Outdoor fireplace

R. F. WILLIAMS

OUTDOOR FIREPLACE

April 2, 1957

Filed Feb. 26. 1954

2,787,260

Sheets-Sheet 1

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April 2, 1957 r. f. williams 2,787,260

OUTDOOR FIREPLACE

Filed Feb. 26, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 2

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2,787,260

April 2, 1957

R. F. WILLIAMS

OUTDOOR FIREPLACE

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United States Patent Office

2,787,260

Patented Apr. 2, 1957

2,787,260

OUTDOOR FIREPLACE Roger F. Williams, Des Moines, Iowa Application February 26,1954, Serial No. 412,688 14 Claims. (Cl. 126—8)

This invention relates to fireplaces and more particu- ⁴³larly to those erected out of doors and used primarily for cooking edibles.

Outdoor fireplaces for grilling steaks and like are becoming most popular. They, however, are costly, in labor, time and materials to erect, due to the fact that each one is built on the site and the services of a skilled mason is required. Also, they are subject to heat cracking and the metal fire box (if one is present) cannot be removed for storage and protection when not being used ₂in the winter months. .°

Therefore, the principal object of my invention is to provide an outdoor fireplace that is pre-fabricated and capable of being set up in a yard for usage in a matter of minutes.

A further object of this invention is to provide an outdoor fireplace that provides a natural cooling draft around the metal fire box and chimney, thereby eliminating heat cracks and damage to the masonry housing.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a 35 quick detachable fire and grate box capable of being stored and preserved when the fireplace is not being used.

Still further objects of my invention are to provide an outdoor firebox that is refined in appearance, durable in use, and economical in manufacture. 40

These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the various parts of the device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained as hereinafter more fully set forth, specifically pointed'out. in my ⁴⁵claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Z Fig· 1 is a perspective view of my fireplace ready for use,

Fig. 2 is a perspective exploded view of the various ⁵⁰-1 parts that go together to make up my fireplace, &lt; Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of the fireplace,

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view of my fireplace taken on line 4—4 of Fig. 3 and more fully illustrates its con- ⁶⁸struction, and

Fig. 5 is a cross sectional view of the chimney portion of my fireplace and is taken on line 5—5 of Fig. 3.

I will first explain the housing or masonry part of my θθ fireplace. All of the parts therefore are pre-cast and of Portland cement. The numeral 10 designates a base, rectangular in shape and may be either a solid cement slab or open frame construction as shown in Fig. 2. This base 10 is the part first placed on the ground or like _fl5at time of installation. The numeral 11 designates the rectangular barrel or body of the fireplace and is next set onto the base 10 as shown in Fig. 1. This body 11 is open at top and bottom and in its upper front portion and communicating with its top is a rectangular notch ₇₀12. The numerals 13 and 14 designate two elongated slabs which are next placed onto the top of the body 11.

The slab 13 is placed to extend over the right wall, front and back of the fireplace and the slab 14 is placed to extend over the left wall, front and back of the fireplace as shown in the drawings. Inasmuch as the combined widths of these two slabs are less than the width of the body 11, a longitudinal center opening will exist over the top of the fireplace. A notch 15 on the inner front end of each of the slabs is provided to accommodate the metal front door and frame portion of the metal fire box, later to be explained. The numeral 16 designates a cross bar extending between the rear portions of the two slabs and resting on the rear side of the body 11. This bar has a longitudinal groove 17 in its top. The numeral 18 designates a rectangular chimney having its back wall extending below its normal bottom plane. This chimney is placed on the assembly so that its rear wall extends downwardly into the groove 17, its right side rests on the slab 13 and its left side rests on the slab 14. As the dimensions of this chimney are much less than that of the body 11, an opening will exist forward of the chimney and between the two slabs 13 and 14. The chimney is open at both top and bottom and in the lower front wall is an air entrance slit 19 as shown in Fig. 3. The numeral 20 designates the rectangular frame chimney cap having a rectangular groove in its bottom to receive the upper portions of all four walls of the chimney. This cap is the last masonry piece to be placed. Due to the parts resting on each other, and some of them locking with each other, the complete masonry unit is as easily assembled as the piling of blocks. No mortar is necessary and when once assembled a rigid strong unit results. One advantage to my fireplace is that .it is simple, easy and quick to assemble. However, it can be disassembled just as easily and quickly. This means that the owner can quickly disassemble his fireplace for transportaion to another locality. This, of course, has been heretofore impossible in masonry fireplaces.

I will now explain the detachable metal fire box. The numeral 21 designates the combustion housing open at its front end top and having the two oppositely extending horizontal support flanges 22 and 23 respectively at each side of its open top portion. When the fire box is in place, these two flanges extend over and rest upon the two top slabs 13 and 14, respectively, as shown in Fig. 4. By this arrangement, the fire box will be supported and will depend into the fireplace housing. The rear end of the fire box extends rearwardly and upwardly and the box is of such length that an air space 24 exists between its rear end and the member 16 as shown in Fig. 3. The numeral 25 designates an opening in the top rear end of the fire box which is embraced by a chimney member 26. The dimensions of this chimney is substantially less than the inside dimensions of the fireplace chimney 18, so that there will be an air space completely around the metal chimney 26. When the fire box is in place, the opening 25 will be within the vertical central plane of the fireplace chimney 18 as shown in Fig. 3. The width of the fire box is less than the distance between the two slabs 13 and 14, thus providing air spaces 27 and 28, respectively. The front of the fire box has side and bottom laterally extending flanges 40 that overlap the fireplace notch 12, at both sides and bottom. This is possible due to corner notches 15 in the slabs 13 and 14.

The numeral 29 designates a hinged door in the face of the front of the fire box. On each inner side of the fire box are longitudinal horizontal steps 30 for slidably detachably supporting a grate 31. By this construction the grate may be withdrawn through the door and placed at any desired elevation in the fire box. With coal, coke and like, the grate should be adjusted to a higher level in the fire box. In the bottom of the fire box is a re

2,787,260 movable ash tray 32. Over the top front opening of the fire box is a detachable grill or grid 33 for supporting food and/or containers and like above any fire in the fire box. Rearwardly of this grid 33 is an upwardly extending flange 34 on the fire box and spaced apart 6 and forward of the air passageway 19 of the fireplace. This flange baffles any heat from the top front opening of the fire box. The slot air opening 19 serves an additional purpose. It provides space for the placement and removal of the fire box in and from the fireplace. 10 To remove the fire box as a unit, the front end is raised and pulled forwardly, thus bringing the chimney 26 forwardly and downwardly until it has cleared the fireplace chimney, at which time the unit can be completely withdrawn. To replace the unit, it is placed at an angle 15 rearwardly and downwardly to clear the fireplace chimney, and then leveled so the .flanges 22 and 23 will rest on the slabs 13 and 14. It will be noted that when the fire box is in place, there will be (except for the flanges 22 and 23) an air space between all parts inside the fire- 20 place and the fire box. This protects the masonry fireplace and to increase the natural flow of cooling air between the fire box and fireplace I have provided an intake port 35 in the rear bottom of the fireplace body.

If the outside of the fireplace is embossed to resemble 25 brick and/or stone, the high portions may be painted, thereby giving the effect of mortar joints between the bricks or stones.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of my outdoor fireplace without departing ³³from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents which may be reasonably included within their scope.