| During the 18th century fireplaces were the main | | | | invention. However there is some controversy |
| source of heat and at most times extremely | | | | about who invented the stove as some historians |
| inefficient. These types of stoves produced lots | | | | say that the stove was brought out seventy |
| of smoke and never retained the heat indoors | | | | years prior and was never sold or patented. |
| very well, as the heat escaped out the chimney. | | | | It has been stated that the Benjamin Franklin |
| These types of fireplaces also caused sparks and | | | | stove was far more advanced and worked |
| many homes constructed from wood were set | | | | successfully. Franklin's version had better fume |
| alight. | | | | extraction and provided for the use of coal in the |
| The new Benjamin Franklin stove allowed for | | | | late seventeen hundreds. A statement that |
| more efficient fire as it used quarter the amount | | | | Franklin made about the patent was "as we enjoy |
| of wood and generated twice the amount of | | | | great advantages from other inventions we |
| heat. The stove was made from a durable metal | | | | should in turn afford the opportunity to others |
| and was produced in middle 1700's and the design | | | | and should be done generously and freely. |
| included baffles behind the stove which improved | | | | The stove's purpose was to attain domestic |
| the airflow which provides more heat and less | | | | comfort as fireplaces were really inconvenient and |
| smoke. | | | | at that time wood was also becoming scarce and |
| This stove is also known as a "circulating stove" | | | | also costly due to the rising demand and the cost |
| and the Franklin stove is open in the front. Franklin | | | | of transporting the wood. Franklin's stove became |
| was offered a patent which he turned down as | | | | popular and started to replace open fireplaces and |
| he had no intentions of making profit but every | | | | to this very day most of the US fireplaces are a |
| intention of other people benefiting from his | | | | similar shape to the Franklin stove. |