Fireplace invention and innovations

Here's information about the fireplace invention and innovations that makes this heating device and cooking device what it is today. It all started with the wood fireplace and no one knows exactly when the first one was designed. Of course the paleolithic stoneage fireplaces were made of stone and many great modern fireplaces continue to use mostly stone structures to provide a hearth for heating the home of for outdoor cooking.

Fast forward to the 1600's and suddenly the ability to work in metals has advanced civilizations way ahead of the time of stone workers and the knowledge of gases is expanding. Charles I of England, the man who thought himself to be divinely ordained and who insulted enough people to the point where one such group decided to execute him was the uncle of Rupert, Count Palatine of the Rhine and Duke of Bavaria. They were related through Prince Rupert's mother, Winter Queen or Elizabeth Stuart. Prince Rupert amongst other things was an inventor.

According to some sources he innovated on earlier fireplaces by simply raising the grating of the fireplace whereby accomodating for a better venting system.

Then, again in the 1600's Benjamin Franklin comes along and refines the conventional fireplace by adding a convection chamber and also innovating on the venting system. Franklin's name continues to this day to be used with fine fireplaces. Come the 1700's Count Rumford innovated the firebox which allowed for a more efficient method of moving the smoke about.

From the wood and coal burning fireplace to gas and electric powered fireplaces.

According to one source, (fireplace.co.uk) William Murdoch comes along in 1812 and introduces gas lighting to the world. Another source gives the credit of discovering illuminating gases to Philippe Lebon while yet another states it must be Dr John Clayton who discovered the concept of tapping gas to heat the home of to cook with.

Regardless by the 1900's gas and electricity was being used as an alternate source of power for the heating instruments used in the home.

The shell of these modern fireplaces often imitate the old cast iron fireplaces or the stone workers outdoor pit or the open interior stone firepits. Heat is heat and it burns hot and it can burn down a house therefore all fireplaces regardless of their source of heat are designed with products that insulate the surrounding area.

So there you have a quick overview of the way the fireplace invention and innovations came to pass.

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Resources

• fireplace.co.uk - history of the fireplace
• wikipedia - fireplace
• image of fireplace - attribution - LoneGunMan 

Other inventions by Prince Rupert

• Prince's metal - a form of gunpowder
• Prince Rupert's Drops - glass teardrops which explode when the tail is cracked
• gun boring innovation which never went public