US4043313A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Fireplace chimney furnace
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1976-01-15
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Granted: 1977-08-23
•
Expires: 1996-01-15
Abstract
Abstract A heat exchanging chimney in the form of a tubular heat exchanger which functions as a furnace and which is mounted above a conventional fireplace with a preferably transparent or translucent closure means over the front is described. The fireplace is constructed such that it draws outside air for combustion of the fuel and not air from the rooms being heated. The chimney is specifically in the form of at least one vertically oriented multiple tube shell type heat exchanger in place of the conventional fireplace chimney wherein the flue gases pass inside the tubes and the room air is heated inside the shell. In operation, the fireplace and heat exchanging chimney achieve substantial economies in utilization of fuel, particularly wood, over fireplaces with conventional chimneys.
Inventors
- 👤 Larry P. Sherman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 01:59
CPC Classifications
F; F24; F24B; F24B1/00; F24B1/18; F24B1/185; F24B1/189; F24B1/19; F24B1/1902
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
227 words
In a building with a fireplace having a combustion chamber, a front opening leading into a room and means for closing the opening and having a flue gas exit from the fireplace, the improvement as a replacement for a conventional fireplace chimney which comprises: a. multiple heat exchanging tubes mounted above the flue gas exit of the fireplace such tht the flue gases vent upward through vertically oriented openings in the tubes, wherein the tubes extend substantially between at least the exit of the fireplace and a ceiling of a room of the building; b. a housing surrounding, supporting and enclosing the tubes except for the openings with at least one conduit from a room of the building for cold air inlet into the housing and at least one conduit for hot air exit from the housing into at least one room of the building wherein the tubes and housing are in the form of a heat exchanger unit; c. a chimney sealed in gaseous connection with the openings in the tubes and leading outside the building which provides an exit for the flue gases from the tubes of the heat exchanger; and d. an air conduit leading from outside of the building to the bottom of the combustion chamber including a thermostatically controlled valve in the conduit which regulates the amount of air to the chamber.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
227 words
In a building with a fireplace having a combustion chamber, a front opening leading into a room and means for closing the opening and having a flue gas exit from the fireplace, the improvement as a replacement for a conventional fireplace chimney which comprises: a. multiple heat exchanging tubes mounted above the flue gas exit of the fireplace such tht the flue gases vent upward through vertically oriented openings in the tubes, wherein the tubes extend substantially between at least the exit of the fireplace and a ceiling of a room of the building; b. a housing surrounding, supporting and enclosing the tubes except for the openings with at least one conduit from a room of the building for cold air inlet into the housing and at least one conduit for hot air exit from the housing into at least one room of the building wherein the tubes and housing are in the form of a heat exchanger unit; c. a chimney sealed in gaseous connection with the openings in the tubes and leading outside the building which provides an exit for the flue gases from the tubes of the heat exchanger; and d. an air conduit leading from outside of the building to the bottom of the combustion chamber including a thermostatically controlled valve in the conduit which regulates the amount of air to the chamber.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The building of claim 1 wherein the vertically oriented tubes extend above and below at least one floor into two rooms of the building.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
26 words
The building of claim 1 wherein the outside air conduit and heat exchanger housing are enclosed by a separate enclosure from the rooms in the building.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
80 words
The building of claim 1 wherein a second tubular heat exchanger is mounted above the first heat exchanger such that the flue gases can pass inside the second tubes from the first exchanger, wherein the second tubes are enclosed by a second housing, wherein the air conduit is provided in the second housing such that air can pass around the second tubes and wherein a conduit is provided leading from the second housing to the bottom of the combustion chamber.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
22 words
The second heat exchanger of claim 4 wherein the second tubes are part of the chimney from the multiple heat exchanger tubes.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The building of claim 4 wherein the air inlet conduit is surrounded by a plenum formed in a roof top chimney housing.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
The building of claim 1 wherein the air is circulated across the exchanger tubes and into the room by means of a blower in the cold air inlet conduit adjacent the exchanger housing.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
28 words
The building of claim 7 wherein a plenum is provided in the hot air exit conduit for storage of the heated air prior to operation of the blower.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
56 words
The building of claim 1 wherein the cold air conduit inlet is positioned near the floor and wherein the hot air conduit exit is near the ceiling of the room such that the cold air is circulated across the tubes in the housing, out the hot air conduits and into the rooms continuously by natural convection.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The building of claim 9 wherein the hot air conduit directs the heated air leaving the housing upward and into the rooms at an angle of between about 30° to 45° from the horizontal.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
200 words
A heat exchanger for installation in a building with a fireplace having a combustion chamber, a front opening leading into a room and having a flue gas exit from the fireplace, as a replacement for a conventional fireplace chimney which comprises: a. multiple heat exchanging tubes mounted above the flue gas exit of the fireplace such that the flue gases vent upward through vertically oriented openings in the tubes wherein the tubes will extend substantially between at least the exit of the fireplace and a ceiling of a room of the building when installed; b. a housing surrounding, supporting and enclosing the tubes with at least one opening adapted for attachment to a cold air inlet conduit which leads into the housing from a room of the building and at least one opening adapted for attachment to a hot air exit conduit which leads from the housing into at least one room of the building wherein the tubes and housing are in the form of a heat exchanger unit; and c. cold and hot air conduits adapted to lead from at least one room of the building and to be attached to the inlet and exit openings in the housing.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
200 words
A heat exchanger for installation in a building with a fireplace having a combustion chamber, a front opening leading into a room and having a flue gas exit from the fireplace, as a replacement for a conventional fireplace chimney which comprises: a. multiple heat exchanging tubes mounted above the flue gas exit of the fireplace such that the flue gases vent upward through vertically oriented openings in the tubes wherein the tubes will extend substantially between at least the exit of the fireplace and a ceiling of a room of the building when installed; b. a housing surrounding, supporting and enclosing the tubes with at least one opening adapted for attachment to a cold air inlet conduit which leads into the housing from a room of the building and at least one opening adapted for attachment to a hot air exit conduit which leads from the housing into at least one room of the building wherein the tubes and housing are in the form of a heat exchanger unit; and c. cold and hot air conduits adapted to lead from at least one room of the building and to be attached to the inlet and exit openings in the housing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
17 words
The exchanger of claim 11 wherein the cold air inlet is adapted to fit an air blower.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1980-08-22 | 1981-02-21 | 1981-08-23 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1984-08-22 | 1985-02-21 | 1985-08-23 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1988-08-22 | 1989-02-21 | 1989-08-23 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |