U.S. patent number 3,817,686 [Application Number 05/263,786] was granted by the patent office on 1974-06-18 for simulated log burner.
Invention is credited to Leonard M. Quittner.
United States Patent |
3,817,686 |
Quittner |
June 18, 1974 |
SIMULATED LOG BURNER
Abstract
A simulated log burner consists of a grate assembly on which an
element of ceramic material or the like and having a surface
simulating a log is mounted. A fuel tank which may be mounted on
the grate assembly supplies fuel via a fuel line to a burner
supported on the grate assembly forwardly and generally below the
ceramic element. The arrangement is such that fuel burned in the
burner causes a flame to rise upwardly in front of the ceramic
element to thereby simulate a burning log.
Inventors: |
Quittner; Leonard M. (Reading,
PA) |
Family
ID: |
23003223 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/263,786 |
Filed: |
June 19, 1972 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
431/125;
126/92R |
Current CPC
Class: |
F24C
5/04 (20130101); F24C 3/006 (20130101); F23D
91/02 (20150701); F23D 2206/0057 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
F23D
21/00 (20060101); F24C 3/00 (20060101); F25b
001/18 () |
Field of
Search: |
;431/125
;126/92R,127 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Favors; Edward G.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Burns; Robert E.
Claims
What I claim is:
1. A simulated log burner comprising, support means, log-simulating
means simulating a log of wood supported on and extending above
said support means, and means having burner means mounted on said
support means generally forwardly of said log simulating means for
burning fuel to cause a flame to rise in front of said simulating
means to simulate a burning log, means to provide a fuel to said
burner means, said means having burner means comprising an
elongated trough having an open top, and said burner means
comprises an elongated fuel tube extending longitudinally within
said trough, said fuel tube having a plurality of spaced openings
for discharging fuel into said trough, and a wick disposed in the
open top of said burner trough.
2. A simulated log burner according to claim 1, comprising means
supporting said wick in said open top of said trough.
3. A simulated log burner according to claim 1, wherein said means
for supporting said wick comprises a wire screen having a generally
inverted, U-shaped cross-sectional configuration, said wick being
disposed generally within said inverted U-shaped configuration.
4. A simulated log burner comprising a grate assembly, barrier
means extending upwardly from said grate assembly and dividing the
latter into a front section and a rear section, an element mounted
on one side of said barrier means and disposed over said front
section of said grate assembly, said element having a frontal
surface simulating a log of wood, a burner means supported on said
grate assembly generally forwardly of said element, a fuel tank
mounted on said grate assembly on the rear section of of the
latter, and a fuel conduit running from said fuel tank to said
burner means such that fuel burned in said burner means causes a
flame to rise in front of said frontal surface of said element to
simulate a burning log.
5. A simulated log burner according to claim 4, wherein said burner
means is disposed on said grate assembly at an elevation below the
elevation of said fuel tank, such that fuel flows by gravity from
said fuel tank to said burner means, and valve means in said fuel
conduit for controlling the flow of fuel to said burner means.
6. A simulated log burner according to claim 1, wherein said fuel
conduit has a 360 degree closed loop formed therein.
7. A simulated log burner according to claim 4 wherein said barrier
means comprises a heat resistant shield and said element is made of
ceramic formed into a hollow shape.
8. A simulated log burner comprising, support means, log-simulating
means simulating a log of wood supported on and extending above
said support means, means having burner means mounted on said
support means generally forwardly of said log simulating means for
burning fuel to cause a flame to rise in front of said simulating
means to simulate a burning log, means to provide a fuel to said
burner means, a base and a stand for supporting said support means
at an elevated disposition, and means on said stand providing for
rotation of said support means relative to said base.
9. A simulated log burner comprising, support means, log-simulating
means simulating a log of wood supported on and extending above
said support means, means having burner means mounted on said
support means generally forwardly of said log-simulating means for
burning fuel to cause a flame to rise in front of said simulating
means to simulate a burning log, means to provide a liquid fuel to
said burner means, said burner means comprising a diffuser block
having a trough open at the top receiving liquid fuel and
vaporizing it and burning the vapor thereof, said means to provide
said liquid fuel comprising a fuel tank for liquid fluid above the
level of said diffuser block, a supply conduit providing liquid
fuel from said tank to said diffuser block trough, and means on
said conduit downstream of said tank providing a flow path for said
fluid insuring said liquid fuel does not vaporize therein and flows
to said diffuser trough in a liquid state.
