Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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The present invention relates to an adjustable flue
connector assembly for use in a fireplace opening to provide a
fluid flow channel between the exhaust means of a stove and the
chimney of a fireplace opening.
Wood and coal have traditionally been burnt in open
fireplaces to produce heat. In recent years consideration has
been given to efficient burning of wood or coal in domestic
fireplaces. One application for the domestic fireplace has
been to insert a stove, commonly referred to as a heater, into
a fireplace opening leading to a chimney. The stove usually
includes a front cover surrounding the stove which closes the
air gap between the stove and the masonry fireplace at the
front of the fireplace. The chimney damper is e~ther removed
or left in the open position so that flue gases exhausted from
l~ the stove flow up the chimney of the fireplace. Frequently,
the stove exhaust may not be located adjacent the chimney which
usually leads to a buildup of soot and flue gases in the air
space between the outer walls of the stove and the inner walls
of the fireplace opening. The buildup of soot and 1ue gases
has been known to result in unsafe stove operating conditions.
While some attempts have been made to directly
connect the exhaust of the stove with the chimney, these
attempts have not been totally successful. In particular, one
method invloved connecting coiled stainless steel tubing
between the stove exhaust and the chimney. The problem
associated with this assembly was that often the stainless
steel tubing would be of a diameter larger than the width of
the damper opening which opening was usually rectangular in
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shape. As an result the tubing wou]d have to be deformend into
an oval shape so that it could be placed within the damper
opening which often proved to be an extremely difficult task.
Furthermore, the other end of the stainless steel tubing had to
be connected to the exhaust means of the stove. This
connection often would be difficult to make due to the usually
small or virtually non-existent clearance between the top outer
walls of the stove and the top inner walls of the fireplace
opening. The installation of this type of flue connector is
difficult and cumbersome, and may result in an improper
connection leading to the safety hazards previously mentioned.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to
provide an adjustable flue connector assembly which may be used
readily in most fireplace openings to interconnect the
fireplace chimney with the exhaust means of the stove.
It i8 another object of the present invention to
provide an adjustable flue connector assembly which may be
easily and simply attached between the chimney o the fireplace
opening and the exhaust means of the stove irregardless of the
clearance between the stove and the fireplace opening.
Briefly, the present invention provides an adjustable
flue connector assembly connectable between a chimney of a
fireplace opening and a flue gas exhaust means located on a
rear wall of a stove insertable into the fireplace opening.
The assembly includes cover means and duct means. The cover
means is securable adjacent the damper opening of the chimney
and has an orifice of predetermined size to effectively reduce
the size of the damper opening to the predetermined size of the
cover orifice. The duct means is adapted to extend from the
cover orifice and into the fireplace opening. The duct means
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includes inlet means and adjustable positioning means
adjustable relative to the duct means for supporting the inlet
means at a predetermined position in the fireplace opening.
The inlet means is connectable with the flue gas exhaust means
when located at the predetermined position and upon insertion
of the stove into the fireplace opening. Once the assembly is
connected with the chimney and the stove, the flue gases are
exhausted from the stove through the duct means and into the
chimney. The adjustable positioning means allows the duct
means to be positioned such that the stove may be pressed into
contact with the inlet means irregardless of the clearances
between the inner walls of the fireplace opening and the outer
walls of the stove. Further, the flue connector assembly
provides a positive seal between the stove exhaust means and
chimney.
While it is within the realm of the present invention
to have the duct means comprise a unitary structure or
expandable ducting structure, each of which may pass through
the cover orifice or be secured to the cover means, in the
preferred form of the invention the duct means comprises first
and second duct means engageable with one another. The first
and second duct means may be slidably engageable and are
preferably telescopically engageable. The first duct means may
be connected to one of the cover means, second duct means or
both.
Additionally, the damper opening may include two
flanges and the cover means may comprise a plate which rests on
top of the flanges. The plate may include at least one
fastening means which can be secured to the underside of one of
these flanges in the chimney. It is also envisaged that the
cover means may include extensions on the ends thereof such
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~~~ that the cover plate can be adjusted to match the size of the
damper opening.
The first duct means preferably includes at least one
lip which rests on the upper surface of the cover plate and
holds the first duct means within the orifice of the cover
plate.
The inlet means may comprise a rim which extends
outwardly of the second duct means along its horizontal axis
towards the incoming stove.
The positioning means of the second duct means may
comprise first and second adjustable support means in the form
of brackets or the like attached by means of screws to the
second duct means. Two support brackets preferably are
émployed for the first support means and extend hori~ontally of
the second duct means to abuttingly engage the rear wall of the
fireplace opening and maintain the spacing between the rear
fireplace wall and second duct means. This is important as the
brackets prevent the second duct means from moving rearwardly
when the stove i5 moved thereagainst. The second support
means preferably comprises two brackets which extend vertically
downwardly of the second duct means to support the second duct
means a predetermined distance above the fireplace floor. The
horizontally extending brackets and the vertically extending
brackets have a plurality of apertures two of which may be
secured to a set o at least two apertures in the second duct
means by screws or the like.
For a better understanding of the nature and objects
of the present invention reference may be had by way o example
to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the fireplace
opening partially cut away with the adjustable flue connector
assembly of the present invention exploded; this drawing is
representative of all compon4nts of the preferred embodiment;
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Fig. 2 is an exploded assembly view of the adjustable
flue connector assembly,
Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the first and second
duct means of the adjustable flue connector-assembly;
Fig. 4 is a side sectional view showing the cover
plate attached adjacent the chimney damper opening;
Fig. 5 is a detailed view of the cover plate of the
adjustable flue connector assembly; and,
Figs. 6 and 7 are two side sectional views showing
the insertion of the stove into the fireplace opening for
connection with the adjustable flue connector assembly.
