Combination damper and chimney cap apparatus

A damper apparatus to regulate a draft through a fireplace and a chimney flue connected thereto, comprising:

• support means, comprising;
• a sidewall constructed and arranged to be removably mounted to the chimney and to define an aperture which extends through the support means for communication with the flue;
• regulating means mounted to the support means to regulate the flow of the draft through the aperture and the flue, the regulating means comprising:
• a shaft pivotally mounted to the support means, the shaft having opposed ends and a portion intermediate the opposed ends which extends across the support means,
• a plate-like member mounted to the shaft for pivoting movement therewith between a first position where the plate-like member covers the aperture, and a second position where the plate-like member uncovers the aperture;
• drive means, comprising:
• an electric motor mounted to the support means and coupled to one of the opposed ends of the shaft to provide pivotal movement to the shaft;
• ventilating means associated with the support means and disposed external to the aperture of the sidewall to displace air near the aperture to ventilate the electric motor;
• sensing means for providing a signal in response to temperature-smoke sensed at the aperture and the fireplace;
• and
• control means interconnecting the drive means, the ventilating means and the sensing means, the control means responsive to the signal provided by the sensing means for actuating the drive means and the ventilating means to regulate the flow of the draft through the aperture.