10. A simulated log burner according to claim 9, in which said
conduit extends along said block diffuser and is provided with a
plurality of openings for fuel distribution disposed axially
spaced, said openings are disposed in a helical path axially of the
conduit, the opening remotest from said fuel tank being disposed on
a lower side of said conduit to flow fuel directly to said block
diffuser, and the remainder of said openings being arranged on a
side of said conduit and an upper surface thereof.
11. A simulated log burner according to claim 9, in which the
last-mentioned means comprises a loop in the order of 360.degree.
in said conduit.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a simulated log burner and more
particularly to a burner which burns a fluid fuel in a manner which
makes it appear that a log is burning.
Log burning fires in fireplaces are frequently preferred by many
over other types of burners or heaters because of a warmth and
fascination associated with watching an open flame on a log burning
in a fireplace. However, burning of a log within a home or building
requires a fireplace and even when a fireplace is available, there
is often a reluctance to start a log burning fire because of the
necessity of having to follow a frequently prolonged procedure for
getting the log to start burning. Also, undesirable smoke may
result to thereby foul up the air in the room and to saturate
decorative materials such as drapes, curtains, furniture and the
like. In addition, after the fire has burned out, it is necessary
to remove the ashes and this results in creating a mess adjacent
the fireplace. Further, it is not always an easy task to put the
fire out when desired and frequently the fire is left to burn
itself out over longer periods of time than might be desired. In
certain localities the use of illuminating gas or natural gas would
be illegal in simulated log burners. Also a gas log burner would
require extensive plumbing in such places where it is permitted.
There is also an inherent hazard in illuminating gas or the like
which can only be eliminated by complicated shut-down mechanisms.
Further, an illuminating gas log burner burns with a regular
unnatural looking flame whereas the burner of the present invention
gives off modulation and is more realistic.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to overcome the
aforesaid difficulties by providing a simulated log burner which
burns a fluid fuel in a manner which makes it appear that a log is
burning.
Another object is to provide a simulated log burner which is safe
to operate and which is readily controlled to provide an adjustable
flame.
A further object is to provide a simulated burner which is
relatively inexpensive to manufacture and which has an attractive
appearance in that the control elements are normally hidden from
view.
A further object is to provide a simulated burner which is readily
serviceable and which may be easily assembled and disassembled.
Another object is to provide a simulated log burner assembly which
may include its own fuel tank and which is readily transportable as
a self-contained unit.
Numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will be
apparent as it is better understood from the following description
which is of a preferred embodiment thereof.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A simulated log burner comprises a grate assembly on which an
element of ceramic material or the like and having a surface
simulating a log is mounted. A burner supported on the grate
assembly is located forwardly and generally below the ceramic
element. A fuel tank which may be mounted on the grate assembly
supplies fuel to the burner through a fuel conduit, the arrangement
being such that fuel burned in the burner causes a flame to rise
upwardly in front of the ceramic element to thereby simulate the
burning log.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a plan view of a simulated log burner according to one
embodiment of the invention;
FIG. 2 is a front view of the simulated log burner as shown in FIG.
1;
FIG. 3 is a side view of the simulated log burner shown in FIGS. 1
and 2;
FIG. 4 is a detail view on a larger scale of the diffuser burner
block used in the simulated log burner shown in FIGS. 1-3;
FIG. 5 is a detail view of the loop in the fuel line leading from
the fuel tank to the diffuser burner block;
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a diffuser burner block according
to an alternate embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along the line 7--7 of FIG. 6.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1 to 3 show a simulated log burner
according to one embodiment of the invention as comprising a base
10 on which an upright stud 12 is mounted for rotation about its
vertical axis relative to the base 10.
Mounted on the upper end portion of the stud 12 is a grate assembly
made up of four spaced grate bars 14, 15, 16, 17 and a pair of
cross bars 20, 22 to which the grate bars 14-17 are suitably joined
such as by welding or the like. A plate 24 is suitably secured
between the two inner grate bars 15, 16 and this plate has an
opening 26 for receiving the upper end of the stud 12 to thereby
provide for securement of the grate assembly to the stud 12. The
grate bars 15-17 may have their front end portions bent upwardly
and outwardly as indicated in 28 at FIGS. 4 and 5 to simulate the
appearance of a grate such as one may find in a wood burning
fire.
The grate assembly has mounted thereon in upright position a
bulkhead 30 and a heat shield 32. The bulkhead 30 may comprise a
metal plate suitably fixed at its lower end to the grate assembly
such as by welding or the like. The heat shield 32 which may be
made of asbestos or other heat resistant material is secured to the
bulkhead such as by fastening screws 34 or the like.
Mounted on the front of the bulkhead 30 are a pair of ceramic
members 36, 38 each of which has a frontal surface simulating a log
of wood.
