Device for generating a column of flame swirling around a vertical axis

Abstract

Device for generating a column of flame swirling around a vertical axis, with a central container (8) for fuel, with a guide device (7) arranged around the container (8) for the air to be supplied, and with a transparent hollow body (2), preferably a hollow cylinder, which is open at the top and bottom in the position of use and which preferably surrounds the guide device (7), characterized by an outer casing (3), preferably designed as a decorative element, which is supported on a support device (18), surrounds a lower region of the hollow body (2) and has an inwardly projecting holder (19) on which the hollow body (2) stands.

Description

The invention relates to an apparatus for producing a flame column swirling about a vertical axis, having a central container for fuel, having a guide device for air to be supplied which is arranged around the container, and having a transparent hollow body, preferably a hollow cylinder, which is open at the top and at the bottom in the position of use and preferably surrounds the guide device.Such devices, also referred to as bench chimneys, bench fires or fire columns, are often fired with fuel pastes or liquid fuel such as bioethanol and produce an optically appealing flame swirling about a central axis within a glass cylinder.The object of the invention is to provide such a device which consists of as few parts as possible and in which the fuel container can be changed easily without risking burns on the hands.This object is achieved with a device having the features of claim 1.Preferred, but not obligatory, features and embodiments of the invention which, if functionally possible, can be combined with one another as desired are the subject matter of the dependent claims.In the apparatus according to the invention for producing a flame column swirling about a vertical axis, a central container for fuel, for example bioethanol, is provided, around which the remaining apparatus is constructed. Accordingly, around the container there are a guide device for air to be supplied, and a transparent hollow body which is open at the top and bottom in the position of use and which preferably surrounds the guide device, but theoretically can also be arranged only above the guide device. It is also possible according to the invention for the hollow body to surround the guide device only in regions, for example only in the region of the upper edge of the guide device. The shape of the hollow body is preferably cylindrical, but can also deviate therefrom and can be bulbous, for example, at least in sections. Furthermore, an outer sheath is present, preferably designed as a decorative element, which is supported on a support device, surrounds a lower region of the hollow body and has an inwardly projecting holder on which the hollow body stands.Since the lower part of the transparent hollow body is located inside the outer casing and is supported on its holder, the hollow body heated by the flame can be removed together with the casing without the hollow body having to be directly contacted. Since the sheath does not come directly into contact with the flame and therefore also becomes less hot, the risk of burning the hand is considerably reduced. Since, according to the invention, it is possible either to make the casing as thermally insulating or to provide it with lamellae which improve the heat dissipation and in this way prevent the casing from being heated too strongly, combustion during the handling of the casing with the transparent hollow cylinder can be avoided. In addition, it is possible to design the outer shell in a visually appealing manner as a decorative element.When the outer casing with the hollow body supported thereon is removed from the device, the container with the fuel is subsequently easily accessible and replaceable.The support device provided according to the invention holds the outer sleeve with the hollow body supported thereon in the correct position on the device, is preferably arranged on the guide device and protrudes substantially radially outwards therefrom.Particularly preferably, the support device and the holder are radial flanges, wherein it is further preferred if the holder rests directly on the support device. Regardless of whether both the support device and the holder are radial flanges or one of the two or both are designed differently, this results in a very compact and stable structure of the device according to the invention.According to the invention, the guide device can have at least one guide plate, preferably two or more than two guide plates, with a helical course, although in the invention other possibilities can also be provided for setting the supplied air into rotation.Within the scope of the invention, it is further preferred if the hollow body is arranged with play between the guide device and the outer casing. In this way, only the hollow body or hollow cylinder can be removed from the device or exchanged.A further embodiment which is preferred within the scope of the invention consists in the fact that the guide device has a preferably cylindrical outer wall, outside which the hollow body is arranged, and inside which the at least one guide plate is arranged, and in that the at least one guide plate is preferably arranged, in particular fastened, in a gas-tight manner on the outer wall. A cylindrical outer wall has the advantage that it is simple to produce and that the at least one baffle plate, if necessary also two or more baffle plates, can also be easily