GB2411951A

GB2411951A - A removable fireplace trim assembly

Info

Publication number: GB2411951A
Application number: GB0405494A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham Male
Original assignee: JETMASTER FIRES Ltd
Current assignee: JETMASTER FIRES Ltd
Priority date: 2004-03-11
Filing date: 2004-03-11
Publication date: 2005-09-14
Also published as: GB0405494D0

Abstract

A fireplace installation comprises a fireplace chassis 101, a trim 100 and attachment means for removably securing the trim 100 to the fireplace chassis 101. The fireplace chassis 101 may comprise a convector box, a hot box or a tapered insert. The fireplace chassis 101 may comprise a frame. The attachment means may comprise an upper mounting means for securing an upper part of the trim 100 to the fireplace chassis 101, the upper mounting means comprising a pair of threaded holes for receiving bolts (102, figure 1). The upper mounting means may comprise a pair of side members in the form of brackets 303L, 303R, the side members 303L, 303R having rear flanges for engaging the fireplace chassis 101 behind the frame. The side members may feature extensions. The upper mounting means may comprise a panel 301 for holding the side members 303L, 303R in a spaced apart relationship. There may be provided a lower mounting means (500, figure 5a) comprising a pair of lower mounting plates (501, figure 5a) secured to a log bar 106. The trim may be provided with vents 103, an air inlet 110 and a louvre 204. The panel and the louvre may co-operate to provide a passage 104 for venting air.

Description

2411 951 - 1

A TRIM FOR A FIREPLACE AND ATTACHMENT NETEOD OF TEE TRIM

The present invention relates a "trim" and to a method for attaching the trim to a fire. In particular, but not exclusively, the invention relates to the attachment of a trim to a solid fuel or to a gas-fired convector box.

Fires are well known as a means of providing heating and aesthetic appeal to environments, particularly domestic environments such as a living room. Typically, a fire will be either a gas fire, a log fire, or a coal fire.

In the rest of this description, a complete fireplace will be referred to as a "fireplace installation", meaning the complete assembly for installing and operating a fire.

The fireplace installation may comprise a grate, if coal or logs are to be burnt, or may comprise gas nozzles if the fire is gas-fired.

The fireplace installation will typically comprise a "fireplace chassis". The fireplace chassis usually fits into a cavity in a wall. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, the fireplace chassis may be one of several types, either a convector box, a hot box or a tapered insert. A convector box has a double-walled construction and allows cold air to be drawn into the convector box, heated up by the fire via a heat exchanger, and vented out as warm air into a room. A hot box does not have a double walled construction but typically has a ceramic back which radiates heat from the fire into a room. A tapered insert usually consists of firebricks which define a taper, and a - 2 - frame, usually a cast iron frame, around the firebricks and beneath a mantelpiece. Tapered insert fireplaces are common in Britain in older, for example, Victorian era, houses.

The grate, or nozzles, are provided at the bottom of the fireplace chassis.

Sometimes, owners of a fireplace will want to replace their fireplace, because part(s) of their present fireplace have become damaged, or for aesthetic reasons. To replace the fireplace installation, the convector box, the hot box, or the tapered insert needs to be removed from a wall and replaced. This is expensive and inconveniences the owner of the fireplace.

The present invention allows a trim to be fitted to a fireplace chassis such as a convector box, a hot box or a tapered insert. The trim may be retro-fitted to existing fireplaces allowing the owner of a fireplace to change the appearance of their fireplace. Conventionally, an owner could secure a new trim to a wall, thus covering their fireplace. Such an arrangement can be difficult to fit properly to an existing fireplace and can also cause problems with incompatible thermal expansion between the different parts of the fireplace (i.e. between the fireplace chassis and the trim, due to the trim being attached not to the fireplace chassis but to brickwork of the wall).

