US2970590A

US2970590A - Indoor fire-places

Info

Publication number: US2970590A
Application number: US647562A
Authority: US
Inventors: Fauser Hans
Original assignee: Superpart S A
Current assignee: Superpart S A
Priority date: 1956-03-23
Filing date: 1957-03-21
Publication date: 1961-02-07
Anticipated expiration: 1978-02-07

Description

Feb. 7, 1961 H. FAUsER INDooRFIRE-PLACES 4 Sheets-Sheet l Filed March 21, 1957 Feb. 7, 1961 H. FAusER INDOOR FIRE-PLACES 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 21, 1957 Feb. 7, 1961 H. FAUsER INDooRFIRE-PLAGES 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed March 21, 1957 Feb. 7, 1961 H. FAusER INDOOR FIRE-PLACES 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 SWW@ HMM, fu-rn l.

Filed March 2l, 1957 United States Patent' 0" INDOOR FIRE-PLACES Hans Fanser, Flamatt, Switzerland, assignor to Superpart S.A., Romoiit, Switzerland Fried Mar. 21, 1951, ser. No. 647,562 ciaims'-priority, application switzerland Mar. 2s, 1956 2 claims. (ci. 126-121) The present invention relates to indoor fire-places for heating rooms.

In indoor fire-places according to the prior art the combustion gases owing out through the chimney take at the same time a very large amount of air out of the room in which the fire-place is located.

If the room is comparatively well sealed, more air will ow out of the room than can flow back into the same so that within a relatively short time a slight under-pressure is created within the room and the combustion gases will not flow out any more in adequate quantities through the chimney and part of these combustion gases and smoke will back up into the room.

If, on the other hand, the room in which the fire-place is located is well ventilated so that fresh air can enter into the room in suicient amounts, unpleasant drafts are created and the heat efficiency of the tire-place is greatly reduced, since the combustion gases and the heated air escaping through the chimney suck large amounts of cold air into the. room continuously.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome these drawbacks of indoor tire-places according to the prior art.

It is a further object of the present invention to increase the heat efciency of the fire-place.

Itis an additional object of the present invention to build a fire-place from pre-fabricated, simple and rugged parts so that the tire-place can be easily assembled.

With l,these objects in` view, the tire-place of the present invention is provided with a combustion chamber, air guide means adjacent the combustion chamber and being formed With an air inlet opening and an air outlet opening, the air outlet opening communicating with a room in which the indoor fire-place is located, and a heat transmitting liner forming part of the air guide means and separating the air guide meansfrom the combustion chamber, permitting heating of air within the air guide meansby heat created in the combustion chamber.

The fire-place of the present invention is also provided with air guide means for supplying fresh air to the combustion chamber and these air guide means are formed with an air inlet opening which may communicate with a source of air located outside the room in which the fireplace is mounted and with an air outlet opening which communicates with the combustion chamber ofthe fireplace so that fresh air from outside the room may be furnished to the combustion chamber for maintaining combustion of fuel therein. The air guide means adjacent the combustion chamber and separatedl therefrom by the above-mentioned 'heat transmitting liner extends preferably in vertical direction and this second air guide means is separated from the rst air guide means supplying air to the combustion chamber by a partition, while the upper end of the second air guide means is in communication with the first air guide means. The second air guide means is formed at the bottom thereof with an opening communicating with the room in which the tire-place is located.

2970,59@ Patented Feb. 7, 1961 The fire-place of the present invention is preferably constructed of pre-fabricated, self-supporting elements which are also adapted to carry the hood structure of the tire-place.

Means are located in the air guide means to regulate the flow of air therethrough.

The walls of the second air guide means are preferably provided at the highest point thereof with wall portions of reduced thickness, which may be removed to form in said second air guide means air outlet openings at the highest point thereof and these wall portions are removed whenever it is undesired or not possible to connect the air inlet opening of the lirst air guide means to a source of air outside the room in which the fire-place is located.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of spe cie embodiments when read in connection with the accompaiiying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the lire-place of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the fire-place of the present invention, the section being taken along the line llil of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the lire-place shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the fireplace, the section being taken along the line IV--lV of Fig. l;

Fig. 5 is a sectional plan view, the section being taken along the line V-V of Fig. l;

Fig. 6 is a perspective rear view of the fire-place; Fig. 7 is a partial exploded and partial sectional perspective view ofthe fire-piace as shown in Fig. l;

Fig. 8 is a schematic partial sectional view of another modication of a tire-place of the present invention; and

Fig. 9 is a sectional plan view of the modification shown in Fig. 8, the section being taken along the line lX-iX ot Fig. 8.

Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to Figs. l7 of the same, it will be seen that the tire-place of the present invention comprises a bed plate l, a hearth plate 2 located over the bed plate 1 and extending in abutting relationship over the top surface thereof, a pair of side plates or

side members

3 and 4 projecting in vertical direction respectively from opposite sides of the hearth plate 2, a cover plate 5 extending substantially parallel to the bed plate 1 between the upper free ends of the

side plates

3 and 4, and a hood structure composed of the

superimposed elements

6 and 7 mounted on the cover plate 5. The bed plate 1, the hearth plate 2, the

side plates

3 and 4 and the cover plate 5 are formed from prefabricated, self-supporting structural elements of tireproof material which carryV the

hood elements

6 and 7 without additional bracing. The cover plate 5 is formed with an opening S' thereto which communicatesV with the interior of the hood structure. A heat transmitting liner 12 preferably formed from sheet metal covers part of the inner side faces of the

side plates

3 and 4 and extends transversely thereto and spaced from the front and the rear face of the

side plates

3 and 4 between the same and between the inner faces of the hearth'plate 2 and the cover plate 5. The upper edge of the liner 12 ends ilush with the rear and side faces of the opening 5 formed in the cover plate 5.v The liner 12 therefore divides the space between the hearth plate 2 and the cover plate 5 into a combustion chamber C open to the front of theY tire-place and a rear chamber. A partition formed from tire-

proof elements

10 and 11 is located yin this rear charnber. This partition extends transversely between the side The invention itself, however, both as

plates

3 and 4 in vertical direction between the hearth plate 2 and the cover plate 5 and divides the rear chamber into a first channel or first air guide means 21 and a second channel or second air guide means 22 located between the

partition

10, 11 and the liner 12. The cover plate is also formed with a U-shaped groove or passage 5 extending upwardly from the bottom face thereof, as best seen in Figs. 2 and 4, which groove establishes communication between the upper ends of the first air guide means 21 and the second air guide means 22.

The bed plate 1 is formed with rearwardiy exten-:ling passage ways 1 which are open to the rear of the bed plate so as to communicate with the first air guide means 21 and which are closed at the front of the bed plate. The form of these passages 1' is best shown in Fig. 7. The hearth plate 2 is formed with passages 2 which communicate at one end with front portions of the passages 1' formed in the bed plate 1 and at the other end with the combustion chamber C so that a continuous passage is formed leading from the bottom end of the first air guide means 21 to the bottom face of the combustion chamber C. An opening in form of an inverted truncated pyramid 2" is provided in the hearth plate 2 which is aligned with an opening 1" provided in the bed plate 1.

Openings

2 and 1 formrthe ash pit of the fire-place and the opening 1 is closed by a removable cover plate 13. Andirons 8 and 9 are placed spaced from each other on the top face of the hearth plate 2. The

andirons

8 and 9 are preferably plate-shaped and are located over the passages 2' in the bed plate 2 to prevent ashes from falling in these air passages.` Grooves 23 are formed at the upper edge portions of the side walls of the ash pit so that air may passfrom the passages 2' beneath the andirons `8 and 9 into the combustion chamber C. Passages 1', 2' and grooves 23 fornrair outlet openings connecting tliers't air guide means 2,1 with the combustion chamber C.

The first air guide means 21 is completely open towards the rear and the bottom thereof as best shown in Figs. 4 and 6. The fire-place of the present invention is preferably placed with its rear face against an outside wall 24, schematically indicated in Fig. 4, which outside wall is provided with an opening 25 therethrough so that the first air guide means 21 are put into communication with a source of fresh air outside the room in which the fire-place is located. Since the airchannel 21 is completely 'open to the rear and to the bottom thereof, the location of the opening 25 is immaterial and this air inlet opening may be located anywhere rearwardly of the channel 25 or even entend downwardly from the bottom thereof as indicated by the arrows shown in Fig. 6.