attached to the outer wall.For the same reasons, a further preferred embodiment of the invention consists in the fact that the guide device has a preferably cylindrical inner wall, within which the container and outside which the at least one guide plate is arranged, and in that the at least one guide plate is preferably arranged, in particular fastened, in a gas-tight manner on the inner wall.Ideally, all the combustion air supplied to the apparatus is conducted through the guide device and set in rotation by the guide device. This can be effected by the substantially gas-tight arrangement of the baffle plate or baffles on the inner wall and the outer wall of the guide device.According to the invention, the outer shell can also have a wall, within which the lower region of the hollow body is arranged. This creates a cylindrical space in which the hollow body, which is cylindrical at least in this region, is reliably accommodated.In order to supply air to the guide device, it is provided in a preferred embodiment of the invention that the guide device has air inlet openings below the support device, which are preferably arranged in the outer wall of the guide device. Since the outer casing is supported from above on the support device, the air can enter the guide device unimpeded under the outer casing. In a suitable design of the outer casing, if it protrudes, for example, radially extending far beyond the outer wall of the guide device, the air inlet openings can also be covered somewhat by the outer casing.If the inner wall of the guide means is gas-tightly connected to a bottom in a further preferred embodiment of the invention, gas communication with the space inside the inner wall in which the fuel container is located can be prevented.In order to increase the handling safety of the device according to the invention, the outer sleeve can be fixable to the device, in particular to the support device or the guide device. This can prevent the outer sleeve with the hollow body or hollow cylinder from being unintentionally lifted off the guide device when the device is carried or pushed to another location.Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred, non-limiting embodiment of the invention with reference to the attached drawings. It shows: FIG. 1 is an oblique view of an embodiment of the device according to the invention, FIG. 2 is a section through the lower part of the device, FIG. 3 is a side view of a guide device of the device according to the invention, and FIG. 4 shows a view of the guide device of FIG. 3 from below.The drawing(s) show an embodiment of a device according to the invention, which is only exemplary, however, and, apart from the features according to the invention as defined in the claims, can also be embodied differently with respect to many components within the scope of the present invention without this requiring any particular mention below.FIG. 1 shows an apparatus according to the invention in the form of a table stack 1, which - insofar as can be seen in FIG. 1-has a hollow cylinder 2, which preferably consists of glass, and an outer casing 3, which surrounds the lower part of the hollow cylinder 2 and is designed as a decorative element. The device further comprises a base plate 4 and a cover 5 for the hollow cylinder 2. The cover 5 can firstly quench the fire in the device and secondly prevent the escape of vapours of the fuel when the table stack 1 is not in operation. For easier handling of the cover 5, the latter has a tab 6.A guide device 7 is arranged within the lower part of the hollow cylinder 2 and a fuel container 8 is arranged within the guide device 7.In the embodiment shown, the guide device consists of a cylindrical outer wall 9 and, for example, two guide plates 11 which extend, for example, by approximately 360° in each case and extend like a spiral from the lower end of the guide device 7 as far as the upper end thereof. Only a single baffle 11 or more than two baffles 11, for example three, four or more than four baffles 11, are also possible. The wrap angle does not have to be 360°, but can also be smaller or larger, for example 90°, 180°, 270°, 540° or 720°.The guide plates 11 are preferably arranged gas-tightly on the outer wall 9. If the outer wall 9 and the baffles 11 are made of metal (e.g. stainless steel) and are connected to one another, for example, by spot welding, a slight air transfer can occur between the baffles 11 and the outer wall 9, but this is not relevant for the function of the invention.The guide device 7 furthermore has an inner wall 12 on which the guide plates 11 are likewise mounted as gas-tight as possible. The guide plates 11 can also be welded to the inner wall 12 preferably point by point.In the space 14 inside the inner wall 12 of the guide device 7 is accommodated a fuel container 8 in which a combustion paste or liquid fuel such as bioethanol is accommodated and which has at its upper end an opening 15 through which the fuel can be ignited and the flame escapes.The inner wall 12 of the guide device 7 is tightly connected to a base 13, which ensures that no fuel can escape from the device if the fuel container 8 leaks or fuel is wasted when the fuel container 8 is inserted. In addition, this prevents air from entering the receiving space for the fuel container 8 and any leaked fuel from igniting. The interior 14 of the guide 7 is open at the top to allow the fuel container 8 to be inserted and removed.The inner wall 12 of the guide device 7 and the base 13 can also be designed as a one-piece cup which is inserted into the guide device 7 