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fireplace installation comprising a trim, a fireplace chassis and an adapter for attaching the trim to the fireplace chassis. 3 -

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a fireplace installation comprising a trim, a fireplace chassis and an adapter for attaching the trim to the fireplace chassis, wherein the adapter comprises a panel and wherein a cut-out or an aperture is defined in the panel for allowing air to be vented from the trim.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a trim and an adaptor for attaching the trim to a fireplace chassis.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of attaching a trim to a fireplace chassis, the method comprising the steps of fitting the adaptor to a fireplace chassis and fitting the trim to the adaptor.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Fig. 1 shows a trim attached to a fireplace chassis (here the fireplace chassis is a connector box), and shows planes 44', 55', 77' and 99'; Fig. 2 shows the convertor box of Figure 1 with the trim removed; Fig. 3 shows an upper mounting, for attaching the trim to the convector box, attached to the convector box shown at Fig. 1; Fig. 4 shows a cross-sectional view in the plane 44' through the trim and convector box of Figure 1; Fig. 5a shows a cross-sectional view in the plane 55' through the trim and convector box of Figure 1, illustrating - 4 - a lower mounting for attaching the trim to the convector box; Fig. 5b shows a lower mounting plate, forming part of the lower mounting of Fig. 5a; Fig. 6 shows two parts that form part of the upper mounting; Fig. 7 shows a cross-sectional view in the plane 77' through the trim and convector box, illustrating the upper mounting attaching the trim to the convector box; Fig. 8 shows an alternative embodiment for a part of the upper mounting; and Fig. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of a trim and the convector box, in a plane corresponding to the plane 99'.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Fig. 1 shows a trim 100 mounted to a fireplace chassis.

In this embodiment, the fireplace chassis comprises a convector box 101. The trim 100 is generally rectangular and in this embodiment has a width of 80cm and a height of 50cm. The trim 100 has a depth of 5cm. In this embodiment the trim 100 is formed from mild steel and has a painted, enamelled, surface finish, although any finish, such as a natural finish (e.g. raw metal), can be used.

At the top of the trim 100, two bolts 102 secure the trim 100 to the convector box 101. Also at the top of the trim 100, on the uppermost face, are a plurality of vent slits 103. When in use, the convector box 101 draws in cold air from the room through cold air inlets 110 (shown in - 5 - phantom lines). There are three cold air inlets 110 which allow cold air into the bottom of the trim 100. The three cold air inlets 110 extend across the bottom of the trim 100. In this embodiment, each cold air inlet 110 has a front to back depth of tom and a width of loom.

Cold air that has been drawn in to the convector box 101 then passes, as will be described in more detail later, around the rear of the convector box 101 and through a convector passage 104 before escaping into the room through the vent slits 103. Also shown, are two smoke outlets 105 which allows fumes and smoke from the fire to pass into a chimney.

The trim 100 has a log bar 106 which prevents logs from tumbling out of the fire and into the room. The trim 100 also has an aperture 120 which allows radiant heat from the fire to escape and thus heat the room.

Fig. 2 shows the convector box 101 with the trim 101 removed. The convector box 101 has a fire tray 200 for collecting ash that falls through the grate (not shown).

The front, from the point of view of a user, of the convector box 101 has a generally rectangular frame 201.

Towards the bottom of the frame 201 is a cold air inlet 202 which receives cold air, via the cold air inlets 110 of the trim 100, from the room. The top, bottom and back of the convector box 101 has a double- walled metal construction.

Thus cold air passes through the cold air inlet 202 and passes underneath the fire tray 200. The cold air then rises at the rear of the convector box 101 and is heated by 6 - the fire. Finally, the now warm air passes from the top rear of the convector box 101 to the top front and passes out through a warm air outlet 203. A fixed louvre 204 separates warm air leaving the warm air outlet 203 from the smoke and fumes of the fire.

Fig. 3 shows an upper mounting 300. The upper mounting 300 adapts the convector box 101 so that the bolts 102 may be used to secure the top of trim 100 to the convector box 101. A lower mounting for securing the bottom of the trim to the convector box 101 is shown at Fig. 5a.

As can be seen, the upper mounting 300 comprises a panel 301 and a pair of mirror-image side pieces 302L, 302R.

