Abstract:
A fire effect appliance which utilizes a bowl to which is to be supplied a flammable gas. The internal chamber of the fire bowl includes a diffusing device which is to function to evenly distribute the gas throughout a particulate matter contained within the internal chamber of the fire bowl. The fire bowl can be placed on a freestanding stand or mounted within a table. A fan and shroud can be mounted in conjunction with the fire bowl for the purpose of propelling the heated air exteriorly of the fire bowl so the appliance can also function as a heater.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The field of this invention relates to ornamental devices and more particularly to an appliance which is designed to generate a dancing flame to achieve a desirable ornamental effect. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A common form of a fire effect appliance is what is deemed a conversation pit. Generally, a conversation pit is a hole in the ground that is surrounded with rock or brick. Typical pits are around four feet in diameter. Wood is to be placed within the pit and when burning produces a desirable environment for people to gather around and engage in conversation. Prior to the present invention, it has not been known to utilize this same concept in conjunction with a table mounted appliance. 
     What is believed to be the closest prior art would be a cooking appliance which comprises a small -unit that would burn charcoal that could be placed on a table. However, the structure of the present invention is not intended to be used in cooking. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A main embodiment of a fire effect appliance which comprises a fire bowl which has an internal chamber. A diffusing device is placed within the internal chamber and rests on the fire bowl. A gas supply chamber is formed between the diffusing device and the fire bowl. A quantity of particulate matter substantially fills the internal chamber of the fire bowl covering the diffusing device. The particulate matter has a substantially level top surface. An opening is formed in the fire bowl with this opening connecting with the gas supply chamber. The opening is to connect with a source of flammable gas. As gas is supplied to the gas supply chamber and flows in conjunction with the diffusing device into the internal chamber and the gas becomes evenly dispersed throughout the particulate matter and when ignited produces a dancing flame effect on the top surface of the particulate matter. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention comprises the main embodiment being modified by the diffusing device comprising a plate. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the just previous embodiment is modified by the plate being defined as circular. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the just previous embodiment is modified by the diffusing plate having a centrally mounted protruding pin which is to fit within a hole formed within the fire bowl to quickly align in position the diffusing plate with this pin protruding from the bottom surface of the diffusing plate. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the main embodiment is modified by the appliance being mounted in conjunction with a table. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the just previous embodiment is modified by there being formed a hole in the table and the fire bowl is mounted within the hole. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the main embodiment is modified by a gas bottle being mounted in conjunction with the fire bowl. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the main embodiment is modified by the fire bowl being mounted on a shroud with there being formed a gap area between the shroud and the fire bowl. An electrically operated fan is connected to the shroud to move air across the fire bowl and exteriorly of the fire bowl so that the appliance can also function as a heater. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the main embodiment is modified by the fire bowl being mounted on a freestanding stand which is to be located on a supporting surface. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the circular plate that is used as the diffusing means has a diameter that is within the range of fifty-seven to sixty percent of the largest diameter of the internal chamber of the fire bowl which produces an even disbursement of the gas through the particulate matter. 
     A further embodiment of the present invention is where the just previous embodiment is modified by the particulate matter having a depth of between fourteen to eighteen percent of the largest diameter of the internal chamber of the fire bowl. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a better understanding of the present invention, reference is to be made to the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the precise arrangement shown in the drawings. 
     FIG. 1 is an exterior isometric view of a first embodiment of fire effect appliance of this invention showing the fire bowl mounted within a hole formed within a table; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  2 — 2  of FIG. 1 depicting how the appliance can be removed from the table; 
     FIG. 3 is an isometric view of a second embodiment of fire effect appliance showing such being mounted in conjunction with a table; 
     FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  4 — 4  of FIG. 3 clearly depicting the arrangement of the fire effect appliance being mounted in conjunction with a shroud where the appliance can then be used as a heater; 
     FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a third embodiment of the fire effect appliance of this invention showing a freestanding stand version thereof being located on a table supporting surface; 
     FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of FIG. 5; and 
     FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line  7 — 7  of FIG. 6 which clearly shows the connection of the diffusing plate in conjunction with the gas discharge nozzle from the gas bottle. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring particularly to the drawings, there is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 the first embodiment  10  of fire effect appliance of this invention. The appliance  10  utilizes a fire bowl  12  which generally will be in the range of eight to fourteen inches in diameter. The upper edge of the fire bowl  12  is formed into an annular flat flange  14 . Mounted on the undersurface of the annular flange  14  are a plurality of pegs  16 . These pegs  16  are to function as feet which are to be placed against a table  18 . Table  18  will normally be constructed of a rigid material, such as metal, wood or plastic. Mounted to the undersurface  20  of the table  18  are a plurality of supporting legs  22 . The legs  22  are to be placed on an appropriate supporting surface, such as a patio, deck or even ground, which is not shown. 
     Formed within the table  18  is an enlarged centrally located hole  24 . Although it is not mandatory that the hole  24  be centrally located, such will normally be the case. The fire bowl  12  is to be located within the hole  24 . The pegs  16  are to be placed in contact with the upper surface  26  of the table  18 . Because the fire bowl  12  will become quite heated, the purpose of the pegs  16  are to locate the fire bowl  12  in a non-contactual relationship with the table  18 . This is so as to keep the fire bowl  12  from burning of the table  18 . The pegs  16  may be constructed of a non-heat conductive material. 
     Normally, the fire bowl  12  will be constructed of a metallic material, such as steel or aluminum. The fire bowl  12  includes a center hole  28  which is centrally mounted relative to the fire bowl  12  with the hole  28  always being approximately the same distance from the annular flange  14  in any direction from the hole  28  to the flange  14 . Mounted in conjunction with the center hole  28  is a discharge nozzle  30 . Discharge nozzle  30  has a through hole  32 . Typically, this hole  32  will be cylindrical. 
