Gas fireplace burner with built-in pilot system

Abstract

A burner and pilot assembly for a gas fireplace has a substantially hollow burner enclosure with a plurality of burner outlet apertures at the top of the enclosure. A pilot burner is mounted within the enclosure to underlie a portion of the outlet apertures such that flame from the pilot burner extends from a portion of the outlet apertures to merge the appearance of the pilot flame with the main burner flame when the main burner is lit. The invention is well-suited to a linear-style gas fireplace burner.

1 . A burner and pilot assembly for a gas fireplace comprising a substantially hollow burner enclosure, a plurality of burner outlet apertures at the top of said enclosure, a pilot burner mounted within a portion of said enclosure, said pilot burner underlying a portion of said burner outlet apertures such that flame from the pilot burner extends from a portion of said plurality of burner outlet apertures. 
     
     
         2 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said pilot burner is mounted in a walled compartment within said enclosure. 
     
     
         3 . The assembly of  claim 1  wherein said substantially hollow burner enclosure comprises a bottom plate, said bottom plate also defines a bottom portion of a walled compartment of said enclosure, and said bottom portion of said compartment comprises at least one air inlet aperture. 
     
     
         4 . The assembly of  claim 3  further comprising a venturi element for controlling the inlet of combustion air to a portion of said compartment that contains the outlet of said pilot burner. 
     
     
         5 . The assembly of  claim 1 ,  2 ,  3  or  4  wherein said plurality of burner outlet apertures comprises an elongated plurality of burner outlet apertures.