As is explained later in more detail, the side pieces 302 are bolted to the panel 301 and are thus captively attached to the convector box 101. A pair of mirror-image top bracket 303L, 303R are respectively fixed to the side pieces 302. As is described later in more detail, each top bracket 303 comprises a vertical portion which terminates in a horizontal portion; a threaded insert is provided in each horizontal portion for receiving one of the bolts 102.

To mount the trim 100 to the convector box 101, the trim 100 is positioned against the convector box 101 so that the weight of the trim 100 is borne by the horizontal portions of the top brackets 303. The bolts 102 are then inserted through the trim 100 and are tightened, thereby fixing the trim 100 to the convector box 101. 7 -

Fig. 4 shows a cross-sectional view in the plane 44' of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 shows that the trim 100 abuts the frame 201.

Fig. 4 also shows that the convector box 101 has an outer wall 400 and inner wall 401. A portion 401T of the inner wall 401 forms, as those skilled in the art will appreciate, part of a convector chamber of the convector box 101.

The convector passage 104 can be seen towards the top rear of the convector box 101 between the inner 401 and outer 400 walls. Arrow CA shows the path of cold air through the trim 100 and then into the bottom of the convector box 101. The cold air warms, especially in the region of the throat 401T, and passes as warm air WA through the convector passage 104 and out of the vent slits 103 at the top of the trim 100. The louvre 204 and the panel 301 guide the warm air WA out of the convector box and into the top of the trim 100.

As shown, a lower region 450 of the louvre 204 bends back as a flange. A lower edge of the panel 301 substantially meets the lower region 450 of the louvre 204 so that little or no warm air WA can pass between the panel 301 and the louvre 204; therefore substantially all of the warm air WA exits the vent slits 103.

Fig. 5a shows the way in which the trim 100 is secured to the frame 201 by a lower mounting 500. Fig. 5a is cross- sectional view downwards in the plane 55' of Fig. 1. As shown, extending side ways from the log bar 106 are a pair of mirror-image lower mounting plates 501. A respective lower mounting plate 501 extends outwards from each end of 8 the log bar 106. Each lower mounting plate 501 is secured to the log bar 106 by a pair of bolts 502. Each lower mounting plate 501 is also provided with another bolt 503 which bears against the frame 201 of the convector box 101.

Fig. 5a also shows that the log bar 106 protrudes, in this embodiment, a small distance into the interior of the convector box 101, i.e. it protrudes past the plane of the frame 201.

Figure 5b shows a lower mounting plate 501 in more detail. As shown, the lower mounting plate has an elongate aperture 510 through which two bolts 502 may pass, and a circular aperture 511 through which a bolt 503 may pass.

The lower mounting 500 is not used in this embodiment to support the weight of the trim 100 but ensures that the lower part of the trim 100 cannot be separated from the convector box 101 by pulling the bottom of the trim 100 away from the bottom of the convector box 101 and towards a user.

The lower mounting 500 provides the advantage that, should a log burning inside the convector box 101 roll forward against the log bar 106, the trim 100 will be maintained in its original position. The lower mounting 500 also allows the trim 100 to more readily withstand wear and tear, for example when a user of the fire uses a poker. Without the lower mounting 500, a user, possibly even a child, could pull on the bottom of the trim 100 and could develop sufficient torque to twist and damage the top brackets 303.

Fig. 6 shows the left hand side piece 302L and the left hand top bracket 303L. As was mentioned earlier, the two - 9 - side pieces 302L, 302R are mirror-image identical, as are the two top brackets 303L, 303R. The left hand side piece 302L will now be described in more detail; corresponding features are present on the right hand side piece 302R. The rear of the side piece 302L has a rear flange 600. When the side piece 302L is mounted to the frame 201, the rear flange 600 will be behind the frame 201 (i.e. the rear flange 600 is in the interior of the convector box 101). The remainder of the side piece 302L projects forwards. The side piece 302L also has a side plate 601 which is orthogonal to the rear flange 600. At the front of the side piece 302L there is a front flange 602 which is orthogonal to the side plate 601 but lies in a plane that is inclined to the plane of the rear flange 600.

