Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Backqround and Brief Summary of the Invention
It is well known that a vast number of buildings are
heated with fluid fuels, such as natural gas and fuel oil.
Moreover, the supply of thesè ~luid fuels to the buildings
are sometimes interrupted because of cold weather and inade-
quate quantities of the fuels available.
One solution to this lack of heat is the burning
of available solid fuels, such as coal or wood. This, how-
ever, causes a problem in that the furnaces burning fluid
fuels are not compatible with burning a solid fuel. According-
ly, a separate furnace has to be provided to heat the struc-
ture or the fluid fuel burning furnace has to be modified.
Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present
invention to provide a method of and apparatus for supplying
supplemental heat to a building by burning a solid fuel in
the event the supply of fluid fuel is interrupted.
Further, it is an object of the present invention
to provide a method of and apparatus for supplying supple-
mental heat to a building which is normally heated by burn-
ing a fluid fuel that permits the additional heat to besupplied without modifying the building.
Further, it is an object of the present invention
to provide apparatus for supplying supplemental heat to a
building which is normally heated by burning a fluid fuel by
positioning the apparatus outside of the building to be heated
so that the danger of fire is reduced.
In accordance with the invention, a method of
supplying supplemental heat to a building which is normally
heated by burning a fluid fuel is disclosed and includes the
steps of positioning a furnace disposed within a shelter
outside near the building, the shelter having an inlet for
receiving air and an outlet for passing air heated by the
furnace out of the shelter~ An air duct is mounted between
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the shelter and a window opening into the building~ A solid
fuel is burned in the furnace to heat the air within the
shelter and the heated air is transported through the duct
into the building to provide supplemental heat to the build-
ing in the event the supply of fluid fuel is interrupted.
Further and in accordance with the invention,
apparatus is provided for supplying supplemental heat to a
building which is normally heated by burning a fluid fuel
and includes a shelter having walls with an inlet for re-
ceiving ambient air and an outlet for passing heated air out
of the shelter. A furnace is disposed within the shelter for
heating the air and includes a grate for supporting a solid
fuel to be burned and an exhaust stack extending through the
walls of the shelter for exhausting gases from the furnace,
the furnace being enclosed so that the exhaust gases from the
burning fuel are carried through the stack without mi~ing
with the air in the shelter. A duct adapted to be mounted
between the shelter and the window opening within the build-
ing is used to carry the heated air passing through the out-
let of the shelter into the building to provide heat to the
building in the even~ the supply of fluid fuel is interruptedO
In accordance with one aspect of the present inven-
tion, there is provided a heating system for supplying heat
to a building, comprising in combination: a box-like metal
shelter positioned on top of the ground ad~acent to but en-
tirely outside said building; a furnace positioned within said
shelter and spaced from the interior walls of said shelter
thereof to provide an open space between the shelter and fur-
nace for air to flow to be heated by contact with the heated
exterior walls of the furnace; said shelter having a cold air
inlet in its lower portion through which air from outside said
building can flow into said space to be heated, an air duct
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connected to an air outlet an an upper portion of said shelter
and to the building through a window therein to conduct
heated air from said space into said building; said furnace
having an air inlet thereto through which combustion air can
flow into the furnace and an exhaust stack communicating with
said furnace and extending to the exterior of the shelter to
discharge combustion gases to the atmosphere; an access door
in a side wall of said furnace which when open permits solid
fuel to be added to the furnace from the exterior of the
shelter and ashes to be removed from the furnace to the ex-
terior of the shelter, all without carrying said fuel and
ashes through the building; said air inlet is pravided in a
side wall of the shelter near the bottom thereof and wherein
said duct is connected to an opposite side wall near the top
thereof; a reflective lining provided on the inside of the
top, bottom and side walls of said shelter for reflecting
radiant energy emitted from said furnace; and wh~rein said
shelter is constructed from an insulating material to aid in
preventing heat loss through said shelter; a damper connected
to said furnace covering an opening beneath a grate for con-
trolling the flow of combustion air through the opening; and a
thermostat operably connected to said damper provided within
said shelter at substantially the same height as the outlet
for regulating the draft to the solid fuel in response to the
temperature of the heated air passing out of said shelter.
Brief Description of the Drawinqs
Other objects and advantages of the invention will
become apparent upon reading the following detailed descrip-
tion and upon reference to the drawings, in which like re-
ference characters are used throughout to designate like parts:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of apparatus construct-
ed according to the present invention.
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FIG. 2 is an elevational end view, partly in sec-
tion, o~ the apparatus shown in FIG. 1.
While the invention will be described in connection
with a preferred embodiment and procedure, it will be under-
stood that it is not intended to limit the invention to that
embodiment and procedure. On thP contrary, it is intended to
cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may
be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as
de~ined by the appended claims.
