RICHARD JOHN MENDIVE
Pilots at Hwy 57, Priest River, ID

5000100, Mar 19, 1991

Aug 23, 1989

7/397747

Richard J. Mendive - Priest River ID
Dennis E. Needs - Laclede ID

F23G 500

110250

A pellet fuel combustion assembly including a fuel container, an auger for transferring pellet fuel to a burnpot, a top-opening burnpot for receiving the fuel, and an igniter. The burnpot is preferably constructed of insulative ceramic and includes a base portion defining an ignition compartment below the floor of the burnpot. An opening in the floor of the burnpot leads down a ramp to conduct fuel pellets to a position spaced from but closely adjacent the igniter. An air intake port leading into the ignition compartment causes air flow by the hot igniter causing the fuel to ignite by heat conductance as well as radiation. The igniter, once ignition has taken place, is cooled by the air flow and is separated from the extreme temperatures of the combustion chamber by the insulative floor, thus giving a long service life. The combustion assembly may include an air blower for superior combustion and one or more thermocouples positioned over the combustion chamber for controlling activation of the igniter, auger, and blower. The auger features a novel spring type auger member having a diameter substantially less than the feed tube in which it rotates to pull fuel pellets from the container.

5582117, Dec 10, 1996

Jun 6, 1995

8/479021

Richard J. Mendive - Priest River ID
Dennis E. Needs - Laclede ID
Ronald J. Mendive - Coeur d'Alene ID

Mendive Needs Corporation - Priest River ID

F23G 500

110247

Embodiments of a combustion firepot are shown and described, each having a means for dumping ashes and other burn debris from the firepot. The preferred embodiment is a pellet stove firepot with an interior ramped wall. Pellets are delivered to the firepot and directed by the ramp to rest and burn in a lower burn section on top of a movable floor. The movable ash-dumping floor is adapted to swing or slid away from the firepot to reveal an opening to permit ashes which have accumulated above it to be dumped out the bottom of the firepot. Preferably, when the heat demand for a room is satisfied, pellets are allowed to burn to ash, the floor is cycled open and closed to dump the ash, and then pellet delivery and burning is resumed. The dumping procedure may be done manually or automatically and either occasionally or periodically, depending on the demands placed on the system by the ash-producing tendency of the chosen fuel.