Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Fireplace Grate For Firelogs
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a fireplace grate. More
specifically, the present
invention relates to a fireplace grate for use with manufactured firelogs.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] While wood burning fireplaces are still widely used for heating and
as an attractive
addition to room decor, many people prefer to burn firelogs in such fireplaces
rather than
natural wood logs.
[0on] As used herein, the term "firelogs" is used as a generic identifier
for man made
logs, which are sold under a variety of brand names such as Duraflame, Enviro-
Log, etc.
and/or for home-made similar combustibles. Firelogs typically comprise a
combustible
material, or combination of materials, such as sawdust, newsprint or, more
recently, used
coffee grounds, combined with a combustible carrier such as a wax, and the
resulting
combination is pressed to form a cylindrical structure resembling a log.
[0004] Firelogs provide a number of advantages over natural wood logs as
they can allow
for the reuse/recycling of sawdust and/or coffee grounds and can, in some
circumstances,
produce less greenhouse gasses when burned than do natural wood logs. Further,
handling
and storing firelogs is cleaner than handling and storing natural wood logs as
natural wood
logs tend to shed bark, dirt, insects, etc. unlike firelogs.
[0005] While firelogs are popular with many people, they do suffer from
some
disadvantages. In particular, the appearance of a burning firelog often does
not closely
resemble the appearance of the burning of a natural wood log. Further, for
safety reasons it
is often advised to only burn a single firelog at a time in a fireplace and
thus the fireplace may
look somewhat empty compared to the case wherein it contained multiple natural
wood logs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
pow It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel fireplace
grate which
obviates or mitigates at least one disadvantage of the prior art.
[0007] According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is
provided a fireplace
grate, comprising: a base having a combustion area to receive at least one
firelog; a cradle
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mounted above the base and moveable between a combustion position, wherein one
or more
artificial logs on the cradle are positioned over the combustion area to
resemble a stack of
natural wood logs, and a loading position wherein access is provided to the
combustion area
to place a firelog therein.
[0008] The present invention provides a fireplace grate which includes one
or more
artificial logs which can easily be moved between a combustion position,
wherein they are
located over a firelog, and a loading position, wherein a firelog can be put
into the fireplace
and ignited and/or ashes of a firelog can be removed after it has been
combusted. When in
the combustion position, the artificial logs assist in altering the overall
appearance of the
burning of the firelog to more closely resemble that of a fire of natural wood
logs and also
assist in reflecting heat from the combustion of the firelog into the room
containing the
fireplace.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0009] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be
described, by way of
example only, with reference to the attached Figures, wherein:
Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the top, front and side of a fireplace
grate, and
artificial logs, in accordance with the present invention, in a combustion
position;
Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the bottom, back and opposite side of the
fireplace grate and artificial logs of Figure 1;
Figure 3 shows a side view of the fireplace grate of Figure 1 with the
artificial logs
removed with the grate in the in a loading position;
Figure 4 shows a perspective view of the top, side and front of the fireplace
grate of
Figure 1 with the artificial logs removed and the grate in the combustion
position; and
Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the top, back and side of another
embodiment of
a fireplace grate in accordance with the present invention, in a combustion
position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0010] A fireplace grate in accordance with the present invention is
indicated generally at
20 in Figure 1. Grate 20 comprises a base 24 with a pair of side frames 28,
each one of
which extends upwards from a respective and opposite side of base 24.
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[0011] In the illustrated embodiment, base 24 is shown as a solid,
rectangular member
and while this is presently preferred, it will be understood by those of skill
in the art that base
24 can be constructed in a wide variety of configurations, including a mesh
rectangular
member, a rectangular framework enclosing an open center, a combination of a
framework
enclosing a mesh center, etc. It is preferred, but not essential, that base 24
have sufficient
mass to inhibit undesired movement of grate 20 when it is moved between
combustion and
loading positions, as described in more detail below.
[0012] Grate 20 further comprises a support cradle 32 (best seen in Figure
4) which
supports one or more, and specifically in the illustrated embodiment four,
artificial logs 36.
Artificial logs 36 can be formed in any suitable manner and in a presently
preferred
embodiment are logs of a fire proof ceramic material such as those typically
used in gas-fired
fireplaces or the like. Further, the particular arrangement artificial logs 36
on grate 20 is not
limited and it is contemplated that artificial logs 36 can be positioned in a
wide variety of
configurations that can be pleasing to the eye.
[0013] As best seen in Figures 3 and 4, in the illustrated embodiment
support cradle 32
includes a portion 40 which, when support cradle 32 is in the combustion
position (Figure 4),
is substantially horizontal and a portion 44 which depends forwardly and
downwardly, from
the horizontal. Portion 40 can include upward extending tabs 48 and a cross
piece 50 which
assist in maintaining one or more of artificial logs 36 in place on support
cradle 32 or such
features can be eliminated, depending upon how artificial logs 36 are mounted
to cradle 32.
Similarly, portion 44 can include one or more tines 52 which extend upwardly
and forwardly
from a cross piece 56 when cradle 32 is in the combustion position to assist
in maintaining
one or more of artificial logs 36 in place. Support cradle 32 can include
other features, such
as bosses 60, to aid in the positioning of artificial logs 36 such that they
more closely
resemble a stack of natural wood logs sitting on a grate.
