GB2142138A - Fire grate - Google Patents

Abstract

A fire grate for use in a fireback of a hearth comprises a perforated, fuel supporting, portion 26 and an ashpit 30 beneath the base of the fuel supporting portion 26, the fuel supporting portion 26 having means 32 to prevent ash from entering the ashpit except through the perforations 28 in the fuel supporting portion. The fuel supporting portion 26 has a border 56 extending around the perforations 28 so that an ashpan 44 completely underlies the perforations so as to catch substantially all the ash falling through the perforations. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Fire grates The invention relates to fire grates, and in particular to fire grates for use in a fireback of a domestic hearth.

The traditional fire grate consists essentially of a flat cast iron base to support burning fuel, the base being supported on legs and being provided with several slots and also recesses around its periphery, to allow ash to drop down into an ashpit below. A decorative front plate fitted over the front of the grate helps to keep the fuel in position and is provided with a removable portion to allow access to the ashpit. To remove the ash from the ashpit the removable portion is taken away and the ash can be removed with a brush and shovel. This is timeconsuming, dirty and moreover can only be done when the fire has gone out and the grate has cooled down. The legs interfere with the shovelling process.

An ashpan is sometimes placed in the ashpit but it is found that ash drops around it, especially through any gaps between the grate and the fireback, and this restricts the airflow underneath the grate and also requires considerable cleaning up later. Also, when the ashpan is removed, the ash in front of the ashpan is pushed out on to the hearth, requiring further cleaning.

Underfloor fires, which have a large, sunken ashpit and ashbox overcome the problems to some extent since the ash needs removing only every three to six days. However, structural alterations are needed in order to fit an underfloorfire, and this considerably increases the price. Also, the fire and grate must be dismantled every time ash is removed.

The object of the invention is to provide a solid-fuel fire which has an ash container capable of collecting all the ash produced and which container can be removed for disposal of the ash while the fire is alight without the need to dismantle or remove any components.

According to one aspect of the invention, a fire grate for use in a fireback of a hearth comprises a perforated, fuel-supporting portion and an ashpit beneath the base of the fuel-supporting portion, in which the fuel-supporting portion has means to prevent ash from entering the ashpit except through the perforations in the fuel-supporting portion.

The means may comprise a rigid skirt extending at least partially around the base of the fuel-supporting portion enclosing the ashpit such that the ashpit is not open to the fireback.

The skirt may be formed integrally with the grate or may be formed separately from the grate.

According to a second aspect of the invention, a fire grate for use in the fireback of a hearth comprises a perforated fuel-supporting portion, an ashpit beneath the base of the fuel-supporting portion, and an ashpan which can be fitted into the ashpit in order to collect ash, the ashpan substantially completely underlying the fuel-supporting portion when in use, such that substantially all the ash falling through the perforations in the fuelsupporting portion is collected in the ashpan.

Preferably a non-perforated border is left around at least part of the periphery of the fuel-supporting portion.

The border may extend around substantially the whole of the periphery of the fuel-supporting portion, except for the outwardly-facing edge of the fuel-supporting portion.

The border may be between 10mm and 20mm wide and is preferably 12mm wide.

The ashpan is preferably an open-topped box.

The grate may be provided with a fire front to prevent the fuel from falling from the grate and the fire front may have a removable portion to allow insertion and removal of the ashpan.

Preferably the ashpan is attached to the removable portion, for example they may be welded together.

The ashpan may be of stainless steel.

The fuel-supporting portion may be of cast iron.

By way of example, a specific embodiment of the invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a traditional fire grate; Figure 2 is an exploded perspective view of a fire grate according to the invention; Figure 3 is a perspective view of the fire grate in Figure 2 when partially assembled; and Figure 4 is a perspective view of the fire grate in Figure 2 when fully assembled.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, a conventional firegrate comprises a grate 10 in the form of a cast iron or stainless steel structure comprising a flat fuelsupporting portion 12 supported at the rear on two legs 14 (only one of which is visible). The fuelsupporting portion 12 is provided with a plurality of elongate slots 16 forming grate bars 17 to allow air to circulate under the fuel and to allow ash to drop beneath the portion 12 into an ashpit 18. Recesses 15 are provided for similar reasons. The grate 10 is shaped to fit into a standard fireback of a hearth.

In use the grate is placed in position in the fireback and a decorative front plate 20 is fitted on to the front of the grate 10. This holds the fuel in position on the grate and supports the grate at the front. The front plate is provided with a removable front 22 which when removed affords access to the ashpit 18 for removal of ash. Ash is removed either with a brush and shovel or may be collected in an ashpan (not illustrated) situated in the ashpit 18 as the fuel burns.

The removal of ash by brush and shovel is timeconsuming and dirty. The use of an ashpan is not much improvement because ash drops around it through the slots 16, the recesses 15, and through any gaps between the grate 10 and the fireback, and considerable cleaning up is still required. Ash also finds its way inbetween the ashpan and the removable front 22 thus obstructing airflow and causing ash to be deposited on the hearth when the ashpan is removed.

