Fireplace with removable door

Abstract

A fireplace with a removable door includes a hemispherically shaped firebox with a flat, sloped front face with an opening therethrough to allow access to the firebox, with a protruding lip extending along the lower edge of the flat front face beneath the opening. A removable glass panel door positioned against the flat front face and supported on the protruding lip covers the front opening. A latching mechanism secures the door against the front face by rotating an extending arm to engage against the interior side of the front face. Alternative embodiments having a mesh screen door, a vent in the firebox, a grate integrated into the firebox, and an eccentrically positioned chimney with a damper are also described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A fireplace, comprising:
 a front wall defining a front portion of a firebox, the front wall comprising a flat surface surrounding and defining an opening into the firebox, wherein the flat surface is sloped from perpendicular such that a top edge of the flat surface is positioned rearwardly of bottom edge of the flat surface; and   a removable door shaped to conform to the shape of the opening and configured to cover and extend beyond the opening in height and width such that the door entirely covers the opening when positioned against the flat surface.   
     
     
         2 . The fireplace of  claim 1 , wherein the front wall further comprises a lip protruding outwardly from a lower edge of the flat surface, the lip configured to the shape of a lower edge of the removable door and operable to support the door. 
     
     
         3 . The fireplace of  claim 2 , wherein the removable door comprises a latching mechanism extending therethrough, wherein the latching mechanism comprises a user-operable handle operably coupled to a member configured to engage against a rear portion of the flat surface to secure the door in place against the flat surface. 
     
     
         4 . The fireplace of  claim 3 , wherein the latching mechanism comprises a T-shaped handle coupled to a first end of a rotatable rod and the member comprises a bar extending radially outwardly from a second end of the rotatable rod. 
     
     
         5 . The fireplace of  claim 2 , wherein the lip comprises first and second notches formed at opposite lower corners of the flat surface, the notches configured to cradle the removable door. 
     
     
         6 . The fireplace of  claim 1 , wherein the firebox is hemispherical in shape and further comprises a cylindrical shaped chimney having an interior passageway extending upwardly from a top of the hemisphere and in fluid communication with the firebox, wherein the chimney is positioned eccentrically rearward from a vertical center axis of the hemispherical shaped firebox. 
     
     
         7 . The fireplace of  claim 6 , further comprising a damper positioned in the chimney, the damper movable between a closed position in which the interior passageway of the chimney is substantially blocked by the damper and an open position in which the passageway of the chimney is substantially open. 
     
     
         8 . The fireplace of  claim 1 , further comprising a grate formed integrally with an interior bottom wall of the firebox. 
     
     
         9 . The fireplace of  claim 8 , wherein the grate comprises a plurality of protrusions extending upwardly from the interior bottom wall. 
     
     
         10 . The fireplace of  claim 8 , wherein the bottom wall comprises a vent opening therethrough and wherein a cover coupled to the bottom wall is movable to cover at least a portion of the vent opening. 
     
     
         11 . A fireplace, comprising:
 a firebox comprising a plurality of walls integrally joined into a hemispherical shape, wherein a front wall comprises a flat surface surrounding and defining a semicircular shaped opening into the firebox, wherein the flat surface is sloped from perpendicular such that a top edge of the flat surface is positioned rearwardly of a bottom edge of the flat surface; and   a semicircular shaped removable door having a height and width greater that a corresponding height and width of the opening configure to cover and extend beyond the opening such that the door entirely covers the opening when positioned against the flat surface.   
     
     
         12 . The fireplace of  claim 11 , wherein the front wall further comprises a lip protruding outwardly from a lower edge of the flat surface, the lip configured to the shape of a lower edge of the removable door and operable to support the door. 
     
     
         13 . The fireplace of  claim 12 , wherein the removable door comprises a latching mechanism extending therethrough, wherein the latching mechanism comprises a user-operable handle operably coupled to a member configured to engage against a rear portion of the flat surface to secure the door in place against the flat surface. 
     
     
         14 . The fireplace of  claim 13 , wherein the latching mechanism comprises a T-shaped handle coupled to a first end of a rotatable rod and the member comprises a bar extending radially outwardly from a second end of the rotatable rod. 
     
     
         15 . The fireplace of  claim 12 , wherein the lip comprises first and second notches formed at opposite lower corners of the flat surface, the notches configured to cradle the removable door. 
     
     
         16 . The fireplace of  claim 11 , wherein the firebox further comprises a cylindrical shaped chimney having an interior passageway extending upwardly from a top of the hemisphere and in communication with the firebox, wherein the chimney is positioned eccentrically rearward from a vertical center axis of the hemispherical shaped firebox. 
     
     
         17 . The fireplace of  claim 16 , further comprising a damper positioned in the chimney, the damper movable between a closed position in which the interior passageway of the chimney is substantially blocked by the damper and an open position in which the passageway of the chimney is substantially open. 
     
     
         18 . The fireplace of  claim 11 , further comprising a grate formed integrally with an interior bottom wall of the firebox. 
     
     
         19 . The fireplace of  claim 18 , wherein the grate comprises a plurality of protrusions extending upwardly from the interior bottom wall. 
     
     
         20 . The fireplace of  claim 18 , wherein the bottom wall comprises a vent opening therethrough and wherein a cover coupled to the bottom wall is movable to cover at least a portion of the vent opening.