identical reference marks are used in the different figures for elements identical or analogous constituents.

Detailed description of the invention

The principle underlying this invention is to associate a specific functionality with a particular door. It should be noted that the dormant of the door is standard, but if necessary the opening which will be provided with specific characteristics.

We can imagine the types of doors following: glass ceramic door with fixed glass or retractable, ceramic glass door with retractable glass lift, glass-ceramic door with fixed partial glass, solid sheet metal door, door with opening, spark arrester grid, etc.

The idea is each time to bring before a opening in the heating body a door specific or leave the access opening open.

Description of a first preferred embodiment of the invention

According to this first embodiment preferred, available doors (at least two, ideally three) are arranged on a drum concentric to a cylindrical heater with a radius smaller than that of the drum.

Figures 1 and 2 show a focus in the apparent form of a hearth or stove cylindrical.

The hearth includes a heating body 1 classic in sheet steel or cast iron. This delimits a combustion chamber, possibly covered with insulating linings in refractory material. An opening is provided for the injection of primary air at the base of the flames, via a register which allows to regulate the flow. Under the combustion chamber is placed an ash pan 2 of large capacity. The connection to the chimney is provided via openings 3, preferably circular, located on the upper part of the heating body, i.e. on the back, or on top of it. The body of heater is finally provided with an opening 4 (figure 2) allowing access and vision inside of it, at the combustion chamber.

The heating body is provided on its outer periphery of a concentric sheet metal drum 5 of steel or cast iron, provided with three doors 6, hinged on the support 5, each arranged in a corresponding arc at an angle at the center of 120 °. The dimensions of each door are such that each of these can come close, preferably completely, the opening corresponding 4 formed in the heating body. The Figures 3 and 4 show a support 5 in the form of a drum provided with three doors 6, including a solid door. Depending on the case, the latter includes an opening or can be limited to a simple sealed cylindrical wall.

Examples of possible doors are a fully glazed glass ceramic door, one door, possibly partially glazed, presenting a opening allowing the passage of air from the outside inward, as well as that of dishes or a grid barbecue, or a full door.

Figures 3 and 4 show in particular the drum 5 insulated and provided with three doors: a full door 6A, a fully glazed door 6B and a door 6C which can be partially glazed or fitted with a spark arrester.

Each door can be placed opposite the opening made in the heating body by rotation manual support around its axis which is also the axis of symmetry of revolution of the heating body cylindrical. The contact surface between the drum and the heating element is a raceway 7. The bearings, for example three in number (not shown), are arranged on the drum.

Figure 5 shows that the heater 1 is covered over most of its periphery with a insulating refractory material 21 which is of course interrupted at the access opening 4.

At its ends, the body sheet of heating, on either side of the opening 4, is shaped to receive a seal 23 interposed between the body of heats 1 and the drum 5 extending over the entire periphery of the opening 4.

Three doors 6 are mounted on the drum 5. Each door is mounted on a hinge shown schematically by the reference 25 and is provided with a locking device represented schematically by reference 27.

A second seal 29 is interposed between the drum 5 and each door 6 which extends over the entire periphery of door 6 and that it equips.

As shown in Figure 7, door 6 hinges on the rotating drum 5 to allow access at the opening 4 of the combustion chamber.

In the overview of Figure 8 and the detailed views of Figures 9 and 10, the rail is indicated constituting the raceway 7, the bearing of horizontal guide 32 and support bearing 33 provided to ensure the rotational movement of the drum 5.

Cover pieces 30 and 31 are designed to protect the seals and mechanisms (figure 5).

A boss 35 (FIG. 9) is provided at the back of the combustion chamber and the exhausts 37 (Figure 10) on either side of the opening 4 so that during the movement of movement (rotation) of the drum intended to bring a door 6 in front of the access opening 4, the seal 23 is not compressed on the frame of the drum. When a door 6 arrives in operational position (face at opening 4), the effect of boss 35 and exhausts 37 results in off-center drum 5 relative to the cylindrical combustion chamber 1 and thus compressing the seal 23, by pressing said drum on the room, at the two angular positions where are located the exhausts 37. In this locked position, the combustion chamber is sealed. When we unlock a door 6 and put the drum 5 in rotation, the drum and the chamber again have the same axis of symmetry of revolution, this axis also passing through the center of the circular raceway 7.

Description of a second preferred embodiment of the invention

Figure 11 shows another form of particularly preferred execution, presented under form of a flat movable support 15, comprising three doors. The doors shown in the figure are given as many other possibilities correspond to the present invention. So here we have a glazed door 11, a partially glazed door 12 and a solid door 13. The movable support 15 is free to move linearly in a recess 16 of the masonry 10. The mobile support is provided with bearings (not shown) and slides on rails making up the path bearing 17. The length of the recess is such that each door can be placed opposite the opening practiced in masonry and which corresponds to the position of the opening in the heater 14.

