Patent ID: 8434471
Filing Date: 2013-05-07
Classification: F24B

Abstract:
1. In an indoor-outdoor fireplace apparatus including a housing, a base unit within the housing near the lower end thereof, and at least one container for a fuel of the liquid or gel type supported by the base unit, the improvement comprising: the at least one container being a pair of elongate fuel containers, each having a short dimension; the base unit having a top defining a pair of fuel-container openings therethrough in spaced substantially parallel relationship to one another and adapted to removably receive and engage the elongate fuel containers; a shutter carrier slidably resting on the base-unit top and including a frame to which a pair of shutter plates are secured in spaced positions to cover the elongate fuel containers, the frame having a handle positioned outside the housing for moving the frame to position the shutters; an overplate above the shutter carrier and secured to the base-unit top, such overplate providing a surface for holding non-burning, decorative, flame-contact objects, the overplate defining a pair of access openings therethrough for passage of the fuel containers therethrough to their position received within the fuel-container openings in the base-unit top; and a set of first threaded attachment devices welded on the base-unit top and positioned for securing the overplate to the base unit by a second set of mating threaded attachment devices, the positioning of the first set of threaded attachment devices serving the further purpose of guiding and positioning the shutter carrier over the base-unit top, whereby a visually-broad flame field is created without a large burning surface and full off-and-on control of the flame is provided with a shutter stroke substantially less than the dimension across the pair of fuel containers in the base unit.