Referring to the drawings the preferred embodiment of
the present inventlon will be described. Referring to Fig. 1
there is shown a fireplace opening 10 having a chimney 12, a
rear wall 14, side walls 16, floor 18 and front opening 20. A
stove 22 is shown in Fig. 6 about to be inserted into the
fireplace ront opening 20. The chimney 12 has a damper
opening 24 at which are located two flanges 26. Below the
chimney 12 an adjustable flue connector assembly 28 is
illustrated.
Adjustable 1ue connector assembly 28 comprises a
cover means or cover plate 30, a first duct means 32 and a
second duct means 34.
The cover plate 30 is provided with an orifice 36 and
has extensions 38 extending laterally rom the ends of the
plate 30. The extensions 38 are adjustable relative to the
centre portion 40 of the cover plate 30 by means of slots 42,
studs 44 and nuts 45. The plate 30 further includes resilient
fastening means 35 which comprise elongated strips of metal 37
astened at one end to plate 30.
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.
The first and second ducts 32, 34 are generally
rectangular in cross-section and alternatively may be circular
in cross-section. The first duct 32 has lips 38 and
telescopically engages with the second duct 34.
The second duct means 34 includes an inlet means 48
in the form of a rim 50 extending outwardly of the duct 34
along its horizontal axis 52 (see Fig. 6). The duct 34 further
includes adjustable positioning means comprising horizontally
extending brackets or support means 54 and vertically extending
10 brackets or support means 56. The brackets 54, 56 are each
provided with a plurality of apertures 58 two of which are
fastened to adjacent apertures 60 or 62 of the second duct 34
so as to position the inlet means 48 in a predetermined
position within the fireplace opening 10 ready for connection
with an exhaust means 64 of stove 22.
For a better understanding of the adjustable flue
conector assembly 28 and the operation of the assembly, the
installation of the 1ue connector assembly is now described.
Firet, a damper plate (not shown) covering the
opening 24 of the chimney 12 is removed. Next, the first duct
32 is slid through cover orifice 36 until lips 48 of duct 32
come into contact with the plate 30 as shown. If necessary,
the length the plate 30 may be adjusted by moving extensions 38
so that the plate effectively covers the area of the damper
25 opening 24 of the chimney 12. The plate 30 is inserted by
angling the plate 30 and moving it through the opening 24 and
bringing it back to rest on flanges 26 o chimney 12. The
plate 30 rests on the flanges 26 and the first duct 32 extends
downwardly from the plate and into the fireplace opening 10.
The adjustable fastening means 35 then may be sprung by a
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screwdriver to engage the lower side of ~langes 26 so as to
sandwich the flanges 26 between cover plate 30 and fastening
means 35 and inhibit upward movement of plate 30. Next, the
distance from the first duct 32 to the rear wall 14 is measured
to provide the proper adjustment setting for horizontal
brackets 54 which are then attached to the second duct 34. The
distance from the exhaust means 64 of the stove 22 to the floor
18 of the fireplace can be measured to provide the proper
height adustment setting for the verticle bracket 56 with
respect to the second duct 34 which brackets 56 are attached to
the second duct 34. It should be noted that the fireplace
shown in Fig. 1 has a porch 66 which is higher than the floor
18 of the fireplace 10. This is only the case in a small
minority of ireplaces and measurement for the vertical height
is to be taken from the exhaust means 64 to the floor 18 with
the stove 22 resting on porch 66. However, in most instances
the height above the floor 18 i6 the same as the distance from
the exhaust means 64 to the top of the porch 66. With brackets
54, 56 attached to the second duct 34, duct 34 can be slid onto
the irst duct 32 by pushing the first duct 32 up through the
cover oriice 36, positioning the second duct 34 with the
brackets 54 and 56 engaging the respective floor 18 and rear
wall 14, and then lowering the first duct 32 relative to the
second duct 34 until lips 48 engage cover plate 30. At this
time the assembly 28 should be in position within the fireplace
opening 10 such that rim 50 of inlet means 48 i8 ready for
connection with the exhaust means 64 of the stove 22. Then the
stove 22 may be pushed into the fireplace opening bringing the
exhaust means 64 into engagement with the the inlet means 48.
Lastly, flange 68 surrounding the stove 22 may be secured to
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close the gap between the outer walls of the stove 22 and the
inner walls of the fireplace opening 10 at the frant of the
fireplace opening. This installation provides a direct
connection between the exhaust means 64 of the stove 22 and the
chimney 18 and may be assembled simply with the use of a
screwdriver or like tool.
Referring to Fig. 7, the stove 22 is illustrated
inserted into the fireplace opening. Because of the direct
positive seal between the chimney 12 and stove exhaust 64
provided by assembly 28 and because of flange 68 closing the
front of fireplace opening 10, a dead space 70 surrounds the
stove 22. An advantage associated with the present invention
is that the dead space 70 may be packed with non-combustible
insulation material, such as for example, fiberglass. As can
be appreciated this additional insulation greatly enhances the
heating efficiency of the stove 22.
It should be understood that in some instances the
depth of the fireplace opening may be such that the exhaust
means 64 of stove 22 does not come into contact with rim 50 of
the flue connector assembly 28 once the stove 22 is inserted
into the fireplace. In this instance, a standard stove pipe
may be used as an extension means to interconnect the exhaust
means 64 with the rim 50.
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