Abstract: A fireplace including a heat exchanger beneath the combustion chamber floor. The front panel or surround of the fireplace housing includes a central opening which accesses the combustion chamber. Room air inlets and outlets, which are ducted to the heat exchanger, are horizontally arranged in a duct manifold that is positioned above the front panel opening. By positioning the room air inlets and outlets within the front panel opening rather than in the surround, the entire surround can be faced with marble, brick or other decorative material without having to provide a break therein for the ingress and egress of room air. A fan within the heat exchanger circulates room air in a flow path from the room being heated into the duct manifold inlets, through a first duct and into the heat exchanger, from the heat exchanger and through a second duct, and out through the duct manifold outlets. The fireplace also includes a raiseable hearth overlaying an opening accessing the heat exchanger fan.

Abstract: A fireplace having a bottom wall, inner top wall, two side walls and rear wall defines a combustion chamber having a front opening. An outer top wall is disposed above the inner top wall. The outer top wall and the inner top wall are disposed in spaced apart relationship relative to each other and define an air flow channel therebetween having an inlet. The outer top wall is an upper exterior surface of the fireplace and includes a first nozzle member. The inner top wall is an upper interior surface of the combustion chamber and includes a second nozzle member. A chimney flue is attached to the outer top wall. The first and second nozzle members are in fluid communication with the chimney flue and define a converging nozzle therebetween inducing a flow of cooling air in the air flow channel.

Abstract: A fireplace assembly is disclosed which provides a simplistic assembly technique that enables construction of numerous different fireplace models with a minimum of unique parts. These can be constructed into a desired form without the use of a frame. The internal components of the fireplace are secured to each other in such a manner that a frame is unnecessary. These components are also constructed such that many of them are interchangeable to enable fabrication of various types of fireplaces, such as see-through, cove, island and bay type fireplaces. A pair of combustion dome assemblies, each of which includes an upwardly extending nozzle, creates a significant upward suction within the combustion chamber. This provides superior air flow and combustion together with greater safety.

Abstract: A heat producing gas log apparatus includes a blower having an inlet and an outlet for circulating air through the log apparatus. A gas burner has a plurality of openings for emitting combustible gas to produce a flame. At least one air supply channel has an inlet opening and an outlet opening. The inlet opening is disposed at the front and bottom of the heat producing gas log apparatus and receives air, and the outlet opening is in fluid communication with the blower inlet. At least one heat exchanger tube is disposed above at least a portion of the gas burner and has an inlet end and an outlet end. The inlet end is in fluid communication with the blower outlet, and the outlet end is disposed generally coplanar with the inlet opening of the at least one air supply channel at the front and bottom of the apparatus.

Abstract: A fireplace and top wall assembly is disclosed. The top wall assembly includes primary and secondary aligned flue outlet assemblies that form between them a primary air conduit and a secondary flue gas conduit. Both of the conduits are designed to be mounted in fluid communication with the inlet opening of a chimney flue of a fireplace. Flue gases are drawn from the combustion chamber of the fireplace through the secondary flue gas conduit to mix air drawn in by the primary air conduit to promote cooling of the top wall assembly and surrounding fireplace structure.