GB2484081A

GB2484081A - A memorial assembly with a hollow metal body and stone inserts

Info

Publication number: GB2484081A
Application number: GB201016293A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graeme Henry Ramshaw
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-09-28
Filing date: 2010-09-28
Publication date: 2012-04-04
Anticipated expiration: 2030-09-28
Also published as: GB2484081B; GB201016293D0

Abstract

The assembly 1 comprises a hollow metal body 3 which comprises at least three walls and at least two walls of the hollow body each comprise support members 7 located on an inner surface, which receive at least two planar inserts 10 and the insert comprises natural materials. The body may comprise stainless steel, brass, copper or plated metal and the insert may comprise stone, granite, marble, slate or composite stone. The support members may comprise elongate metal strips which may be formed of a folded piece of sheet metal and welded to the body and the insert may be secured with adhesive. The assembly may be a headstone, a kerb set memorial a desk tablet or a vase memorial.

Description

Memorial Assembly

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to memorials or gravestones and in particular to hollow memorials comprising a combination of metal and natnral stone.

Background of the Invention

Memorials such as gravestones and headstones are traditionally fabricated from stone, granite and marble. Headstones constrncted from snch materials are very heavy to carry and pose substantial manual handling risks, in particular since grave sites are not usually accessible by a vehicle so the stones mnst be carried to the gravesite, often over some distance and across nneven gronnd.

In addition there exists a serions risk of injnry to individuals if a traditional gravestone becomes dislodged and falls.

There exists a need for an improved memorial assembly.

Summary of the Invention

One aspect of the invention provides a memorial assembly comprising at least one substantially hollow metal body, wherein the at least one hollow body comprises at least three walls and at least two walls of the hollow body each comprise support members located on an inner surface, and wherein the support members are adapted to receive a planar insert and wherein the assembly comprises at least two planar inserts and the insert comprises substantially natural materials.

Preferably the metal is stainless steel or brass or copper or plated metal.

Preferably the planar insert is a slab of stone or granite or marble or slate or composite stone.

The insert is preferably engraved.

Preferably the support members comprise elongate metal strips.

The support members may be welded to the inner snrfaee of the walls of the hollow body.

Alternatively, the snpport members may be formed by folding a piece of sheet metal to form both the walls of the hollow body and the support members.

Preferably, the distance between the snpport members and the edge of the wall of the hollow body is less than or eqnal to the thickness of the planar insert.

Preferably the memorial assembly is a headstone or a kerb set memorial or a desk tablet memorial or a vase memorial.

The insert may be connected to the snpport members by any conventional means, for example nsing glue or screw fixings. Preferably the insert is connected to the snpport members nsing an adhesive which adheres to both stone and metal. Preferably the adhesive is a silicon adhesive.

The advantage of snch a memorial assembly is that it is mnch llghter in weight than traditional memorials. The heavier insert parts can be carried separately to the hollow metal body and the memorial assembled in situ. The memorial assembly of the invention is easy to repalr and there is a vast reduction in risk of injury as the memorial assembly is designed to bend rather than snap or shear.

Brief Description of the Drawings

In the drawings, which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention: Figure Ia illustrates a headstone according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure lb illustrates a headstone according to another embodiment of the invention; Figure 2 illustrates a memorial kerb set assembly; Figure 3 illustrates a vase memorial assembly; and Figure 4a and 4b illustrate a desk tablet memorial assembly.

I

Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiments

With reference to Fignre la a memorial assembly in the form of a headstone is shown generally by reference numeral 1. The assembly I comprises a base 2 with a hollow, stainless steel body shown generally at 3 monnted thereon. The base 2 could be a hollow metal box, or a stone slab.