Turning now to Figures 2 to 4, a fire grate according to the invention is illustrated. A cast iron grate 24 comprises a substantially flat fuelsupporting portion 26 which is provided with a plurality of elongate slots 28 leaving grate bars 29 to allow ash to fall into an ashpit 30 below. A skirt 32 cast integrally with the grate, extends beneath the portion 26 perpendicular to the portion 26 around two sides and the back of the grate and in use supports the grate in the hearth. The grate is shaped to fit into a standard fireback of a hearth.

A cast iron front plate 34 fits over the open front of the grate 24 and is securable to the grate by bolts and spring washers 36 which pass through holes 38 in the grate and holes 40 in the front plate and which are secured by nuts (not shown). An aperture 42 is provided in the front plate 34 to allow a welded stainless steel ashpan 44 to be slid through the aperture into the ashpit 30. The ashpan 44 comprises an open box with a base 46 and walls 48 constructed so that the ashpan fits snugly in the ashpit 30 and against the skirt 32 of the grate 24. A front 50 is welded to the ashpan 44 and is designed to close off the aperture 42 and replaces a separate removable portion, for example the removable front 22 in Figure 1. The ashpan is removed by use of a tool 54 which can be inserted in a socket 52 in the front 50.

The front 50 matches the front plate 34 and may be used to vary the air supply to the fire, as will be explained.

As best seen in Figure 3, the slots 28 do not extend right to the periphery of the grate, but leave a solid, non-perforated portion 56 about 12mm wide around the entire periphery of the fuel-burning portion 26.

Thus, when the whole fire grate is assembled and the ashpan and front plate 50 are inserted as in Figure 4, any material falling through the slots 28 will be collected in the ashpan and will not fall into the ashpit 30. This is because the ashpan fits snugly in the ashpit against the skirt of the grate and extends underneath the non-perforated portion 56.

The ashpan may even be partially removed to vary the air supply to the fire, while still collecting substantially all the ash which falls through the slots 28 because the ashpan will still extend underneath all of the slots 28 due to the non-perforated portion 56. The ashpan front and the removable portion 50 are secured together, so there is no gap in which ash can build up and restrict the air flow. Also, any ash which manages to fall into the gap between the grate and the fireback cannot make its way into the ashpit because of the skirt around the grate. Any such ash will simply fill the gap and prevent any more ash from entering the gap.

When the ashpan is full, it is simply slid out with the help of handle 54, without first needing to separately remove the fire front 50, is emptied and then replaced. Since no ash can enter the ashpit without being collected by the ashpan, it is not necessary to clean out the ashpitwith a brush and shovel.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment.

For example, the skirt 32 may be formed separate ly and subsequently attached to the fuel-burning portion 26. The front 50 may be decorated with coloured enamels using thermoplastic enamels in stead of the thermosetting enamels required for cast iron. The cast iron components may be painted with a black, heat resistant paint.

Claims (16)

1. Afire grate for use in a fireback of a hearth, comprising a perforated, fuel-supporting portion and an ashpit beneath the base of the fuelsupporting portion, in which the fuel-supporting portion has means to prevent ash from entering the ash pit except through the perforations in the fuelsupporting portion.

2. Afire grate as claimed in claim 1, in which the means comprise a rigid skirt extending at least partially around the base of the fuel-supporting portion enclosing the ashpit such that the ashpit is not open to the fireback.

3. Afire grate as claimed in claim 2, in which the skirt is formed integrally with the grate.

4. Afire grate as claimed in claim 2, in which the skirt is formed separately from the grate.

5. A fire grate for use in a fireback of a hearth, comprising a perforated fuel-supporting portion, an ashpit beneath the base of the fuel-supporting portion, and an ashpan which can be fitted into the ashpit in order to collect ash, the ashpan substantially completely underlying the fuel-supporting portion when in use, such that substantially all the ash falling through the perforations in the fuelsupporting portion is collected in the ash pan.

6. Afire grate as claimed in claim 5, in which a non-perforated border is left around at least part of the periphery of the fuel-supporting portion.

7. Afire grate as claimed in claim 6, in which the border extends around substantially the whole of the periphery of the fuel-supporting portion, except for the outwardly-facing edge of the fuel-supporting portion.

8. Afire grate as claimed in claim 6 or claim 7, in which the border is between 1 Omm and 20mm wide.

9. Afire grate as claimed in claim 8, in which the border is 12mm wide.

10. Afire grate as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 9, in which the ashpan is an open-topped box.

11. Afire grate as claimed in claim 10, in which the grate is provided with a fire front to prevent the fuel from falling from the grate and the fire front has a removable portion to allow insertion and removal of the ashpan.

12. Afire grate as claimed in claim 11, in which the ashpan is attached to the removable portion.

13. Afire grate as claimed in claim 12, in which the ashpan and the removable portion are welded together.

14. Afire grate as claimed in any one of claims 5 to 13 in which the ashpan is of stainless steel.

15. A fire grate as claimed in any one claims 1 to 14, in which the fuel-supporting portion is of cast iron.

16. Afire grate constructed and arranged substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 2 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.