within the guide plates 11 and is arranged, preferably fastened, there as tightly as possible with respect to the guide plates 11.Within the scope of the invention, it is also possible for the inner wall 12 or the cup itself, which is tightly connected to the base 13, to form a refillable fuel container and for no separate and replaceable fuel container 8 to be provided.The outer shell 3, which may be made of die-cast aluminum, for example, has a wall 16 on which fins 17 are arranged. The lamellae 17 serve on the one hand for the dissipation of heat and on the other hand as decorative element. However, the fins 17 do not have to be present or can also be replaced by any other shape or geometry which increases the surface area of the outer shell 3 and thus improves the dissipation of heat.On the lower edge of the outer wall 9 of the guide means 7 a support means 18 in the form of a radially outwardly projecting flange is attached, e.g. welded on, and on the lower edge of the outer shell 3 a holder 19 in the form of a radially inwardly projecting flange is attached, e.g. cast on. Instead of one or both of the continuous flanges 18, 19, other shapes can be used, for example pins or interrupted flanges (as viewed in the circumferential direction). The two flanges 18, 19 need not be attached exactly to the respective lower edge. Rather, one or both flanges 18, 19 can also be attached further above, which does not alter the basic function of the two flanges 18, 19.Even if the arrangement of the support device 18 on the outer wall 9 of the guide device 7 is advantageous because it enables a simple and compact construction, the support device 18 does not necessarily have to be attached to the outer wall 9 of the guide device 7, but could also be a part of the apparatus according to the invention which is independent thereof.The outer shell 3 rests with its inwardly projecting flange 19 on the outwardly projecting flange 18 of the outer wall 9, and the hollow cylinder 2 rests with its lower edge on the inwardly projecting flange 19 of the outer shell 3. As a result, the outer sheath 3 together with the hollow cylinder 2 can be removed upward from the guide device 7. Thus, the interior 14 of the guide device 7 is also directly accessible and the fuel container 8 can be inserted and removed or replaced without problems. In addition, this makes it possible in a simple manner to ignite the fuel in the fuel container 8.In the annular space 21 formed between the outer wall 9 of the guide device 7 and the wall 16 of the outer casing 3, the lower region of the hollow cylinder 2 is accommodated with play in such a way that it is at a sufficient distance from both the outer wall 9 of the guide device 7 and the wall 16 of the outer casing 3 in order to be able to be removed from the annular space 21 without problems. This also makes it possible to ignite the fuel in the fuel container 8 in a simple manner.If the fuel is ignited, the heated gases rise inside the hollow cylinder 2 and suck in air through the guide device 7. Since the air is rotated by the guide 7, the flame is also rotated.In order that air can be drawn into the guide device 7, air inlet openings 22 are provided below the flange 18 of the guide device 7. In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, screens 23 are attached, for example welded on, beneath the outer wall 9 and the flange 18, between which screens the air inlet openings 22 are formed. For example, the screens 23 could also be extensions of the outer wall 9.The outer wall 9 can also be produced with the flange 18, the screens 23 and / or the guide plates 11 from one part, for example a cast part.In order to delimit the guide device 7 downwards, a cover plate 24 is fastened to the base 13, with which the apertures 23 end flush.Within the scope of the invention, possibilities can also be provided for changing the size of the air inlet openings 22.For example, cover screens, not shown in the drawings, can be present on the cover plate 24, which cover screens at least partially overlap the screens 23. By rotating the guide device 7 with the screens 23 relative to the cover plate 24 with the cover screens, the size of the air inlet openings 22 can be changed. Alternatively, for example, a ring with openings can also be present, which surrounds the apertures 23 and can be rotated with respect to the latter, so that the openings in the ring are completely, partially or not at all covered by the apertures 23 and the air supply is thus controlled.The base 13 has a depression 25 in the central region, in which a screw 26 is fastened. The screw 26 extends through a bore in the cover plate 24 and serves to secure the base plate 4 which is screwed onto the screw 26.In order to prevent the outer sheath 3 with the hollow cylinder 2 from being unintentionally lifted off the guide device 7 when the device is carried or pushed to another location, the outer sheath 3 can be fixable to the device, in particular to the flange 18 or to another part of the guide device 7, in an embodiment of the invention not shown in the drawings. A type of bayonet lock or clamps is / are conceivable, for example, which detachably connects / connects the flange 18 to the outer sleeve 3.List of reference numbers:1 Table stack 2 Hollow cylinder 3 Outer shell 4 Base plate 5 Cover 6 Tab 7 Guide device 8 Fuel container 9 Outer wall 10- 11 Guide plates 12 Inner wall 13 Base 14 Inner space 15 Opening 16 Wall 17 Lamellae 18 Support device / flange 19 Holder / flange 20- 21 Annular space 22 Air inlet openings 23 Screens 24 Cover plate 25 Depression 26 Screw

