Abstract: The need to maintain the quality of air in a home has become more of a problem in new high efficiency tight houses so that governmental regulations are being proposed for a minimum change of fresh air. If too much cold outside fresh air is introduced into such homes at a single source, the room with the fresh air is usually too cold and/or unbalanced. The present invention avoids cooling any one room while maintaining heat efficiency. When the home has a gas fireplace, the exhaust gases are preferably directed through an air-to-air cross flow heat exchanger which preheats the quality air passing into a forced air furnace system. In modified embodiments of the present invention, make-up quality air is mixed with the room air and heated in the heat exchanger of the fireplace. The preheated room air from the fireplace is preferably connected to the supply/return of a forced air furnace system and distributed to all rooms to provide uniform heating.

Abstract: Gas fireplaces are provided with commercially available gas valves that are similar to gas valves in furnaces and boilers. Such gas valves may be controlled manually, by thermostat or by solenoid valves which turn the fireplace burner ON and OFF and HIGH and LOW using a closed loop radio frequency transceiver system. The present invention provides an improved voice or sound actuated gas valve for fireplace burners. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, a microphone is coupled to a voice actuated electronic control module which converts analog sound signals to digital control signals. The sound may be music or other non-voice sounds employed to modulate the flames from the fireplace burner. Preferably the sounds are voice commands that are predetermined and preferably comprise a recognition command followed by an actuation command.

Abstract: A rust proof indoor-outdoor convertible fireplace is provided with an open side having access into the combustion chamber box. The combustion chamber box is provided with an inclined bottom panel to drain water from rain and snow products from said combustion box. Support structures are provided on or above said inclined bottom panel for supporting a ceramic floor in a horizontal plane juxtaposed and above said inclined bottom panel. The inclined bottom panel is provided with a hole or aperture and forms the top panel of a water tight box that is used to house a gas control valve and electrical controls when the outdoor fireplace is converted from wood burning to a gas burning fireplace.

Abstract: A prefabricated open-ended fireplace box for use in fireplace assemblies is molded from a slurry of refractory ceramic fibers and a non-organic binder. The prefabricated fireplace box is preferably formed in or over a mold which provides an accurate shape to the green or semi-rigid open end box which must be dried or partially fired while on the mold to avoid warping or distortion while being removed from the mold. A rigid surround trim in the form of a C-shape is placed in or on the mold at the open ends of the fireplace box. At least one attachment flange of the surround trim is integrally molded into walls of the fireplace box so that at least the open end of the semi-rigid fireplace box is made rigid when removed from the mold.

Abstract: A novel dual mode of operation gas fireplace of the type having a combustion chamber box and a heat exchanger is provided with a burner in the bottom of the combustion chamber box which creates exhaust gasses to be passed out of the combustion chamber box and into or through the heat exchanger portion of the fireplace mounted on top of or back of the combustion chamber box. The hot exhaust gasses leaving the combustion chamber box may be directed into an exhaust stack or diverted directly into the room to be heated by a blower motor which diverts hot exhaust gas products from the heat exchanger directly into a room area to be heated in a ventless mode of operation. When the blower motor which diverts the exhaust gasses into the room is deactivated, the novel fireplace may be operated in a vented mode of operation.

Abstract: 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.

Abstract: A combined log set and gas burner system comprises a plurality of reinforced ceramic fiber burner elements formed in the shape of artificial logs and or glowing embers or a non-porous bed of coals. The burner elements are formed with a gas passageway in the interior of the element and a plurality of gas jets are made which connect the surface of the burner elements to the gas passageway in the burner elements. A source gaseous fluid is connected to the passageways to complete the combination burner system which eliminates the need for a separate burner apart from the log system.

Abstract: A high efficiency gas fireplace unit having a heat exchanger is located in a room in which the heat from the gas fireplace is not wanted. An air duct is connected to the heat exchanger and has a termination point in a room or area remote from the gas fireplace unit. During a heat dump or heat transfer mode of operation, an induced draft fan in an air duct is activated by a remote switch thrown to cause room air to be sucked through the heat exchanger and passed through the air duct and dumped in a remote area so that the fireplace heating effect is nullified or neutralized allowing the fireplace to be operated with or without an air conditioning system.