The base 2 is mounted npon a pre-cast concrete base 15. In tbis embodiment of the invention the hollow body 3 comprises a bottom wall 6 and a pair of side walls 4 and 5. The side walls 4 and 5 are held together by a supporting strut 9 wbich stretches between the two side walls and is held in place by welded joints. In this example upright pins or dowels It connect the base 2 and the hollow body 3 via channels 12 in the bottom wall 6 of the hollow body 3. These pins II secure the hollow body 3 to the base 2. If the base 2 is a metal box then holes are drilled for receiving the pins it and these are secured using welds. If the base 2 is a stone slab then holes are drilled for receiving the pins 11 and these are secured using a suitable adhesive. The headstone is anchored to the ground via a pin 16. The side walls 4 and 5 each have two sets of support members 7 mounted on the inner face of the walls, oriented towards the outer edge of the wall. In tbis example the support members comprise elongate metal strips which are welded onto the side walls such that the support member 7 is substantially perpendicular to the wall 4, 5.

Alternatively, the support members 7 may be formed by folding a metal sheet in order to form the wall 4 and the support members 7 from a single metal sheet.

Support members 8 are also formed in a similar manner, either by welding to the top face of the bottom wall 6, or by folding a sheet of metal to form the bottom wall 6 and the support members 8.

Granite (or other suitable stone) slabs 10 (only one of two slabs is shown in Figure 1) are attached to the support members 7 and 8 using a suitable adhesive to form the front and back surface of the headstone 1. An adhesive that adheres stone to metal is used, such as a silicon adhesive. An alternative method for attaching the granite slabs 10 to the memorial assembly I would be the provision of a channel along the edge of each side wall, ailowing the slab 10 to be inserted into the channel.

The Granite slabs may be engraved in a traditional manner. The distance between the support members 7 and the edge of the side walls 4, 5, is less than or equal to the thickness of the granite slab 10 to ensure that the side wails 4,5 do not overhang the granite slab 10.

A metal top piece 13 is then attached to the top of the memorial assembly via support members 14 using adhesive, as before.

The completed headstone I maintains the appearance of a traditional headstone yet is much lighter weight to transport to the grave site.

Figure lb illustrates a headstone 20 of similar construction. In this example the hollow body comprises four sides including two side wails 21, 22, a bottom wall 23 and a curved top wall 24.

As in the previous embodiment the side wails 21, 22 each have two sets of support members 25 mounted, or formed on the inner face of the walls, oriented towards the outer edge of the wall.

In this example the support members comprise elongate metal strips which are welded onto the side walls such that the support member 25 is substantiaily perpendicular to the wall 21, 22.

Support members 26 are also mounted in a similar manner to the bottom face of the top wall 24.

Stone slabs (not shown) are then attached to the support members 25 and 26, using a suitable adhesive, to form the front and back surface of the headstone.

The stone slabs may be engraved in a traditional manner. The distance between the support members 25, 26 and the edge of the side wails 21, 22 is less than or equal to the thickness of the stone slab to ensure that the side wails 21, 22 do not overhang the stone slabs.

Figure 2 illustrates part of kerb set memorial assembly. A kerb set memorial includes a headstone shown generally at I and the memorial assembly further extends along the length of the grave, shown generaily at 30. In this particular example the memorial assembly comprises a headstone as described with reference to fIgure 1 a. In addition, the kerb set assembly further includes three additional hollow metal bodies, 31, 32, 33 arranged in a rectangle formation around the edge of the grave. Each hollow body comprises a pair of side walls 34, 35; 36, 37; 38, 39 and a bottom wall 40, 41, 42. Each pair of side walls furthcr comprise pairs of support members 43,44,45 mounted close to the upper edge of the inner side of each side wall. In tbis example the support members comprise elongate metal strips wbich are welded onto the side walls such that each support member 43, 44, 45 is oriented substantially perpendicular to the side wall. As before, the support members could be formed by folding a metal sheet to form the support members and the side walls.

To complete the memorial assembly three separate stone slab inserts (not shown) are attached to each hollow body 31, 32, 33 via the support members 43, 44, 45 using a suitable adhesive.

Alternatively, one large rectangle shaped stone slab may be attached to all three hollow bodies 31, 32, 33 via the support members 43, 44, 45. Additionally, either a steel end piece or a stone slab (not shown) may be mounted vertically across the end of the memorial assembly, by attachment to end wall 39.

