IES20100797A2 - Chimney draught excluder - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a chimney draft excluder to enable better ventilation control of an open chimney. The draft excluder is fitted to the throat of an open chimney. The advantages of the invention are that it increases fuel efficiency, helps to control possible chimney fires and prevents sooty hailstones and rain from entering a room. The damper reduces draughts in a house as well as increasing heat retention as there is no loss associated with an open chimney. <Figure 7>

Description

Field of invention The present invention relates to a new invention to enable better control of an open chimney.

Background to the invention The Chimney Draught Excluder is a permanent solution, fitted to the throat of an open chimney which allows the home owner to open and close the chimney as and when a solid fuel fire is lit.

When the Chimney Draught Excluder is closed the chimney is not creating negative air pressure in the home and thus no heat from the home is being drawn through the open chimney. Also no sooty hailstone or rain will enter the room where the open fire is located.

Once the fire is lit the Chimney Draught Excluder can be adjusted.

There are three settings on the Chimney Draught Excluder between open and closed. By closing the Chimney Draught Excluder the airflow draw on the chimney is restricted therefore the solid fuel fire will bum slower and last longer. A portion of the heat escaping up the chimney will be reflected back into the room as it hits the underside of the Chimney Draught Excluder.

An open fire is an extremely inefficient source of heat generation with 70% of the heat generated by the fire escaping up the chimney, leaving only 30% to heat the room.

According to the Dwelling Energy Assessment Procedure methodology for new dwellings under the European Performance of Buildings Directive (SI, No. 886 of 2006), a chimney damper reduces the air changes in a room from 40 m3/h/m3 to 20 nZ/h/m3, as it can now be regulated, and can thus contribute to an improved Building Energy Rating certification, 1E1 Ο Ο 7 9 7 Whilst many people have affection for an open fire, not every fireplace/heartb/room is suitable for a more energy efficient solution such as a stove; however, the Chimney Draught Excluder allows the homeowner to retain the aesthetics of an open fire without the negatives of the open chimney.

The Chimney Draught Excluder can be left open during the summer months to facilitate increased ventilation in the dwelling.

As an additional safety feature, if the homeowner was unfortunate enough to suffer a chimney fire, the Chimney Draught Excluder can be closed, thus cutting off any oxygen feed to the chimney fire. The chimney fire will then be extinguished, The Chimney Draught Excluder is a permanent solution for the uncontrolled ventilation associated with an open chimney.

The Chimney Draught Excluder is only suitable for an open solid fuel fire. Ο 07 97 Summary of Invention A Chimney Draught Excluder damper comprising collar, securing bolts, adjuster arm, adjuster arm bracket, bracket housing, cable, base plate attached to collar with bushings and bolt, which is fitted to the throat of the flue gatherer to the base of the chimney flue liner. Plus a control plate attached to the fireplace frame or fire back.

The securing bolts hold the damper in position, and any gap is filled with fire cement. 10 When there is no fire on the chimney, the Chimney Draught Excluder can be closed.

Once a fire is lit, the Chimney Draught Excluder is opened and once the fire catches, the base plate can be adjusted, by the cable attaching to the control plate, to reduce the draw, thereby increasing fuel efficiency.

A chimney fire can also be extinguished by closing the damper, which cuts off the oxygen necessary for combustion.

The Chimney Draught Excluder comes in different sizes to accommodate different size 20 flues. Typically a 7 inch (175mm) diameter damper is the most popular as it fits most chimney flues, with the standard internal chimney flue diameter being 8 inch (200mm).

In some houses that have a 12 inch (30Qmm) chimney flue diameter, an 11 inch (280mm) diameter damper would be more suitable, whereas, in some older dwellings with a 9 inch (230mm) chimney flue diameter, an 8 inch (200mm) damper will fit.

The Chimney Draught Excluder is a permanent solution for the uncontrolled ventilation associated with an open chimney.

When the Chimney Draught Excluder is closed it does not create a 100% airtight seal, as this would not be best practice.

A small flow of air through a chimney is necessary in order to keep the chimney from becoming damp and increasing the risk of a cracked flue liner through the thaw and freeze process. |£ 1 0 Ο 7 9 Ζ Whilst many people have affection for an open fire, not every fireplace/bearth/room is suitable for a more energy efficient solution such as a stove; however, the Chimney Draught Excluder allows the homeowner to retain the aesthetics of an open fire without the negatives of the open chimney.

The Chimney Draught Excluder can be left open during the summer months to facilitate increased ventilation in fhe dwelling.

