US1947672A - Imitation fuel for electric fires and radiators - Google Patents

Description

IMITATION FUEL FOR ELECTRIC FIRES AND RADIATORS Filed Aug. 21, 1931 Patented Feb. 20, 1934 UNITED STATES IMITA'IION FUEL FOR ELECTRIC FIRES AND RADIATORS Herbert'Henr'y Berry, London, England Application August 21, 1931, Serial No. 558,025, and in Great Britain May 5, 1931 3 Claims. 7 (01. 2723) This invention is directed to an improvement in artificial fires, and is more directly concerned with the construction of the fuel element of such fires, with a View to simplifying thevconstruction,

. while at the same time permitting an unlimited range of variation in such fuel.

Fuel for artificial fires, whether in the form of logs, coal or other form, has heretofore'been made by casting or molding, resulting in a rigid structure and ordinarily requiring, in order to simulate a fire bed of logs or coal, thev molding of various shapes and sizes of logs and various shapes and sizes of coal or like artificial fuel elements in order that the fuel bed may present the desired appearance.

It is highly desirable and important that the logs creating an artificial fire bed should, in order to present a natural appearance, be. of varying diameters, irregular and different external forms, and capable of being grouped in regular or irregular order to thereby approach more nearly and exactly the true and correct appearance of a fuel bed made up of natural logs. This applies with equal force to artificial fuel beds of coal or like elements, for while the purpose is to create the illusion of fire, it will be appreciated that the ultimate effort is to create the impression on the eye of a real fire bed.

The present invention, therefore, is directed to a means for forming a log simulation, particularly for use in connection with artificial fires, which means readily lends itself to the creation of logs of different diameters and varying external forms, while at the same time their construction and arrangement materially facilitate the use of the artificial illumination necessary to create the fire impression. I

The invention, more specifically considered, consists in the utilization of a sheet of pliable metal of appropriate length and width exteriorly formed to simulate the rough exterior of a log, with this exterior formation varying at will, and the sheet finally rolled into log form presenting a hollow-like, comparatively pliant element which, by reason of its hollow formation, may be arranged to support illuminating means within the same and which, by reason of its light character, may be formed with slits or openings to permit the escape of the rays from the illuminating means in the fire simulation and which, by reason of its hollow formation and light character, may be readily arranged and secured in group form in regular or irregular disposition to present a unit fuel bed in which the respective elements differ one from the other as would ordinary logs for an ordinary, natural fire bed.

The comparatively thin, pliant character of the material utilized facilitates log simulation in a simple, economical manner, While at the same 60 time presenting all desirable and necessary characteristics of such a fuel element in connection with artificial fires.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein:- o5

' Figure 1 is a perspective view of an open hearth fireplace with fuel in accordance with the present invention supported by dogs;

Figure 2 is a plan view of a sheet of pliant material in accordance with the invention;

Figure 3 is a perspective view oi. an imitation log formed byrollingor bending the sheet shown in Fig. 2;

Figure 4 is a front view of the imitation log shown in Fig. 3 containing electric lamps;

Figure 5 is a perspective view of an imitation log of substantially smaller diameter than that of the log of Fig. 3, this small diameter log having been formed by well overlapping the edges of a piece of sheet material such as that shown in Fig. 2;

Figure 6 is a front view of an imitation log with end pieces of wood or like material, indicated by dotted lines, which end pieces improve the realistic appearance of the log; and

Figure '7 is a perspective view of three logs made from pliant sheet material according to the invention secured together so as to form a unit.

The invention is illustrated and will be more particularly described in connection with the formation of fuel elements of log-like form, though it is to be distinctly understood that the material with the essential characteristics noted may, if desired, be formed into the representation of coal, coke or other fuel simulation. 95

In the adaptation of the invention to the formation of logs for artificial fires, a sheet of thin pliable material, preferably metal, though obviously any appropriate material capable of being formed as herein defined, may be used with equal 100 facility, of appropriate length and width is first given a surface formation at 2 as by pressing, rolling or any well known process to render such surface or irregular form and configuration, simulating the normal irregularity of the exterior 105 surface of a log. This formation may be such as to simulate the bark of a tree and may, if desired, be appropriately colored, formed with knotty protuberances, and the sheet then rolled or coiled into external log form, as 3. In this no particular, the invention, owing to the character of the material employed, readily lends itself to shaping during this coiling or rolling so that logs of diiferent diameters and different shapes externally may be readily constructed from strips having the same stamping or rolling impressions,

with the result that in final form the appearances of the respective logs will be entirely different. The shape of the strip 1 is such as to present lugs 4 at the ends, and said lugs may be bent across at the open end of the log to provide a means through holes 5 for supporting holders 6' of ordinary incandescent lamps 7.

The strip 1 may be further formed or provided With lugs 8 which, following the rolling of the strip into log form, may be projected outwardly to serve as a means for supporting the log against rolling when arranged to provide a fire bed.

