Fireplace sound simulator

A sonic generator for use with a gas-fed fireplace for producing sounds imitative of the crackling of a fire comprising:

• an elongated resilient reed having parallel major faces and mounted to first support means at one end thereof;
• a rigid striker member mounted to second support means having a striker member portion in confronting relationship to one of said major faces at the other end of said reed for arresting said reed when deflected into contact with said striker member portion, said reed being mounted to be resiliently biased against said striker member portion;
• rotatably mounted carrier means configured as a cylinder having a plurality of extension members extending radially outward from the surface of said cylinder and disposed for sequentially engaging said other end of said reed means to flex at least a portion of said reed means away from said striker member portion attendant to partial rotation of said carrier means, said carrier means carrying each said extension to a releasing position attendant to further rotation of said carrier means to allow said reed means to snap back to strike said striker member portion, said extensions being disposed at irregular angular intervals around the periphery of said cylinder to cause the sequential releases of said reed from said extension members to occur as a pseudorandom sequence in time;
• and
• motor drive means for rotatably driving said carrier means.