The main advantages of the Chimney Draught Excluder are: a) payback of the cost of purchase and installation of the Chimney Draught Excluder within a few months due to the reduction in uncontrolled ventilation and increased fuel efficiency. b) simple cable operation allows adjustment of the airflow through the chimney; c) excludes chimney draughts into the room; d) significantly reduces any ‘howling’ wind noises associated with an open chimney; e) conserves heat from the fire; f) prevents sooty rain or hailstones entering the room; g) reduces CO2 emissions due to the reduced consumption of solid fuel; and h) can be used to extinguish a chimney fire.

IE 1 Ο 07 97 Brief Description of the Drawings Tbe invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of an 5 embodiment thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing in which.

Figure 1a comprises of straight steel bar with threaded bolt holes, which is rolled and . welded to form a collar (Figure 1 b).

Figure 2a shows a side profile of the base plate. Figure 2b shows a top side view of the damper base plate which attaches to the underside ofthe bracket housing (Figure 3a).

Figure 3a shows the underside of the bracket housing which attaches to the collar 15 {Figure 1b). Figure 3b shows the bushing side profile and Figure 3c shows bracket housing side profile prior to attaching bushings.

Figure 4a shows the adjuster arm bracket top side. Figure 4b shows formed adjuster arm bracket.

Figure 5a shows the adjuster arm top side. Figure 5b shows side profile.where the arm acts as a fulcrum for the cable.

Figure 6a shows the control plate, a control mechanism which attaches to the side of 25 the fireplace frame. Figure 6b shows a side profile of the control plate. Figure 6c shows the entry point of the cable on the top side of the control plate Figures 7a 7b & 7c show the general assembly ofthe Chimney Draught Excluder.

IE1 0 07 97 e Detailed Description of the Drawings The Chimney Draught Excluder is comprised of an adjuster arm (Figure 5) slotted into 5 bracket (Figure 4} which is attached to fhe bracket housing (Figure 3) inside a collar (Figure 1) with bushings (Figure 3b) and a bolt. A cable is crimped to the base pfate (Figure 2b) with a ferrule that attaches to a control panel (Figure 6) The cable is crimped to the topside of the base piate (Figure 2b) and runs through the 10 adjuster arm and back down through the bracket housing (Figure 3a) where it is attached to a control panel which is located on the reveal of the fireplace frame. This is the means by which the Chimney Draught Excluder is controlled.

A hook is crimped to the tower end of the cable once threaded through the control plate 15 (Figure 6c) with a ferrule. There are hooks on the adapter piate, which allows for different settings of the damper between open and closed.

When the hook is attached to the bottom hook an the control panel, the Chimney Draught Excluder is closed. Once the hook is released gravity drops the base plate and the damper is open. There is no problem cleaning the chimney in the normal manner once the damper is open, as it drops down at a 90° angle.

The control plate is fixed to the reveal of the fireplace frame by means of pop rivets. In the case of a fire brick surround, the control piate can be fixed in place with masonry screws, which do not require rawl plugs.

The Chimney Draught Excluder is piaced at the throat of the concrete flue gather and the securing bolts are tightened so that it is self supporting and holds fhe Chimney Draught Excluder in place. The collar is the packed in top and bottom with fire cement, which creates an efficient seal, When the Chimney Draught Excluder is closed it does not create a 100% airtight seal, as this would not be best practice.

IE 1 0 07 97 A small flow of air through a chimney is necessary in order fo keep the chimney from becoming damp and increasing fhe risk of a cracked flue tiie through the thaw and freeze process.

The Chimney Draught Excluder can be adjusted once the fire catches on, typically 2030 minutes. The system will get too hot to handle after 40 - 60 minutes. Once it is set it does not need to be readjusted.

The hook and ferrule parts of the Chimney Draught Excluder can be sprayed with stove paint to ensure a clean appearance.

Claims (5)

1. Claims Section

1. A Chimney Draught Excluder damper for the purpose of regulating better airflow 5 control of an open chimney comprising; collar; securing bolts; adjuster arm; cable; 10 ferrule; hook; control panel; base plate: adjuster arm bracket and housing; 15 bushings; and bolt; for fitting to the throat of an open chimney flue and for movement from an open position to allow the passage of air or exhaust through the chimney through to a closed position to substantially prevent the passage of air or heat through the 20 chimney.

2. A Chimney Draught Excluder damper of Claim 1 wherein the collar is affixed by the securing bolts to the throat of an open chimney flue. 25

3. A Chimney Draught Excluder damper according to any preceding claim in which an adjuster arm is slotted into bracket which is attached to the bracket housing inside a collar with bushings and a bolt.

4. A Chimney Draught Excluder damper according to any preceding claim in which a 30 cable is crimped to the topside of the base plate with a ferrule and which runs through the adjuster arm and back down through the bracket housing where it attaches to a control panel which is located on the reveal of the fireplace frame. |E1O 07 97

5. A Chimney Draught Excluder damper according to any preceding claim in which a hook is crimped to the lower end of the cable once threaded through the control plate with a ferrule.