[0014] It is known to fabricate artificial logs, such as artificial logs
36, with features which
promote their interlocking into a desired stack up. For example, in some cases
artificial logs
36 include complementary recesses and bosses which inter-engage to maintain
the relative
positioning of artificial logs 36. In other cases, bores are formed in
artificial logs 36 and metal
connectors are inserted between the bores of complementarily located logs in
the stack.
Accordingly, the present invention is not limited to any particular method of
positioning
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artificial logs 36 on support cradle 32 and it is contemplated that this can
be achieved in a
wide variety of manners as would occur to those of skill in the art.
[0015] Support cradle 32 is pivotally connected to side frames 28, via
pivot pins 64, which
allow it to be moved (arrow 68) between the combustion position, shown in
Figures 1, 2 and 4
and a loading position shown in Figure 3. In the illustrated embodiment, pivot
pins 64 are
fixed to cradle 32 and extend through, and pivot within, apertures in frames
28 to allow cradle
32 to be pivoted between the combustion and loading positions while preventing
other
movement of cradle 32 with respect to frames 28 and/or base 24. However, the
actual
mechanism used to provide for the movement of cradle 32 between the combustion
position
and the loading position is not particularly limited and a wide variety of
other suitable
mechanisms will occur to those of skill in the art.
[0016] Preferably, cradle 32 further includes a handle 72 which extends
generally
forwardly from grate 20 and which allows a user to easily move cradle 32
between the
combustion and loading positions, as needed. Ideally, handle 72 extends
sufficiently far
forward from a fire buring in grate 20 (described below) that it will not
become too hot for a
user to easily manipulate.
[0017] Base 24 includes a combustion area in which firelogs 76 can be
placed and
combusted. Grate 20 preferably includes a set of andirons 74, on base 24, to
define the
combustion area and upon which a firelog (76 in Figures 1 and 2) can be placed
to permit
airflow under the firelog 76 as it is being combusted. In the illustrated
embodiment, andrions
74 are cylindrical rods, but it is contemplated that any suitable structure,
as will occur to those
of skill in the art, which can serve as an andiron can be employed or, if
desired, andrions 74
can be omitted from the combustion area.
[0018] As should now be apparent, in use grate 20 will be located within a
fireplace and
artificial logs 36 will have been placed on cradle 32. Normally, cradle 32
will be left in the
combustion position as this provides an attractive appearance within the
fireplace, even when
no firelog 76 is being burned.
[00191 When it is desired to load a firelog 76, a user moves cradle 32 from
the combustion
position to the loading position, using handle 72 (if present) and places
firelog 76 onto the
andirons 74 (if present) or onto base 24 (if andirons 74, or equivalent, are
not present). If it is
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desired to burn firelog 76 at this time, it can be ignited before the user
returns cradle 32 back
to the combustion position. Otherwise, the user returns cradle 32 to the
combustion position.
[0020] If a firelog 76 was previously loaded and not ignited and the user
now wishes to
ignite firelog 76, the user can move cradle 32 to the loading position, ignite
firelog 76 and
return cradle 32 to the combustion position.
[0021] In either case, when firelog 76 is burning and cradle 32 is in the
combustion
position, the flames from firelog 76 will extend up and through artificial
logs 36 creating an
appearance that the stack of artificial logs 36 is burning and, to some
extent, obscuring the
view of firelog 76. Futher, the heat produced by the combustion of firelog 76
is reflected, to
some extent, by artificial logs 36 and can direct some proportion of that heat
into the room
containing the fireplace and grate 20.
[0022] As firelog 76 approaches being fully combusted, the user can move
cradle 32 to
the loading position, load another firelog 76 and then return cradle 32 to the
combustion
position to extend the burn time of the fire.
[0023] When the fire in grate 20 is completed, the user can move cradle 32
to the loading
position and the user will then have easy access to allow for the removal of
the ashes of any
combusted firelogs 76.
[0024] In Figure 5 another embodiment of a fireplace grate, indicated
generally at 95, is
shown and wherein like components to those discussed above are indicated with
like
reference numerals. As shown, in this embodiment the andirons 74 of the
previous
embodiment have been omitted and, instead, a removable tray 100 has been
provided. Tray
100 receives firelog 76, as shown in the Figure, and can include a set of
andirons 104, or
equivalent. In normal use, tray 100 rests on base 24 and receives and supports
firelogs 76
as needed. However, when the fire is completed and a user desires to remove
ashes from
grate 95, they move cradle 32 to the loading position, remove tray 100 and
carry it to a waste
receptacle to remove the ashes and .they return tray 100 to grate 95 and
return cradle 32 to
the combustion position.
[0025] While the discussion above only includes description of a single
firelog 76 being
placed in grates 20 and/or 95, the present invention is not so limited and,
grates 20 and 95
can accommodate the loading of multiple firelogs 76 in cases where multiple
firelogs 76 can
be safely combusted simultaneously.
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[0026]
The above-described embodiments of the invention are intended to be examples
of
the present invention and alterations and modifications may be effected
thereto, by those of
skill in the art, without departing from the scope of the invention which is
defined solely by the
claims appended hereto.
