Fireplace insert
Encyclopedia
Invented in 1869 by Joab R. Donaldson of Oliphant Furnace, Pennsylvania, USA.http://patimg2.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=00561871&homeurl=http%3A%2F%2Fpatft.uspto.gov%2Fnetacgi%2Fnph-Parser%3FSect1%3DPTO2%2526Sect2%3DHITOFF%2526p%3D1%2526u%3D%25252Fnetahtml%25252FPTO%25252Fsearch-bool.html%2526r%3D1%2526f%3DG%2526l%3D50%2526co1%3DAND%2526d%3DPALL%2526s1%3D0561871.PN.%2526OS%3DPN%2F0561871%2526RS%3DPN%2F0561871&PageNum=&Rtype=&SectionNum=&idkey=NONE&Input=View+first+page The fireplace insert is a device inserted into an existing masonry or prefabricated wood fireplace
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Fireplace inserts are made from cast iron or steel and now have self-cleaning glass doors that allow the flames of the fire to be viewed while the insulated doors remain closed, making the fire more
efficient. Joab was a 59-year-old coal miner and father of fourteen at the time of his patent. He came upon the idea as a means of using coke (a fine particle sized coal) and incorporating the use of an electric blower to improve the efficiency. The selection of coke and coal tailings as a primary fuel enabled low income families to heat their Appalachian homes with small-size coal that they could easily dig for themselves in their own back yards.
Today, many manufacturers also augment the operation of fireplace inserts by offering state-of-the-art features such as fans and thermostatic controls depending on the fuel type. Typically air enters through vents below, circulates around the main chamber, heats up, and exits through vents on the top of the unit.
Fireplace inserts are categorized primarily by the fuel burned for operation (natural gas, propane, EPA-certified wood, pellet and coal).
Fireplace
A fireplace is an architectural structure to contain a fire for heating and, especially historically, for cooking. A fire is contained in a firebox or firepit; a chimney or other flue allows gas and particulate exhaust to escape...
.
Fireplace inserts are made from cast iron or steel and now have self-cleaning glass doors that allow the flames of the fire to be viewed while the insulated doors remain closed, making the fire more
efficient. Joab was a 59-year-old coal miner and father of fourteen at the time of his patent. He came upon the idea as a means of using coke (a fine particle sized coal) and incorporating the use of an electric blower to improve the efficiency. The selection of coke and coal tailings as a primary fuel enabled low income families to heat their Appalachian homes with small-size coal that they could easily dig for themselves in their own back yards.
Today, many manufacturers also augment the operation of fireplace inserts by offering state-of-the-art features such as fans and thermostatic controls depending on the fuel type. Typically air enters through vents below, circulates around the main chamber, heats up, and exits through vents on the top of the unit.
Fireplace inserts are categorized primarily by the fuel burned for operation (natural gas, propane, EPA-certified wood, pellet and coal).