Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present inyention relates generally to coal or wood burning
stoves and fireplaces and more particularly to the flue arrangement with
respect to an arcuate portion of the cooking surface of the stove or fire-
place.
In conventional stoves or fireplaces the open end of the flue is
either attached to the wall forming the fire chamber or extends slightly
into the fire chamber. With this arrangement, the fuel is not completely
burned since great quantities of unburned fuel particles and heat are
vented through the flue and up the chimney.
Those concerned with the efficient use of fuels recognize the
need for an improved flue arrsngement for coal or wood burning stoves and
fireplaces.
An object of one aspect of the present invention is the provision
of an improved stove or fireplace.
An object of another aspect of this invention is to provide a
stove or fireplace that permits substantially complete combustion of the
fuel and allows longer, cleaner, even burning resulting in minimum heat
and fuel loss.
An object of a further aspect of the invention is the provision
of a stove or fireplace wherein no grates are needed and cleanup is
facilitated due to substantially complete combustion of the fuel.
An object of still another aspect of this invention is to provide
a stove or fireplace- capable of using fuels other than wood.
An object of a still further aspect of this invention is to
provide a stove or fireplace allowing faster starting, uniform heating,
and improved control of combustion for more efficient operation.
By one broad aspect of this invention, a stove is provided having
a pair of side walls, a bottom, a rear wall, a front wall, and an upper
cooking surface defining t'nerein a fire chamber, the improvement wherein
.~ 30 the cooking surface includes a first flatfrontsurface, a second flat
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rear surface deflning a plane parallel to, but higher than the plane of
the first surface, and an arcuate surface lnterconnecting the flrst and
second surfaces, the arcuate surface deflning a ninely degree (90) arc;
and further includlng a cyllndrlcal flue attached to the stove and extend-
ing within the fire chamber forwardly parallel to, and below, the second
flat rearsurface and rearwardly of the arcuate surface, the flue having a for-
ward open end terminating wlthln the flre chamber at the midpoint of the
radlus of the arcuate surface.
By a variant thereof, thesecond flat rear surface has an opening
formed therein, and the flue extends upwardly through such openlng.
By a further aspect of this invention, the stove includes a rear
wall having an opening formed therein, and the flue extends rearwardly
through such openlng.
Thus, by aspects of the instant invention, stoves or fireplaces
are provided which involve the combination of an arcuate portion of the
cooklng surface, which defines the upper part of the fire chamber, and a
cylindrical flue disposed within the fire chamber and having an open for-
ward end located at the midpoint of the radius of the arcuate portion. The
position of the flue relative to the arcuate portion permits the burning
particles of fuel to be held in suspension within the fire chamber, thus
allowing for substantially complete combustion and substantially eliminating
the loss of fuel particles and heat up the chimney.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a stove according to an aspect
of this invention showing a cooking surface including an arcuate portion
extending forwardly and downwardly from a horizontal top portion;
Figure 2 is a top plan view of the stove showing the side walls
and flue in dotted lines;
Figure 3 is a front elevational view of the stove taken along
line 3-3 of Figure 2;
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Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2 showing
the relationship of the end of the flue to the arcuate portion of the
cooking surface; _
Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 3 showing
the sealing overlap of the doors; .
Fig. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 3 showing
the draft cap; and
Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 4 showing
the level adjusting nut of the legs.
Returning ncw to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals
designate identical or corresponding p æ ts throughout the several views,
Fig. 1 shcws a stove or fireplace 10 including a cooking surface 11 which
defines the upper part of the fire chamber or fire box 12 ~Fig. 4). m e
cooking surface 11 includes a horizontally disposed top portion 13, an
arcuate portion 14 extending forwardly and downwardly from the forward end
of the top portion 13, and a horizontally disposed lower portion 15 ex-
tending forwardly from the lower end of the arcuate portion 14. r
As shown in Fig. 4, the fire chamber 12 is defined by the doors 16,
bottom 17, and sidewalls 18, together with surface 11. The fire chamber
12 is lined with fire brick 19 at the bottom, rear and sides; and the upper
ends of the fire brick 19 are held secure to the sidewalls 18 by angle 20.
The stove or fireplace 10 is supported by a plurality of legs 21 which in-
clude a level adjusting nut 22 (Fig. 7). An ash apron 23 extends forwardly
of sidewall 18 below the doors 16.
As shown mDst clearly in Figs. 3-6, the doors 16 are hingedly
attached to the front sidewall 18 by hinges 24. When in the closed posi-
tion, the doors 16 overlap at 25 (Fig. 5) and substantially seal the fire
chamber 12 from the atmosphere. It is understood that when a single door
16 is used, ratller than the double doors 16 shown in the drawings, the
free end of the door 16 will seal against sidewall 18. Dcor h3ndles 26 are r-
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rotatably mounted on the doors 16 and ~Iclude an internally disposed latch
27 adapted to engage the lip 28 (Fig. 4~ of front sidewall 18 to hold the
doors 16 in the closed position. A two-piece draft cap 29 (Fig. 6) is
attached to the d`oors 16 and a threadably mounted cover 30 is rotated to
increase or decrease the flow of air into the fire chamber 12 and regulate
the burning of the fuel.
As best shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the flue 31 extends through an ,_
opening in the top portion 13 of the cooking surface 11 and is attached
thereto by weld~ent or the like. It is understood that the flue 31 could
likewise extend directly rearward through the rear sidewall 18 if such an
arrangement is desired. A portion of the flue 31 extends parallel to the
top portion 13 within the fire chamber 12 and the forward open end 32 of the
flue 31 terminates at the midpoint of the radius r of the arcuate portion
14. The arcuate portion 14 and the arrangement of the open end 32 of the
flue 31 with respect to the arcuate p~rtion 14 is critical to the efficient
operation of the stove or fireplace 10.
In operation, a supply of wood or other suitable fuel is placed
in the fire c'la~ber 12 and ignited. The doors 16 are then closed and the
draft is controlled by adjusbment of the draft caps 29. The fire chamber
12, and specifically the arcuate portion 14 and flue end 32, are so designed
and arranged to hold the burning particles of fuel in suspension inside the
fire chamber 12 for an extended period of time. This allows for substanti-
ally complete combustion of the fuel and minimizes the loss of fuel parti-
cles and heat up the chimney. Further, the efficient combustion results in
lesser ash accumulation within the fire chamber 12. The flame cradles
around the extended flue 31 and creates a vortex effect which increases the
turbulence of the hot combustion gases, holds the heat in the fire chamber
12 longer, burns the fuel thoroughly and efficiently, and gives off an even
supply of heat over an extended period of time. To extinguish the fire, the
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draft caps 29 are simply closed to cut off the flow of air and the fire
will extinguish in a matter of minutes.
Thus, it can be seen that a novel flue arrangem~nt for a stove
or fireplace has-been provided.
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