METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A REFRACTORY PANEL FOR A FIREPLACE
A method of manufacturing a refractory panel. The method comprises forming a textured surface of interconnected subpanels. Adjacent ones of the sub-panels are partially separated from each other by gaps located between edges of the adjacent subpanels.
1 . A method of manufacturing a refractory panel, comprising:
forming a textured surface of interconnected subpanels wherein adjacent ones of the sub-panels are partially separated from each other by gaps located between edges of the adjacent subpanels.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the textured surface of interconnected subpanels includes:
forming hinges or welds between some of the edges of the subpanels.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein forming the textured surface of subpanels includes:
providing a single sheet of refractory material; and
cutting through the single panel to form the subpanels such that the subpanels remain connected to the single sheet on at least one side.
4 . The method of claim 1 , further including bending the subpanels such that portions of the subpanels are out of an average plane of the refractory panel to thereby configure the textured surface as a three-dimensional textured surface.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the portions of the subpanels are bowed out in a direction perpendicular to the average plane of the refractory panel such that the bowed-out portions of adjacent ones of the subpanels are bowed out in opposite directions.
6 . The method of claim 5 , wherein the bowed-out portions of adjacent ones of the subpanels form alternating concave and convex shaped surfaces with respect to a viewing location outside of the fireplace.
7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the average plane of the refractory panel is arched with respect to a viewing location outside of the fireplace.
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the average plane of the refractory panel is planer with respect to a viewing location outside of the fireplace.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein adjacent ones of each of the sub-panels are partially separated from each other by the gaps located between edges of each of the adjacent subpanels and the sub-panels are located within an outer perimeter of the refractory panel.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the gaps allow the passage of visible light through the planar or arched-shaped refractory panel.
11 . A method of manufacturing a refractory panel, comprising:
forming a textured surface of interconnected subpanels wherein adjacent ones of each of the sub-panels are partially separated from each other by gaps located between edges of each of the adjacent subpanels and located within an outer perimeter of the planar or arched-shaped refractory panel, wherein the gaps allow the passage of visible light through the planar or arched-shaped refractory panel.
12 . A method of manufacturing a fireplace, comprising:
forming walls to define an enclosed space and at least one opening;
locating a refractory assembly inside of the enclosed space the refractory assembly including a refractory panel, the refractory panel positioned such that a textured surface of the refractory panel can be viewed through the opening from outside of the fireplace, the refractory panel including:
interconnected sub-panels forming the textured surface, wherein adjacent ones of each of the sub-panels are partially separated from each other by gaps located between edges of each of the adjacent subpanels and located within an outer perimeter of the planar or arched-shaped refractory panel, wherein the gaps allow the passage of visible light through the planar or arched-shaped refractory panel.
13 . The method of claim 12 , wherein locating the refractory assembly includes locating the refractory panel adjacent to one of the walls that is a rear wall.
14 . The method of claim 12 , further including locating an illumination source behind the refractory panel and adjacent to one of the walls that is a rear wall.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the illumination source includes a low-BTU illumination burner.
16 . The method of claim 12 , further including positioning a light reflecting panel behind the refractory panel and adjacent to one of the walls that is a rear wall.
17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein a surface of the refractory panel that opposes the light reflecting panel includes a diffuse reflective finish or a translucent finish.
18 . The method of claim 12 , further including locating an illumination source in front of the refractory panel.