US3113611A

US3113611A - Gas-fueled firepalce log

Info

Publication number: US3113611A
Application number: US793388A
Authority: US
Inventors: Raymond R Dupler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1959-02-16
Filing date: 1959-02-16
Publication date: 1963-12-10
Anticipated expiration: 1980-12-10

Description

Dec. 10, 1963 R. R. DUPLER GAS-FUELED FIREPLACE LOG 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 116, 1959 RR mL 4w m u 3 0w R w A D N O M M RY Dec. 10, 1963 R. R. DUPLER GAS-FUELED FIREPLACE LOG 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 16, 1959 INVENTOR. RAYMOND R. DUPLER BY P W 0 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,113,611 GAS-FUELED FBREPLACE LOG Raymond B. Dupler, 744 Euclid Ave, Toledo, Ghio Filed Feb. 16, 1959, Ser- No. 793,388 3 (Iiairns. (1. 158-4100) This invention relates to a foraminous casting and method of making same.

The production of a foraminous metal casting has been a difiicult and expensive ordeal, particularly when a large quantity of small holes are required. This problem manifests itself for example in making a cast metal fire place log or the like where a great many of very small holes are necessary for the escape of the air-gas mixture. To drill all of these holes is so expensive as to be virtually prohibitive. It is therefore a desideration to produce a metal casting which can be provided economically with holes of the desired size and appropriately arranged, concomitant with the casting step so that when the casting has cooled, the desired foraminate structure is produced without further work.

Objects of this invention are to produce a new and improved foraminous casting and method of making same which satisfactorily cope with the problem above recited.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear and for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings in which I FIGURE 1 is a front plan view of a fire place log;

FIGURE 2 is a rear elevation of the fire place log shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view of the fire place log shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary section of a portion of the face of the fire place log showing one of the ceramic inserts; and

FIGURE 5 is a transverse sectional View substantially on the line 55 of FIGURE 4.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a gas fire place log structure which for example may be made from a gray iron casting and is shaped at the front to simulate a pair of wooden logs 11 arranged one above the other in stacked formation. As shown in FIG- URE 2, the back of the log structure has suitable upright end supponting angle irons 12 and bottom angle irons 13, these being joined by a transverse angle iron 14. Also in the rear and at the lower part of the structure is the horizontally disposed gas admission pipe 15 which has a pair of upwardly extending branch pipes 16. The usual air mixer 17 is disposed between the outer end of the pipe 15 and a regulating valve 18. The branch pipes 16 lead respectively to a pair of horizontally disposed gas plenum chambers 19 directly in rear of the gas emitting surface in the simulated logs. In the front wall of each of the plenum charnbers is a large number of small orifices 20 through which the gas-air mixture passes to be ignited.

In accordance with this invention the orifices 20 are formed by a plurality of relatively small ceramic tubes or inserts 21, the rear end of which open into the respective plenum chambers and the front end of which open to the outer surface of the log. The size of the orifices 20 may be varied as desired but for the purpose intended may be of the order of A of an inch in diameter. The length of the inserts may vary according to the Wall thickness of the casting but may be of the order of /2 of an inch and the overall diameter of the inserts may be of the order of of an inch. Manifestly these dimensions are only "ice approximate and not critical and will depend upon the wall thickness of the casting.

It is necessary that the inserts have sufficient mechanical strength so as not readily to be broken or fractured. However, it is important that the inserts 21 be of a suitable material, such for example as porcelain, having a melting or fusing point substantially in excess of that of the casting. Thus, the inserts are arranged in the desired manner in the mold and the molten metal cast around them. If the melting point of the insert is not sufficiently high, it will melt or fuse and close the passage 20, and thus materially restrict escape of gas and air from the log. Thus, it is necessary to determine the melting point of the metal employed for forming the fire place structure and then select a material for the inserts which will not adversely be affected by the heat of the molten metal as it is being cast.

From the above it will be apparent that the fire place log structure can be readily produced to effect the desired porosity quickly and efficiently and at a minimum of expense, thereby avoiding the high expense of individually drilling the holes to effect the desired foraminous structure.

As used in the claims, the expression ceramic" is to be used in its broadest sense to connote any material which has a fusing temperature sufiiciently above that of the cast metal so that the metal may be cast in a mold in which a plurality of the inserts 21 have been previously arranged without melting or distorting them to such an extent as to render them useless for the purpose intended.

Numerous changes in details of construction and choice of materials may be effected without departing from the spirit of the invention especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A gas fireplace log and the like comprising a cast metal body, the outer surface of said body simulating the appearance of the surface of a wooden log, a gas plenum chamber disposed within said metal body and adjacent said outer surface, a plurality of orifices arranged in spaced relationship over said outer surface of said body, each of said orifices comprising a short tubular member of relatively higher melting point than said metal body, said tubular member being embedded in said cast metal body during the casting thereof and providing communication between said outer surface and said plenum cham her.

2. The gas fireplace log of claim 1 wherein said tubular member is composed of a \ceramic material. I

3. The gas fireplace log of claim 1 which also comprises means for supplying a combustible gas to said plenum chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 126,473 Mershon May 7, 1872 968,605 Ruud Aug. 30, 1910 1,604,783 Pickup Oct. 26, 1926 1,760,586 Devers May 27, 1930 2,025,331 Bullum Dec. 24, 1935 2,025,458 Klein Dec. 24, 1935 2,122,132 Docking June 28, 1938 2,745,437 Comstock May 15, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 81,964 Germany July 17, 1895

Claims

1. A GAS FIREPLACE LOG AND THE LIKE COMPRISING A CAST METAL BODY, THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID BODY SIMULATING THE APPEARANCE OF THE SURFACE OF A WOODEN LOG, A GAS PLENUM CHAMBER DISPOSED WITHIN SAID METAL BODY AND ADJACENT SAID OUTER SURFACE, A PLURALITY OF ORIIFICES ARRANGED IN SPACED RELATIONSHIP OVER SAID OUTER SURFACE OF SAID BODY,