Simulated electric glowing embers for gas fireplaces

A low cost prefabricated fireplace is provided with an open-ended fireplace box which requires no outer sheet metal shroud or housing as employed in the prior art sheet metal fireplaces. The novel fireplace box has at least five walls which consist substantially of insulating reinforced ceramic fiber (RCF) material and a binder. A modular burner system is removably mounted on the bottom wall of the fireplace box and a floor panel is mounted on the modular burner system forming an air chamber below the floor panel in the fireplace box. A decorative surround trim is attached to the open end of the fireplace box which serves to support fixed or operable glass doors. A log set which may include a log burner is mounted above the floor panel which supports a decorative log set. Apertures are made in the top sides or of the fireplace box to accommodate an air supply and/or an exhaust stack. The fireplace box serves as a base unit to which other fireplace components are attached, connected or supported so that the need for conventional sheet metal is substantially eliminated. The resulting fireplace can be completed in many different configurations using a common fireplace box which needs no additional surrounding insulation for installation in a room.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to gas fireplaces and burners for gas 
fireplaces. More particularly, the present invention relates to a real gas 
fireplace which may be turned on or off while maintaining a realistic 
simulation of glowing embers and burning logs. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
It was known to those skilled in the movie lighting art that scenes are 
filmed with flickering light illumination sources to realistically convey 
that the scene being filmed is subject to light from a fireplace. 
Manufacturers of electrical lighting circuits have been able to 
manufacture light sources which cause ordinary light to display a 
flickering effect. It is also known that certain manufacturers of 
incandescent light bulbs have been able to build into the light a flicker 
effect. 
It is also known that mechanical flickering screens may be placed under gas 
logs between a light and the logs so that a repeatable pattern of 
flickering light is cast upon the log. This type of simulation appears to 
be artificial and unreal. 
It would be desirable to provide a source of random patterned flickering 
light which is cast directly onto real logs or artificial gas logs so as 
to realistically simulate the burning of coals and embers under a log set 
and to simulate the burning of logs. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an electrical 
source of random flickering light which is cast directly onto a log set in 
a fireplace to simulate burning logs. 
It is another primary object of the present invention to provide a glowing 
bed of embers which serves as a random and controllable electric source of 
flickering light. 
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a novel electric 
simulated glowing embers light source. 
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a means for 
projecting a simulated bed of glowing embers pattern onto a log set. 
It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an artificial 
bed of glowing embers which is resistant to high temperatures and may be 
operated inside or at the floor of a gas fireplace combustion chamber. 
It is another primary bed of glowing embers through which a source of 
flickering light is projected directly onto a log set to simulate the 
burning of logs and also glowing embers without heat. 
It is a general object to create the illusion of light produced by burning 
logs without heat. 
It is a general object to provide a translucent bed of glowing embers by 
molding glass or a mixture of glass particles bonded together by high 
temperature adhesive or glass frit. 
It is another object of the present invention to provide a colored pattern 
on or under a translucent bed of glowing ember that may be projected as 
light onto a log set.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Refer now to FIG. 1 showing a side elevation in section of a fireplace 10 
comprising a combustion chamber 11 which is surrounded by a heat exchanger 
12 shown by the numerals 12A, 12B and 12C. A raised floor 13 in the 
combustion chamber 11 is approximately at the same level as the burner 14. 
The gas chamber 14 is shown connected to a gas control valve 15 for 
producing gas flames which pass up and through the log 16. The product of 
combustion is passed through the baffle 17 and out the exhaust 18. Fresh 
combustion air enters through the coaxial duct 19 and comes down through 
the duct 21 into the combustion air chamber 22 under the raised floor 13. 
Thus, it will be appreciated that the fireplace 10 may be operated as a 
conventional fireplace which gives out heat and burns gas with the 
appearance of burning logs. When it is desired to operate the fireplace in 
a mode of operation that produces the minimum amount of heat, the gas 
supply at the control valve may be terminated and the electric glowing 
embers 23 may be turned on so that no heat is supplied to the room area. 
