GB2080938A - Gas fire - Google Patents

Abstract

A gas fire has radiants 11 heated by gas burners and behind the radiants a heat exchanger 14. Room air flows over the heat exchanger and is directed upwardly and forwardly into the room through a grill 17. A substantially horizontal surface above the grill 17 supports a translucent fuel simulation 21 within which a lamp 22 drives a spinner 23 to provide a flicker effect. Between the radiants and grill 17 is an illuminated panel 19. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Gas fire This invention relates to gas fires of the kind having provision for heating room air by convection, and also providing a simulation of burning solid fuel. Such gas fires will be termed hereinafter "gas fires of the kind described".

The invention provides a gas fire of the kind described in which the upper part of the fire comprises an illuminated panel above which is located an outlet for heated convection air, above which is an illuminated simulation of burning solid fuel, whereby the heated convection air appears to emerge from an illuminated area.

Preferably said simulation of burning solid fuel extends over substantially the whole depth of the top of the fire. A relatively thin back plate may extend above the simulation at the rear of the fire.

A flicker device may be incorporated into the illumination of the fuel simulation, while the illumination of the panel is uninterrupted. The height of the hot air outlet is small relative to the overall height of the illuminated area defined by the panel and simulation, e.g., of the order of 1:6.

There may be a radiant for radiating heat into the room to be heated located below the illuminated panel. A heat exchanger may be located behind the radiant and extending up behind the illuminated panel.

A specific embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing which is a diagrammatic side view of a gas fire.

The fire has radiants 11 heated by gas burners, a guard 12 covering the front of the radiants.

Exhaust passages lead the hot exhaust gases from a firebox through a double pass heat exchanger 14 into an exhaust pipe. Room air flows by convection between the hot surfaces of the firebox and heat exchanger and is directed upwardly and forwardly into the room through a grill 17.

The upward and forward direction of the hot air flow passages leaves a space 18 between the radiants and the grill 1 7. The front of this space is closed by a translucent panel 1 9 and one or more electric lamps 20 illuminate the panel. Preferably red or orange lamps are used or alternatively the panel 19 may be coloured to give a warm glow.

Above the grill 1 7 is located a translucent simulation 21 of burning solid fuel illuminated from within by one or more electric lamps 22.

Associated with the or each lamp 22 is a flicker effect comprising a rotatable spinner 23 having a number of blades, driven by warm air rising from the lamp. As the spinner rotates it interrupts the light beams from the lamp causing flickering similar to that arising in a real solid fuel fire.

Most of the upper part of the fire, it will be seen, is illuminated, the illuminated panel 1 9 being only separated from the simulated fuel 21 by the comparatively narrow strip of the grill 1 7, the two tending to be seen as part of a single illuminated area. Moreover hot air emerges from the grill 17, within the illuminated area bounded by panel 19 and fuel 21. This increases the reality of the simulation, since a real solid fuel fire would also emit heat in a somewhat similar pattern. The arrangement has the additional advantage that the hot air emerges relatively low down so improving the heating characteristic in the room, and also well forward of the rear wall, so reducing the tendency to staining of the wall above and behind the fire.

The fuel simulation 21, which may represent logs or coal or coke extends across substantially the whole of the top of the fire, with only a back plate 24 closing the back of the fire and extending a short distance above the fuel simulation. The back plate is thin in relation to the whole depth of the fire.

1. A gas fire of the kind described, in which said simulation of burning solid fuel extends over substantially the whole of the top of the fire and an outlet for heated convection air is located beneath said simulation in a front surface of the fire.

2. A gas fire as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is a back plate at the back of the fire extending upwards adjacent the said simulation.

3. A gas fire as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, comprising a radiant or radiants for radiating heat forwardly, a heat exchanger located behind the radiant or radiants, a convected air passage leading from the heat exchanger to said outlet which is above the radiants, and a substantially horizontal surface above said air passage, said simulation being located above said horizontal surface.

4. A gas fire as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said simulation comprises a hollow, translucent, shell in which is housed an illuminated flicker device.

5. A gas fire as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 as appendant to claim 3, wherein said convected air passage is directed upwardly and forwardly from the heat exchanger to emerge at said outlet leaving a panel in the front surface above the radiant or radiants, which panel is illuminated, whereby the hot air appears to emerge from within an illuminated area bounded by said panel and said simulation.

