Wall mounted log chute

A wall mounted log chute for transferring fireplace logs through a wall of a dwelling is disclosed. An opening formed in the wall of a dwelling has a hopper hinged thereto. The hopper is movable from a first position wherein the hopper is opened at the outside side of the wall to a second position wherein the hopper is opened at the inside side of the wall. An outer frame surrounds the opening at the outside wall, and an inside frame surrounds the opening at the inside wall. An outside wall of the hopper abuts the outside frame when the hopper is in the second position, and an inside wall of the hopper abuts the inside frame when the hopper is in the first position. Fireplace logs are insertable into the hopper when it is in the first position, and the logs are removed from the hopper for use in a fireplace within the dwelling when the hopper is in the second position.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
I. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to wall mounted chutes, more specifically the 
present invention relates to wall mounted log chutes mounted in the wall 
of a dwelling. Even more specifically the present invention relates to 
wall mounted log chutes having a hopper movable from a first position 
where the hopper is opened at the outside surface of the wall and closed 
at an inside surface of the wall, to a second position wherein the hopper 
is opened at the inside surface of the wall and closed at the outside 
surface. 
II. Description of the Prior Art 
A search of the issued United States Patents reveals the following 
inventions relating to chutes for passing materials through a wall. 
U.S. Pat. No. 752,848 discloses an ore or grain chute with a lever operated 
gate for opening and closing an outer end of a hopper to control the flow 
of grain under gravity from the hopper to a receptacle beneath the chute. 
U.S. Pat. No. 1,001,691 discloses a bin for coal or other materials having 
a delivery chute which is provided with a sliding gate. The sliding gate 
controls the flow of coal or other articles from the bin to a receptacle 
located beneath the gate. U.S. Pat. No. 1,789,123 discloses a coal chute 
installation in an opening in a wall of a dwelling. A hopper is deployed 
from a first position wherein it projects outward from the building to 
facilitate the loading of coal into the chute, to a second position 
wherein the opening is closed and secured by means of an outer door. U.S. 
Pat. No. 1,782,675 discloses a chute for silos comprising a vertically 
slidable gate for opening the chute and allowing grain or other materials 
contained within the silo to be discharged. U.S. Pat. No. 3,083,057 
discloses a truck mounted gravity grain box having a chute for discharging 
grain. A gate vertically slidable in tracks is opened by means of a lever 
operated mechanism to control the discharge of grain from the grain box to 
a container beneath the gate. U.S. Pat. No. 3,348,733 discloses a gravity 
powered article dispensing apparatus for vending machines having an 
electrically controlled article releasing device. U.S. Pat. No. 4,136,762 
discloses a log dispenser for a fireplace comprising an opening in a 
building structure including a vertically sliding closure door operated by 
means of a bell crank. The logs are stored along a downward sloping ramp 
leading to the closure door, and when the door is opened gravity allows 
the logs to roll past the closure into a storage bin within the interior 
of the building. 
All of the above listed United States patents employ gravity and/or a 
sliding gate or closure to control the movement of materials therepast. 
None of the above listed United States patents disclose a hinged hopper 
disposed in an opening in a dwelling, the hopper being movable from a 
first position wherein the hopper is opened to an outside surface of the 
wall with the inside wall of the hopper sealing against an inside frame of 
the chute, to a second position wherein the outside wall of the hopper 
seals against an outside frame of the chute and the hopper is opened at an 
inside portion of the wall. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention comprises a wall mounted chute including a hopper 
hinged to the lower edge of an opening formed in a wall, the wall having 
an inside surface and an outside surface. The hopper is movable from the 
first position wherein the hopper is opened at the outside surface of the 
wall and closed at the inside surface, to a second position wherein the 
hopper is opened at the inside surface of the wall and closed at the 
outside surface. The chute further comprises an outer frame abutting the 
outer surface of the wall to finish the opening, and an inner frame 
abutting the inner surface of the wall to finish the inner edge of the 
opening. In a preferred embodiment the chute is hinged to the lower edge 
of the outer frame. 
The hopper comprises an outer wall hinged along a lower edge to the outer 
frame. A bottom wall extending from the outer frame to the inner frame. 
The outer wall is complementary to the outer frame opening and integral 
with the outer edge of the bottom wall at the hinge. An inner wall of the 
hopper is complementary to the opening of the inner frame and integral 
with an inner edge of the bottom wall. An upper edge of the outer wall and 
an upper edge of the inner wall are spaced apart a distance wherein when 
the outer wall abuts the frame an opening exists between the inner frame 
and the upper edge of the inner wall. When the inner wall abuts the inner 
frame an opening exists between the outer frame and the upper edge of the 
outer wall. A pair of opposed side walls are integral with the inner and 
outer walls and the bottom wall forming an enclosure with an open top. 
A gasket around the inner edge of the outer frame aids in sealing the outer 
wall of the hopper to the frame when the hopper is in the second position. 
A gasket around an inner edge of the inner frame aids in sealing the inner 
wall of the hopper against the inner frame when the hopper is in the first 
position. 
