AU715396B2

AU715396B2 - Above ground interment memorial

Info

Publication number: AU715396B2
Application number: AU33172/97A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Stephen Paul Richardson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1996-10-18
Filing date: 1997-08-05
Publication date: 2000-02-03
Anticipated expiration: 2017-08-05
Also published as: GB9621706D0; AU3317297A; FR2754844A1

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Invention Title: "ABOVE GROUND INTERMENT MEMORIAL" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: TITLE: ABOVE-GROUND-INTERMENT

MEMORIAL

DESCRIPTION

This invention relates to an above-ground-interment memorial.

It is known to provide funeral urns of aesthetically pleasing appearance. The funeral urns may be displayed as a mark of respect to the deceased. However, in a domestic environment, such display may be deemed inappropriate, and so instead the funeral urns may be kept out of sight.

It is known to provide memorials for interring mortal remains in urns. For example, GB-A-2238062 discloses a commemorative article in the form of a border stone or building block having a cavity for receiving a casket containing human or animal ashes. The cavity has an opening which is sealed by a plaque after insertion of the casket into the cavity. Also US-A-5,371,984 discloses a two-piece tombstone monument cut with mating tongue and groove portions. By removing segments from the tongue portion, cells are provided for interring urns.

The present applicant has appreciated the desire to a novel memorial having greater appeal to the custodian of the mortal remains than existing memorials.

According to the present invention, there is provided an above-ground-interment memorial comprising a casket containing mortal remains and a body which in use is freelostanding and portable, the body having a cavity housing the casket containing mortal remains and comprising a first part and second part which conceal the cavity when e registered, wherein the body has an overall shape of an S. item of house or garden furniture selected from the group of a flower pot stand, a jardini~re, a bird bath, a sundial and a seat, whereby the body has a o •practical function additional to housing the casket to 9555 belie any interment of mortal remains in the body.

The above-ground-interment memorial provides a means repackaging the casket in a way which belies its primary purpose which is to store mortal remains. Being free-standing and portable, the body is movable which adds a whole new dimension to existing perceptions of memorials. Instead of being embedded in the ground or into a wall or the like, the above-ground-interment memorial may be positioned where desired and readily moved to a new location as the need arises.

The cavity may house a conventional funeral urn as e hereinafter defined. The cavity may be a snug fit around the casket.

There is an increasing tendency for cremation remains to be presented by crematoriums in plastics receptacles of sstandard shape and size. The receptacles are jar-like, having a screw-top and a substantially square crosssection with chamfered corners, and are about 30cm in height and 12.5cm in width. Such a standard plastics receptacle is referred to as a "conventional funeral urn" the present specification.

The above-ground-interment memorial comprises at least two body parts, with access to the cavity being closed off when the parts are in registration forming the o memorial. For example, one of the body parts may define cavity, with access being merely covered by the other body part or parts when the memorial is assembled. The individual body parts of the memorial may be portable whereas the assembly as a whole may not.

Such a two (or more) part construction obviates any 2oneed to infill the cavity once the casket is placed therein. If the cavity opening is in the top surface of one of the parts, that part may act as a base on which the other part or parts are supported. If the cavity opening is in the bottom surface of one of the parts, that part itself be mounted on a plinth.

The above-ground-interment memorial has a nonaesthetic function determined by its overall shape. That a practical function over and above being T i! K<NT 4 a housing for mortal remains. For example, the memorial may also function as a seat by virtue of its outward configuration.

In this way, it is possible to provide an aboveground-interment memorial which has two non-aesthetic functions and which is not permanently fixed in one place.

By adopting the shape of a functional item, e.g. garden seat, the above-ground-interment memorial may be used in place of the item. Thus, provided there is room for the item in the first place, there will be room for a memorial according to one embodiment of the present invention.