The electric glowing embers 23 are shown comprising a translucent panel 24 
which is mounted on legs 25 at approximately the same level as the floor 
13 and burner 14. Beneath the translucent panel 24, there is provided one 
or more flickering light sources 26. In the preferred embodiment of the 
present invention, the auxiliary light source 27 may be provided. Light 
sources 25 and 27 are shown connected to a control box 28 which is 
provided with an on/off switch 29 located behind the removable intake 
panel 31. In the present embodiment shown, it is possible to 
simultaneously operate the gas burner and the flickering light sources 26, 
27 to provide very low heat and create the illusion of an extremely hot 
fire. A fan 32 may be provided in the embodiment shown so as to operate 
the fireplace in a hot heat mode with the flickering light sources 
protected by the cooling effect of the fan 32 and/or the circulation of 
air through the heat exchanger 12. 
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the translucent panel 
is preferably made of a heat resistant glass and is provided with 
3-dimensional contours on the upper surface in the form of glowing coals. 
This may be accomplished by starting with a flat plate of high temperature 
glass, adding thereon a mixture of high temperature glass and a glass frit 
which is molded and bonded onto the base panel. Another method of 
producing the novel translucent glowing embers panel is to start with a 
sheet of high temperature glass and reheat it in a ceramic oven allowing 
it to form or be formed in a negative mold having 3-dimensional contours 
that resemble glowing goals. Yet another process for producing the novel 
panel 24 is to start with a flat sheet of high temperature glass and bond 
a glass powder mixture onto the glass with high temperature adhesives. 
Having explained the preferred methods of making glowing embers panel 24, 
it will be possible to use variations of these method steps to produce the 
panel by other methods. 
The direct vent fireplace 10 shown in FIG. 1 is provided with a fixed glass 
door 33 and a blower motor 34 in the heat exchanger to complete an 
operable fireplace. 
Refer now to FIG. 2 showing in enlarged detail of the embers support 
structure. The bottom panel of the combustion chamber box is shown as a 
horizontal panel 36 used to support the floor 13, burner 14 and glowing 
embers structure 24A. A onepiece box assembly 37 is provided with a 
rectangular opening 38 over which is placed the glowing embers panel 24. 
The panel 24 is held in place by a clamp frame 39 and screws 41. Legs 42A 
and 42B are shown supported from the bottom panel 36 and provided with 
protruding flanges for supporting the burner 14 and the panel false floor 
13. The burner 14 is provided with an air shutter valve 35 and an orifice 
43 coupled to a gas supply tube 44 which connects to the control valve 15. 
The flickering light source 26 and optional light source 27 is shown 
connected to the control box 28. 
When a pattern is painted on one side of panel 24 or is provided by 
inundations 24A on the panel 24, this pattern is projected by the light 
26, 27 onto the logs 16 so as to simulate burning of the logs though no 
heat or flames are provided by the burner 14. 
Refer now to FIG. 3 showing a fireplace 40 in side elevation and section 
showing another preferred embodiment of the present invention having a 
simulated glowing embers panel 24. The numerals used in FIGS. 1 and 2 
which are the same as those shown in FIG. 3 represent the identical 
structure and do not require additional explanation. It will be noted that 
the glowing embers panel 24 is larger than the previous glowing embers 
panel, but is also provided with a 3-dimensional contoured pattern 24A on 
top of a panel 24 through which the flickering light source 26 may be 
projected onto the logs 16. In this embodiment, the light source 26 may 
include bright lights 27 which are not shown. The larger panel or glowing 
embers structure 24 is shown supported by legs 46 connected to the bottom 
panel of the combustion chamber 36. 
Refer now to FIG. 3A showing an enlarged detail of the glowing embers 
support structure. In this embodiment, the burner 14 now comprises the 
panel 24 of translucent glass and a panel 45 of transparent glass 
separated by a gas manifold or plenum space. The gas supply tube 44 is 
coupled to burner tube 52 which connects into the center of the burner 14. 
There is shown a leg 46 welded to a channel shaped keeper 48 which 
supports the novel burner 14. The keeper 48 embraces the glowing embers 
panel 24, a spacer 49 and a pair of gaskets or resilient seals 51 are 
supported from the transparent glass panel 45. In the preferred embodiment 
shown, the leg 46 is further provided with a floor support flange 47 for 
positioning the false or raised floor 13 to a proper height. 
In the modified embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the light source 26, 27 is 
positioned inside of the combustion air plenum 22 where the temperature of 
the air in the plenum 22 is maintained at approximately 200.degree. 
