Forced air circulation heating unit

Claim 2

A forced air circulating heating unit for installation in a fireplace comprising a generally U-shaped conduit having an inlet and an outlet and adapted to be positioned on the floor of the fireplace with said inlet and said outlet disposed on opposite sides of the fireplace; and a blower unit including fan means for blowing air through said conduit from said inlet to said outlet such that air forced through said conduit is heated by fuel burned in the fireplace to supply a flow of hot air from said outlet of said conduit and housing means enclosing said fan means having an interior lining of heat and sound insulating material, said housing means including a cylindrical body, a first cap closing one end of said body and a second cap closing the other end of said body, said first cap having an opening therein through which said fan means draws air and said second cap having an opening therein through which air is forced by said fan means into said conduit inlet, and said fan means having an impeller and a motor mounted in said housing means with the edges of said impeller and motor protruding into said insulating material and said motor positioned to be cooled by air drawn through said opening in said first cap whereby said blower unit can be disposed within the fireplace with said fan means protected from heat and noise from said fan means reduced.

Claim 3

A forced air circulation heating unit as recited in claim 1 wherein said opening in said second cap is axially offset from said opening in said first cap and said blower unit includes a tube communicating with said opening in said second cap and said conduit inlet.

Claim 4

A forced air circulation heating unit as recited in claim 1 and further comprising jet means extending from said conduit for supplying an inwardly directed stream of air toward the fuel whereby starting of a fire in the fireplace is aided, smoking of the fuel is reduced and the fuel is completely burned.

Claim 5

A forced air circulating heating unit as recited in claim 1 wherein said conduit is formed of an inlet leg having an end defining said conduit inlet, an outlet leg having an end defining said conduit outlet, and a base joining said inlet and outlet legs, said inlet leg being shorter than said outlet leg to accommodate said blower unit.

Claim 6

A blower unit for forcing air through a conduit disposed in a fireplace comprising an electric fan including an impeller and a motor; and a housing enclosing said fan including a cylindrical body with first and second closed ends having openings therein for drawing and expelling air, respectively, and an interior lining of heat and sound insulating material, the edges of said impeller and said motor protruding into said insulating material to wedge said electric fan in said housing whereby said blower unit can be disposed within a fireplace with said fan protected from heat and noise from said fan reduced.

Claim 7

A blower unit for forcing air through a conduit disposed in a fireplace comprising an electric fan including an impeller and a motor; and a housing enclosing said fan including a cylindrical body with first and second closed ends having openings therein for drawing and expelling air, respectively, and an interior lining of heat and sound insulating material, the edges of said impeller and said motor protruding into said insulating material to wedge said electric fan in said housing whereby said blower unit can be disposed within a fireplace with said fan protected from heat and noise from said fan reduced.

Claim 8

A forced air circulating heating unit for installation in a fireplace comprising a generally U-shaped conduit having an inlet and an outlet and adapted to be positioned on the floor of the fireplace with said inlet and said outlet disposed on opposite sides of the fireplace, said conduit being formed of an inlet leg having an end defining said conduit inlet, an outlet leg having an end defining said conduit outlet, and a base joining said inlet and outlet legs, said base being rectangular in cross section to define a top wall for supporting burning fuel and an inner side wall; jet means extending from said conduit for supplying an inwardly directed stream of air toward the fuel including a first tube extending from said inlet leg for directing a first stream of air at said inner side wall of said base along said inlet leg and a second tube extending from said outlet leg for directing a second stream of air at said inner side wall of said base along said outlet leg whereby starting of a fire in the fireplace is aided, smoking of the fuel is reduced and the fuel is completely burned; and a blower unit including fan means for blowng air through said conduit from said inlet to said outlet such that air forced through said conduit forms said first and second air streams directed at said base and is heated in said conduit by fuel burned in the fireplace to supply a flow of hot air from said outlet of said conduit, and housing means enclosing said fan means having an interior lining of heat and sound insulating material whereby said blower unit can be disposed within the fireplace with said fan means protected from heat and noise from said fan means reduced.

Claim 9

A forced air circulating heating unit for installation in a fireplace comprising a generally U-shaped conduit having an inlet and an outlet and adapted to be positioned on the floor of the fireplace with said inlet and said outlet disposed on opposite sides of the fireplace, said conduit being formed of an inlet leg having an end defining said conduit inlet, an outlet leg having an end defining said conduit outlet, and a base joining said inlet and outlet legs, said base being rectangular in cross section to define a top wall for supporting burning fuel and an inner side wall; jet means extending from said conduit for supplying an inwardly directed stream of air toward the fuel including a first tube extending from said inlet leg for directing a first stream of air at said inner side wall of said base along said inlet leg and a second tube extending from said outlet leg for directing a second stream of air at said inner side wall of said base along said outlet leg whereby starting of a fire in the fireplace is aided, smoking of the fuel is reduced and the fuel is completely burned; and a blower unit including fan means for blowng air through said conduit from said inlet to said outlet such that air forced through said conduit forms said first and second air streams directed at said base and is heated in said conduit by fuel burned in the fireplace to supply a flow of hot air from said outlet of said conduit, and housing means enclosing said fan means having an interior lining of heat and sound insulating material whereby said blower unit can be disposed within the fireplace with said fan means protected from heat and noise from said fan means reduced.

Claim 10

A forced air circulation heating unit as recited in claim 6 wherein said first tube has an end adjacent said inlet end of said conduit and extends through a side wall of said inlet leg to an end disposed within the U-shaped configuration of said conduit and said second tube has an end disposed at the joint of said base and said outlet leg and extends through a side wall of said outlet leg to an end disposed within the U-shaped configuration of said conduit.

Claim 11

A forced air circulation heating unit as recited in claim 7 wherein said conduit is rectangular in cross section and said base of said conduit has a greater cross sectional flow area than said inlet leg and said outlet leg.

Claim 12

A forced air circulating heating unit as recited in claim 6 wherein said fan means has edges protruding into said insulating material to wedge said fan means in said housing means.