GB2241719A - Headstone - Google Patents

Abstract

A headstone or memorial device 10 moulded of synthetic plastics material has a lower portion 12, intended to be located below ground level, in use, formed to have a greater cross-sectional extent than the remainder 11 of the device. Such lower portion 12 may be formed with vertically extending apertures therethrough or tubular inserts located therein to receive fasteners 15'. The device 10 may be moulded to be hollow and a filler may be located therein. <IMAGE>

Description

IMPROVED DISPLAY DEVICE The invention relates to display devices and more particularly to such devices that are used as grave headstones or memorial devices.

Such devices are presently formed of natural stone or marble which are extremely heavy, relatively fragile and extremely expensive to engrave.

It is an object of the invention to obviate or mitigate these disadvantages.

According to the invention there is provided a headstone or memorial device moulded of synthetic plastics material.

Preferably a lower portion of the device, intended to be located below ground level, in use, is formed to have a greater cross-sectional extent than the remainder of the device. Such lower portion may be formed with vertically extending apertures therethrough or tubular inserts located therein.

The device may be moulded to be hollow and a filler may be located therein.

The device may be formed of a linear medium density polyethylene by rotational moulding and may be filled with semi-rigid polyurethane foam or concrete.

Alphanumeric information detail may be moulded to extend from or be recessed into one face of the device.

Alternatively such information detail may be provided by routing or by attaching plates containing such information on such face.

The foregoing and further features of the invention may be more readily understood from the following description of some preferred embodiments thereof, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figs. la and lb are perspective and side elevational views, respectively, of a grave headstone; Figs. 2a and 2b are side sectional and side elevational views, respectively, of details of the headstone of Figs. la and lb; Fig. 3 is a side sectional view of the headstone of Figs. la and lb; Figs. 4a and 4b are perspective and side elevational views, respectively, of an alternative grave headstone; Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a further alternative grave headstone, and Fig. 5a is a side sectional view of a detail of the headstone of Fig. 5.

Referring firstly to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, there is shown a grave headstone 10 which comprises a generally rectangular upstanding portion 11 with a lower portion 12, of greater cross-sectional extent, for location below ground level 13. The portion 12 has forwardly and rearwardly extending surfaces 12a intended to be located at ground level 13 to facilitate mowing of grass 14 adjacent the headstone 10, by spacing the edge of such grass 14 away from the front and rear surfaces as indicated at 15. The portion 12 is also formed with lip portions 12b through which spikes 15 may be located to anchor the headstone to the ground. The portions 12b may have cylindrical inserts 16 moulded therein (Fig. 2a) to facilitate the pasaage of anchoring spikes 15 or other devices.Alternatively bolts 16 may be moulded into portions 12b (Fig. 2b) which may be located in concrete 17, in situ, to provide anchoring of the headstone.

The headstone 10 is preferably produced by rotational moulding to provide a hollow body 18 (Fig. 3) containing a filler 19. Preferably the body 18 comprises a linear medium density polyethylene with ultra violet stabiliser and may be of a thickness of between 5 and 12 mm. The filler 19 could comprise semi-rigid polyurethane foam or concrete.

The embodiment of Figs. 4a and 4b is similar to that of Figs. 1 to 3 except that the surfaces 12a and lips l2b of portion 12 is also extended around the edges as well as the faces of portion 11.

Fig. 5 shows a further embodiment, which may have a portion 12 as described for either of the previous embodiments and which carries plaques 20 which are engraved or otherwise carry alphanumeric information thereon, and are attached by screws 21 which engage in female screw-threaded inserts 22 moulded in the wall of portion 11 (Fig. 5a). A crest 23 is also moulded or routed in the wall of portion 11. The information provided by plaques 20 could alternatively be moulded or routed in the wall of portion 11.

Hence there is disclosed a headstone or memorial device which is considerably cheaper to produce, less fragile and more easily handled than natural stone devices.

Claims (10)

Claims

1. A headstone or memorial device moulded of synthetic plastics material, wherein a lower portion of the device, intended to be located below ground level, in use, is formed to have a greater cross-sectional extent than the remainder of the device.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said lower portion is formed with generally vertically extending apertures therethrough or with tubular inserts located therein.

3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2 which is moulded to be hollow.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3 wherein the device is formed of a linear medium density polyethylene by rotational moulding.

5. A device as claimed in claim 3 or 4 wherein a filler material is located therein.

6. A device as claimed in claim 5 wherein the filler material comprises semi-rigid polyurethane foam or concrete.

7. A device as claimed in any preceding claim having alphanumeric information detail moulded to extend from or be recessed into at least one face thereof.

8. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 inclusive wherein alphanumeric information detail is provided on at least one face thereof by routing.

9. A device as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 inclusive wherein one or more plates containing alphanumeric information detail is/are located on at least one face thereof.

10. A headstone or memorial device substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.