1. A flame effect fire comprising:
a mist generator for generating a mist for use in generation of flame effects,
a separate mist reservoir having an inlet for receiving and gathering the mist generated by the mist generator, the mist reservoir having at least one outlet for distributing the mist, and
means for agitating the mist within the mist reservoir so as to promote passage of the mist through the at least one outlet.
2. The fire of claim 1, wherein the means for agitating the mist includes means for introducing an air current into the mist reservoir.
3. The fire of claim 2 wherein the means for introducing the air current into the mist reservoir includes a fan provided in a side wall of the mist reservoir and configured to operatively direct air into the reservoir.
4. The fire of claim 1 wherein the means for agitating the mist is configured to operatively introduce turbulence effects into the mist reservoir so as to promote movement of the mist within the reservoir towards and out of the at least one outlet.
5. The fire of claim 1 wherein the means for agitating the mist is provided externally of the mist reservoir.
6. The fire of claim 1 wherein the means for agitating the mist includes at least one heating element.
7. The fire of claim 1 wherein the at least one outlet is provided as a slot within the reservoir.
8. The fire of claim 7 wherein the outlet provides for distribution of the mist in a longitudinal fashion about the longitudinal axis of the slot.
9. The fire of claim 7 wherein the outlet slot includes two or more apertures provided along the longitudinal axis of the slot.
10. The fire of claim 1 wherein the at least one outlet provides an opening through which mist may exit upwardly from the mist reservoir.
11. The fire of claim 1 wherein the at least one outlet provides an opening through which the mist may exit sidewardly from the mist reservoir.
12. The fire of claim 1 including a fuel bed, the at least one outlet being disposed below the fuel bed.
13. The fire of claim 1 wherein the mist reservoir includes a chimney, the at least one outlet being defined within the chimney.
14. The fire of claim 13 wherein at least one surface of the chimney is heated.
15. The fire of claim 13 wherein the chimney has a rectangularly shaped cross section.
16. The fire of claim 1 wherein the at least one outlet extends longitudinally substantially parallel to the front of the fire.
17. The fire of claim 1 wherein a plurality of outlets are provided, the plurality of outlets being arranged coaxially relative to one another.
18. The fire of claim 1 wherein the at least one outlet extends longitudinally in a direction substantially transverse to the axis at which mist exits from the at least one outlet.
19. The fire of claim 3 wherein the at least one outlet extends longitudinally substantially parallel to the front of the fire and the fan is configured to operatively direct air into the fan along the same longitudinal axis.
20. The fire of claim 1 wherein the at least one outlet is located proximal to a front portion of the fire.
21. The fire of claim 20 wherein the at least one outlet is provided forwardly of a fuel bed located within a fire.
22. The fire of claim 1 including a fuel bed, the at least one outlet and fuel bed being arranged relative with one another to enable a flow of mist through the fuel bed.
23. The fire of claim 22 including a planar support member which provides a support for the fuel bed.
24. The fire of claim 23 wherein the planar support member includes an aperture to enable mist exiting from the at least one outlet to pass above the planar support member.
25. The fire of claim 23 wherein the at least one outlet is coincident with the surface of the planar support member.
26. The fire of claim 23 wherein the planar support member includes at least one aperture to allow light from a light source located below the planar support member to be directed upwardly.
27. The fire of claim 26 wherein the light is operatively directed onto a side portion of mist exiting from the at least one outlet.
28. The fire of claim 26 wherein the light is operatively directed into the mist exiting.
29. The fire of claim 15 wherein the first and second sides of the rectangle defining the length of the rectangle are heatable.
30. The fire of claim 29 wherein a first side is preferentially heated relative to a second side.
31. The fire of claim 29 wherein the fire includes a light source provided to direct light into mist exiting the at least one outlet and the first side is provided proximal to said light source.
32. The fire of claim 1 including a light source offset from the at least one outlet and configured to operatively provide a light output directed onto the side of the exiting mist.
33. The fire of claim 32 wherein the light source includes a plurality of light elements.
34. The fire of claim 33 wherein individual ones of the light sources are independently controllable.
35. The fire of claim 32 wherein the light source is configured to selectively colour portions of the exiting mist.
36. The fire of claim 35 wherein the light source includes a filter providing for selective colouring of different portions of the light from the light source.
37. The fire of claim 35 wherein the light source includes a number of differently coloured light elements.
38. The fire of claim 36 wherein the selectively colouring provides for a vertical separation of colours projected onto the exiting mist.
