Fireplace insert

Abstract

A fireplace insert comprises an inner housing and an outer housing spaced from each other. Thermostatically controlled fans circulate air between the inner and outer housing to cause the air to be efficiently heated before it is distributed into the area or room to be heated. Adjustable vents control the flow of combustion air, and a baffle minimizes the loss of heat through the flue.

Description

Claims

1. A fireplace insert heater,

an outer housing including upper, lower, rear and side walls,

an inner housing spaced inwardly from said outer housing and having an interior defining a combustion chamber, said inner housing including upper, rear and side walls, spaced inwardly of the respective upper, rear and side walls of the outer housing to thereby define upper, rear and side plenum chambers between the corresponding walls of said inner and outer housings, the walls of said inner housing separating said plenum chambers in non-communicating relation from the combustion chamber, said inner housing separating said plenum chambers in non-communicating relation from the combustion chamber, said inner housing having a forwardly facing opening, said inner and outer housings adapted to be positioned within a fireplace recess,

a horizontal top chamber structure secured to the top wall of the outer housing and adapted to be positioned exteriorly of the fireplace recess, a pair of laterally spaced apart side chamber structures located exteriorly of the fireplace recess and each having an interior communicating with said side plenum chambers, said side chamber structures having a common front wall extending between the side chamber structures,

an access opening in the front wall,

a pair of transparent doors hingedly mounted on said front wall,

a pair of vertically disposed metallic sectional doors hingedly connected with said inner housing and being swingable between closed and open positions, said metallic doors when in the closed position closing the forwardly facing opening in the inner housing, and when in the open position being disposed in the space between the inner housing and the front wall of the outer housing to completely expose the opening in the inner housing,

a plurality of laterally spaced apart openings in said front wall adjacent the lowe portion of the latter and extending between said side chambe structures, means for variously adjusting the size of said openings to vary the amount of air introduced into the combustion chamber,

a vertically disposed flue stack extending through the upper walls of the inner and outer housings to intercommunicate the combustion chamber with the chimmney of the fireplace, said flue stack being spaced laterally inwardly from the respective side walls of said inner and outer housing,

a baffle plate positioned in the combustion chamber below and in confronting relation with the flue stack,

fans in said side chamber structures for impelling air rearwardly into the side plenum chambers,

and a pair of substantially flat, horizontally disposed baffle plates each being positioned in one of said side plenum chambers for directing air impelled by said fans in a rearward direction.

2. The fireplace insert heater as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for adjusting the vent openings in the front wall comprises an elongate horizontally disposed plate having a plurality of openings therein and being positioned against the rear surface of said front wall, said plate being laterally shiftable relative to said front wall between open and closed positions to variously adjust the effective size of the vent openings, said plate when in the closed position obstructing the openings in said front wall, and when in the open position having each opening in the plate disposed in registering relation with an opening in the front wall.

3. The fireplace insert heater as defined in claim 1 wherein said vent openings and shiftable plate are located below said transparent doors.

4. The fireplace insert heater as defined in claim 1 and vertically adjustable leveling means secured to the lower wall of said outer housing and being shiftable relative thereto for facilitating leveling of said fireplace insert.

5. The structure as defined in claim 4 and a moveable damper plate positioned in said flue stack, means connected with the damper plate and extending outwardly of said front wall and being operable to vary the size of the opening of each flue stack.