Fireplace shield

Abstract

A metallic fireplace shield is provided which fits into a fireplace opening by flexing or bowing the shield in the vertical or horizontal direction and placing it in the fireplace opening while flexed. After insertion the shield is partially relaxed. The residual stresses in the shield provide a pressure on the fireplace sides which holds it firmly in place.

I claim:  
     
         1 . An improved fire shield apparatus for use in a fireplace wherein said fireplace has an opening comprising a top, a bottom, and connecting side edges, said apparatus comprising in combination: 
 (a) a metal shield of a height slightly greater than said fireplace opening and width slightly smaller than said fireplace opening for preventing sparks from being projected from said fireplace beyond said screen;    (b) wherein said shield has upper and lower horizontal edges which are generally parallel;    (c) wherein said shield has left and right vertical edges which are generally parallel;    (d) wherein said shield has handle means centrally locate near said upper and lower horizontal edges;    (e) wherein said fireplace opening has a horizontal mechanical support means located on the inner top surface of said opening; and    (f) where by said shield is installed by inserting said upper edge into said horizontal mechanical support means and using said handles said shield is bowed outward until said bottom edge is located directly below said horizontal mechanical support means at which point the flexing pressure is released and said screen is held in place by said horizontal mechanical support means at said top edge and by frictional holding means at said bottom edge.    
     
     
         2 . The shield of  claim 1  wherein said shield is fabricated from any a fire resistant sheet material including stainless steel, copper, carbon steel, aluminum, brass, titanium and the like as well as laminates of two or more of the foregoing materials  
     
     
         3 . The fire shield of  claim 1  wherein the thickness of said shield can range from 0.010 inches thick to greater than 0.170 inches thick.  
     
     
         4 . The fire shield of  claim 1  wherein a decorative design may be embossed, painted, repoussèd or created by other decorative techniques.  
     
     
         5 . An improved fire shield apparatus for use in a fireplace wherein said fireplace has an opening comprising a top, a bottom, and connecting side edges, said apparatus comprising in combination: 
 (a) a metal shield of a height slightly greater than said fireplace opening and width slightly smaller than said fireplace opening for preventing sparks from being projected from said fireplace beyond said screen;    (b) wherein said shield has upper and lower horizontal edges which are generally parallel;    (c) wherein said shield has left and right vertical edges which are generally parallel;    (d) wherein said shield has handle means centrally locate near said upper and lower horizontal edges;    (e) wherein said fireplace opening has inherent horizontal frictional support means located on the inner top and inner bottom surface of said opening; and    (f) whereby said shield is installed by inserting said upper edge onto said horizontal frictional support means and using said handles said shield is bowed outward until said bottom edge is located directly below said upper horizontal mechanical support means at which point the flexing pressure is released and said screen is held in place by said horizontal frictional support means at said top edge and said bottom edge    
     
     
         6 . The shield of  claim 5  wherein said shield is fabricated from any a fire resistant sheet material including stainless steel, copper, carbon steel, aluminum, brass, titanium and the like as well as laminates of two or more of the foregoing materials  
     
     
         7 . The fire shield of  claim 5  wherein the thickness of said shield can range from 0.010 inches thick to greater than 0.170 inches thick.  
     
     
         8 . The fire shield of  claim 5  wherein a decorative design may be embossed, painted, repoussèd or created by other decorative techniques.  
     
     
         9 . An improved fire shield apparatus for use in a fireplace wherein said fireplace has an opening comprising a top, a bottom, and connecting side edges, said apparatus comprising in combination: 
 (a) a metal shield of a height slightly smaller than said fireplace opening and a width slightly smaller than said fireplace opening for preventing sparks from being projected from said fireplace beyond said screen;    (b) wherein said shield has upper and lower horizontal edges which are generally;    (c) wherein said shield has left and right vertical edges which are generally parallel;    (d) wherein said shield has handle means centrally located near said left and right vertical edges;    (e) wherein said fireplace opening has a vertical mechanical support means located on the left and right vertical inner surfaces of said opening; and    (f) whereby said shield is installed by inserting said left vertical edge into said left vertical mechanical support means and using said handles said shield is bowed outward until said the right vertical edge is can be inserted directly into said vertical mechanical support means at which point the flexing pressure is released and said screen reverts to said screens original width and is held in place by said left and right vertical mechanical support means    
     
     
         10 . The shield of  claim 9  wherein said shield is fabricated from a fire resistant sheet material including stainless steel, copper, carbon steel, aluminum, brass, titanium and the like as well as laminates of two or more of the foregoing materials  
     
     
         11 . The fire shield of  claim 9  wherein the thickness of said shield can range from 0.010 inches thick to greater than 0.170 inches thick.  
     
     
         12 . The fire shield of  claim 9  wherein a decorative design may be embossed, painted, repoussèd or created by other decorative techniques.  
     
     
         13 . An improved fire shield apparatus for use in a chiminia wherein said fireplace has a curved but regular opening comprising a top, a bottom, and connecting side edges, said apparatus comprising in combination: 
 (a) a metal shield of a height slightly greater than said fireplace opening and width slightly smaller than said fireplace opening for preventing sparks from being projected from said fireplace beyond said screen;    (b) wherein said shield has upper and lower curved edges;    (c) wherein said shield has left and right curved edges;    (d) wherein said shield has handle means centrally located near said upper and lower edges;    (e) wherein said fireplace opening has a horizontal and vertical frictional holding means located on the inner surfaces of said opening; and    (f) whereby said shield is installed by inserting said upper edge into said top frictional holding means and using said handles said shield is bowed outward until said bottom edge is located directly over said horizontal frictional holding means at which point the flexing pressure is released and said screen is held in place by said frictional holding means at said top edge and by frictional holding means at said bottom edge.    
     
     
         14 . The shield of  claim 13  wherein said shield is fabricated from any fire resistant sheet material including stainless steel, copper, carbon steel, aluminum, brass, titanium and the like as well as laminates of two or more of the foregoing materials  
     
     
         15 . The fire shield of  claim 13  wherein the thickness of said shield can range from 0.010 inches thick to greater than 0.170 inches thick.  
     
     
         16 . The fire shield of  claim 13  wherein a decorative design may be embossed, painted, repoussèd or created by other decorative techniques.  
     
     
         17 . Vertical and horizontal mechanical holding devices for said cover have an essentially “U” shaped cross section wherein the depth of the opening of said “U” shaped face is between about 0.125 and 1.250 inches and preferably about 0.375 inches deep and wherein the width of said “U” shaped opening ranges from 0.250 to 0.750 inches and is preferably 4 to 8 times the thickness of said cover.