GB2136950A

GB2136950A - Self-contained fires

Info

Publication number: GB2136950A
Application number: GB08307804A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Terrance Daniel Lionel Playle
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1983-03-22
Filing date: 1983-03-22
Publication date: 1984-09-26
Also published as: GB8307804D0

Abstract

Known fires are wholly outside a fireplace or substantially wholly within a fireplace. The invention provides a self-contained fire (10) adapted to be put into an existing standard fireplace (12) without removing or altering its existing fire brick (14) and project to a substantial degree (18) in front of the fireplace, the fire to adapt it for this purpose, being dimensioned, preferably to a depth (18) of not more than 8 inches (20 cms) within the fireplace and projecting (20) not less than 7 inches (171 DIVIDED 2 cms) in front of the fireplace, and comprising locating means, preferably a shoulder (22) adapted to fit closely to a wall (16) defining the front opening of the fireplace. The shoulder (22) preferably has a width (26) of not less than 22 inches (55 cms) and the part (27) of the fire projecting back from the shoulder (22) has a width (28) of not more than 16 inches (40 cms), the fire preferably being an open grate fire but possibly being adapted to be closed. Front and top louvered openings and ducts may be provided for heating convection air. A sealing strip (22) may be provided around the top and part or all of the sides. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fires This invention relates to fires.

Fires are known that are wholly within a fireplace. These have the advantage of not requiring a special flue into the chimney but use the existing fire brick and flue. Fires are known that are wholly outside a fireplace. These have the advantage of giving all-round heat into a room and are more efficient as a space heater than the former kind but need a speciai flue and often occupy an unacceptable amount of space in a room. Some fires are known which project about three inches (7 cms) into a room but this is so little as not to give the advantages of all-round heat and more efficient space heating. When, for efficiency or other reasons, it is desired to replace an existing fire in a standard fireplace, it has been necessary to break through the existing fire brick or to use a fire standing wholly outside the fireplace.

The present inventor has appreciated that it would be desirable for another possibility to be devised and according to the invention there is provided a self-contained fire adapted to be put into an existing standard fireplace without removing or altering its existing fire brick and project to a substantial degree in front of the fireplace, the fire being dimensioned and comprising locating means to adapt it for this purpose. This form of construction allows a very simple form of flue to be used, if indeed one is necessary.

To maximise the advantage that such a fire can be placed into an existing fireplace, bearing in mind the standard sizes of fireplace in this country, the dimensions and locating means are adapted to locate the fire to a depth of not more than eight inches (20 cms) within the fireplace and projecting not less than seven inches ( 1 7 2 cms) in front of the fireplace.

As most standard fireplaces are fronted with a wall defining the front opening of the fireplace, the locating means can advantageously be adapted to co-act with such a wall and preferably comprise a shoulder adapted to fit closely to such a wall.

To accommodate a singie size of such fire to the majority of different standard sizes of opening of fireplaces in this country, the shoulder should be given a width of not less than twenty-two inches (55 cms) and the part of the fire projecting back from the shoulder a width of not more than sixteen inches (40 cms), preferably only fourteen inches (35 cms).

The invention primarily has application to an open grate fire but this may be adapted to be closed, and a fire designed as a closed fire is not to be excluded, though, for reasons of space and the avoidance of a need to damage or alter existing fire brick, a fire embodying the invention would not normally be suitable to be one of the back boiler type. Fires embodying the invention can be adapted to provide particularly efficient convection heating, particularly in the form of a closed fire.

A preferred-depth-from the shoulder to the back of the fire is less than seven inches (1 7+ cms) with about 50% or more of the full depth of the fire projecting in front of the fireplace, preferably eight inches (20 cms).

Reference will now be made by way of example to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig. 1 is a schematic plan view of a fire embodying the invention; and Fig. 2 is a schematic side elevation of the Fig. 1 embodiment.

Referring to the drawings, a self-contained fire 10 embodying the invention is adapted to be put into an existing standard fireplace 12, comprising a standard fire brick 14 and a front wall 16, without removing or altering the existing fire brick 14, and project to a substantial degree (as shown by arrow 18) in front of the fireplace 12, the fire 10. being dimensioned (as- shown by arrows 18 and 20) and comprising locating means 22 to adapt it for this purpose.The dimensions 18, 20 and locating means 22 are adapted to locate the fire 10 to a depth 20 of not more than 8 inches (20 cms) within the fireplace 1 2 and projecting an amount 18 of not less than 7 inches (17+ cms) in front of the fireplace 1 2. The locating means 22 are adapted to co-act with the wall 1 6 defining the front opening of the fireplace 1 2 by comprising a shoulder 22 adapted to fit closely to said wall 6. The shoulder may be hollow as shown by dashed lines 24. The shoulder 22 has a width 26 of not less than 22 inches (55 cms) and the part 27 of the fire projecting back from the shoulder 22 has a width 28 of not more than 1 6 inches (40 cms), preferably only 14 inches (35 cms).

As shown in Fig. 2 the fire is an open grate fire but may be adapted to be closed by the provision of a wall piece 30 which is bolted by bolts 32 to the front part 34 of the fire and has a front door 36. Whether open or closed, the fire has a grate 38, and a roof 40 to direct fumes to flue 42. There is a louvred inlet 44 to supply air to the grate 38.

With the open or closed fire, there are preferably provided a louvred front opening 46 connected to side ducts 48 leading to an upper plenum chamber 50 above roof 40, another louvred front opening 52 to chamber 50, and a louvred outlet 54 from chamber 50 to the room, all for convection air to be heated by the fire 10.

The height 56 from the floor of the back part 27 of the fire 10 is preferably not more than 20 inches (50 cm) and the total height 58 of the fire 10 is preferably at least 22 inches (55 cm).

A sealing strip 60 may be located right round the top and sides of the fire 10 to seal the shoulder 22 to the wall 16, though the strip 60 may only have to go part way down the sides, e.g.

half-way or two-thirds of the way down.

One or more of the louvred openings 44, 46, 52, 54 may be adjustable as to its opening and may have the louvres replaced or omitted to produce some other form of opening.

Claims

1. A self-contained fire adapted to be put into an existing standard fireplace without removing or altering its existing fire brick and project to a substantial degree in front of the fireplace, the fire being dimensioned and comprising locating means to adapt it for this purpose.

2. A fire as claimed in claim 1, in which the dimensions and locating means are adapted to locate the fire to a depth of not more than 8 inches (20 cms) within the fireplace and projecting not less than 7 inches (17+ cms) in front of the fireplace).

3. A fire as claimed in claim 1 or 2, in which the locating means are adapted to co-act with a wall defining the front opening of the fireplace.

4. A fire as claimed in claim 3, in which the locating means comprise a shoulder adapted to fit closely to said wall.

5. A fire as claimed in claim 4, in which the shoulder has a width of not less than 22 inches (55 cms) and the part of the fire projecting back from the shoulder has a width of not more than 16 inches (40 cms).

6. A fire as claimed in claim 5, in which the part of the fire projecting back from the shoulder has a width of not more than 14 inches (35 cms).

7. A fire as claimed in any preceding claim, which is an open grate fire.

8. A fire as claimed in claim 7, which is adapted to be closed.

9. A self-contained fire, substantially according to any embodiment hereinbefore described.

10. A self-contained fire, substantially according to any embodiment hereinbefore described with reference to, and illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.