The above-ground-interment memorial may have a plurality of cavities, each for receiving a different individual's mortal remains. Furthermore, the memorial may S 15 comprise stone, possibly selected from the group comprising marble and granite. Above-ground-interment memorials according to the present invention may be made in a number of ways using a range of materials such as wood or concrete, but there is a long standing tradition of using 20 stone for memorials.

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows schematically a memorial embodying the present invention; Figure 2 shows detail of the memorial of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows schematically an alternative memorial embodying the present invention; and Figure 4 shows schematically an alternative part of the movable memorial shown in figure 3.

Figure 1 illustrates an above-ground-interment memorial in the shape of a garden seat The seat comprises two substantially "h"-shaped supports (11,12).

Recesses (13,14) are provided respectively in the upright and horizontal portions of the supports (11,12). Granite slats (15,16) (shown in phantom lines) span the spacing between the supports (11,12) and are fixed into the recesses (13,14) to provide the seating surfaces. Each of the supports (11,12) has a cylindrical chamber (17) extending downwards from recess A receptacle (18) (shown in Figure 2 which is a cross-sectional view through support containing cremation remains is placed in one 15 or each of the chambers (17) before they are covered by the

S.

S granite slat (16).

It is to be understood that more than one chamber for example three, may be provided in each support (11,12) if required.

20 Figure 3 illustrates a movable memorial in the shape of a flower pot stand The flower pot stand comprises a bowl (21) for receiving a plant or flowers and a column (22) which supports the bowl The column (22) has a cylindrical chamber (23) having an opening (24) in the top of the column A receptacle (not shown) containing cremation remains is placed in the chamber (23) before the opening (24) is covered by cap (25) and the bowl (21) is positioned on top.

6 Figure 4 illustrates an alternative column (30) which may be used in place of the column (22) shown in Figure 2.

The column (30) has two cylindrical chambers (31,32) arranged co-axially. Each chamber (31,32) has an opening in one end of the column The column (30) is mounted on a plinth thus closing off the lower chamber (32), and a platform (34) may be provided on the top of the column The platform (34) covers the opening to the uppermost chamber (31) and serves as a support for whatever is placed on top of it. Instead of a bowl a sundial may be placed on the column In each of the embodiments, any of the chambers (17, 23,31,32) may be shaped to accommodate snugly a conventional funeral urn.

In each of the embodiments, drainage means are provided to ensure that any water e.g. rainwater which finds its way into the chambers (17,23,31 or 32) is able to escape without dismantling the memorials. In the embodiment of Figure 1, a drainage hole may be provided, 20 connecting the bottom of the chambers (17) to the underside o of the supports (11,12). In the embodiment of Figure 4, a *..*drainage hole may be provided, connecting the top chamber (31) to the bottom chamber Any water collecting in the bottom chamber (32) may drain out through a groove formed between the contacting surfaces of the column and plinth (33).

Claims

1. An above-ground-interment memorial comprising a casket containing mortal remains and a body which in use is free-standing and portable, the body having a cavity housing the casket containing mortal remains and comprising a first part and second part which conceal the cavity when registered, wherein the body has an overall shape of an item of house or garden furniture selected from the group consisting of a flower pot stand, a 10 jardiniere, a bird bath, a sundial and a seat, whereby the body has a practical function additional to housing the casket to belie any interment of mortal remains in the body.

2. An above-ground-interment memorial according to claim 15 1, in which the cavity is housing a conventional funeral urn as hereinbefore defined.

3. An above-ground-interment memorial according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the cavity is shaped to be a snug fit around the casket.

4. An above-ground-interment memorial according to any one of claims 1 to 3, in which the cavity is provided in one of the body parts.

An above-ground-interment memorial according to any preceding claim, in which the body has two cavities, each for receiving a casket containing mortal remains.

6. An above-ground-interment memorial according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising stone.

7. An above-ground-interment memorial substantially as NTij 8 hereinbefore described with reference to figures 1 and 2, or figure 3, or figure 4. Dated this Fourth day of October 1999. STEPEHN PAUL RICHARDSON By his Patent Attorneys FISHER ADAMS KELLY