     Fixedly mounted to the fire bowl  12  is a tubular connector  34 . This tubular connector  34  is to facilitate connection with a gas bottle  36 . The tubular connector  34  is to establish a gastight connection with the bottle  36 . The tubular connector  34  facilitates removal of an empty bottle  36  and reconnection with a bottle  36  that is full of the flammable gas. 
     The through hole  32  is constructed to be large enough (oversized) to also accommodate a protruding pin  38 . Gas is to be dispensed through the through hole  32  of discharge nozzle  30  and around pin  38  into gas supply chamber  52 . This protruding pin  38  is fixedly mounted to the underside  40  of a diffusing plate  42 . The diffusing plate  42  normally comprises a flat, circular metallic plate, usually constructed of steel. The diffusing plate  42  must have a specific diameter relative to the largest diameter of the fire bowl  12 . The largest diameter of the fire bowl  12  is located directly adjacent the annular flange  14 . It is found to be desirable to have the diameter of the diffusing plate  42  to be in the range of fifty-seven to sixty percent of the largest diameter of the fire bowl  12 . Also, there is to be located particulate matter  44  in the internal chamber  46  of the fire bowl  12 . This particulate matter  44  will normally comprise sand but could also comprise a gravel or any other type of particulate that is capable of being heated. The particulate matter  44  is to be filled to a top surface  48 . The depth of the particulate matter  44  from the top surface  48  to the diffusing plate  40  would normally comprise between fourteen and eighteen percent of the largest diameter of the fire bowl  12 . It is to be understood that the smaller the diameter of the fire bowl  12  the less the depth of the particulate matter  44 . The greater the diameter of the fire bowl  12  the greater depth of the particulate matter  44 . The same is also true of the diffusing plate  40 . The smaller the diameter of the fire bowl  12  the smaller the diameter of the diffusing plate  40  still maintaining the relationship of approximately somewhere between fifty-seven to sixty percent of the largest diameter of the fire bowl  12 . 
     The connector  34  is to include a valve, which is not shown. The valve is to be operable from an on and off position by means of a manually graspable arm  50 . When the arm is in the solid line position shown in FIG. 2, the valve will be closed not permitting passage of flammable gas from the bottle  36  to within the gas supply chamber  52  that is located between the diffusing plate  42  and the fire bowl  12 . However, when the arm  50  is in the dotted line position of FIG. 2, the valve will be open which will permit the supply of gas from the bottle  36  into the gas supply chamber  52 . The gas from the gas supply chamber  52  is to be dispensed about the peripheral edge of the diffusing plate  42  to permeate the particulate matter  44  and passed there through. At the top surface  48 , the gas is to be ignited which will then produce a dancing flame across the top surface  48 . 
     Referring particularly to the second embodiment  54  of this invention, which is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, like numerals have been utilized to refer to like parts. The difference of the second embodiment  54  relative to the first embodiment  10  is that the fire bowl  12  is mounted in conjunction with a shroud  56 . The shroud  56  includes an upper section  58  that is bowl shaped substantially similar to the shape of the fire bowl  12 . This upper section  58  also includes an annular flange  60  with the feet  16  resting on the annular flange  60 . There is formed a gap  62  between the upper section  58  and the fire bowl  12 . The upper section  58  is fixedly mounted to a cylindrical section  64 . The cylindrical section  64  has an internal chamber  66 . Mounted at the lower end of the internal chamber  66  is an electrically operated fan  68 . The function of this fan  68  is to move air through the internal chamber  66 , past bottle  36 , through gap  62  and to be dispensed exteriorly of the fire bowl  12 , as is represented by arrows  70 . The upper section  58  of the shroud  56  is to be supported in a spaced relationship above the table  18  by means of supporting feet  72 . The air that is moved past and in connect with the fire bowl  12  becomes heated and therefore the second embodiment  54  of the appliance of this invention can be also used to heat areas located exteriorly of the fire bowl  12  which generally will normally comprise a plurality of seated individuals sitting around the table  18 . Also, the fire bowl  12  as well as gas bottle  36  can be completely disengaged from the shroud  56  by just merely being removed therefrom. When the fire bowl  12  is so disengaged, arm  50  will be disconnected from connector  34  so it will not interfere with that disengagement. Once the fire bowl  12  is reengaged with the shroud  56 , the arm  50  will be reconnected with the connector  34 . 
     Referring particularly to FIGS. 5 and 6, there is shown a third embodiment  74  of the appliance of this invention. Again, like numerals have been utilized to refer to like parts. The third embodiment  74  basically comprises a freestanding unit with the fire bowl  12  being mounted on elongated legs  76 . Normally, there will be at least four in number of the legs  76 . These legs  76  are to rest on a supporting surface, such as upper surface  26  of table  18 . 
     The arm  50  passes through hole  65  formed within the cylindrical section  64 . The cylindrical section  64  is able to be completely disengaged from the table  18  if such is desired for cleaning and possible replacement of the particulate matter  44 . 
     There is currently available patio tables that connect with an umbrella. These tables have a center hole about one and one half to two inches in diameter. This hole could be utilized by locating a bowl  12  on the upper surface  26  of the table  18  similar to FIG. 6 except the legs are substantially shorter in length so the fire bowl  12  is located directly adjacent the center hole. The gas bottle  36  is located at the undersurface of the table  18  with the tubular connector  34  being mounted within or directly adjacent the center hole. In this version, when it is necessary to replace the gas bottle  36  or just desire not to use the appliance, the gas bottle  36  is disconnected from the connector  34  and removed from below the table  18 . The fire bowl  12  can then be removed from the upper surface  26 .