6. A gas fire as claimed in claim 5, wherein said heat exchanger does not extend higher than said panel.

7. A gas fire substantially as described hereinbefore with reference to the accompanying drawings.

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

Claims (7)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Gas fire This invention relates to gas fires of the kind having provision for heating room air by convection, and also providing a simulation of burning solid fuel. Such gas fires will be termed hereinafter "gas fires of the kind described". The invention provides a gas fire of the kind described in which the upper part of the fire comprises an illuminated panel above which is located an outlet for heated convection air, above which is an illuminated simulation of burning solid fuel, whereby the heated convection air appears to emerge from an illuminated area. Preferably said simulation of burning solid fuel extends over substantially the whole depth of the top of the fire. A relatively thin back plate may extend above the simulation at the rear of the fire. A flicker device may be incorporated into the illumination of the fuel simulation, while the illumination of the panel is uninterrupted. The height of the hot air outlet is small relative to the overall height of the illuminated area defined by the panel and simulation, e.g., of the order of 1:6. There may be a radiant for radiating heat into the room to be heated located below the illuminated panel. A heat exchanger may be located behind the radiant and extending up behind the illuminated panel. A specific embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawing which is a diagrammatic side view of a gas fire. The fire has radiants 11 heated by gas burners, a guard 12 covering the front of the radiants. Exhaust passages lead the hot exhaust gases from a firebox through a double pass heat exchanger 14 into an exhaust pipe. Room air flows by convection between the hot surfaces of the firebox and heat exchanger and is directed upwardly and forwardly into the room through a grill 17. The upward and forward direction of the hot air flow passages leaves a space 18 between the radiants and the grill 1 7. The front of this space is closed by a translucent panel 1 9 and one or more electric lamps 20 illuminate the panel. Preferably red or orange lamps are used or alternatively the panel 19 may be coloured to give a warm glow. Above the grill 1 7 is located a translucent simulation 21 of burning solid fuel illuminated from within by one or more electric lamps 22. Associated with the or each lamp 22 is a flicker effect comprising a rotatable spinner 23 having a number of blades, driven by warm air rising from the lamp. As the spinner rotates it interrupts the light beams from the lamp causing flickering similar to that arising in a real solid fuel fire. Most of the upper part of the fire, it will be seen, is illuminated, the illuminated panel 1 9 being only separated from the simulated fuel 21 by the comparatively narrow strip of the grill 1 7, the two tending to be seen as part of a single illuminated area. Moreover hot air emerges from the grill 17, within the illuminated area bounded by panel 19 and fuel 21. This increases the reality of the simulation, since a real solid fuel fire would also emit heat in a somewhat similar pattern. The arrangement has the additional advantage that the hot air emerges relatively low down so improving the heating characteristic in the room, and also well forward of the rear wall, so reducing the tendency to staining of the wall above and behind the fire. The fuel simulation 21, which may represent logs or coal or coke extends across substantially the whole of the top of the fire, with only a back plate 24 closing the back of the fire and extending a short distance above the fuel simulation. The back plate is thin in relation to the whole depth of the fire. CLAIMS

1. A gas fire of the kind described, in which said simulation of burning solid fuel extends over substantially the whole of the top of the fire and an outlet for heated convection air is located beneath said simulation in a front surface of the fire.

2. A gas fire as claimed in claim 1, wherein there is a back plate at the back of the fire extending upwards adjacent the said simulation.

3. A gas fire as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, comprising a radiant or radiants for radiating heat forwardly, a heat exchanger located behind the radiant or radiants, a convected air passage leading from the heat exchanger to said outlet which is above the radiants, and a substantially horizontal surface above said air passage, said simulation being located above said horizontal surface.

4. A gas fire as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein said simulation comprises a hollow, translucent, shell in which is housed an illuminated flicker device.

5. A gas fire as claimed in claim 3 or claim 4 as appendant to claim 3, wherein said convected air passage is directed upwardly and forwardly from the heat exchanger to emerge at said outlet leaving a panel in the front surface above the radiant or radiants, which panel is illuminated, whereby the hot air appears to emerge from within an illuminated area bounded by said panel and said simulation.

6. A gas fire as claimed in claim 5, wherein said heat exchanger does not extend higher than said panel.

7. A gas fire substantially as described hereinbefore with reference to the accompanying drawings.