39. The fire of claim 32 including at least one LED.
40. The fire of claim 32 including at least one low voltage light source.
41. The fire of claim 32 including an at least partially translucent moulding disposed over the light source.
42. The fire of claim 41 wherein the light source includes at least two lighting elements and wherein the at least partially transparent moulding is dimensioned to be higher in a mid portion thereof, the mid portion including a mount for one of the at least two lighting elements, the other of the at least two lighting elements being provided in a lower region of the fire such that two lighting elements are vertically separated from one another.
43. The fire of claim 1 wherein the mist generator includes a first reservoir.
44. The fire of claim 43 wherein the first reservoir is provided in fluid communication with a second reservoir, the second reservoir being removable from the fire.
45. The fire of claim 44 wherein the second removable reservoir is slideably removable through a side portion of the fire.
46. The fire of claim 44 including a locking arrangement, the locking arrangement preventing the accidental removal of the second reservoir from the fire.
47. The fire of claim 46 wherein the locking arrangement and second reservoir engage with one another through a two step locking procedure.
48. The fire of claim 1 wherein the mist generator includes at least one ultrasonic transducer operable to generate the mist.
49. The fire of claim 48 wherein the ultrasonic transducer is configured to be operatively in fluid communication with a fluid provided within a first reservoir.
50. The fire of claim 49 including a second ultrasonic transducer provided in a redundant configuration.
51. The fire of claim 1 wherein the mist generator includes a compressor.
52. The fire of claim 1 wherein the mist generator and mist reservoir are beatable within a lower region of the fire, the fire including a fuel bed beatable above the mist generator and mist reservoir.
53. The fire of claim 52 wherein the at least one outlet is positioned relative to the fuel bed to operatively provide a mist through the fuel bed.
54. The fire of claim 53 wherein elements of the fuel bed are locatable on either side of the at least one outlet.
55. The fire of claim 52 wherein the fuel bed includes an ashtray, a fire grate and fuel elements.
56. The fire of claim 55 wherein each of the fuel elements and ash tray include independently operable lighting elements.
57. The fire of claim 55 wherein individual ones of the fuel elements include a plurality of lighting elements, selected one of the plurality being independently controllable with respect to others of the plurality.
58. The fire of claim 57 including a controller coupled to the plurality of lighting elements and configured to operatively provide a control signal to effect selective illumination of individual ones of the plurality of lighting elements.
59. The fire of claim 52 wherein the fire includes side walls located about the fuel bed.
60. The fire of claim 59 wherein at least two of the side walls are at least partially transparent.
61. The fire of claim 59 wherein one of the side walls includes a brick effect pattern.
62. The fire of claim 59 including an air heater disposed in an upper region of the fire and configured to direct heat downwardly over an outer surface of at least one of the side walls.
63. The fire of claim 52 wherein the fire includes a heating element provided above the fuel bed and being configured to operatively provide heat circumferentially about a perimeter of the fire.
64. The fire of claim 63 including a chimney located above the side walls, the chimney including a vent through which air may escape out of the fire.
65. The fire of claim 64 wherein the heating element is located at least proximal to the chimney.
66. The fire of claim 65 wherein the heating element is a radiant heating element provided within the region defined by the chimney.
67. The fire of claim 64 wherein the heating element disposed at least proximal to the chimney is configured to operatively provide a heating of the air prior to its escape from the vent.
68. The fire of claim 1 wherein the mist generator and mist reservoir are provided as separate elements.
69. The fire of claim 58 wherein the mist reservoir is located downstream of the mist generator.
70. The fire of claim 69 wherein the mist generator includes a source of compressed air and the passage of the mist from the generator into the reservoir provides the means for agitating the mist within the reservoir.
71. The fire of claim 1 wherein the mist generator and mist reservoir are integrally formed.
72. The fire of claim 1 wherein the at least one outlet provides mist to a distributor, the distributor including a plurality of apertures through which mist may be provided to a fuel bed within the fire.
73. The fire of claim 1 including a controller operative on the mist generator and configured to control the volume of mist generated by the mist generator.
74. The fire of claim 49 including a level indicator operatively providing an indication to a user of the fire of any deviation from the horizontal plane of fluid within the first reservoir.
75. The fire of claim 74 including means for compensating the level of the fire so as to compensate for any deviation from the horizontal plane.
76. The fire of claim 49 including a filter operatively providing a filtering of fluid contained within the first reservoir.