The invention also contemplates the closing of the end of the logs by insets 10 which may be fitted into the ends of the log-forming strip and which may be of any material marked and colored to simulate wood or may, as a matter of fact, be actual wood insets preferably cut across the grain of a real log to thereby materially enhance the realistic appearance of the product. The strip, either before or after rolling into log form, may be slitted or formed with irregular openings 12 to provide for passage of the light rays from the interior illuminating means to simulate flames and this effect may, if desired, be materially increased by forming that surface of the strip which is to provide the inner surface of the rolled log of a brightly reflecting nature, either colored or clear.

The logs so formed may be arranged in more or less realistic fuel bed arrangement and secured in this position by interwelding or by connecting bolts, as suggested in Figure 7, to thereby provide a unitary arrangement which may be readily and conveniently handled and placed in position. Furthermore, in the fuel bed arrangement indicated in Figure 1, the simulated logs may be secured together and also to the fire dogs 16 so that the entire structure may be readily handled, positioned and removed as a unit.

Instead of providing the lamp holders at the ends of the simulated logs, the strip 1 may be formed at appropriate points with openings, as indicated at 13 in Figure 2, which openings may be used additionally to the end lugs 4 or independently of such end lugs, and provide for arranging the illuminating means at any desired place or places within the simulated log.

The invention in its characteristic improvement provides an extremely economical and simple way of forming a representation of logs or other fuel to provide a fuel bed for an artificial fire. The strips 1 may be prepared on what will form the outer surface of the simulated log in any desired manner to render that simulation more complete. Such surface may be formed irregularly with depressions and protuberancesor any desired configuration found in natural log formation and colored in any desired manner to enhance the simulation. Then when the strip 1 is rolled or coiled into log form, the capability of the strip in this particular readily lends itself to a wide margin in log formation. For example, the strip may be rolled so that the proximate edges do not meet, leaving a space, indicated at 15 in Figure 7, through which the interior illumination may be directed in greater degree than through the slits or openings 12 and this increased illumination directed onto adjacent logs to in crease the fire appearance. The strip may, however, be rolled so that the proximate edges may be lapped to any degree to thereby form logs of any diameter and permitting several strips of the same length to be utilized in providing logs of different configurations and diameters to further increase the simulation desired. Furthermore, the pliability of the strip lends itself to deformation even after the strip is rolled into log form, as the character of the material readily permits the formation of indentations and irregularities in the surface to approximately any extent desired to more perfectly indicate the usual irregular formation of logs of certain woods.

The characteristic feature of the invention is the utilization of a strip of more or less pliant material preferably, though not necessarily of metal, which may be initially formed to provide for light openings and to provide for receiving and supporting sources of illumination and then this strip rolled or coiled into log form, withthe strip capable of presenting logs of different diametersh The exterior surface of the strip may, even after rolling into log form, be further deformed to enhance the simulation and completely vary the appearance of one log from the other. Thus the provision of a series of substantially identical strips manufactured and completed as such may be readily and conveniently formed into logs of different diameters and different exterior configurations, with this adaptability a direct result of the utilization of a strip of this character, and presenting the capability that a series of similar strips may without trouble, increased cost or labor be made up to represent several logs necessary to form the fire bed, with the external appearance of each log radically different from the external appearance of any other log. Obviously, in the hands of one skilled in arranging for or providing the details of such a fire bed, the logs may be arranged to give an unusually perfect simulation of a fire.

Openings may be readily formed in the strip even following the log formation where such openings are desirable to permit increased light escape, the proximate edges of the strip when in log forming relation may be left in spaced relation to provide an unusual amount of light emission, and various other detail changes quite obvious to one skilled in this particular art may be made in each one or several of the logs making up the fire bed to materially vary the light effect, to increase it at one point or reduce it at another point, with the effect to more perfectly simulate the fire appearance. Obviously, in this respect the invention presents radical and marked advantages over the conventional fuel for artificial fires. Where such fuel is made up by casting or molding, it is, when completed, fixed in its final form and so remains incapable of change. In the present arrangement, the fuel elements may be readily and conveniently changed at any time and practically by anyone, and while it is not contemplated that this will ordinarily be done, nevertheless it forms a characteristic feature of importance of the particular invention.

Of course, it is to be understood that where logs are more specifically referred to herein, it is understood that the invention is equally and obviously applicable to the formation of coals or other type fuel.

I claim:-

1. A blank for the construction of a simulated log for use in artificial fires, comprising a relativeiy thin section of metal of appropriate length and width having one surface formed to simulate the exterior surface of a. log, the blank being formed with projections to receive and support illuminating means, the blank being further formed with bendable portions to be projected exteriorly of the log-simulating surface to provide rests to prevent rolling of the log in use.

2. A simulated log for use in artificial fires, comprising a section of sheet metal having one surface formed to simulate a log, with the sheet rolled into log form, with the log simulating surface on the outside, members carried by the sheet to support illuminating means interiorly of the log, and end sections simulating a section of a log for closing the ends of the rolled sheet.

3. A simulated log for use in artificial fires, comprising a section of sheet metal having one surface formed to simulate a log, with the sheet rolled into log form, with the log simulating surface on the outside, members carried by the sheet to support illuminating means interiorly of the log, end sections simulating a section of a log for closing the ends of the rolled sheet, and projections outstanding from the log simulating surface to prevent rolling of the log in use.

HERBERT HENRY BERRY.

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