Abstract: A portable gas burner which is usable in remote areas without electricity is provided for use as a fire place burner, or as a camp fire burner or as a stove burner or as a grill burner. The novel gas burner comprises a base unit onto which is mounted a hollow ceramic fiber top which is connected to the base unit so as to form a gas manifold therebetween for receiving a mixture of gas and air. A manually operable gas valve means in said base unit is connected to a gas supply. The valve when opened allows a mixture of gas and air to flow through a gas line into the gas manifold until such time as a temperature thermocouple sensing element is heated sufficiently to hold manually operable gas valve open.

Abstract: 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 sides or top of the fireplace box to accommodate an air supply and/or an exhaust stack.

Abstract: A novel wood/gas burning fireplace is provided with an open box shaped outer housing. A combustion chamber is mounted inside said housing having a plurality panels that are juxtaposed the panels of the outer housing so as to provide an open wall at the bottom, back and top of the fireplace which serve as a heat exchanger. An insulating panel is mounted in the top wall of the heat exchanger dividing the top wall into two separate passageways. The air passageway below the insulating panel comprises a part of a heat exchanger for heating room air of the space being heated. The air passageway above the insulating panel forms a plenum chamber with apertures in the outer housing panel(s) for conducting room air into the plenum chamber. A stack opening aperture in the top panel of the outer housing conducts cooling air into a coaxial exhaust stack for cooling the top panel as well as the exhaust stack pipe.

Abstract: The present invention includes a universal combustion chamber preferably shipped from a factory as a separate unit for field installation into a plurality of different fireplace units and includes a top panel and a floor panel connected to sidewall panel to form a complete ready to use gas tight structure. The combustion chamber is fabricated from flat and/or curved panels which are preferably molded from a thick paste slurry of mixed vitreous alumina silicate fibers combined with an aqueous solution of silica binder and fired to form non-porous gas tight panels which are interconnected to form a gas tight combustion chamber. The connecting joints are preferably reinforced by the addition of a high temperature adhesive added to the mating joints. The joints may be further reinforced and/or sealed by mechanical reinforcing at or in the joints. The joints may be eliminated by forming a one piece combustion chamber on forming molds that are designed to be separated from a formed but uncured combustion chamber.

Abstract: A novel control system for altering a fixed pattern of gas flames in a fireplace having artificial logs comprises a log set having a burner system and the burner system having a gas valve control which is coupled to source of gas or air to be regulated. The control system has a valve which controls the air or gas being supplied to the burner and a control sensor is coupled to the control system for activating the time sequence of the cycle of the control system so as to raise or lower the gas flames being regulated and to disturb the pattern of gas flames to produce the effect of dancing flames.

Abstract: An integrated combined heating and cooling unit comprises a known high efficiency gas fireplace unit stacked on top of a known high efficiency window type air conditioning unit. Novel vent adapters are connected to the rear of the units for connecting them to a source of outside combustion and cooling air to effect high efficiency operations. Novel controls comprise a fireplace relay and an air conditioning relay mounted inside of each of the units. The relays control the on-off operation of the respective units and are actuated by a thermostatic control preferably located remote from the combined units.

Abstract: A versatile surround trim mounting device comprises an extruded metal surround trim piece formed as three separate legs and joined together to form a U-shaped frame structure. The extrusion comprises a pair of parallel trim edges that are separated from each other by a connecting recessed tile support therebetween. The recessed tile support is further provided with two side support structures. A spring bias force is placed against one of the side supports to urge a tile to lock it against the opposite side support so that the versatile surround trim appears to the eye be horizontal and vertical rows of decorative tiles surrounding a prefabricated fireplace.

Abstract: A novel fireplace element is made by a novel process wherein the fireplace element is first molded from a mixture of refractory and ceramic fibers and removed from the mold in a green state. While the fireplace element can be treated in the green state, it is preferred that the fireplace element is cured to provide a rigid fireplace element of the type used in artificial fireplace log sets. The element if not already processed is provided with a surface of loosened fibers so that the loose fibers will reach an incandescent glow set state and give the appearance of the total element being incandescent well before the surface and/or body of the fireplace element can reach an incandescent temperature.