GB2163846A

GB2163846A - Apparatus for use in the erection of fireplaces

Info

Publication number: GB2163846A
Application number: GB08421501A
Authority: GB
Inventors: John Anthony Chandler
Original assignee: GALLEON CLAYGATE Ltd
Current assignee: GALLEON CLAYGATE Ltd
Priority date: 1984-08-24
Filing date: 1984-08-24
Publication date: 1986-03-05
Also published as: GB2163846B; GB8421501D0

Abstract

Apparatus for use in the erection of fire places comprises location plates (11) at hearth level having downturned lugs to engage on the back of the hearth and upturned lugs to locate stone side panels and locating lugs (10) on an arch unit, the locating lugs (10) locating side edges of the stone side panels. For a recessed fire place with angled stone side panels, a soffit member (12) is provided mounting locating lugs (23, 24 and 27) to locate to top edges of the stone side panels, and a stone head panel. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Apparatus for use in the erection of fireplaces The invention relates to apparatus for use in the erection of fireplaces.

The erection of fireplaces from stone slabs has traditionally been a specialist job, the location and alignment of the slabs and wiring together thereof to maintain them at the desired locations and in the desired alignment before inserting a back-fill of cement requiring skills not normally possessed by the average householder. Throughout the specification references to stone slabs should be taken to include slabs of material other than simple natural stone, for example marble, reconstituted marble or slate. References to a back-fill of cement should be taken to include any suitable aggregate.

The employment of skilled specialists is however expensive and the market for fireplaces could be considerably increased if erection thereof could be effected on a non-skilled, do-it-yourself basis rather than requiring the employment of specialists.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus for use in the erection of fireplaces comprising location plates each having a downturned flange and an upturned flange to engage over the rear edge of a hearth and to locate a stone side panel respectively and locating lugs on an arch unit defining the fire opening of the fireplace, which locating lugs can locate the stone side panels with respect to the arch unit.

Preferably lugs are also provided on the arch unit to locate it with respect to the hearth or the location plates can include additional upturned flanges to locate the arch unit.

Advantageously the location plates include upstanding flanges for locating side slip panels in addition to the side panel.

For recessed fireplaces with angled side panels, the location plates preferably have the flanges to locate the side panels provided at an angle to the downturned flanges and the apparatus includes a soffit member having a transversely extending horizontal plate with lugs thereon at the rear edge to locate the upper ends of the side panels at the desired angle and to locate a head panel above the arch unit and lugs at the front edge of the horizontal plate to locate a head slip panel supported on side slip panels.

The invention is diagrammatically illustrated way of example in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fireplace; Figure 2 is an elevation of components of apparatus for use in the erection of fireplaces according to the invention; Figures 3 and 4 are respectively a plan view and an end view of a location plate of the apparatus of Figure 2; Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a plan view and a sectional view on line V-V of Figure 5 of a soffit member of apparatus according to the invention; Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6 but including parts of the fireplace; and Figure 8 is a sectional plan view taken on line VIII-VIII of Figure 1.

Referring to the drawings a fireplace comprises a hearth 1 and a mantel 2 and between the hearth and the mantel a brick-back and throat unit 3, an arch unit 4, side panels 5, a head panel 6, side slip panels 7 and a head slip panel 8. A grate unit 9 is received in the bottom of the brick-back and throat unit 3 within the arch unit 4.

The side panels 5 are angled inwardly so that the arch unit 4 and the head panel 6 are recessed back a considerable distance, for example 10cm from the head slip panel 8. There is considerable difficulty in locating the panels and slip panels 5, 6, 7 and 8 and retaining them in position while a cement in-fill is provided between the rear faces thereof and the brickwork of the wall against which the fireplace is installed.

Referring to Figures 2 to 6, apparatus for use in the erection of a fireplace comprises location lugs 10 on the arch unit 4, location plates 11 and a soffit member 12.

As can be seen in Figures 3 and 4, the location plates 11 have a rear edge 13 with a downturned flange 14 and a front edge 15 angled with respect to the rear edge 13 and having an upturned flange 16 thereon, a further portion 15a of the front edge having an upturned flange 17 thereat.

Figure 8 shows how the location plates 11 are utilized. The flange 14 at the rear edge 13 is hooked over the rear edge of the hearth 1 adjacent a respective leg of the arch unit 4, the two location plates 12 are handed and Figures 3,4 and 5 show the plate which is at the left-hand side as viewed in Figure 1. The arch unit 4 has a respective plate at the bottom end of each of the legs thereof, the plate having a downwardly turned lug 18 which engages over the rear edge of the hearth 1 in similar manner to the flanges 14 of the plates 11.

