GB2381309A

GB2381309A - Fire with modifiable flames

Info

Publication number: GB2381309A
Application number: GB0123912A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Keith Jonathan Stokes; Robert Adams
Original assignee: Valor Ltd
Current assignee: Valor Ltd
Priority date: 2001-10-05
Filing date: 2001-10-05
Publication date: 2003-04-30
Anticipated expiration: 2021-10-05
Also published as: GB2381309B; GB0123912D0

Abstract

A fire comprises a simulated fuel bed 32 having a plurality of flame passages 34 therein, an (elongate) burner 30 below the fuel bed and means to modify the flames to vary their appearance. The flames may be modified by moving the burner, by pivoting or rotating it about its long axis through an angle of about 60 degrees, using a synchronous electric motor 48. The burner may comprise a plurality of slits 40. Alternatively, the flames may be disturbed after production using a fan (64, figs 4-5) located below the burner. The fan and burner moving motor may be used in the same embodiment. The fuel bed may have irregular passages with the flame inlets and outlets being laterally offset forwardly or rearwardly. The apparatus aims to create a realistic flame-effect fire using gas or liquid fuels.

Description

DESCRIPTION FIRE The present invention relates to fires and in particular, but not exclusively, to gas fires which simulate a solid fuel fire, e. g. a coal or wood fire or which incorporate some other visual effect, e. g. pebbles or glass pieces.

Such fires are commonly known as living flame effect fires and comprise a heat-resistant simulated bed of fuel (e. g. coal or wood) or other heat-resistant bed (e. g. pebbles or glass pieces) having a plurality of through apertures passing from the undersurface to the upper surface of the bed. A burner is located beneath the bed and flames from the burner pass through the apertures in the bed and produce a visual effect which is similar to that obtained with a real fuel bed. The effect is enhanced if the materials forming the bed are chosen so that the bed glows as it is heated by the flames, in the manner of a real fuel bed.

However, the realism of the effect can diminish with time, since the flames tend to be produced at the same locations on the fuel bed and are of virtually constant height for a given setting of the fire, unlike a real fire where the location and height of the flames are generally much more variable.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to produce a living flame effect gas fire having a less predictable, and more variable, flame effect.

In accordance with the present invention, a heating appliance comprises a simulated fuel bed having a plurality of flame passages, a burner located below the simulated fuel bed for supplying flames to the flame passages and means for

modifying the flames on or after production by the burner to vary the appearance of the flames emerging from the simulated fuel bed.

By modifying the flames supplied to the flame passages of the simulated fuel bed the flames emerging from the bed can vary in size, appearance and location, which enhances the realism of the appliance.

In one embodiment, the modifying means comprises means for moving the burner as the fuel is discharged. The burner may be elongate which is preferably pivotally or rotatably mounted. The burner is preferably moved by a motor.

In another embodiment, the modifying means comprises means for disturbing the flames emerging from the burner and fed to the flames passages of the simulated fuel bed. This may take the form of a fan means which helps to ensure that the flames vary and are not constant.

In a further embodiment, there are both means for moving the burner and means for disturbing the flames produced by the burner and fed to the simulated fuel bed.

By way of example only, specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which :- Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional front view of a first embodiment of gas fire in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 2 is a cross-section through the gas fire of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of arrows II-II ; Fig. 3 is an end view of the gas fire of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of arrow

Ill ; Fig. 4 is a cross-section front view of a second embodiment of gas fire in accordance with the present invention; Fig. 5 is a cross-section through the gas fire of Fig. 4, looking in the direction of arrows V-V; Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional front view of a third embodiment of gas fire in accordance with the present invention; and Fig. 7 is a variation which can be used with all of the aforementioned embodiments.

Referring firstly to Figs. 1 to 3, a living flame effect gas fire comprises a pressed metal housing 10 comprising a planar rear wall 12, two planar side walls 14, 16 extending forwardly from the rear wall and flaring outwardly with respect to each other, a planar base wall 18 extending between the lowermost edges of the side walls 14,16 and a planar front wall 20 extending parallel to the rear wall 12 between the upstanding front edges of the side walls 14,16. The upper edge of the front wall 20 is formed into an intumed elongate planar lip 22 extending parallel to the base wall 18 and a further, identical lip or ledge 24 projects from the inner face of the rear wall 12 at the same height as the lip 20. An elongate tubular burner 30 extends between the side walls 14,16 with its longitudinal axis parallel to the rear and base walls 12, 18. A cast ceramic simulated coal block 32 rests on the dividing wall 22 above the burner 30 and rests on the elongate opposed lips 22,24.