It is apparent to the skilled artisan that when the hopper is in the first 
position logs can be loaded into the hopper while the opening is sealed 
against outside air entering the dwelling due to the inner wall of the 
hopper sealing against the gasket and the inner frame. It is also apparent 
to the skilled artisan that when the hopper is in the second position logs 
can be unloaded from the hopper without the intrusion of outside air into 
the dwelling due to the sealing of the outer wall of the hopper against 
the gasket and the outer frame. 
For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is 
made to the following detailed description and accompanying drawing. 
Other objects, advantages, and applications of the present invention will 
become apparent to those skilled in the field to which this invention 
pertains when the accompanying description of the best modes contemplated 
for practicing the invention are read in conjunction with the accompanying 
drawing.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring now to the drawing, and in particular to FIGS. 1-2 wherein there 
is illustrated at 10 a preferred embodiment of the present invention. In 
the present invention an opening 12 is formed in a wall 14 of the dwelling 
for mounting the chute 10 thereto. An outer frame 16 is mounted to an 
outside surface 18 of the wall and an inner frame 20 is affixed to an 
inside surface 22 of the wall 14. The outer frame 16 and the inner frame 
20 serve to finish the opening and provide a means for mounting and 
sealing the chute 10 which will be described more fully hereinbelow. 
A hopper 24 comprises a bottom wall 26 extending from the outer frame 16 to 
the inner frame 20. An outer wall 28 complementary to the outer frame 
opening extends upward from the bottom wall 26 and is integral with the 
bottom wall and hinged along a lower edge to the outer frame 16. An inner 
wall 30 complementary to the inner frame opening is integral with an inner 
edge of the bottom wall 26. An upper edge of the outer wall 28 and an 
upper edge of the inner wall 30 are spaced apart a distance wherein when 
the outer wall abuts the outer frame 16 an opening exists between the 
inner frame 20 and the upper edge of the inner wall 30. When the inner 
wall 30 abuts the inner frame 20 an opening exists between the upper edges 
of the outer wall 28 and the outer frame 16. A pair of opposed side walls 
36,38 integral with the inner and outer walls 30,28 and the bottom wall 26 
form an enclosure with an open top. In a preferred embodiment, the side 
walls and bottom wall join the inner and outer walls at a point spaced in 
a distance from the edges thereof to form a flange around the periphery of 
the inner and outer walls to aid in sealing the walls against their 
respective frames in a manner which will be described more fully 
hereinbelow. 
A hinge 40 along a bottom edge of the outer wall 28 hinges the bottom wall 
to the outer frame 16 along a bottom edge of the frame opening. The hinge 
40 and the shape of the hopper 24 cooperate to allow the hopper to be 
movable from a first position wherein the inner wall 30 abuts the frame 20 
and the hopper 24 is opened at the outside surface 18 of the wall 14. The 
hopper 24 is movable to a second position wherein the outer wall 28 abuts 
the frame 16 and the hopper 24 is opened along an inside surface 22 of the 
wall 14. A recess 42 (FIG. 3) is formed around an inner periphery of the 
inner and outer frames, the recess being configured to nestingly receive 
the inner wall 28 and the outer wall 30. A pair of gaskets 44, abut the 
recess 42 around the periphery of the opening in the frames and provide a 
surface against which the outer wall 28 and the inner wall 30 can abut and 
seal. A plurality of openings 46 around the periphery of the recess 42 are 
aligned to receive a plurality of projections 48 along an inner face of 
each gasket 44. The projections include (FIG. 4) an enlarged end 49 which 
is compressable so that the end can be forced through the openings 46, 
returning to its enlarged state after passing therethrough to hold the 
gasket 44 in place. 
Referring again to FIG. 1, a pair of slide bolts 52 are mounted to the 
inner frame 20 at the sides proximate the top. The bolts 52 are positioned 
to align with a pair of apertures 56,58 in the side walls 36,38 and when 
the bolts have entered the apertures 56,58 the hopper 24 is locked in the 
second position and entry by a burglar or moving of the chute to the first 
position by any unauthorized person is not permitted. 
As shown in FIG. 1, a table or desk top 60 in a preferred embodiment, is 
hinged to an upper edge of the inner frame 20 by a hinge 54. A pair of 
telescoping supports 62,64 support the table top 60 in a first position 
wherein it is hinged away from the hopper opening, and in a second 
position wherein the table top 60 is horizontal and can be employed for 
writing or supporting ornamental objects. A friction means within the 
telescopic supports 62,64 enables the table top 60 to be positioned 
anywhere between the first and second positions. 
Hinged fasteners 66 attach an upper end of the telescoping supports 62,64 
to the table 60, and affix the lower end of the telescoping supports to 
the inner frame 20 allowing the table top 60 to be freely pivoted. 
One or more handles 68 are affixed to the inner wall 30 by any suitable 
fastening means such as threaded fasteners. The handles 68 provide means 
for moving the hopper between the first position and the second position. 
A plurality of openings 70, FIG. 2, pass through the outer wall 28 along an 
intersection of the outer wall 28 and the bottom wall 26 to drain any 
moisture which might accumulate therein to the outside.