US3045374A

US3045374A - Combined grave marker and receptacle

Info

Publication number: US3045374A
Application number: US65489A
Authority: US
Inventors: John M Lucken; Richard R Clemmer
Original assignee: REMEMBRANCE MEMORIALS Inc
Current assignee: REMEMBRANCE MEMORIALS Inc
Priority date: 1960-10-27
Filing date: 1960-10-27
Publication date: 1962-07-24
Anticipated expiration: 1979-07-24

Description

y 24, 1962 J. M. LUCKEN ETAL 3,04

COMBINED GRAVE MARKER AND RECEPTACLE Filed Oct. 27, 1960 20 ii 36 A 40 "i INVENTORfi- JOHN M. LUCKEN RICH/1 RD FP. CLEMMER zz 6 BY 7 WM A TTORNEY Unite State The present invention relates to memorial markers and, more particularly, to a hinged grave marker adapted to contain and display various memorial records and the like.

The present invention is a continuation-in-part of our prior copending application Serial No. 6,327, now abandoned- One object of the present invention is to provide an improved remembrance memorial suitable for cemetery use.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a combined grave marker and receptacle adapted to identify a deceased and at the same time preserve for periodic viewing suitable remembrance items of the deceased. These may include photographs, personal history data, records of the funeral service and the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a flushwith-the-lawn memorial adapted to permanently identify a grave while at the same time providing a weatherproof, readily accessible repository for documents and other items paying tribute to the deceased.

A further object of the invention is to provide a memorial of the type described that is relatively easy to manufacture, low in cost, easy to maintain, and suitable for cemeteries of all types without sacrifice of family prestige.

Yet another object of this invention is to provide a flush-type grave marker having means for permanently storing remembrances therein and characterized by sufficient strength to resist the impact and weight imposed thereon by lawn conditioning equipment.

Another object of this invention is to provide novel means for storing and displaying remembrance items and the like in a flush-with-the-lawn grave marker.

A still further object of this invention is to provide a flush-with-the-lawn grave marker shaped so as to protect the identifying inscription on the top surface thereof.

Details of these objects and of the invention, as well as other objects thereof are set forth in the following specification and are illustrated in the attached drawing forming a part thereof.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the invention with part of the cover member broken away;

FIGURE 2. is a plan view of the undersurface of the grave marker cover member comprising part of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged side view of the invention with parts broken away to show the hinge and guide pin assembly; I

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line-4-4 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the undersurface of the base member comprising part of the invention;

FIGURE 6 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view illustrating the manner in which memorial records and the like are contained in the invention;

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 77 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary front View of the invention.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference and more particularly to FIGURE 1 thereof, reference character A indicates the invention in its entirety. A vertically slim base member 20, preferably made of cast bronze or like material, constitutes the lower receptacle portion of marker A. Base member 20 is shown as generally rec- 3,45,374 Patented July 24, 1%62 tangular in plan view although it may be characterized by other shapes. To reduce the weight of base member 20 it is cast with an outer depending lower wall 22 joined near the top by a horizontal shelf or platform 24. Platform 24 is recessed from the top edge of wall 22 a distance suflicient to form a shallow upper surface 26 that is divided into compartments 28 by means of transverse ribs 30 flush with the top of wall 22.

Compartments 28 are preferably of equal size and parallel to each other and to the short edges of base member 20. In the case of a marker of reduced size than that shown, a single compartment may be employed. As illustrated in FIGURE 5, the bottom of base member 20 is equipped with threaded bosses 32 adapted to receive suitable concrete or stone fastening members (not shown) when the marker is installed upon a stone or concrete base in a flush with the lawn position.

Carried at the rear longitudinal edge of base member 20 are a pair of spaced hinge lugs 34 drilled to receive hinge pins 36. An upstanding apertured member 36 is cast into the forward longitudinal edge of base member 20 to provide suitable locking or securing means for the cover 40 of marker A. Guide pins 38 are staked into the forward corners of base member 20 as shown in FIG- URE l.