The cast ceramic simulated coal block 32 is conventional and is provided with

a plurality of through apertures 34 extending from the base wall 36 of the block to the upper face 38 of the block. In use, flammable gas is fed into the interior of the elongate burner 30 and passes out of the burner 30 via a series of elongate slits 40 along its uppermost portion. The flammable gas emerging from the burner mixes with the surrounding air and, once ignited, flames pass from the burner 30 and along the apertures 34 and are produced for as long as the supply of gas continues.

However, the elongate burner 30 is not fixedly mounted in the housing 10.

Instead, the burner is rotatable along its longitudinal axis by means of bearings 44, 46, located one at each end of the burner. It will thus be observed that the gas injection pipe 47 for the burner forms a pivot for the burner. The burner is pivotable back and forth about its longitudinal axis through an angle 0 : of approximately 600 by means of a geared synchronous electric motor 48 mounted on the exterior face of one side wall 16 and whose output is connected to an actuating assembly 50 comprising a connecting rod 52 rotatably and eccentrically mounted with respect to the output shaft 54 of the motor and whose upper end is pivotally connected to a short arm 56 whose other end is rigidly connected to the burner 30. The displacement of the motor in each direction is limited by two stops (not shown). Since the motor is a synchronous motor, upon engagement with each stop the motor operates in the opposite direction, with the result that the motor rotates back and forth between the two stops. Thus, the burner is also caused to pivot back and forth as the motor moves. The stops are positioned so that the burner 30 is pivoted back and forth about its elongate axis through a total angle of about 60 .

Thus, as the burner 30 pivots back and forth, the positions of its gas outlets 40 vary with respect to the lower ends of the apertures 34 extending through the simulated coal block 32. As a result, the flames entering the apertures 34 vary as the burner 30 is rotated back and forth. As a result, the size and/or intensity and/or colour and/or position of the flames 42 emerging at the upper ends of the apertures is not constant but instead vary with time, resulting in a flame which simulates those of blazing coals much more realistically.

A second embodiment is illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5. The housing 10'of the second embodiment is very similar to that of the first embodiment and comprises a planar rear wall 12', two planar side walls 14', 16'extending forwardly from the rear wall and flaring outwardly with respect to each other, a planar base wall 18' extending between the lowermost edges of the side walls 14', 16'and a planar front wall 20'extending parallel to the rear wall 12'between the upstanding front edges of the side walls 14', 16'. The upper edge of the front 20'is bent perpendicularly to form an intumed flange 60 and an opposed ledge 62, at the same height as the flange 60, extends forwardly from the front face of the rear wall 12'. A cast ceramic simulated coal block 32 identical to that of the first embodiment is supported on the flange 60 and ledge 62.

A burner 30'having a series of gas outlet slits 40'along its uppermost portion extends between the side walls 14', 16'with its longitudinal axis parallel to the rear and base walls 12', 18'. However, in contrast to the first embodiment, the burner 30' is not pivotable but instead is fixed in position with respect to the housing 10'.

Located beneath the burner 30'is a fan 64 comprising a straight rod 66 pivotally mounted between the side walls 14', 16'and extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the burner 30'and a plurality of vanes 68 extending radially from the rod. In this embodiment the vanes are arranged in pairs extending in diametrically opposite directions, with each pair of vanes displaced by 90 with respect to the adjacent pair (s). The rod 66 is rotatable by means of an electric motor 70 located on the exterior of the housing.

As the fan 64 rotates, the air around the burner 30'is disturbed. This disturbs the flames emerging from the slits 40'of the burner 30'and produces a variation in the flames entering the apertures 34 in the simulated fuel block. Thus, the size and/or intensity and/or colour and/or position of the flames 42 produced at the upper ends of the apertures is not constant but instead varies as the fan rotates, resulting in flames which simulate those of blazing coals much more realistically.

The third embodiment, shown in Fig. 6, is effectively a combination of the first and second embodiments and the same reference numerals identify corresponding components. The construction is virtually identical to that of the first embodiment and the same reference numerals identify corresponding features. However, a fan 64'virtually identical to the fan 64 of the second embodiment is located beneath the elongate burner 30 and is rotated directly by the output of a second motor 49.