As was shown in Fig. 4, the louvre 204 and the panel 301 are angled with respect to the frame 201 so that the louvre 204 and the panel 301 thereby define a passage through which warm air WA can pass. The angle of the front flange 602 relative to the frame 201 determines the angle of the panel 301. The front flange 602 has two threaded inserts 603. To secure the panel 301 to the side piece 302L, a pair of bolts are inserted through the panel 301 and screwed into the threaded inserts 603.

The top bracket 303L comprises a vertical portion 610, the top of which bends into a horizontal portion 611 that is substantially at the same height as the top of a horizontal portion 201H of the frame 201. The horizontal portion 611 is provided with a threaded insert 613 for receiving a respective one of the two bolts 102 that secure the trim 100 10 to the convector box 101. A bolt 612 passes through a vertical slot (not shown) in the vertical portion 610 and into a threaded insert (not visible) provided in the side plate 601, thus securing the top bracket 303L to the side plate 601. Each top bracket 303 has a respective vertical slot; the vertical slots allow the height of the horizontal portions 611 to be adjusted to account for manufacturing tolerances and thus to ensure that the trim 100 is level when mounted to the convector box 101.

The side pieces 302 are constrained from moving vertically relative to the frame 201. The horizontal portion 201H prevents the side pieces 302 from moving vertically upwards (upwards motion is not possible once the top of the side plate 601 of a side piece 302 comes into contact with the bottom of the horizontal portion 201H of the frame 201). Conversely, the louvre 204 prevents the side pieces 302 from moving vertically downwards. When the side pieces 302 are mounted to the frame 201, the bottoms of the rear flanges 600 abut the louvre 204. Use of the louvre 204 to support the weight of the upper mounting 300 and the weight of the trim 100 provides the advantage that no mounting holes need to be drilled into the convector box 101. Thus the trim 100 can be supplied in kit form to house-holders who may install the trim 100 themselves without needing specialist training. The avoidance of mounting holes also ensures that if the trim 100 is removed from the convector box 101, the original appearance of the convector box 101 is restored. 11

Fig. 7 shows a cross-sectional view, looking downwards, in the plane 77' of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 shows that the sides of the trim 100 have side flanges 700 that abut against the frame 201. Fig. 7 also shows that the flanges 600 of the side pieces 302 are behind the frame 201 whereas the remainder of the side pieces 302 projects outwardly from the frame 201.

The trim 100 is mounted to the frame 201 and abuts the frame 201. The convector box 101 is mounted to a cavity (not shown) of a wall (not shown) made from ordinary, non fire bricks (not shown). The fact that the trim 100 is mounted to the frame 201, and is not mounted to the bricks, provides an advantage. For example, if instead the trim 100 were to be fixed to the bricks, or to abut the bricks, then, when the fireplace 1 is being used, there would be a risk that the trim 100, once warmed up by the fire, would expand relative to bricks and would move and/or scrape against the bricks. Mounting the trim 100 to the frame 201 substantially reduces this, providing the advantage of long-term stability.

As has been shown by Figs. 1 to 7, the upper mounting 300 in conjunction with the lower mounting 500 allows a trim 100 to be readily attached a convector box 101. In this embodiment, the trim 100 allows air to circulate through the convector box 101 and also provides a log bar 106 to retain logs, or artificial fuel in the case of a gas fire, that could otherwise tumble out of the fire and on to the floor.

The trim 100 allows a user to change the appearance of the convector box 101.

Another benefit of the embodiment described is that, if the user or if a new user (for example the new owner of a house incorporating the embodiment) wishes to revert back to the previous appearance of the convector box 101, it is easy to remove the trim 100 and the upper and lower mountings 300, 500 from the convector box 101, thereby restoring the original appearance of the convector box 101.

ALTERNATIVE 1?MRODIMENTS The trim 100 was described above attached to a convector box 101. In alternative embodiments, the trim 100 may be attached to a hot box. As those skilled in the art will appreciate, a hot box does not heat room air by convection. A hot box is typically provided with a ceramic or fibrous mineral wall padding at the rear (i.e. at the position corresponding to the throat 401T shown in Fig. 4).

