US2769266A

US2769266A - Religious symbol

Info

Publication number: US2769266A
Application number: US426510A
Authority: US
Inventors: Robert S Feeley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1954-04-29
Filing date: 1954-04-29
Publication date: 1956-11-06
Anticipated expiration: 1973-11-06

Description

Nov. 6, 1956 R. s. FEELEY RELIGIOUS SYMBOL Filed April 29, 1954 6 .s 2 m Wm T e n G m a 70 ll .5 V R n F w. A S 6 n a, ll .i. o 3 3 M B 0 FIG. 3

United States Patent RELIGIOUS SYMBOL Robert S. Feeley, Carmel, N. Y.

Application April 29, 1954, Serial No. 426,510

'3 Claims. (Cl. 41-34) This invention relates to a religious symbol and provides an object especially adapted to use as a guide to prayer and particularly in the personal devotion to the Way of the Cross.

In performing this devotion in a church, one usually moves about the church pausing at each station of the cross and there repeating the appropriate prayer. When unable to visit a church for this purpose, one may use a symbol of the respective stations, pausing at the respective symbols as though actually standing before the represented station. But, ordinarily, visual observation is necessary to distinguish the position of one station of the cross from that of another.

By reason of blindness, or darkness or because ones eyes are closed in prayer, it is often difiicult, if not impossible, to make this distinction visually.

It is an object of my present invention to provide a symbol of the stations of the cross embodying means by which the position of the respective stations may be readily identified by the sense of touch during prayer. It is a further object to provide a symbol of the type just noted, which can be readily and inexpensively fabricated so as to be available to all devoted persons at relatively low cost.

These and other objects are accomplished by my present invention, as will appear from the following description of one embodiment thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the particular embodiment herein specifically illustrated, but also contemplates various modifications thereof within the scope of the appended claims.

In its broader aspect the apparatus of the present invention comprises, in combination, a base plate, a crucifix mounted, either permanently or readily removable, on the base plate, representations of the respective 14 stations of the cross in fixed positions on the base plate about the crucifix and a protrusion from the cross adjacent each station by which the position of the corresponding station may be readily identified by touch. These protrusions may, for instance, be nails or thorns, or in place of actual protrusions the respective positions may be indicated and identified by grooves, or other indentations, positioned along the edges of the cross. .However, the term protrusion is used herein and in the appended claims to designate such position-finders, whether actual protrusions, or ridges, or grooves, or other indentations.

These identifying protrusions, or indentations, are, with advantage, as inconspicuous as possible, commensurate with ready identification by touch, and may be placed either along the respective sides of the cross, or along the edges of the front face thereof, or they may extend from the sides around to the front of the cross, depending primarily upon the desired appearance and whether or not the front face of the cross is positioned flush with the front surface of the base plate.

2,769,266 Patented Nov. 6, 1956 "ice ' 2 The invention will be more clearly understood from the following detailed description.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the composite object;

Figure 2 is a sectional view along the line 22 of Figure 1 and shows an optional easel arrangement for holding the device upright;

Figure 3 is a sectional view along the line 33 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a plan view of the upper lamination of the base plate.

The assembly comprises a base plate 1 upon which there is symmetrically positioned a crucifix 2. The crucifix is surrounded by symmetrically positioned symbols 3 of the respective'14 stations of the cross.

In the particular embodiment of the invention shown, the base plate 1 is of laminar structure and is composed of a back plate 4 and a front plate 5 secured together by any convenient means, for instance, a suitable adhesive, the front plate being beveled at its edges, as indicated at 6. It will be understood, however, that the base plate 1 is not necessarily laminated but may, if desired, consist of a single layer. This base plate, laminated or otherwise, may be composed of wood, stone, metal, pressed fibers, or other suitable material.

From the standpoint of economy and ready construction, the base is, with advantage, composed of two layers of pressed board, as shown. The front layer of the laminated base is cut away, as shown at 7 of Figure 4, the opening extending entirely through the front layer and being of the same configuration as the crucifix. When the front and the back layers of the base have been assembled, this opening 7 provides a recess into which the crucifix nicely fits and from which it can be readily removed. However, where desired, the crucifix may be securely fastened within the recess, as by cementing or other suitable means.

Spaced along the edges of the cross of the crucifix at positions adjacent to and corresponding to the respective stations of the cross are the protrusions 8. In the embodiment of the invention shown, the front face of the cross is flush with the front face of the base plate and these protrusions are shown as extending around from the side edges of the cross and slightly over the front face thereof so that their positions can be readily identifiable by touch without removing the crucifix from the assembly. It will be understood, however, that the invention also contemplates assemblies in which the crucifix projects outwardly beyond the front face of the base plate, so the protrusions along the edge, only, of the cross will be exposed to touch.

In such instances, the protrusions, with advantage, may be formed by ordinary large-headed tacks, or the like. Where desired, the crucifix may be partly removed from the recess so as to make the protrusions more susceptible to touch, or where desired, the crucifix may be entirely removed from the assembly and held in ones hand during prayer, the position of the respective stations of the cross then being identifiable by the corresponding notch 10 in the sides of the recess from which the crucifix was removed, the notches otherwise being provided to accommodate the protrusions along the side edges of the cross.

The cross of the crucifix may be constructed of wood, or other suitable and acceptable material. The symbol of Christ upon the crucifix should be of a relatively indestructible material and may be secured to the cross by conventional means.

In Figure 2, the assembly is shown as provided with a collapsible easel 9, by which it may be caused to stand in an upright position, but it will be understood that the easel is not an essential element of the assembly.

The respective stations of the cross may be represented by inlays, carvings or engravings on the base plate, or may be printings on paper, or other suitable material, cemented to the face of the base plate.

The finding of the position of the respective stations of the cross is facilitated by arranging the representations of the stations in a symmetrical pattern about the crucifix, and therefore such arrangement is especially advantageous, though other arrangements may be used without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. A religious symbol especially adapted as a guide to prayer comprising a base plate having a front face provided with a recessed portion of a configuration corresponding to that of the cross, a crucifix positioned on the front face of the base plate and comprising a cross with a symbol of Christ thereon and removably positioned in said recessed portion, representations of the respective fourteen stations of the cross positioned about the crucifix and secured to the front face of the base plate and spaced protrusions positioned along the edges of the cross at points adjacent to and corresponding to the positions of the respective stations of the cross and identifiable by touch.

2. The symbol of claim 1 further characterized in that the recess is provided with notches along its edges to accommodate the protrusions from the side edges of the cross.

3. The symbol of claim 1 further characterized in that the base is of laminar structure, the uppermost layer of the base having a recessed portion of a configuration corresponding to that of the cross and extending entirely through said uppermost layer of the laminated base.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 167,748 Hennessy Sept. 16, 1952 1,480,880 Brennan Jan. 15, 1924 2,351,918 Brennan June 20, 1944