Heat concentrators are not new to the art. However, a heat concentrator that inserts into a pellet stove to increase the efficiency of that stove is.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,448,186 entitled, “Device for increasing the Efficiency of Cooking on Gas Stoves” issued to Smith on May 15, 1984, teaches a device for concentrating heat from a flame of a gas stove in combination, with a cooking utensil, that includes a first collar rigidly attached to the cooking utensil and mating with a second collar attached to a grid of the stove. The collars may have several peripherally disposed vents and control the venting of the flame of the stove. The Smith patent is specific to a stove top and has a two piece system that literally attaches to the cooking utensil to concentrate heat from and open flame directed at the bottom of the cooking utensil.
The present invention is a standalone device that is placed on top of the combustion chamber of a pellet stove to funnel and direct heat to the heating tubes of the air flow system, increasing the temperature of the heating tubes before the heat is transferred to the room for radiant heating. The Smith device teaches a heat concentrator for cooking not heating.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,694,671 entitled, “Flame Focusing Ring for Stovetop Gas Burner and Universal Wok Support” issued to Lee on Apr. 13, 2010 teaches a flame concentrating ring with an inwardly curved upper wall portion and air inlet vents at its base for encircling a gas burner and directing the flames upward and inwardly to focus on the bottom center of a wok. A wok support ring straddles a stovetop grate. The wok support ring comprises a truncated conical base having a narrow opening at the top for supporting the bottom of the wok, a wide opening at the bottom thereof which rests on the stove grate and a plurality of customizable break away tabs of which a user breaks a plurality out to form stove grate engaging notches. The wok support ring incorporates a plurality of bail bearings to cradle the bottom of wok to allow freedom of movement and manipulation of the wok.
The instant invention teaches the concentration of heat and not flame. The Lee patent also suffers from being a stove top device, not an insertable device to concentrate heat toward an air flow system within a pellet stove.
The instant, invention has greater utility than either of the prior art devices, in that, it provides a heat concentrator that inserts into a pellet stove to concentrate and funnel heat towards the heating tubes of the air flow system of the pellet stove, increasing the stoves heat output and efficiency.
The present invention is a stove insert, that comprises a unitary metal hollow conduit that has a front, a first end and a second end.
The first end is wider than the second end. The first end has an opening that is smaller than an opening in the second end.
The front surface near the second end has at least two slits therethrough. Each slit has a minimum opening of 1/16″×4½″. The insert has a minimum of at least two slits.
The front has a handle rigidly fastened thereto, near a center thereof.
The first end is wider than the second end. The first end has an opening that is smaller than an opening in the second end.
The front surface near the second end has at least two slits therethrough, each of the slit having a minimum opening of 1/16″×4½″.
The front has a handle rigidly fastened thereto, near a center thereof.
The insert has a back, there being an inverted T-shaped opening in the back, near the second end.
The pellet, stove has four feed settings and with the blower on high and an outside temperature of 30° F. setting one shows no significant change. At setting two, the temperature output is 140° F., on setting three the temperature output is 180° F. and on setting four the temperature output is 210° F. The air flow system of the pellet stove comprises the blower, the heating tubes and the vent to push air through the pellet stove and into a room.