When the hot box is in use, heat from a fire in the hot box heats up the ceramic and/or mineral wall so that the ceramic and/or mineral walls glows thereby radiating infrared heat out of the hot box and into a room. When the trim 100 is to be used in conjunction with a hot box the vent slits 103 and the cold air inlets 110 are not required and can be dispensed with.

Fig. 9 shows a cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment 901 of the trim 101, in a plane corresponding to the plane 99' shown at Fig. 1. Note that for clarity the upper mounting 300 and the louvre 204 are not shown. Fig. 9 also shows the convector box 101 and bricks 910 of the wall - 13 into which the convector box 101 is mounted. As shown, flanges 902 of the trim 901 abut the bricks 910 of the wall on either side of the frame 201. The flanges 901 do not abut the frame 201 of the convector box 101. The upper mounting 300 and the lower mounting 500 (not shown) secure the trim 901 to the convector box 101. Thus although the flanges 902 are in contact with the bricks 910, the flanges 902 float relative to the bricks 910. This provides the advantage that the trim 901 can move relative to the bricks, for example if the trim 901 expands due to thermal expansion. If the trim 901 were instead to be fixed directly to the bricks 910 then there would be risk of cracking of the bricks 910 (or, if the bricks 910 have been rendered with a plaster top-coat, cracking of the plaster layer).

A hot box will typically not have a louvre 204. Thus a modified side plate 800 shown at Fig. 8 may be used instead.

The modified side plate 800 is similar to the side piece 302L except that the rear flange 600 of the modified side plate 800 is provided with a pair of extensions 801 which jut out from the rear flange 600. To mount the modified side plate 800 to a hotbox, a pair of holes must be drilled in the hotbox for each modified side plate 800. Returning momentarily to Fig. 7, the convertor box 101 was described as having two side panels 750. A hotbox will typically also have side panels. A pair of holes (not shown) are drilled into each side panel of the hot box so that the extensions 801 of the modified side plate 800 may engage the holes. - 14

Of course, the modified side piece 800 may also be fitted to hotboxes or other fireplace chassis, such as tapered inserts, which already have suitable holes for receiving the extensions 801. In some circumstances, if the fireplace chassis does not already have suitable holes then it will be necessary to drill suitable holes for receiving the extensions 801.

In embodiments where the trim is to be used with a gas fire, the log bar 106 is not necessarily required. In such situations, modified lower mounting plates (not shown) that perform the same function as the lower mounting plates 501 may be secured to sides lOOS (shown at Fig.1) of the trim 100.

In the embodiment described at Figs. 1 to 7, the upper mounting 300 comprised a pair of side pieces 302, a pair of top brackets 303 and panel 301. In an alternative embodiment the side pieces 302 and top brackets 303 may be combined into a single fabrication. In such an alternative embodiment, there would be a single panel 301 and a pair of modified side pieces (not shown).

As those skilled in the art will appreciate, further modifications may be made to the upper mounting 300 and/or to the lower mounting 500 to enable the trim 100 to be fitted to other types of connector boxes, hot boxes and tapered inserts.

The log bar 106 of the trim 100 is preferably formed from hollow steel tube. A hollow tube allows air currents to circulate through the log bar 106 thus ensuring that temperatures within the log bar 106 do not become excessive.

However, in alternative embodiments, a solid metal log bar 106 may be used instead of a tubular log bar.

Although the use of a lower mounting 500 is preferred, in some embodiments, the lower mounting 500 may be dispensed with.

In the embodiment illustrated by Figures 1-7, the side pieces 302 were held in place by a panel 301. In an alternative embodiment (not shown) the side pieces are provided with set screws for securing the side pieces to the frame 201. When the side pieces have been engaged with the frame 201, the set screws (not shown) are used to retain the side pieces 302 in the correct position relative to the frame 301. The set screws thus fix the side pieces horizontally relative to the frame 201. The use of set screws also allows the side pieces to be fixed vertically relative to the frame 201; this is useful when the trim 100 is to be fitted to a fireplace chassis that does not have a louvre 204 or a frame not having a horizontal portion 201H.