The second air guide means 22 communicates at the top thereof through'the passage 5 with the first air guide ineans 21 and at`the bottom the air guide means 22 communicates with the atmosphere surrounding the fire-place through passages or cutouts S'and 4 respectively formed in the

side plates

3 and 4 and passages or

openings

17 and 18 formed in the hearth plate 2. as best shown in Figs. 2 and 5. The second air guide means 22 communicate, therefore. through openings 17, 1S with the room in which the fire-place is located. To regulate the ow of air through the first passage means 21 and the second passage means 22.

valve plates

14 and 15 are provided as best shown in Fig. 4. An additional valve plate 16 is provided at the opening 5 in the cover plate S to regulate the draft of the chimney and this valve plate mav be used for cornpletely 'closing the opening 5' when the fire-place is not in use.

The outer side walls ofthe top plate 5 defining the passageor groove 5" therein are provided respectively with wall portions 20 of reduced wall thickness, which wall portions may be easily knocked out of the cover plate 5 so as to provide additional openings communicating with'the upper ends of the second passage means 22.

A slight modification ofthe fire-platte aS described 4 above is shown in the Figs. 8 and A9. The main df ference between the construction as illustrated in Figs; 1-7 and the modified construction as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 resides in the specific construction of the hood located over the combustion chamber C. The hood con structions as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 is double-walled and comprises the

outer walls

50, 60 and 70 and the

inner walls

61, 62, 63, 64, 66 and 67 as clearly shown in Figs. 8 and 9. An opening 71 is provided at the upper end of the rear face of this hood construction so that the first air guide means 21 may communicate with the upper part of the space between the inner and outer walls of the hood construction. A plate 65 extends transversely into the space formed between the top and the bottom of the hood construction and the space between the inner and outer Walls of the hood construction communicate with the top end of the second air guide means 22 as shown in Fig. 8. Part of the air entering the fireplace through the first air guide means 21 may therefore flow in a zigzag path as indicated in dash-dot lines in Fig. 8 through the space between the inner and outer wails of the hood construction into the second air guide means 22 and from there through the

openings

17 and 18 formed in the hearth plate 2 into the room.

The construction as illustrated in Figs. 1-7 will operate as follows: When fuel, for instance wooden logs, are burned in the combustion chamber C, fresh air from outside the room is sucked through the opening 25 provided in the outer wall 24, through the first air guide means 21, the passages 1', 2 and grooves 23 into the combustion chamber C as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 7 and the combustion gases will leave thecombustionfcham'aer C through the opening 5' provided in the cover plate 5 and the interior of the

hood

6, 7 into the chimney. This creates a slight draft in theA roomsucking also a certain amount of air from theroorn outiinto the chimney and creating a slight-under-pressure inthe room. Due to this under-pressure in the room, part of the fresh air entering into the first guide means 21 vwill be sucked through the passage 5" into the second air` guide means 22 separated from the combustion chamber C by the heat transmitting liner 12. This air passing through the second air guide means 22 will be heated through contact with the heated liner 12 and the thus heated air will be sucked due to the under-pressure in the rooml and 18 formed in the hearth plate 2 into the room as,

indicated in dash-dot lines in Fig. 7. Heated fresh air is therefore transmitted directly into the room and this air will not escape into the chimney. The heat efficiency of the fire-place is thereby greatly increased. The amount of air passing through the first air guide meansf21 and through the second air guide means 22 may be regulated by adjusting the position of the

valve plates

14 and 15. The draft of the fire-place may be regulated by adjusting the valve plate 16.