In this example, the fully glazed door 11 allows the user to benefit from the effect aesthetic and ambience with a suitable yield. The partially glazed door 12 further increases this effect of "open fire" type, partial opening allowing increasing circulation while preventing backflow fumes. In addition, barbecue type use is possible with this type of door. Finally, the full door 13 allows very high efficiency use, possibly continuously. We can thus combine, in this form several functions not compatible with only one type of door.

So we can have a form of execution linear, the doors being able to be operated on a guide or a straight rail. This solution applies particularly in the case of a built-in insert or hearth, the or unused doors being retracted into a housing provided at the masonry level, possibly on either side of the foyer.

Figures 12 and 13 illustrate the movement possible of the door on its supporting frame and the figures 14 to 20 the pivoting movements of this frame on an axis horizontal (Figures 14 and 15) and on a vertical axis (Figures 16 and 17) in the case of a configuration linear. When a non-linear arrangement is adopted, as partially circular (Figures 18 and 19) or prismatic (figure 20), the number of movements possible is illustrated in the respective figures.

In figure 22, corresponding to a movement of door 6 horizontal or vertical (Figures 12 and 13), we represented said door in its locked position waterproof in front of the opening 4. Take for example the horizontal movement. To move the door, we first performs a right shift (a few centimeters), the seal 23 continuing to rub on the fixed part. Once in exhaust 37, the seal 23 is released. The door can then be moved horizontally on the raceway. Reasoning similar applies to the device with vertical movement.

The case illustrated in Figure 21 is that where the sliding door moves horizontally, the frame (or box) carrier being designed so as to allow the transfer of the sliding door from a supporting frame to a another which is juxtaposed to it. Several frames (or boxes) carriers could thus be juxtaposed so as to combine, within the same device, several modes of operation.

By way of illustration, a fireplace can be equipped with three load-bearing frames (or boxes) and two sliding doors, one of which is glazed and the other full. The user can thus choose between three modes Operating.

By sliding the doors respectively in the left and right boxes, he chooses for open fire mode. Bringing the glass door in front the fireplace opening, he opts for the advantages specific to this operating mode.

Some specific details, described in relationship to an illustrative form of the invention, can of course be provided or adapted for the other illustrative embodiment such as described.

Claims (11)

Solid fuel hearth, preferably wood or gas, consisting of a heating body (1) made of cast iron or sheet steel, comprising a combustion chamber provided with an opening for the entry of primary air , at least one opening for the discharge of consumed gases (3) and an access opening (4) to said combustion chamber, characterized in that said hearth comprises one or more doors (6) capable of giving access to said chamber combustion and being able to be placed opposite said access opening (4), by a rotational or translational movement of a mobile support (5,15) on which the door (s) (6) are articulated ), each door allowing the user to benefit from at least one specific functionality of said fireplace. Hearth according to claim 1, characterized in that one position of the movable support (5,15) uncovers the access opening (4) and, that at least one other position of the support leads to the access opening a door (6) which can be glazed, solid, or lined with a trellis or the like serving as a spark arrester. Fireplace according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that seals (23,29) are provided, on the one hand between the body of the combustion chamber (1) and the movable support (5,15) and , on the other hand between the doors (6) and the mobile support (5,15). Hearth according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the mobile support (5,15) is guided to move away from the chamber (1) during rotation or translation and is applied with interposition of the seal ( 23) on the latter when it is stopped in an operational position bringing a door (6) opposite the access opening (4). Hearth according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the translational or rotational movement takes place on a raceway (7,17) by means of rollers or ball bearings integral with said movable support ( 5, 15). Hearth according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said hearth comprises a cylindrical heating body (1) and in that said doors (6) are brought sequentially opposite said access opening (4) by sliding the mobile support (5) on a circular raceway (7). Hearth according to Claim 6, characterized in that the said movable support is a drum (5) concentric with the cylindrical heating body (1) and with a radius greater than that of the said heating body. Hearth according to claim 7, characterized in that said drum (5) has three doors (6) in the shape of an arc of a circle, each door being subtended by an angle at the center of 120 °. Hearth according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that said hearth is an insert (14) built into masonry (10) and in that said doors (11,12,13) are brought sequentially opposite said access opening (18) by sliding the mobile support (15) on at least one straight guide or rail (17). Fireplace according to claim 9, characterized in that at least one door which is not in front of the access opening to the heating body is retracted into a housing (16) provided for this purpose in said masonry (10). Drum (5) intended for a solid fuel, preferably wood, or gas fireplace; said hearth comprising a cylindrical heating body (1) of cast iron or steel sheet comprising a combustion chamber provided with an opening for the entry of primary air, at least one opening for the evacuation of the consumed gases (3 ) and an access opening (4) to said combustion chamber; characterized in that said drum comprises one or more doors (6) and preferably three doors, said doors each consisting of a frame and an opening with horizontal or vertical hinges, each door being capable of facing screw, by circular sliding of the drum (5), of said access opening (4), in order to close it and allowing the user to benefit from a specific functionality of said hearth.

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