77. The fire of claim 76 wherein the filter is provided instream between the first and second reservoirs.
78. The fire of claim 76 wherein the filter includes an anti-microbial agent.
79. The fire of claim 76 wherein the filter is active against minerals within the fluid.
80-89. (canceled)
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An adjustable hitch assembly comprising:
a vehicle attachment member capable of selective engagement with a towing vehicle;
a shank extending from said vehicle attachment member, said shank having a length;
a guide member positioned in and extending at least a portion of said length of said shank, wherein said guide member extends inwardly on opposite sides of said shank;
a support member comprising an opening to selectively attach said support member to said shank through said opening; and
an engaging member integrally formed with said support member within said opening of said support member, wherein said engaging member matingly engages with said guide member generally preventing rotation of said support member relative to said shank.
2. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 1, wherein said support member includes a height and said engaging member extends substantially said height of said support member.
3. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 1, wherein said engaging member is formed with said support member as a monolithic unit.
4. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 1, wherein said support member includes a second engaging member positioned laterally from said engaging member.
5. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 4, wherein said engaging and second engaging members generally prevent rotation of said support member relative to said shank when engaged with said guide member.
6. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 5, wherein said engaging and second engaging members are male members and said guide member is a matingly shaped female member.
7. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 1 wherein said engaging member in engagement with said guide member supports a moment load applied during operation.
8. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 1, further comprising a hitch ball member capable of selective attachment to said support member, wherein said hitch ball member has at least one accessory aperture.
9. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 1, further comprising a hitch ball member integrally formed with said support member.
10. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 1, wherein said engaging member generally prevents rotation of said support member about a horizontal I axis.
11. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 1, wherein the opening is defined by a discontinuous peripheral wall.
12. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 1, wherein the opening is either a generally C-shape or U-shape.
13. An adjustable hitch assembly comprising:
a vehicle attachment member;
a shank extending vertically from and connected with said vehicle attachment member, said shank having a length;
a guide member positioned in and extending at least a portion of said length of said shank, said guide member extending inward on at least one side of said shank;
a support member comprising an opening to selectively attached to said support member to said shank through said opening and generally circumscribing said shank, said support member having a height; and
an engaging member attached to said support member and extending substantially said height of said support member, said engaging member extending with said opening of said support member, wherein said engaging member is inserted within and engages with said guide member upon selective attachment of said support member with said shank generally preventing rotation of said support member relative to said shank.
14. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 13, wherein said engaging member supports a moment force applied between said support member and said vehicle attachment member.
15. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 13, wherein said engaging member extends said height of said support member.
16. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 13, wherein said guide member includes at least one slot and first and second ends, whereby said support member is removable from both of said first and second ends.
17. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 16, wherein said first and second ends are open.
18. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 17, wherein said support member includes a generally open rear end.
19. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 17, further comprising a second guide member positioned in and extending at least a portion of said length of said shank, said second guide member extending radially inward on one side of said shank opposite said guide member, wherein said second guide member includes open first and second ends.
20. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 13, further comprising a pin member insertable into and through said shank and said support member securing said support member to said shank.
21. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 13, wherein said guide member is positioned on an exterior of said shank.
22. An adjustable hitch assembly comprising:
a vehicle attachment member;
a shank extending vertically from and connected with said vehicle attachment member, said shank having a length;
a guide member positioned on and extending said length of said shank, said guide member having first and second ends;
a support member compromising an opening to selectively attach said support member to said shank through said opening and generally circumscribing said shank; and
an engaging member attached with said support member and extending within said opening of said support member for engaging into said guide member, wherein said support member is configured to be removed from said shank only at both of said first and second ends of said guide member.
23. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 22, further comprising a second engaging member positioned within said opening generally opposite said engaging member.
24. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 23, wherein said engaging and second engaging members support a moment force applied to said support member during operation.
25. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 24, wherein said engaging and second engaging members support a longitudinal force applied to said support member during operation.
26. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 25, wherein said engaging and second engaging members extend substantially a height of said support member.
27. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 22, further comprising a pintle hook selectively attached to said support member.
28. The adjustable hitch assembly of claim 22, wherein said guide member is positioned on an exterior of said shank.
29. An adjustable hitch assembly comprising:
a vehicle attachment member;
a shank extending vertically from and connected with said vehicle attachment member, said shank having a length;
a guide member positioned on and extending said length of said shank, said guide member having first and second ends;
a support member selectively attached to said shank, wherein said support member includes an opening, whereby said support member is selectively attachable to said shank through said opening; and
an engaging member attached with said support member and positioned within said opening for engaging into said guide member, wherein said support member is configured to be removed from said shank only at both of said first and second ends of said guide member.