Detailed Description of the Invention
Turning now to the drawings, there is shown appara-
tus 10 for supplying supplemental heat to a building 12 which
is normally heated by burning a fluid fuel. Apparatus 10 is
disposed at any convenient location outside near building 12,
as long as the location is near an existing opening 14 into
the building. As shown in FTG. lt the preferred location is
near a window.
Apparatus 10 includes a shelter 16, which has a
top 18, a bottom 20, an inside wall 22 nearest building 12,
an outside wall 24 away from building 12, a front 26 and a
back 28. An opening 30 covered by a screen 32 extends through
outside wall 24 to act as an inlet for receiving ambient air.
An opening 34 extends through inside wall 22 to act as an out-
let for passing heated air out of shelter 16. A door 36 coYers
an access port in front 26 of shelter 16. Preferably, shelter
16 in constructed from an insulating material, such as masonry,
to aid in preventing heat loss through the walls of the shelter
and a lining 38, such as aluminum, is provided on the inside of
shelter 14 for reflecting radiant energy emitted from furnace
40 disposed
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within the shelter. It is also preferred that inlet 30 be
near bottom 20 and front 26 of shelter 14 and that outlet 34
be near top 18 and back 28 to provide the longest possible
distance for the air to pass through shelter 14 which aids
in heating the air.
Furnace 40 is used to heat the air as it passes
from inlet 30 to outlet 34. The furnace is disposed and
supported in shelter 16 by conventional apparatus, such as
braces 41. As shown, furnace 40 is preferably a boxlike
structure having a top 42, a bottom 44 and parallel side ~alls
46 and 48, which extend from front 50 to back 52. An insulat-
ing material 54, such as fire brick, is provided in the bottom
portion of furnace 40 to protect the furnace and a grate 56
extends across this bottom portion to support ~he solid fuel.
A door 59 is disposed over an opening in front 50 to permit
access into furnace 40 for adding fuel or removing ashes.
A conduit 58 is disposed in the bottom portion of
the furnace and within side wall 46 to provide an opening
60 beneath grate 56 which admits air to the burning fuel. A
damper 62 is pivotally mounted to the upper edge of conduit
58 to re~ulate the flow of air through the opening (the draft
to the burning fuel). A chain 64 interconnects a conventional
thermostat 66, such as a bimetallic thermostat, with damper
62 for controlling the draft to the solid fuel being burned
in furnace 40. Preferably, thermostat 66 is at the same
height as outlet 34 in shelter 16 to cancel the effect of
fuel quality and ambient air temperatre to thereby provide a
constant temperature at outlet 34.
An exhaust stack 68 is provided in top 42 of ~ur-
nace 40 and extends through top 18 of shelter 16 so that
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the exhaust gases from the furnace are removed from shelter
16 without mixing with the air therein. Preferably, this
stack extends to a level above the roof of building 12 to
inhibit the possibility of fire in the building.
A duct 70 is adapted to be mounted between opening
34 of shelter 16 and window opening 14 into building 17. The
heated air, thus, passing through outlet 34 of shelter 16 is
carried through duct 70 into building 12 to provide heat to
the building in the event the supply of fluid fuel is inter-
rupted~ When desired, a blower or fan disposed within a hous-
ing 72 is mounted to duct 70 for drawing the air from shelter
16 and into building 12.
A blocking element 74 adapted to the mounted on
said duct may be provided in the window opening on each side
of the duct to inhibit the passage of any air other than the
heated air being carried through the duct into building 12.
In operation, supplemental heat is supplied to
building 12, which is normally heated by burning a fluid fuel
by positioning shelter 16 having furnace 40 disposed therein
outside near the building 12. A base 76, such as poured con-
crete, is preferably provided at this location to prevent cor-
rosion and other damage to the shelter. Air duct 70 is then
mounted between shelter 16 and window opening 14. Doors 36
and 59 are opened to add solid fuel to furnace 40. The fuel
is burned to heat air passing into shelter 16 from inlet 30.
The heated air is then transported through outlet 34 and duct
70 into building 12 to provide heat to the building in the
event the supply of fluid fuel is interrupted~ Blocking ele-
ments 74 may be mounted around
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duct 70 in window opening 14 to inhibit the passage of any
air through the window opening other than the heated air
transported through the duct into the building.
From the ~oregoing, it will be seen that this
invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and
objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages
which are obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus.
It will be understood that certain features and
subcombinations are of utility and may be employed with re-
ference to other features and subcombinations. This is con-
templated by and is within the scope of the claims.
As many possible elements may be made of the inven-
tion without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be
understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the
accompanying drawings is to be interpretted as illustrative
and not in a limiting sense.