Thus, as the motor rotates, the burner 30 rocks to and fro via the actuating assembly 50 and the fan 64'rotates beneath the burner 30. Thus, the flames emerging

from the burner and therefore through the through apertures 34 in the simulated fuel block 32 are randomised not only by the movement of the burner (as in the first embodiment) but also by the disturbances created by rotation of the fan 64', resulting in an even more random and realistic flame effect.

Although the above embodiments improve the realism of the flames significantly, it is observed that the passages 34 extending through the simulated fuel block 32 extend from the front, middle and rear of the base wall 36 to the front, middle and rear respectively of the upper face 38 of the block 32. As a result, in certain circumstances the variations in the flames can be passed primarily to all of the front or all of the middle or all of the rear passages simultaneously. For example, the flames emerging from the passages in the upper face 38 of the block may cyclically be highest at all of the front passages, then all of the middle passages then all of the rear passages and so on as the flames emerging from the burner are varied. This lack of randomness in the flames detracts from the realism.

In order to minimise this problem, the simulated fuel block illustrated in Fig.

7 can be used with all of the above embodiments. The block 32'is the same shape, and is made of the same material, as the block 32'of the previous embodiments. However, in contrast to the block 32, in the block 32'the through passages 34'do not pass through the block directly upwardly (i. e from the front, middle and rear of the base wall 36 to the front, middle and rear of the upper surface respectively) but instead certain passages extend forwardly or rearwardly and/or sideways through the block. For example, passage 34a extends from the front of the base wall 36 to the

rear of the upper face and also extends from right to left (when viewed from the front), passage 34b extends from the rear of the base wall 36 to the front of the upper face 38 and extends from left to right, passage 34c extends from the middle of the base wall 36 to the front of the upper surface 38 and also extends from left to right, and so on.

The result of this is that flame variations produced at any particular location at the base wall 36 of the block are transmitted to different regions of the upper face 38 of the block which increases the random production of flames from the block and significantly improves the realism.

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

For example, although the simulated fuel bed of the above embodiments is in the form of a one-piece body, other types of simulated fuel beds can be used. For example, the simulated fuel bed may comprise a plurality of individual simulated fuel pieces which are stacked one on the other to form a simulated fuel bed. Moreover, although the invention has been described with respect to a gas fire, it is also applicable to other fuels, e. g. liquid fuels.

Claims

1. A heating appliance comprising a simulated fuel bed having a plurality of flame passages, a burner located below the simulated fuel bed for supplying flames to the flame passages and means for modifying the flames on or after production by the burner to vary the appearance of the flames emerging from the simulated fuel bed.

2. A heating appliance as claimed in claim 1, wherein the modifying means comprises means for moving the burner as the fuel is discharged.

3. A heating appliance as claimed in claim 2, wherein the burner is pivotally or rotatably mounted.

4. A heating appliance as claimed in claim 3, wherein the burner is reciprocable through a predetermined angle.

5. A heating appliance as claimed in any of claims 2 to 4, comprising a motor for moving the burner.

6. A heating appliance as claimed in claim 5, wherein the motor comprises a synchronous electric motor.

7. A heating appliance as claimed in any of claims 2 to 6, wherein the burner is elongate.

8. A heating appliance as claimed in claim 7, wherein the burner is pivotally or rotatably mounted about its longitudinal axis.

9. A heating appliance as claimed in any of the preceding claims, comprising means for disturbing the flames emerging from the burner and fed to the flame passages of the simulated fuel bed.

10. A heating appliance as claimed in claim 9, wherein the means for

disturbing the flames comprises fan means.

11. A heating appliance as claimed in claim 10, wherein the fan means is located below the burner.

12. A heating appliance as claimed in any of claims 9 to 11, wherein the fan means comprises a rotatable rod having a plurality of vanes and means for rotating the rod about its longitudinal axis.

13. A heating appliance as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the burner comprises a plurality of slits through which fuel is discharged.

14. A heating appliance as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the simulated fuel bed is of unitary construction and wherein the flame passages pass irregularly through the stimulated fuel bed.

15. A heating appliance as claimed in claim 14, comprising a plurality of flame passages each having an inlet on the undersurface of the fuel bed and an outlet on the upper surface of the fuel bed which is not located substantially immediately above the inlet.

16. A heating appliance as claimed in claim 15, comprising a flame passage whose outlet is laterally offset with respect to the inlet.

17. A heating appliance as claimed in claim 15 or claim 16, wherein the outlet is displaced forwardly or rearwardly with respect to the inlet.

18. A heating appliance substantially as herein described, with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.