Gas fire

Claim 1

A solid-fuel effect gas fire, comprising: an open-topped tray containing a mass of particulate refractory material; a porous or apertured plate disposed relative to said tray so as to be spaced from and overlie part of the surface of said particulate refractory material disposed within said tray; means for introducing gaseous fuel into said mass of particulate refractory material such that said gas percolates upwardly through said mass of particulate refractory material to said surface thereof whereby a first portion of said gas issuing from the part of said particulate refractory material which is not covered by said plate will burn with a luminous flame, while a second portion of said gas issuing from the part of said particulate refractory material which is covered by said plate will enter into said space defined between said plate and said surface of said particulate refractory material; means for introducing combustion air into said space defined between said plate and said surface of said particulate refractory material so as to mix with said second portion of said gas whereby said mixture of said second portion of said gas and said combustion air will pass through said apertures within said plate so as to burn with a non-luminous flame; and a plurality of refractory bodies, shaped and colored so as to simulate solid fuel, disposed in a heap upon said plate and the portion of said surface of said particulate refractory material disposed within said tray which is not covered by said plate, whereby said luminous and non-luminous flames burn, and heat said plurality of refractory bodies, so as to create a realistic, simulated, conventional solid-fuel fire.