Device for opening and closing fireplace damper

Claim 1

A device by which the lever arm of a fireplace damper can be operated from outside the fireplace and which also provides a visual indication of the position of the fireplace damper, said device comprising an elongate push-pull member; connecting means for connecting one end portion of said push-pull member to the end of the lever arm of the fireplace damper, said connecting means being adapted so that the push-pull member can pivot around the end of said lever arm about a substantially vertical axis and so that said lever arm can pivot around said one end of the pushpull member about a substantially horizontal axis when the device is installed in a fireplace; and supporting guide means comprising an elongate bar which is adpated for attachment to the fireplace substantially parallel with the lintel of the fireplace, said push-pull member being supported by said elongate bar so that the free end thereof extends from the fireplace with said push-pull member being guided by said elongate bar through a generally rectilinear movement toward and away from the fireplace in a direction generally transverse of said elongate bar, as well as through a pivotal movement about the end thereof which is pivotally connected to said lever arm, whereby said fireplace damper can be opened by grasping the free end of the push-pull member, pulling it in a direction away from the fireplace so that said push-pull member moves in a generally rectilinear motion in a direction generally transverse of said elongate bar, thereby moving the lever arm of said fireplace towards the front of the fireplace which in turn opens said damper, the push-pull member is then rotated in a generally horizontal plane about the end thereof which is pivotally attached to said lever arm, until the free end thereof is brought adjacent to the face of the fireplace, and whereby said fireplace damper can be closed by grasping the free end of the push-pull member, rotating the pushpull member until it is generally in alignment with said lever arm, and pushing the push-pull member in a generally rectilinear motion toward the fireplace in a direction generally transverse of said elongate bar, thereby moving the lever arm of said fireplace towards the back of the fireplace which in turn closes said damper.

Claim 2

A device by which the lever arm of a fireplace damper can be operated from outside the fireplace and which also provides a visual indication of the position of the fireplace damper, said device comprising an elongate push-pull member; connecting means for connecting one end portion of said push-pull member to the end of the lever arm of the fireplace damper, said connecting means being adapted so that the push-pull member can pivot around the end of said lever arm about a substantially vertical axis and so that said lever arm can pivot around said one end of the pushpull member about a substantially horizontal axis when the device is installed in a fireplace; and supporting guide means comprising an elongate bar which is adpated for attachment to the fireplace substantially parallel with the lintel of the fireplace, said push-pull member being supported by said elongate bar so that the free end thereof extends from the fireplace with said push-pull member being guided by said elongate bar through a generally rectilinear movement toward and away from the fireplace in a direction generally transverse of said elongate bar, as well as through a pivotal movement about the end thereof which is pivotally connected to said lever arm, whereby said fireplace damper can be opened by grasping the free end of the push-pull member, pulling it in a direction away from the fireplace so that said push-pull member moves in a generally rectilinear motion in a direction generally transverse of said elongate bar, thereby moving the lever arm of said fireplace towards the front of the fireplace which in turn opens said damper, the push-pull member is then rotated in a generally horizontal plane about the end thereof which is pivotally attached to said lever arm, until the free end thereof is brought adjacent to the face of the fireplace, and whereby said fireplace damper can be closed by grasping the free end of the push-pull member, rotating the pushpull member until it is generally in alignment with said lever arm, and pushing the push-pull member in a generally rectilinear motion toward the fireplace in a direction generally transverse of said elongate bar, thereby moving the lever arm of said fireplace towards the back of the fireplace which in turn closes said damper.