The trim 100 illustrated at Fig. 1 had three cold air inlets 110. In an alternative embodiment, a single elongate cold air inlet (not shown) is provided instead of the three cold air inlets 110. The elongate vent is provided at the same region of the trim 100 as the cold air inlets 110. The elongate vent has two long sides and two short ends. One side of the elongate vent is defined by a return flange 451 formed at the bottom of the trim 100. The other side of the 16 elongate vent is defined by the frame 201 of the convector box 101 (note that the region of the trim denoted by the reference numeral 452 is not present in this alternative embodiment). The distance between the ends of the elongate vent is substantially the entire width of the trim 100. The distance between the sides of the elongate vent is the front-back thickness (5cm) of the trim 100 minus the width of the return flange 451 (lcm), giving an overall size of the elongate vent of 80cm x 4cm. The return flange strengthens the bottom of the trim 100 and reduces buckling.

In some situations this alternative embodiment of the trim may be preferred due to lower manufacturing costs.

In an embodiment described above, the louvre 204 and the panel 301 substantially met each other along a common edge. In an alternative embodiment, the panel 301 may be spaced apart from the louvre 204, for example by lcm.

In an embodiment described above, the panel 301 was not perforated except for mounting holes at each end. In an alternative embodiment (not shown), the panel 301 may be perforated across its width to allow ventilation of the region 470 shown at Fig. 4. The perforations (not shown) may be slots or circular aperture. Alternatively, cut-outs may be provided around the edges of the panel 301 to allow air to flow, through the cut-outs, between the panel 301 and the trim 100. Ventilation of the region 470 provides the advantage that the trim 100 can be cooled. In a further embodiment, vent slots (not shown) are be provided across the width of the trim 100 at a region 480 shown at Fig. 4.

Such vent slots allow relatively cool air from the room to - 17 be drawn into and through the region 470 of the trim 100, thus further cooling the region 470 of the trim 100.

Preferably, the perforations are sized and positioned so that warm air WA tends to flow upwards out of the vent slits 103 rather than flowing downwards and out through the vent slots (not shown).

The cross-sectional view of Fig. 4 shows the lower region 450 of the louvre 204 bending back to form a flange.

The bent portion is shown flush with the plane of the front of the frame 201. In an alternative embodiment, the bent portion is flush with the plane of the rear of the frame 201. - 18

Claims

1. A fireplace installation comprising: a fireplace chassis; a trim; and attachment means removably securable to the fireplace chassis, for removably securing the trim to the fireplace chassis.

2. A fireplace installation according to claim 1, wherein the fireplace chassis comprises a convector box, a hot box or a tapered insert.

3. A fireplace installation according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fireplace chassis comprises a frame.

4. A fireplace installation according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the attachment means comprises an upper mounting means for securing an upper part of the trim to the fireplace chassis, wherein the upper mounting means is located towards the top of the fireplace chassis, and wherein the upper mounting means is secured to the fireplace chassis.

5. A fireplace installation according to claim 4, wherein the upper mounting means comprise a pair of threaded holes, wherein the trim is provided with a pair of apertures, and - 19 comprising a pair of bolts extending through the trim and into the threaded holes, thereby securing the trim to the upper mounting means.

6. A fireplace installation according to claim 5, wherein the upper mounting means comprises a pair of top brackets, wherein each top bracket comprises a respective one of the two threaded holes.

7. A fireplace installation according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the upper mounting means comprises two side members, wherein the side members are spaced apart so that a side member is located on each side of the fireplace chassis.

8. A fireplace installation according to claim 7, wherein the side members are mirror-image identical.

9. A fireplace installation according to claim 7 or 8, when dependent on claim 3, wherein the side members comprise rear flanges which engage the fireplace chassis behind the frame.

