Simulated fire glow lights for fireplace

Abstract

A fireplace has an arrangement for providing a simulated ember glow using lights projected through colored light transmitting material, such as glass. The arrangement includes a panel that is supported relative to a burner with a light below the panel that projects upwardly through the panel. A bed of colored light transmitting pieces is supported on the panel, which transmits light projecting through the panel to simulate glowing embers. The colored pieces are coated with a dark material to enhance the simulation of embers even when the lights are turned off.

1 . A fireplace having a burner on an interior of a fireplace chamber, said burner being supported relative to a base wall, the chamber having an opening on one side, a light transmitting panel supported in the fireplace chamber in a location to be viewed through the opening of the fireplace chamber, a plurality of pieces of light transmitting material forming a bed over the light transmitting panel, and a light source mounted relative to the fireplace chamber to project light through the light transmitting panel and the bed of pieces of light transmitting material so as to be viewed from an exterior of the fireplace. 
   
   
       2 . The fireplace of  claim 1  further comprising the base wall supporting the burner spaced upwardly from a fireplace bottom wall, a second opening in the base wall adjacent the chamber opening, the light transmitting panel overlying the second opening. 
   
   
       3 . The fireplace of  claim 1  wherein the light transmitting pieces are loose pieces forming the bed over the light transmitting panel. 
   
   
       4 . The fireplace of  claim 1  and a variable control for controlling the intensity level of the light. 
   
   
       5 . The fireplace of  claim 1  further comprising the light transmitting panel being located adjacent the opening of the chamber and at least one second light positioned on a side of the burner away from the opening of the chamber, the second light having an outlet through which light is projected, and a plurality of light transmitting pieces supported above a light source forming part of the second light. 
   
   
       6 . The fireplace of  claim 3  wherein at least some of the light transmitting pieces have a coating of material on surfaces thereof. 
   
   
       7 . The fireplace of  claim 6  wherein the coating is dark colored. 
   
   
       8 . A fireplace assembly having walls forming a fireplace chamber with an open front, the fireplace including a bottom wall, and a base wall spaced upwardly from the bottom wall, an opening in the base wall adjacent the front opening of the chamber, a burner assembly positioned on an opposite side of the opening in the base wall from the opening of the chamber, a light transmitting panel supported over the opening in the base wall and spaced from the bottom wall, a plurality of small pieces of light transmitting material forming a bed supported on the light transmitting panel, and a light supported on the bottom wall below the base wall in a position to project light through the panel and through the light transmitting pieces, said light transmitting pieces being visible through the front opening of the chamber. 
   
   
       9 . The fireplace of  claim 8 , wherein the light transmitting material comprises a glass material. 
   
   
       10 . The fireplace of  claim 8 , wherein the light transmitting material pieces are less than ⅜ of an inch of any measured dimension. 
   
   
       11 . The fireplace of  claim 10 , wherein the light transmitting pieces have a peripheral shape that is irregular, and have a thickness in the range of 1/16 of an inch. 
   
   
       12 . The fireplace of  claim 11 , wherein said light transmitting pieces are arranged in a bed having a thickness of less than one inch above the panel. 
   
   
       13 . The fireplace of  claim 8 , wherein the light transmitting material pieces are glass pieces, and are colored with a color selected from one of the colors of amber, red and yellow. 
   
   
       14 . The fireplace of  claim 8 , wherein said pieces of material have a coating of dark material of a thickness to be substantially non-light transmitting on at least portion of some of the pieces. 
   
   
       15 . The fireplace of  claim 14 , wherein said coating is minimized on portions of the pieces of light transmitting material to a thickness that will permit light transmission through the coating. 
   
   
       16 . The fireplace of  claim 8 , and at least one additional light on a side of the burner opposite from the opening of the chamber, said one additional light comprising a housing supporting a light transmitting panel and having a bed of light transmitting material pieces supported on the panel, and a light source below the panel within the housing. 
   
   
       17 . The fireplace of  claim 8 , wherein said light transmitting pieces are glass having a coloration selected from the group consisting of amber, red and yellow. 
   
   
       18 . The fireplace of  claim 9 , wherein said opening in said base wall extends laterally across the chamber to be substantially the same length as a lateral dimension of the burner assembly.