A fuel tank 50 is mounted on the grate assembly at the rear section
of the latter behind the bulkhead 30 and heat shield 32. The fuel
tank 50 may be mounted on a base member 52 extending over the top
of the four grate members 14-17 and may be suitably secured in
place by an upright plate 54 extending upwardly from the rear of
the grate assembly and one or more brackets 56 secured to the fuel
tank 50 and to the upright plate 54. Thus each bracket 56 may have
one end welded to the tank 50 and the other end bent at right
angles to form a flange 58 so that a fastening member 60 can be
employed to secure the flange 58 to the upright plate 54. A
suitable neck 62 and cap 64 are provided on the fuel tank 50 to
facilitate filling with fuel.
A fuel line 66 extends from the lower portion of one end of the
fuel tank 50 to a diffuser block 68 disposed underneath the grate
assembly below but in front of the ceramic members 36, 38. As can
best be seen in FIG. 3, the diffuser block 68 is disposed at an
elevation below the fuel tank 50 so that fuel in the latter will
flow by gravity to the diffuser block 68. A valve 70 is provided in
the fuel line 66 to stop the fuel flow and to control its rate of
flow to the diffuser block 68. The fuel line 66 also includes a 360
degree loop 72 as can best be seen in FIGS. 3 and 5. The loop 72 in
the fuel line 66 provides a greater surface area of the fuel line
66 thereby serving to keep the fuel cool to preclude vaporization
in the fuel delivery line 66. The loop 72 also insures delivery of
the fuel because of the greater head that is required to be
maintained such that volatized fuel will be maintained at the
diffuser block 68 and be precluded from volatizing in the fuel line
66.
The diffuser block 68 comprises an elongated trough open at the top
as best shown in FIG. 4. The fuel line 66 has its end portion 66a
extending into the diffuser block 68 along substantially its entire
length and may have its longitudinal end closed and sealed, for
example by crimping as shown at 74. The diffuser block 68 may be
suspended from the under side of the grate bars 14, 17 such as by
welding or the like as indicated at 78 in FIG. 4.
The end portion 66a of the fuel line 66 disposed in the diffuser
block 68 is provided with a plurality of spaced openings 80, 81,
82, 83, 84 through which fuel is delivered to the diffuser block
58.
A wick 86 of fiberglass or asbestos may be placed in the open top
of the diffuser block 68. As shown in FIG. 4, the wick 86 extends
the full length of the opening in the diffuser block 68 and an
upper portion of the wick 86 extends above the diffuser block 68
while a lower portion extends into the trough. Thus it will be
apparent that the wick 86 will become saturated with the fuel in
the trough and that the fuel on the wick 86 may be ignited to cause
a flame to rise in front of the simulated logs 36, 38.
Alternatively, the wick 86 may be dispensed with and the fuel
burned directly from the trough. However, a wick tends to prevent
spatter and avoids geysers or uneven burning of fuel.
FIGS. 6 and 7 show an alternate embodiment wherein an inverted,
generally U-shaped wire screen 90 of chrome steel mesh wire or the
like is disposed in the open trough of a diffuser block 92. A wick
96 made of fiberglass or asbestos may be disposed within the upper
portion of the inverted U of the wire screen 90 as best shown in
FIG. 7. The wick 96 may be supported on the wire screen 90 by
engaging the fibers of the wick 96 with the wire screen 90 or by
providing suitable support means such as tie wires or the like
between the wick 96 and wire screen 90. A fuel tube 98 of the type
previously described in connection with the main embodiment is
provided in the trough directly below the wick 96.
Alternatively, a pressurized fuel tank may be provided thereby
eliminating the loop 72 in the fuel conduit 66. Also when using a
pressurized fuel tank, the latter may be mounted at an elevation
below that of the burner 68 in as much as gravity is not required
to induce the flow of fuel. Also a gaseous fuel may be used for
example, propane or butane gas which are under pressure. Also a
liquid fuel such as methyl alcohol may be used under pressure as
well. If it is desired to obtain a yellow-blue flame from methyl
alcohol, the latter may be dissolved in up to 32 percent by volume
of naptha. However, it has been found that a solution of from 22
percent to 32 percent and preferably 26 percent by volume of naptha
in methanol alcohol gives a desirable yellow-blue flame with a
minimum of soot. Ethanol may be also used as a fuel.
It is thought that the invention and many of its attendant
advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it
will be apparent that various changes may be made in the form,
construction and arrangement of the parts without departing from
the spirit and the scope of the invention or sacrificing all of its
material advantages, as the form hereinbefore described is merely a
preferred embodiment thereof.
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