GB2075665A - Electric fires - Google Patents

Abstract

Radiant bars 11, 12, 13 are arranged in front of a parabolic reflector 14 so that radiant heat is beamed out of the fire. Behind the reflector a tangential fan 21 is optionally energized to direct air over the radiant bars to turn the fire into a fan heater. A fuel simulation 17 above the bars is illuminated by lamp 18. A secondary heated air path emerges from an opening 25 in front of the fuel simulation. The main path of the air is down across the back of the reflector, reflected by baffle 23 to pass up over the radiant bars. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Electric fires This invention relates to electric fires of the kind having radiant bars.

The invention provides an electric fire having a housing in which is mounted one or more radiant bars, the housing having an opening through which heat from the bar or bars may be radiated, a fan for directing an air flow over said radiant bar or bars and out of said housing, and switch means for selecting the operation of the radiant bar or bars alone or the radiant bar or bars and the fan.

Preferably there is a reflector adjacent the radiant bar or bars shaped to direct reflected radiant heat through said opening. There may be means for directing the air flow over the back of the reflector and then over the front of the reflector and the bar or bars so as to emerge through said opening. There may be an additional air flow which passes over the back of the reflector and out of the housing without passing over the bar or bars.

The fan may be a tangential fan.

The fire may have a translucent fuel effect and lamp means for shining a light through said fuel effect.

A specific embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing which is a side section of an electric fire.

The heating elements of the fire shown in the drawing comprise three silicon-sheathed coiled-filament bars 11, 12, 1 3 mounted in front of a parabolic reflector 1 4 which has a shiny mirror finish. The front of the fire is open at 15, apart from a dress guard, so that the elements 11, 12, 1 3 are visible from the front and so that the heat is radiated directly from the heating elements and also reflected from the reflector 14 into a space to be heated. The elements may for instance be of 750 watt rating.

The heating elements and reflector are mounted in a box-like housing 1 6 above which a translucent fuel effect 1 7 is supported. An electric lamp 1 8 shines up through the fuel effect, the heat currents rising from the lamp turning a spinner 20. An effect of light flickering through the fuel effect is thereby obtained.

Beneath the lamp 1 8 is a tangential flow fan 21 arranged to direct its output air into an air flow space formed between a shroud 22 and the back of the reflector 14. In this space the air flow divides, part of the air flowing downwardly and the rest upwardly. The downward air stream flows across the back of the reflector, being heated by contact therewith.

When it reaches the bottom front of the fire it is directed upwards and backwards by a baffle 23. This new direction takes the air up across the heating elements 11, 12, 1 3 and over the front face of the reflector in which path the air is considerably heated. This heated air then leaves along a path 24 determined by the parabolic shape of the reflector into the spaced to be heated.

The upward air stream passes over the upper back of the reflector where it is heated, and out through an opening 25 in the top of the housing 1 6 in front of the fuel effect 1 7.

Switches (not shown) control the operation of the various electrical elements manually, so that a user can select radiant heating only with fan 21 not energized, or can operate the fan and the heating elements to produce a flow of hot air, or can operate the fan only to produce a flow of cool air. If, for instance, a user wishes to heat a cool room, he may want the flow of hot air which will heat the room rapidly and more evenly. When the room is comfortably warm, he may then select radiant heating only to sit by.

Although a tangential fan has been described above, it is within the invention to use other forms of fan.

1. An electric fire having a housing in which are mounted one or more radiant bars, the housing being open so that heat from the bar or bars may be radiated directly out therefrom, a fan for directing an air flow to be heated by said radiant bar or bars and out of said housing, and electric switch means for selecting the energization of the radiant bar or bars alone or the radiant bar or bars and the fan.

2. An electric fire as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing has at one side an open parabolic-shaped recess means in which said radiant bar or bars are mounted.

3. An electric fire as claimed in claim 2, wherein there is a parabolic-shaped reflector forming the back of said recess, the parabola being shaped to reflect radiant heat out of the open side of said recess.

4. An electric fire as claimed in claim 3, wherein an air flow path extends over the back of said reflector and then over the front face thereof so as to contact said radiant bar or bars and is then directed out of said housing by the said reflector.

5. An electric fire as claimed in claim 4, wherein said path passes around the bottom end of the reflector and is directed upwardly by a baffle to flow up over the front face of the reflector.

6. An electric fire as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein another airflow path extends over the back of said reflector and up through an opening in or near the top of the housing.