The shape of the lugs 10 on the arch unit 4 can be seen in Figure 8 and it will be seen that the side panel 5 is engaged with the flange 16 of the location plate 11 by engaging the flange 16 in a groove 19 in the underside of the side panel 5 and engaging the inner edge of the side panel 5 between the front flange 20 of the angle iron arch unit 4 and the location lugs 10. Adjacent the outer edge of the side panel 5, the side slip panel 7 is engaged with the flange 17 of the location plate 11. The leg of the lintel 2 shown in Figure 8 retains the outer edge of the side slip panel 7.

After erection of the side panels 5 and side slip panels 7 as described above, the head panel 6 can be engaged in the lugs 10 in the lintel of the arch unit 4 and the head slip panel 8 can be laid across the top of the two side slip panels 7 before the soffit member 12 is engaged over the upper ends of the side panels 5, the head panel 6 and the head slip panel 8 as shown in Figure 7.

The soffit member 12 comprises a flat horizontal plate 22 and locating lugs secured, preferably by spot welding, to the plate 22. The locating lugs comprise rear, end locating lugs 23, the shape of which can be seen from Figure 2, middle locating lugs 24, the shape of which can be seen from Fig ure 6 and which have a rear portion 25 and a forward portion 26 and end, front locating lugs 27, the shape of which corresponds to the forward portions 26 of the lugs 24.

Rear edges 28 of tapering end portions of the plate 22 are angled at the same angle as the edges 15 of the location plates 11 and thus the side panels 5 when located at their lower ends by the flanges 16 of the location plates 11 will have their upper ends aligned with the lugs 23 of the plate 22 and will be received therein when the soffit member 12 is lowered onto the side panel 5 and head panel 6 to be supported thereby, the upper edge of the head panel 6 engaging in the lugs 25 of the central lugs 24 of the socket member 12. The socket member 12 will thus locate the side panels 5 and head panels 6 correctly with respect to one another. When the soffit member 12 is placed in position the lugs 26 of the central lugs 24 of the soffit member 12 and the outer front lugs 27 engage over the upper edge of the head slip panel 8 as shown in Figure 7.A cement in-fill can then be dropped behind the panels 5,6,7,8 and tamped down before the head of the mantel 2 is placed on the legs thereof to complete the fireplace.

The fireplace is actually erected in the following sequence: 1. Lay hearth to the face of the plaster and level both ways.

2. Erect the mantel and batten it to the wall, remove the head of the mantel from the legs thereof.

3. Insert the brick-back and throat unit, position it flush with the top of the hearth and approximately 1.5cm back from the plaster line.

4. Insert the location plates 11 and set them in approximately 5 cm behind the leg of the mantel.

5. Insert the side slip panels 7, engaging them against the flanges 17 of the location plates 11.

6. Insert the side panels 5 engaging them behind the side slip panels 7 and over the flanges 16 of the location plates 11.

7. Assemble the arch unit 4 (this is preferably provided in three parts particularly to allow two different widths for the use of the same legs).

8. Position the arch unit 4 by lowering it in or assembling it after insertion.

9. Lower the head panel 6 into the location clips 10 of the lintel of the arch unit 4.

10. Locate the head slip panel 8 on the tops of the side slip panels 7.

11. Insert the soffit member 12 locating the rear lugs 23 and 25 over the side panels 5 and the head panels 6 and the front lugs 26 and 27 over the head slip panel 8.

12. Fill in rear cavity with dry cement, this can be tamped in firmly without risk of the panels 5,6,7,8 moving outwardly since they are securely located by the location plates 11, lugs 10 and soffitmem- ber 12.

13. Fit the head of the mantel 2.

Claims

1. Apparatus for use in the erection of fireplaces comprising location plates each having a downturned flange and an upturned flange to engage over the rear edge of a hearth and to locate a stone side panel respectively and locating lugs on an arch unit defining the fire opening of the fireplace, which locating lugs can locate the stone side panels with respect to the arch unit.

2. Apparatus for use in the erection of fire places according to claim 1, in which lugs are also provided on the arch unit to locate it with respect to the hearth.

3. Apparatus for use in the erection of fire places according to claim 1, in which the location plates include additional upturned flanges to locate the arch unit.

4. Apparatus for use in the erection of fire places according to claim 1, in which the location plates include upstanding flanges for locating side slip panels in addition to the stone side panels.

5. Apparatus for use in the erection of fire places according to claim 1, in which, for use with recessed fire places with angled stone side panels, the location plates have the flanges to locate the stone side panels provided at an angle to the downturned flanges and the apparatus includes a soffit member having a transversely extending horizontal plate with lugs thereon at the rear edge to locate the upper ends of the stone side panels at the desired angle and to locate a head panel above the arch unit and lugs at the front edge of the horizontal plate to locate a head slip panel supported on side slip panels.

6. Apparatus for use in the erection of fire places substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying drawings.