Pellet stove

Abstract

An improved burnpot assembly for a stove which allows clinker to be removed from the burnpot while simultaneously maintaining combustion includes a burnpot holder having an immovable floor, a burnpot movably supported on the burnpot holder, the burnpot including a front wall and an opposite back wall. The burnpot is movable with respect to the floor between a normal fuel burning position in which the walls of the burnpot and the immovable floor define a burnpot for combustion and a clinker removal position in which the burnpot is disposed laterally adjacent the immovable floor to allow clinker to drop from between the walls of the burnpot, such as into a clinker collection pan near the bottom of the stove.

1 . A burnpot assembly for a stove, comprising:
 a burnpot holder having an immovable floor;   a burnpot movably supported on the burnpot holder, the burnpot including a front wall and an opposite back wall, the front wall and back wall connected together by members that allow the opposite front wall and back wall to be moved together as a unit with respect to the burnpot holder between a normal fuel burning position in which burning fuel may be deposited on the immovable floor between the opposite sidewalls, and a clinker removal position in which the burnpot is disposed laterally adjacent the immovable floor.   
   
   
       2 . The burnpot assembly of  claim 1 , wherein an opening is defined in the burnpot holder to allow clinker to drop through from the burnpot when it is moved from the normal fuel burning position to the clinker removal position. 
   
   
       3 . The burnpot assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the members connecting the opposite front wall and back wall are sidewalls. 
   
   
       4 . The burnpot assembly of  claim 1 , in which an air plenum in defined below the immovable floor of the burnpot holder, and the immovable floor has apertures that allow air to flow from the air plenum into a space defined above the immovable floor. 
   
   
       5 . The burnpot assembly of  claim 1 , in which an air plenum is defined by the burnpot holder adjacent at least a first wall of the burnpot, the plenum including a wall adjacent the first wall, the plenum wall and the adjacent burnpot wall each having apertures to allow air to flow from the plenum into the burnpot. 
   
   
       6 . The burnpot assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a combustible fuel retention plate movably supported on the burnpot holder, the fuel retention plate being movable between a first position in which the fuel retention plate is located laterally adjacent the burnpot and a second position in which the fuel retention plate is disposed above the immovable floor of the burnpot holder. 
   
   
       7 . The burnpot assembly of  claim 1 , in which the burnpot is mechanically linked to a motor operated by an electronic controller. 
   
   
       8 . The burnpot assembly of  claim 1 , in which the fuel retention plate is mechanically linked to a motor operated by an electronic controller. 
   
   
       9 . The burnpot assembly of  claim 4 , in which the air plenum below the immovable floor contains a scraper for removing ash particles from the air plenum. 
   
   
       10 . The burnpot assembly of  claim 9 , in which the scraper is mechanically linked to a motor operated by an electronic controller. 
   
   
       11 . The burnpot assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising wedges that project from a rear wall of the burnpot assembly and are received through slots in a rear wall of the burnpot as it is moved to the clinker removal position, the wedges configure to engage clinker in the burnpot as the burnpot is moved to the clinker removal position. 
   
   
       12 . A process for removing clinker from a burnpot of a stove, comprising:
 adding fuel to a burnpot defined by burnpot walls and a floor, the walls being connected together and being movable with respect to the floor;   burning fuel and forming clinker in the burnpot;   moving the walls of the burnpot with respect to the floor and thereby causing the clinker to be removed from the floor;   dropping the clinker from between the walls of the burnpot;   moving the walls of the burnpot back into a position in which the burnpot walls and the floor together define a burnpot.   
   
   
       13 . The process of  claim 12 , further comprising positioning a combustion retention plate over the burning fuel, depositing fuel on the combustion retention plate and allowing the fuel on the combustion retention plate to be ignited by flames from the fuel burning below the combustion retention plate, and thereafter performing the step of moving the walls of the burnpot with respect to the floor, whereby combustion is maintained during clinker removal. 
   
   
       14 . The process of  claim 13 , further comprising removing the combustion retention plate from above the burnpot and depositing fuel burning on the combustion retention plate into the burnpot after moving the walls of the burnpot back into a position in which the burnpot walls and the floor define a burnpot.