Majco Building Specialties, L.p.

Tadeusz Karabin

Roy E Mundy

Frank H Broome

Thomas J Beal

A thermally activated vent damper assembly for a flue is adapted to be situated in relation to the flue for occluding the passage of gas through the flue. A support member traverses the flue and suspends the damper member across the flue for movement between an open and a closed position. A thermally activated biasing member is operatively coupled between the support member and the damper member to bias the damper member in the open position in the presence of heat and to bias the damper member in the closed position in the absence of heat. The coupling of the biasing member between the support member and the damper member is such that potential sites for frictional inhibition of damper member movement are eliminated. Upon breakage or other failure of the biasing member to apply bias, the damper member defaults to or remains in an open position under the force of gravity, providing for a unique fail-safe feature.

Thermally activated vent damper

A fireplace gas burning assembly for producing a clean burning yellow flame in a chamber is disclosed. The assembly includes at least one means for introducing a substantially vertical flow of a flammable fluid into the chamber. The assembly also includes at least one means for introducing a substantially vertical stream of secondary air into the chamber. The means for introducing a substantially vertical stream of secondary air into the chamber is positioned such that the stream of air and flow of flammable fluid intersect such that when ignition occurs a yellow clean burning flame will be produced.

Method and apparatus for producing a yellow flame within a fireplace

A thermally activated vent damper assembly for a flue is adapted to be situated in relation to the flue for occluding the passage of gas through the flue. A support member transverses the flue and suspends the damper member across the flue for movement between an open and a closed position. A thermally activated biasing member is operatively coupled between the support member and the damper member to bias the damper member in the open position in the presence of heat and to bias the damper member in the closed position in the absence of heat. The coupling of the biasing member between the support member and the damper member is such that potential sites for frictional inhibition of damper member movement are eliminated. Upon breakage or other failure of the biasing member to apply bias, the damper member defaults to or remains in an open position under the force of gravity, providing for a unique fail-safe feature.

A heat exchanger for use in a fireplace assembly having walls surrounding a fire combustion chamber, an air passage provided therein and a flue assembly for exhausting combustion chamber effluent. The heat exchanger includes a housing adapted to be mounted in the fire combustion chamber and communicating with the air passage. The housing has a first housing wall, a second housing wall and intermediate walls connecting the first and second housing walls. The first housing wall has an opening therein to receive combustion chamber effluent. The second housing wall has an opening for emission of combustion chamber effluent which is adapted for communication with the flue of the fireplace assembly for exhaust of the combustion chamber effluent from the fireplace assembly. Intermediate walls connect the first and second housing walls in a spaced relation. Diversion means are fixed in the housing to form at least one elongated heat exchange surface to guide and direct combustion chamber effluent through the heat exchanger along a tortuous path and provide extended heat transfer surfaces. The extended heat transfer surfaces serve to provide heat to a first air conduit formed between the first housing wall and the diversion means, a second air conduit within the diversion means and a third air conduit formed between second housing wall and the diversion means. The air passage is in fluid communication with the air conduits and the air conduits are in fluid communication with the atmosphere.

Low pressure drop fireplace heat exchanger

An assembly is disclosed for enhancing the aesthetics of a gas fireplace. The assembly includes an elongated burner tube which is laterally disposed within the combustion chamber of the fireplace and which includes discharge ports which are inwardly oriented with respect to the combustion chamber. A tray adjoins the front side of the burner tube and may support lava rocks or the like for hiding the burner tube from view. A gap is defined between the floor of the combustion chamber and the bottom surface of the tray so that secondary air can travel from the front end of the combustion chamber towards the burner tube. A support adjoins the rear side of the burner tube and includes an inclined surface facing the burner tube. An emberizing material such as mineral wool is supported by the inclined surfaces. Ignition of the burner tube causes flames to be directed rearwardly and to impinge upon the emberizing material, causing it to glow. The orientation of the emberizing material with respect to the combustion chamber provides a large glowing surface. The burner tube and support are both adapted to be secured to a grate which is used for supporting an artificial log set.

Gas burner assembly including emberizing material

Method and gas burner assembly for producing among the arrangement of non-combustible logs, and essentially yellow flame pattern with substantially low levels of carbon monoxide production. In general, method hereof employs a gas burner assembly having one or more burner each having a plurality of gas jets. The burner assembly is disposed between the combustion chamber of fireplace enclosure which contains a predetermined volume of combustion chamber air which is continuously provided from outside of the combustion chamber. Non-combustible fireplace logs are arranged above the gas burner assembly so as to provide one or more flow paths between the burner and adjacent logs, for allowing free flow of combustion chamber air through the flow paths and about the burners. Flow of gas is provided through the burners so that the gas flows out of the gas jets and mixes with the combustion chamber air about the jets of the burner. Combustion chamber air flowing through the flow paths and about the burner is concentrated so that the flame pattern has essentially a yellow color, and the logs above the burners are maintained at a sufficient temperature so that combustion gases flowing out of the fireplace exhaust have substantially low levels of carbon monoxide. In the preferred embodiment, an H-shaped burner is used in practicing the method of the present invention.

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Huntington, IN, United States of America

Tadeusz Karabin