Zero clearance mobile home fireplace unit

Claim 1

An isolated fireplace, space heater for utilizing the heat of combustion of fuel therein to heat the interior of a structure without withdrawing air from the interior of said structure for combustion, comprising: a firebox having a floor, back, and two sides adapted to be disposed within a structure to be heated; hood means mounted on the upper portion of said firebox for collecting gaseous products of combustion from said box; flue means in communication with said hood means for venting said products to the atmosphere external to the structure; a first metal skin surrounding the floor, sides, and back of said firebox, and said hood means, said first skin being spaced therefrom to define with said box and hood means a first air passage between the outer surface thereof and the inner surface of said skin; means carried by said device for admitting outside air to said air space and for circulating said air therethrough; vent means carried by said first skin for venting outside air from the passage into the interior of the structure to be heated whereby when fuel is consumed in said firebox outside air will be circulated therearound and vented into the structure; door means coupled to the front of said device for enclosing said firebox and said first skin to isolate the interior of said firebox from the interior of the structure; control means disposed within the air passage for diverting and preheating a portion of the air therein into the firebox to supply combustion air when fuel is consumed therein; said control means comprising at least one housing mounted on the outer surface of said firebox and having an inlet opening into the first passage and an outlet into said firebox; said housing being an elongated, vertically disposed, hollow member and the outlet including a plurality of vertically arrayed apertures disposed adjacent said door means; baffle means disposed between the inlet and the outlet to define a tortuous pathway between the inlet and outlet for air passing into the firebox; and means carried by said housing for controlling the flow of air through the inlet thereto; insulating means surrounding the outer surface of said first skin for minimizing heat loss therefrom when fuel is consumed in said firebox; and a second skin surrounding the sides, back, floor and upper portion of said first skin and spaced therefrom to define a second air passage; flow means carried by said device for circulating air from within the structure through said second passage.