F.-250.degree. F. This temperature is sufficient to maintain the burner 14 
and the light source at a sufficiently low temperature to ensure 
longevity. 
Refer now to FIG. 4 showing a slide elevation in section of another 
embodiment of the present invention simulated electric glowing embers 
structure. In this embodiment, the numerals used on the fireplace 10 and 
40 which are the same as those shown on the fireplace 50 are identical or 
substantially identical and operate in the same mode of operation and need 
not be explained in detail hereinafter. Fireplace 50 is provided with a 
burner 14 that is deep enough to include the flickering light source 26. 
The burner 14 which contains the light source 26, 27 is supported from the 
bottom panel 36 by legs 53. 
Refer now to FIG. 4A showing an enlarged detail of the glowing 
embers/burner support structure of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4. In this 
embodiment the burner 14 comprises an upper panel 24 of glowing embers 
having a pattern 24A deposited thereon and burner jets 24J, therein which 
communicate with the manifold 14M in the center of the burner 14. The 
burner also comprises a metal pan 54 which is supported by legs 53 welded 
at weld 55 to the pan 54. Upper horizontal flanges 53R are provided on the 
legs 53 to support the false floor 13. A horizontal flange on the upper 
portion of pan 54 supports a gasket or seal 56 which in turn supports the 
glowing embers panel 24. The burner is assembled and kept in place by a 
keeper 57 which connects under the flange of the burner pan 54 and on top 
of the panel 24. In this embodiment, the burner temperature and the source 
of flickering light may reach temperature as high as 450.degree., thus a 
high temperature light source must be provided in the burner 14 in this 
embodiment. 
Refer now to FIG. 5 showing a side elevation in section of a modified 
embodiment of the invention shown in FIG. 1 in which a pair of the novel 
bed of electric glowing embers 24 are shown at the front and rear of the 
log set 16. In this embodiment, the fireplace 60 is shown having a 
collinear air duct which provides a source of outside fresh air to the 
combustion air plenum 22. By providing outside cool fresh air into the 
plenum 22, the flickering light source 26, 27 may be maintained at a 
temperature no greater than 250.degree. F. temperature. It will be 
understood that the burner 14 in FIG. 5 may be a flat pan burner of the 
type shown in FIG. 1 or any modification thereof. Further, the electric 
glowing ember panels 24 with glowing ember patterns 24A are made 
substantially identical to those explained in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, 
the light source projects a pattern of random flickering light onto the 
log set 16 which is non-repetitive in a manner which simulates real gas 
flames whether or not the gas flames are present. 
Refer now to FIG. 6 showing a top or plan view in section taken through the 
exhaust stack of the fireplaces shown in FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 5 with the log set 
16 removed. The fireplace 10 is shown having a rectangular shaped electric 
glowing embers panel 24 which is placed over the electric fan 32 to 
provide the cooling of the light source (not shown). Inside of the 
fireplace 10 is shown the raised floor 13 of the combustion chamber which 
is provided with rectangular openings to receive the burner 14 and the 
panels 24. For purposes of completing an explanation of the type of 
fireplace shown with the preferred embodiment, a direct vent fireplace 
having an exhaust outlet 19 centered inside of a coaxial air supply duct 
19, 21 is provided. 
Having explained a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will 
now be understood that the novel translucent glowing embers panels 24 are 
preferably provided with 3-dimensional glowing embers on the top surface. 
Further, the pattern which is projected by the light source 26, 27 may be 
painted onto the top surface employing a high temperature clay color paint 
or may be provided by placing a preprinted pattern or template underneath 
the panel 24. In either event, the light source 26, 27 causes the 
translucent panel 24 to glow and simulate glowing embers while 
simultaneously allowing transmitted light to reach the log set 16 and 
simulates flames by the projected light of the flickering light source. By 
employing panels made of high temperature clear or translucent glass, the 
present invention has been able to combine a glowing embers effect with 
flickering light to provide a new and substantially enhanced simulated 
fireplace without convection or radiation heat for use in hot climates 
without heat or as a conventional fireplace with heat. 
A feature of the present invention permits the fireplace to be operated in 
a heating or a non-heating mode or somewhere inbetween. When used in 
crowded rooms, the heat may be reduced and the simulated electric fire and 
embers increased so that a desired uniform temperature is maintained by a 
central heating system.