7. An electric fire as claimed in claim 6, wherein adjacent said opening the housing supports fuel-simulating means.

8. An electric fire as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, comprising also fuel-simulating means supported on the top of the housing.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (14)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Electric fires This invention relates to electric fires of the kind having radiant bars. The invention provides an electric fire having a housing in which is mounted one or more radiant bars, the housing having an opening through which heat from the bar or bars may be radiated, a fan for directing an air flow over said radiant bar or bars and out of said housing, and switch means for selecting the operation of the radiant bar or bars alone or the radiant bar or bars and the fan. Preferably there is a reflector adjacent the radiant bar or bars shaped to direct reflected radiant heat through said opening. There may be means for directing the air flow over the back of the reflector and then over the front of the reflector and the bar or bars so as to emerge through said opening. There may be an additional air flow which passes over the back of the reflector and out of the housing without passing over the bar or bars. The fan may be a tangential fan. The fire may have a translucent fuel effect and lamp means for shining a light through said fuel effect. A specific embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing which is a side section of an electric fire. The heating elements of the fire shown in the drawing comprise three silicon-sheathed coiled-filament bars 11, 12, 1 3 mounted in front of a parabolic reflector 1 4 which has a shiny mirror finish. The front of the fire is open at 15, apart from a dress guard, so that the elements 11, 12, 1 3 are visible from the front and so that the heat is radiated directly from the heating elements and also reflected from the reflector 14 into a space to be heated. The elements may for instance be of 750 watt rating. The heating elements and reflector are mounted in a box-like housing 1 6 above which a translucent fuel effect 1 7 is supported. An electric lamp 1 8 shines up through the fuel effect, the heat currents rising from the lamp turning a spinner 20. An effect of light flickering through the fuel effect is thereby obtained. Beneath the lamp 1 8 is a tangential flow fan 21 arranged to direct its output air into an air flow space formed between a shroud 22 and the back of the reflector 14. In this space the air flow divides, part of the air flowing downwardly and the rest upwardly. The downward air stream flows across the back of the reflector, being heated by contact therewith. When it reaches the bottom front of the fire it is directed upwards and backwards by a baffle 23. This new direction takes the air up across the heating elements 11, 12, 1 3 and over the front face of the reflector in which path the air is considerably heated. This heated air then leaves along a path 24 determined by the parabolic shape of the reflector into the spaced to be heated. The upward air stream passes over the upper back of the reflector where it is heated, and out through an opening 25 in the top of the housing 1 6 in front of the fuel effect 1 7. Switches (not shown) control the operation of the various electrical elements manually, so that a user can select radiant heating only with fan 21 not energized, or can operate the fan and the heating elements to produce a flow of hot air, or can operate the fan only to produce a flow of cool air. If, for instance, a user wishes to heat a cool room, he may want the flow of hot air which will heat the room rapidly and more evenly. When the room is comfortably warm, he may then select radiant heating only to sit by. Although a tangential fan has been described above, it is within the invention to use other forms of fan. CLAIMS

1. An electric fire having a housing in which are mounted one or more radiant bars, the housing being open so that heat from the bar or bars may be radiated directly out therefrom, a fan for directing an air flow to be heated by said radiant bar or bars and out of said housing, and electric switch means for selecting the energization of the radiant bar or bars alone or the radiant bar or bars and the fan.

2. An electric fire as claimed in claim 1, wherein said housing has at one side an open parabolic-shaped recess means in which said radiant bar or bars are mounted.

3. An electric fire as claimed in claim 2, wherein there is a parabolic-shaped reflector forming the back of said recess, the parabola being shaped to reflect radiant heat out of the open side of said recess.

4. An electric fire as claimed in claim 3, wherein an air flow path extends over the back of said reflector and then over the front face thereof so as to contact said radiant bar or bars and is then directed out of said housing by the said reflector.

5. An electric fire as claimed in claim 4, wherein said path passes around the bottom end of the reflector and is directed upwardly by a baffle to flow up over the front face of the reflector.

6. An electric fire as claimed in claim 4 or claim 5, wherein another airflow path extends over the back of said reflector and up through an opening in or near the top of the housing.

7. An electric fire as claimed in claim 6, wherein adjacent said opening the housing supports fuel-simulating means.

8. An electric fire as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, comprising also fuel-simulating means supported on the top of the housing.

9. An electric fire as claimed in claim 8, wherein said fuel-simulating means comprises a hollow translucent representation of burning fuel and an electric lamp located to shine through the translucent representation.

O. An electric fire as claimed in claim 9, wherein said fuel-simulating means also comprises a spinner located to intercept the beam from the electric light and cause it to flicker.

11. An electric fire as claimed in any of claims 8 to 10, wherein another airflow path directs heated air up through an opening in front of said fuel-simulating means.

12. An electric fire as claimed in any of claims 1 to 11, wherein said fan is a tangen tidal fan directing air into a path in which it is heated directly or indirectly by said radiant bar or bars.

1 3. An electric fire as claimed in any of claims 1 to 1 2, wherein said switch means has another selectable position in which the fan is operated but not the radiant bar or bars.

14. An electric fire substantially as described hereinbefore with reference to the accompanying drawing.