10. A fireplace installation according to any one of claims 7 to 9, wherein the side members comprise extensions in engagement with the fireplace chassis, and wherein the fireplace chassis comprises holes receiving the extensions.

11. A fireplace installation according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the upper mounting means comprises a panel - 20

12. A fireplace installation according to claim 11, wherein the panel holds the side members in a spaced apart relationship.

13. A fireplace installation according to any one of claims 7 to 12, wherein the side members comprise set screws for securing the side members to the fireplace chassis.

14. A fireplace installation according to any one of claims 7 to 13 when dependent on claim 6, comprising two integrated members, wherein each integrated member comprises a side member and a top bracket provided integrally with the side member.

15. A fireplace installation according to any preceding claim, wherein the attachment means comprises a lower mounting means securing a lower part of the trim to a lower part of the fireplace chassis, wherein the lower mounting means is located towards the bottom of the trim.

16. A fireplace installation according to claim 15 when dependent on claim 3, wherein the lower mounting means comprises a pair of lower mounting plates, wherein each lower mounting plate is located on a respective side of the fireplace chassis, and wherein a portion of each lower mounting plate extends behind the frame so that the frame is held captive between the lower mounting plates and the trim.

17. A fireplace installation according to claim 16, wherein each mounting plate has defined therein a slot and an aperture, wherein two bolts extending through the slot secure each mounting plate to the trim, and wherein a bolt extending through the aperture bears against the frame.

18. A fireplace installation according to any preceding claim, wherein the trim comprises a log bar.

19. A fireplace installation according to claim 18 when dependent on claim 16 or 17, wherein the lower mounting means is secured to the log bar.

20. A fireplace installation according to any preceding claim, wherein the trim has defined therein upper vents located towards the top of the trim.

21. A fireplace installation according to any preceding claim, wherein the trim has defined therein an air inlet located towards the bottom of the trim.

22. A fireplace installation according to any preceding claim, wherein the fireplace chassis comprises a louvre.

23. A fireplace installation according to claim 22 when dependent on claim 11, wherein the panel and louvre cooperate to form a passage for ducting air.

24. A fireplace installation according to any preceding claim, wherein the trim is a first trim, wherein the - 22 fireplace chassis comprises a second trim, wherein the second trim is permanently attached to the fireplace chassis, and wherein the first trim covers the second trim.

25. A fireplace installation according to claim 11 or according to any one of claims 12 to 24 when dependent on claim 11, wherein a cut-out or an aperture is defined in the panel for allowing air to be vented from the trim.

26. A fireplace installation according to claim 25, wherein an air inlet is provided towards the top of the trim for allowing air to be drawn into the trim and then vented through the cut-out or aperture.

27. A kit of parts for securing a trim to a fireplace chassis, the kit of parts comprising: a trim; and attachment means for securing the trim to a fireplace chassis.

28. A kit of parts according to claim 27, wherein the attachment means comprises upper mounting means, and wherein the upper mounting means comprises the features recited by any one of claims 4 to 14.

29. A kit of parts according to claim 27 or 28, wherein the attachment means comprises lower mounting means, and wherein the lower mounting means comprises the features recited by any one of claims 15 to 17. - 23

30. A kit of parts according to any one of claims 27 to 29, wherein the trim comprises the features recited by any one of claims 18 to 21 or 26.

31. A method of mounting a trim to a fireplace chassis using attachment means, the method comprising the steps of: attaching the attachment means to the fireplace chassis; offering up the trim to the fireplace chassis; and using the attachment means to secure the trim to the fireplace chassis.

32. A method according to claim 31, wherein the attachment means comprises upper mounting means, the method further comprising the steps of: attaching the upper mounting means to the fireplace chassis; and securing the trim to the upper mounting means.

33. A method according to claim 31 or 32, wherein the attachment means comprises lower mounting means, the method further comprising the step of: when the trim has been offered up to the fireplace chassis, using the lower mounting means to secure the trim to the fireplace chassis.

34. A fireplace installation, a kit of parts or a method as hereinbefore described and/or as shown by the Figures.