Claims

Device for producing a flame column swirling about a vertical axis, having a central container (8) for fuel, having a guide device (7) for air to be supplied, which guide device is arranged around the container (8), and having a transparent hollow body (2), preferably a hollow cylinder, which is open at the top and at the bottom in the position of use and preferably surrounds the guide device (7), characterized byan outer casing (3), which is preferably designed as a decorative element and is supported on a support device (18), surrounds a lower region of the hollow body (2) and has an inwardly projecting holder (19), on which the hollow body (2) stands.Device according to claim 1, characterised in that the support device (18) is arranged on the guide device (7) and projects substantially radially outwards therefrom.Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the support device (18) and / or the holder (19) is / are a radial flange.Device according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the holder (19) rests directly on the supporting device (18).Device according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the guide device (7) has at least one guide plate (11), preferably two or more than two guide plates (11), with a helical course.Device according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the hollow body (2) is arranged with play between the guide device (7) and the outer casing (3).Device according to claim 5 or 6, characterised in that the guide device (7) has a preferably cylindrical outer wall (9), outside which the hollow body (2) and inside which the at least one guide plate (11) is arranged, and in that preferably the at least one guide plate (11) is arranged, in particular fastened, in an airtight manner on the outer wall (9).Device according to one of Claims 5 to 7, characterized in that the guide device (7) has a preferably cylindrical inner wall (12), within which the container (8) is arranged and outside which the at least one baffle plate (11) is arranged, and in that preferably the at least one baffle plate (11) is arranged, in particular fastened, in an airtight manner on the inner wall (12).Device according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the outer casing (3) has a wall (16), within which the lower region of the hollow body (2) is arranged.Device according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the outer casing (3) has lamellae (17) which run vertically and / or horizontally or have a course with a vertical and / or horizontal component.Device according to one of Claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the guide device (7) has air inlet openings (22) below the supporting device (18), which openings are preferably arranged in the outer wall (9) of the guide device (7).Device according to one of Claims 8 to 11, characterized in that the inner wall (12) of the guide device (7) is connected in a sealed manner to a base (13).Device according to claim 12, characterised in that a screw (26) for connection to a base plate (4) is arranged on the base (13).Device according to one of Claims 7 to 13, characterized in that the guide device (7) has a cover plate (24) adjoining the lower edge of the outer wall (9).Device according to one of Claims 1 to 14, characterized in that the outer sheath (3) can be fixed to the device, in particular to the supporting device (18) or the guide device (7).

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