Appeal No. 2000-0226 Page 6
Application No. 08/694,200
flue, and wherein said frontal opening includes
structural means, extending across said frontal opening,
that closes-off said frontal opening when said fireplace
is in use, comprising the steps of
a) providing a frameless, thin, sheet of air
impermeable, pliable material,
b) placing said sheet of material over said
structural means when said fireplace is not in use
thereby permitting the natural draft of air through said
fire box to draw said sheet of material against said
structural means thereby blocking the flow of air there
through.
3. In a domestic fireplace having a fire box, exhaust
means for the removal of smoke and combustion gases from
said fire box and at least one frontal opening for the
introduction of combustible material into said fire box
and means for closing-off said frontal opening when said
fire box is in use whereby a natural draft of air may
flow into said fire box through said means for closing-
off said frontal opening and exiting said fire box
through said exhaust means, the improvement comprising
sealing means for blocking the flow of draft air through
said means for closing-off said frontal opening when said
fireplace is not in use, said sealing means comprising a
frameless thin sheet of air impermeable, pliable material
positioned across said means for closing-off said frontal
opening whereby said natural draft of air draws said
sheet of material against said means for closing-off said
frontal opening.
In the rejection before us in this appeal, the examiner
first sets forth the teachings of the Admitted Prior Art
(answer, p. 4). Next, the examiner briefly sets forth the
teachings of the patents to Gallagher, Le Brun, Knudson, Fox
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