Stoves and furnaces – Fireplaces or accessories – Circular viewability of flame
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-07
2001-01-30
Lazarus, Ira S. (Department: 3743)
Stoves and furnaces
Fireplaces or accessories
Circular viewability of flame
C126S0250AA, C126S00900B, C126S506000, C126S544000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06178965
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The field of the present invention relates generally to fireplaces, firepots, or fireboxes, more particularly to sectional fireplaces, firepots, or fireboxes, and most specifically to sectional fireplaces, firepots, or fireboxes adapted for stowage.
2. General Background
Fireplaces today are considered generally to provide aesthetic pleasure as opposed to the utilitarian purposes of a furnace or stove. Historically, of course, fireplaces provided the only means of heating and cooking within a given household. Consequently a hearth or fireplace came to convey basic feelings of comfort and security. ‘Keep the home fires burning’ is a phrase and a song which is considered to indicate the profound depth of the human emotions associated with an operating fireplace wherein an elemental bond between people is recognized in the fire. Many definitions of man as opposed to animal have been suggested and other than addressing the matter theologically it is considered that the mastery of fire is about as good a distinction between man and beast as any other.
In short a fireplace, as opposed to a furnace or stove, is considered to provide something which is difficult to define but which is fundamental to the human race which has an aesthetic value in and of itself quite apart from the warmth and cooked food which formerly depended upon the wood burning fire. In the United States fireplaces are common to homes which possess central heating. Homes which rely upon a fireplace for the sole source of heating are considered comparatively rare in the United States currently. It is not uncommon to use a fireplace as an auxiliary source of heat but it is generally recognized as being more expensive than the primary source if not actually less than worthless with regard to heating a home because of the draft created, particularly if the damper is left open overnight because everyone retired prior to the fire burning out.
It is further considered that if wood is to be burned as a genuine means of providing heat in a home a cast iron stove does a much better job than a typical fireplace. Several aspects are concerned. A typical fireplace is brick or stone, disposed within a wall of a house, and has a brick or stone chimney extending upward as a part of that exterior wall of the house. Cast iron has superior specific heat retention and heat radiance to stone or brick and the stove is wholly within the house except for the portion of the chimney exterior to the same. A cast iron stove is hence considered to be generally recognized as a viable means of heating a structure largely comprised of a single large room such as a cabin and fireplaces are generally valued aesthetically.
A ‘free standing fireplace’, typically constructed of sheet steel and possessing at least one large window for viewing the burning fire, is considered as a sort of hybrid between a conventional built in fireplace and a cast iron stove. In contrast to the cast iron stove one may view the burning fire. In contrast to the built in fireplace the free standing fireplace provides good radiation of the heat produced. The sheet steel chimney is essentially the same as that typically utilized with a cast iron stove and being largely interior to the house and made of steel provide far more effective radiation of the heat carried through the same than is the case with a stone or brick chimney built into an exterior support wall of a static structure, i.e. building.
Fireplaces outdoors are also known, though mainly fires outdoors are established when and where desired with use of readily available materials such as rocks but what may be considered a fireplace outdoors is also well known in a form typically intended for use as grills and having concrete block construction. Many types of barbecue type grills are also known but none of these are intended for the burning of wood and hence none provide the aesthetic qualities discussed above with regard to a wood burning fireplace. Wood fires outside are also valued for the warmth obtainable therefrom and for enabling the cooking of food. However, there are a few drawbacks associated with the use of a wood fire built outside upon the ground regarding all three purposes.
Cooking upon an open wood fire is considered to be far more difficult than cooking on a grill. The warmth obtainable from such a fire is also often less than fully satisfactory. In truly cold weather an open fire generally has a very narrow range in which genuine comfort can be found. If one is facing the fire, moreover, one's back does not benefit in the obtainment of warmth from the fire and vice versa. And, thirdly, open wood fires built upon the ground have an unpleasant tendency to spread and are generally dangerous if not illegal if built in places other than those specifically designated for a camp fire. The building of an open wood fire upon the ground is hence generally restricted to established camp fire sites and it is considered that many people would enjoy the ability to view a wood burning fire outdoors in locations lacking safe or legal sites for camp fires.
In particular, it is considered that many people would like to enjoy a wood burning fire upon a deck of a house but a deck is typically made of wood and burns quite readily. Construction of a fireplace in brick or stone is simply not feasible upon a deck and while the use of grills of various sorts upon a wood deck is considered to be widely practiced a grill is for cooking and is neither intended to burn wood nor permit viewing of a fire therein.
Discussion of the Prior Art
Following is a chronological listing of references considered pertinent to the present invention which are each briefly discussed further below in the same order.
U.S. Pat. No.
Inventor
Date
Title
21,938
Buchanan
2 Nov.
1858
Stove
90,537
Helm
25 May
1869
Heating Stove
110,274
Old
20 Dec.
1870
Heating Stove
313,441
Nativel
3 March
1885
Fire Place And
Chimney
363,210
Cooper
17 May
1887
Portable Fire Place
and Flue
1,342,329
Freeman
1 June
1920
Chimney
3,339,540
Kreider
5 Sept
1967
Portable Pre-Cast
Fireplace
3,499,432
Hannebaum
10 March
1970
Heating Unit
4,112,913
Shimek et al.
12 Sept
1978
Free Standing
Heating Unit
4,461,272
Larsson et al.
24 July
1984
Kachelofen
Buchanan discloses a sectional stove with a chimney top that is elevationally adjustable by means of a screw engaging an upright and with a base having legs which is all round in cross section taken normal the vertical axis. A third section comprised of an open grate or fire chamber is nested within the base and the chimney is bell shaped at bottom tapered into a truncated cone.
Helm discloses a bottle shaped ‘Heating Stove’ constructed of relatively thin and uniform cross section cast steel which sits on a base with legs and has sliding doors for a plurality of radial openings which rest upon a ledge effected by an inset of the exterior sidewall. The upper part of the shell is necked and flares outward terminating in a horizontal top roof through which a vent is made. An open concave grate hangs from the bottom of the shell which is supported by legs in the legged base. The grate may be inverted to extend upward into the shell if desired.
Old discloses a heating stove which is mainly equipped with an internal mechanism using lugs riding inclines to provide vertical agitation in addition to rotational with rotation of a handle in a horizontal plane in order to more efficiently combust coal. The basic shell construction is in three sections: (a) an ash box which serves as a base and extends cylindrically upward upon which rests; (b) an egg shaped shell in which the fire box is located with a circular rim at top upon which rests; (c) an upper conical part which terminates in a circular opening.
Nativel discloses a sectional fire place and chimney possessing three main portions: the generally cylindrical fire place made of a plurality of stacked sections; the cylindrical chimney H also made of a plurality of
Gibson Peter
Lazarus Ira S.
Lee David
LandOfFree
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