GB2247746A

GB2247746A - Gas-fired room heater

Info

Publication number: GB2247746A
Application number: GB9017646A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Easby; Nmaju Kalu Nmaju
Original assignee: Robinson Willey Ltd
Current assignee: Robinson Willey Ltd
Priority date: 1990-08-11
Filing date: 1990-08-11
Publication date: 1992-03-11
Anticipated expiration: 2010-08-11
Also published as: GB2247746B; GB9017646D0

Abstract

A gas-fired room heater of the kind having plaque burner means 22 supplied with a gas/air mixture from supply chamber means adjacent its rear surface, wherein said supply chamber means is horizontally divided into two or more separate chambers 11, each of which extends the full width of the plaque burner means, and wherein there is gas control means 27 whereby a gas supply to one or more of said chambers can be shut off, while the supply to the other or others is maintained. Gas supplied passes through venturi 15 and entrains air from an injector 17. <IMAGE>

Description

GAS-FIRED ROOM HEATER.

This invention relates to gas-fired room heaters of the kind employing plaque burners on the surface of which gas burns. It is known that such plaque burners make it possible for more efficient combustion to occur.

The invention provides a gas-fired room heater of the kind having plaque burner means supplied with a gas/air mixture from supply chamber means adjacent its rear surface, wherein said supply chamber means is horizontally divided into two or more separate chambers, each of which extends the full width of the plaque burner means and wherein there is gas control means whereby a gas supply to one or more of said chambers can be shut off, while the supply to the other or others is maintained.

Preferably, each of said separate chambers has a gas injector arranged to entrain air to form said gas/air mixture. Each said injector may lead into a venturi which normally extends horizontally in said chamber. There is preferably baffle means for causing the gas/air mixture from the venturi to flow more evenly to the plaque means.

In one arrangement there are three vertical plaques arranged side-by-side forming said plaque means, and two supply chambers, each extending across all three plaques, one chamber being above the other.

A specific embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a view of the gas supply chamber of a gas fire, seen from the front, Figure 2 is a front view of a plaque burner for mounting in front of the gas supply chamber of Figure 1, and Figure 3 is a diagrammatic horizontal section through the assembled fire.

The main operating parts only of the fire are shown, these comprising means for supplying gas to a gas supply chamber, and from there to the plaque burner.

The gas supply chamber, as seen in Figure 1, is divided horizontally into an elongated upper box (11) and an elongated lower box (12), the two being gas sealed from one another. At one end or each box is a gas injector assembly (13, 14), each assembly comprising a venturi (15, 16) and an injector (17) [Figure 3]. Each injector projects into the open end of the respective venturi, so that when gas flows through the injector, air is entrained into the flow.

The air and gas mix in the venturi and emerge into the box. A baffle (20, 21) in each box intercepts the flowing gas/air mixture and introduces a turbulance so that it is caused to flow more evenly to all parts of the box.

The open fronts of the boxes are closed by a vertical array of ceramic plaques (22), one of which is shown in Figure 2. Three plaques (22) are arranged side-by-side across the front of the fire as seen in Figure 3. Each plaque has two vertical rows of horizontal ribs (25) and is pierced all over its surface by rows of fine holes (not shown) of diameter between 1.37 and 1.47 mm. The rows of holes are arranged to extend substantially between the ribs, avoiding the crests of the ribs. In this example, there are in all 875 holes arranged in twenty horizontal rows, with additional holes at the edges cf the plaque, and vertically down the centre line of each plaque.

Gas and air from the box (11) flows through the holes in the upper half of each of the three plaques and is ignited to burn on the surface of the plaques. Gas and air from the box (12) flows through the lower half of each of the three plaques and is ignited to burn on the surface of the plaques. Sealant between the plaques and the box walls prevents gas and air from one box entering the other box.

A manual control knob (27) [Figure 3] operates a gas valve (not shown) controlling the supply of gas to the boxes (11) and (12), so that one box can be supplied alone, or both boxes together. Thus the gas fire can be turned down to a lower rate in which the lower part of all three plaques is supplied, so that a horizontal bar of heat and flame is seen. Such a horizontal bar gives a better distribution of heat to the space to be heated and presents an attractive appearance.

The invention extends to arrangements in which there are three or more gas supply boxes, each as described above, one above the other, each extending the full width of the plaque means, so that there are three or more horizontal bars of heat and flame which can be independently controlled.

Claims

1. A gas-fired room heater of the kind having plaque burner means supplied with a gas/air mixture from supply chamber means adjacent its rear surface, wherein said supply chamber means is horizontally divided into two or more separate chambers, each of which extends the full width of the plaque burner means, and wherein there is gas control means whereby a gas supply to one or more of said chambers can be shut off, while the supply to the other or others is maintained.

2. A heater as claimed in claim 1, in which each of said separate chambers has a gas injector arranged to entrain air to form said gas/air mixture.

3. A heater as claimed in claim 2, in which each injector leads into a venturi which normally extends horizontally in said chamber.

4. A heater as claimed in claim 3, in which there are provided baffle means for causing the gas/air mixture from the venturi to flow more evenly to the plaque means.

5. A heater as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, in which three vertical plaques are arranged side-byside forming said plaque means, and two supply chambers are provided each extending across all three plaques, one chamber being above the other.

6. A heater as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, in which there are three or more gas supply boxes one above the other, each extending the full width of the plaque means, so that there are three or more horizontal bars of heat and flame which can be independently controlled.

7. A gas-fired heater substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. A gas-fired room heater comprising supply chamber means having an open front side and for supplying a gas/air mixture to plaque burner means located at said front side of the supply chamber, said supply chamber means being divided into two or more separate chambers each extending between opposite sides of the supply chamber and across the full longitudinal width of the plaque burner means, and wherein gas control means are provided to control the supply of gas to said chambers and such as to enable a gas supply to one of said chambers to be stopped or closed whilst leaving a gas supply to at least one other of said chambers open.