IE51902B1 - Heating unit - Google Patents

Description

Modern houses are often of a design whereby no provision is made for a chimney or flue from the living accommodation. This is because of the prevalence of central heating which provides heat from a central boiler feeding heated water through enclosed radiators fixed to the walls of the rooms. The boiler may he fed with any fuel, but generally oil, gas or solid fuel such as coal are used.

While this type of system is clean and efficient there are several drawbacks compared with older-style arrangements such as a coal fire set in a fireplace which vented through a chimney. Notably, modern central heating systems employ wall-mounted radiators which are unattractive and, in some ways, less than fully effective; for example, their wall mounting means that a considerable amount of the heat issuing from them is absorbed by the wall and does not directly heat the room in which it is located Further, for maximum effect against draughts entering the room through the windows, and against the cold surface presented to the room by the windows, the radiators should be located beneath the windows; this, however, has the disadvantage that curtains have to be short enough to allow the radiators to extend below them, otherwise the radiator’s heat passes upwards behind the .1902 curtain with consequent reduction in heating effect in the room. Full-length curtains cannot therefore be used without loss of effectiveness of the radiators.

Another disadvantage is that central heating radiators do not provide an attractive focal point for the room in the manner of a coal fire.

According to the present invention there is provided a heating unit having a floor-mounted housing having an outwardly-facing decorative portion simulating a burning solid-fuel fire, an inlet for passage of air into the housing, an outlet for passage of air from the housing disposed below the level of the decorative portion, a fan for causing a flow of air from the inlet to the outlet, and a heat exchanger within the housing between the inlet and the outlet for heating the air, the heat exchanger being fed by heated medium from a central heating boiler.

Preferably the heated medium is hot water which is fed to and from the heat exchanger through pipework. A conventional central heating boiler may be employed, and the heated medium may be fed to the heat exchanger by a standard central heating pump. Thus the heating unit of this invention may be fitted as part of a conventional central heating system.

The housing inlet is preferably provided on an underside of the housing so as to draw air from the coldest part of the room, namely the floor. The outlet is preferably at the front of the housing so that heated air is blown by the fan outwardly to simulate radiated heat.

The decorative portion of the housing may for example 51802 simulate a coal fire. This portion may be provided on the housing but external of it, or may form part of the housing wall. The decorative portion may be translucent and conceal a light source which may be interrupted to simulate $ the effect of coal burning. 51908 The flow of heated medium through the heat exchanger may be regulated, for example by a valve, and the speed of the fan may be controlled by a switch and/or a variable resistor or rheostat. A thermostat may be provided to control the heet output of the unit.

An embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings,in which :Fig. 1 is a plan view of a heating unit of the invention; Fig. 2 is a front view of the unit of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a side view of the unit of Fig, 1.

Referring to the drawings, a heating unit 1 comprises a freestanding housing 10 having an upper portion 1QA decorated as a coal-effect facade having a pair of electric lamps (not shown) below it. A set of vanes are rotatably mounted above the lamps so that the heat of the lamps causes them to rotate, producing a flickering effect on the decorative portion 10A. The housing 10 encloses a pair of air circulation fans 11 mounted on spindles driven by a central electric motor 12. The fans 11 draw air into the housing 10 through a pair of vaned apertures 14 through the bottom wall of the housing and force the air across a heat exchanger in the form of a water-to-air heating coil 13, and thence out through a slatted opening 15 in the front of the housing.

The heating coil 13 is supplied with hot water through pipee 16 which extend through the side wall of the housing 10 snd connect with the central heating system of the house. In this example the central heating system is gas-fired.

The outcut of the heating unit 1 is controlled by means of an on/off switch 17 operating through appropriate thermostats^by means of rheostat control of the fans 11, and by means of a warm air register and an air thermostat 18. The flow of hot water through the coil 13 can be shut off to allow the fans 11 to circulate cool air in warm weather.

The unit of this embodiment of the invention can be fitted at any location in the house, for example on an existing or false fireplace. No chimney or flue is required as with a gas fire, and the unit can give an output of 3 kilowatts more cheaply than an electric fire. The unit may be located close to a wall or window while still allowing full-length curtains to be drawn behind it, or in the central portion of a room as desired.

An important advantage of the present unit as compared to a gas or electric fire is that it operates by hot water and does not therefore present a fire hazard in the room.

The unit thus provides an attractive focal point for the room and does away with the disadvantages of conventional central heating systems, while retaining considerable advantages over gas and electric fires.

Modifications and improvements may be corporated without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (9)

1. A heating unit having a floor-mounted housing having an outwardly-facing decorative portion simulating a burning solid-fuel fire, an inlet for passage of air into the housing, an outlet for passage of air from the housing disposed below the level of the decorative portion, a fan for causing a flow of air from the inlet to the outlet, and a heat exchanger within the housing between the inlet and the outlet for heating the air, the heat exchanger being fed by heated medium from a central heating boiler.

2. A unit according to Claim 1, wherein the heat exchanger is in the form of a coil.

3. A unit according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein the heated medium is hot water.

4. A unit according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the speed of the fan is controllable by electrical means.

5. A unit according to Claim 4, wherein the electrical means includes a rheostat.

6. A unit according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the output of the unit is controlled by a thermostat.

7. A unit according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the decorative portion forms an upper surface of the housing.

8. A unit according to any one of the preceding Claims, wherein the housing has floor-engaging legs and the inlet is disposed on the underside of the housing.

9. A heating unit substantially as hereinbefore described 5 with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.