There vmay be circumstances Where, for structural reasons, it is not practical to provide a fresh lair intake opening 25 in an outside wall of the building to connect the first air guide means 21 with a sourceof'fresh air outside the room in which vthe fire-place is located, or where the room is already so Well ventilated that it is unnecessary to'have a special fresh air intake opening. In such a case the weakened wall portions 20 provided in the side walls of the cover plate 5 adjacent the 'groove 5 formed therein are knocked out and in this way openings are formed at the location .20 providing direct oommunication at the upper ends of the second air guide means 22-with the atmosphere surrounding the firefplace. The openings thus formed at the location 20 will allow the air in the second air guide means 22 to owout of the top while air will enter the second air guide means through the connecting

passages

17, 3 and 1S, .4K- at acreage the bottom thereof and be heated in the second air passage means through contact with the heat transmitting liner 12. Of course, air intake means have also to be provided in this case which establish communication between the first air guide means 2l and the atmosphere surrounding the fire-place so that air may be sucked into the combustion chamber C from the room in which the hre-place is located. This air intake opening for the first air guide means may be provided in any desired manner, foi instance, by providing appropriate cutouts into the rear wall against which the tire-place is positioned.

The heat efficiency of the fire-place of the present invention is further increased by the hood construction as shown in Figs. 8 and 9 in which the fresh air sucked into the room is not only heated through contact with the heat transmitting liner 12 but also through contact With the inner walls of the hood construction which in turn are heated by the combustion gases passing through the hood into the chimney.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also nd a useful application in other types of indoor fire-places differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an indoor fire-place, it is no-t intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential chat'- acteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. An indoor tire-place comprising, in combination, a bed plate; a hearth plate located over said bed plate and extending in abutting relationship over the top surface thereof; a pair of side plates projecting in vertical direction respectively from opposite sides of said hearth plate; a cover plate extending substantially parallel to said bed plate between the upper free ends of said side plates; a hood structure mounted on said cover plate, said cover plate being formed with an opening communieating with the interior of said hood structure, said plates being formed from prefabricated self-supporting structural elements carrying said hood structure without additional bracing; a heat transmitting liner covering at least part of the inner side faces of said side plates and extending transversely thereto spaced from the front and the rear face of said side plates between said side plates and the upper edge portions of said liner being hush with the walls defining said opening in said cover plate thus dividing the space between said hearth plate and said cover plate into a combustion chamber open to the front of the fire-place and a rear chamber; and a partition located in said rear chamber extending transversely between said side plates and in vertical direction between said hearth plate and said cover plate and dividing said rear chamber into rst air guide means and second air guide means located between said partition and said liner, said cover plate being formed with a passage establishing communication between said first and .said second air guide means, said bed plate being formed with rearwardly extending passages communicating with said first air guide means, said hearth plate being formed with passages communicating with front portions of said passage formed in said bed plate and said combustion chamber, and said second air guide means being formed with openings located at the bottom thereof communicating with the room in which the fire-place is located.

2. An indoor hre-place comprising, in combination, a bed plate; a hearth plate located over said bed plate and extending in abutting relationship over the top surface thereof; a pair of side plates projecting in vertical direction respectively from opposite sides of said hearth plate; a cover plate extending substantially parallel to said bed plate between the upper free ends of said side plate-s; a hood structure mounted on said cover plate, said cover plate being formed with an opening communicating with the interior of said hood structure, said plates being formed from prefabricated self-supporting structural elements carrying said hood structure without additional bracing; a heat transmitting liner covering at least part of the inner faces of said side plates and extending transversely thereto spaced from the front and the rear face of said side plates between said side plates and the upper edge portions of said liner being iiush with thew walls defining said opening in said cover plate thus dividing the space between said hearth plate and said cover plate into a combustion chamber open to the front of the hre-place and a rear chamber; a partition located in said rear chamber extending transversely between said side plates and in vertical direction between said hearth plate and said cover plate and dividing said rear chamber into first air guide means and second-air guide means located between said partition and said liner, said cover plate being formed with a passage establishing communication between said first and said second air guide means, said bed plate being formed with rearwardly extending passages communicating with said first air guide means, said hearth plate being formed with passages communieating with front portions of said passage formed in said bed plate and said combustion chamber, and said second air guide means being formed with openings located at the bottom thereof communicating with the room in which the tire-place is located; and means located in said lirst and second air guide means for regulating the ow of air passing therethrough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,589,702 Isenberg June 22, 1926 1,697,635 Cornelius Jan. l, 1929 1,722,560 Cornelius July 30, 1929 2,231,258 Elmore Feb. 1l, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 9,882 Great Britain Sept. 22, 1843 OTHER REFERENCES Heatform Pamphlet (page 3 only), published by Superior Fireplace Co.