The distance between the support members 43, 44, 45 and the top of the side walls is less than or equal to the thickness of the stone insert (not shown).

Figure 3 illustrates a vase memorial assembly. The vase memorial assembly shown generally at Si is similar in construction to the headstone of Figure 1 a, the main difference being that the side walls 52 and 53 are wider, and shorter in dimension. The vase assembly 51 comprises a solid concrete base 54 with a hollow, stainless steel body shown generally at 55 mounted thereon. In this embodiment of the invention the hollow body 55 comprises a bottom wall 56 and a pair of side walls 52 and 53. The side walls 52 and 53 each have two sets of support members 57 mounted on the inner face of the walls, oriented towards the outer edge of the wall. In this example the support members comprise elongate metal strips which are welded onto the side walls such that the support member 57 is substantially perpendicular to the wall 52, 53.

Support members 58 are also arranged in a similar manner close to the top edge each side wall 52,53.

Granite slabs 59 (only one of two slabs is shown in Figure 3) are attached to the support members 57 using a suitable adhesive to form the front and back surface of the vase memorial 51. The Granite slabs 59 may be engraved in a traditional manner. The distance between the support members 57 and the edge of the side walls 52, 53 is less than or equal to the thickness of the granite slab 59.

A granite slab with a hole in the centre (not shown) may be mounted on the top of the assembly 51 by attachment to support members 58 using a suitable adhesive. The hole allows flowers to be placed in a vase (not shown) situated inside the memorial assembly 51.

Figure 4a illustrates a desk tablet memorial assembly shown generally at 61. The desk tablet memorial comprises a hollow metal body 62 wbich consists of two parts 63 and 64, and constructed from side walls 65, 66, 67 and 68 and bottom wall 69. Side walls 65 and 67 are joined across the centre of the hollow body by adjoining wall 60 wbich separates parts 63 and 64 of the hollow body 62. Each side wall 65, 66, 67 and 68 comprises a support members 71 mounted close to the upper edge of the inner side of the wall. In this example the support members comprise elongate metal strips which are welded onto the side walls.

As shown in Figure 4b, two stone inserts 72 and 73 are secured onto the support members 71 using a suitable adhesive. The stone inserts 72, 73 may carry an engraving 74.

The distance between the support members 71 and the top of the side walls 65, 66, 67 and 68 is less than or equal to the thickness of the stone insert (not shown), so that the upper surface of the stone inserts 72, 73 are in llne with the top of the side walls 65, 66, 67 and 68.

The memorial assembly of the invention provides improved memorials that are lighter in weight compared to traditional memorial assemblies, easier to transport and pose less risk of injury.

Claims

Claims 1. A memorial assembly comprising at least one substantially hollow metal body, wherein the at least one hollow body comprises at least three walls and at least two walls of the hollow body each comprise support members located on an inner surface, and wherein the support members are adapted to receive a planar insert and wherein the assembly comprises at least two planar inserts and the insert comprises substantially natural materials.
2. A memorial assembly as claimed in Claim I wherein the metal is selected from the group comprising stainless steel, brass, copper and plated metal.
3. A memorial assembly as claimed in Claim I or 2, wherein the planar insert is a slab of natural material selected from the group comprising stone, granite, marble, slate and composite stone.
4. A memorial assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support members comprise elongate metal strips.
5. A memorial assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the distance between the r support members and the edge of the wall of the hollow body on which the support members C are located is less than or equal to the thickness of the planar insert.

CQ
6. A memorial assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the support members are welded to the inner surface of the walls of the hollow body.
7. A memorial assembly as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the walls of the hollow body and the support members are formed from a folded a piece of sheet metal.
8. A memorial assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the planar insert is connected to the support members using an adhesive which adheres to both stone and metal.
9. A memorial assembly as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the assembly is selected from the group comprising a headstone, a kerb set memorial, a desk tablet memorial and a vase memorial.
10. A memorial assembly substantially as shown in and described with reference to the drawings.