Hingedly mounted on base member 20 is grave marker cover member 40. Cover member 40, also vertically slim, is generally rectangular in shape and preferably cast of the same material as base member 20. The external dimensions of cover member 40 slightly exceed those of base member 20, the difference resulting in a depending outer lower flange 42 adapted to overly the upper edges of base member 20, as at 43 in FIGURE 4. A mating lower surface 44 is provided in cover member 40 for engagement with the top corresponding surface 41 of base member 20. As shown in FIGURE 2, cover member 40 has a plurality of shallow recessed transverse compartments 45 on the undersurface thereof. Ribs 47 are arranged to mate with ribs 30 to strengthen the assembly when it is closed.

Hinge recesses 46 are provided along the rear longitudinal edge of cover member 40 to permit the hinging of cover member 40' to base member 20- by means of hinge pins 36. Means (not shown) for restricting the are through which cover 40 rotates may be cast integral with lugs 34. The vertical dimension and contour of the entire hinge assembly is necessarily reduced in keeping with the low profile desired in the overall structure.

Considering further details of cover member 40, guide holes 48 are provided on surface 44 at the outer corners thereof to slidably receive guide pins 38 when marker A is closed. A threaded fastener 50 is carried in cover member 40 for engagement with apertured member 36 of base member 20 to provide a positive closure when marker A is in a normally closed position. Along the top edge of cover member 40 a raised relatively narrow shoulder 52 is provided which protects the upper flat surface 54 of cover member 40 from damage due to trafiic and the like. Drainage slots 56 are milled into the corners as indicated in FIGURE 7. Further provided along the longitudinal forward edge of cover member 40 are a pair of hand engageable recesses 56 that are normally hidden from view when cover member 40 is closed, as shown in FIGURES 2 and 8.

Positioned in an appropriate manner upon the upper surface 54 of cover member 40 are characters or other indicia 58 pertaining to the deceased. These may be cast into the cover or they may be supplied later and then either staked in or secured thereto with suitable fastening means. Other symbols characteristic of the occasion may be placed upon or cast integral with the upper surface 54 of cover member 40. It is thus apparent that when cover member 40 of marker A is in a normally closed position the unit functions primarily as a grave marker by virtue of its exterior design, indicia 58 and other symbolic representations.

The receptacle and memorial record mounting features of grave marker A are shown in detail in FIGURES 4 and 6 of the drawing. Compartments 28 of base member 20 are designed to contain memorials 60 of the deceased such as photographs, documents carrying personal histories, accounts of the funeral and other suitable records. Similarly, compartments 45 of cover member 40 may be used for the same purpose. In the installation of these records, etc. in base member 20, each memorial 60 is sized to fit within

compartments

28 and 45 and then laminated between superposed

thermoplastic sheets

62 and 64, as by heat sealing along the outer edges 66 thereof. The resulting laminated sandwich is then placed with the lower surface of sheet 64 engaging flat surface 26 of compartment 28, or a corresponding face of compartment 45. Sealing is accomplished by cementing, with a suitable adhesive that will insure a permanent bond, the lower sheet 64 to surface 26. If desired, the upper edges and sides of the sandwich may also be bonded to ribs 30, 47, of base member 20 and cover member 40, but in general this is not necessary. It has been found that memorials 60 may be etched in aluminum or other metallic sheets and then laminated between the two sheets of thermoplastic material to obtain even greater protection against the effects of aging. Photographs and other documents may be processed in this way to provide a lasting memorial.

Thus there has been shown and described a new and improved grave marker and memorial receptacle. In its closed position the invention serves as a dignified yet attractive means of identifying a grave; in its open position the invention permits a ready inspection of memorials and records pertaining to the deceased. By virtue of its novel construction the aforementioned features are obtained without sacrificing the vertically slim profile or weatherproof characteristics necessary for such a device.

It is believed that our invention, its mode of construction and assembly, and many of its advantages should be readily understood from the foregoing without further description, and it should also be manifest that while a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described for illustrative purposes, the structural details are nevertheless capable of wide variation within the purview of our invention as defined in the appended claim.

We claim:

A combination grave marker and memorial record receptacle including a flat base member provided at its lower surface with an upstanding peripheral flange, the upper surface of the said base member having at least one recessed compartment therein, said compartment adapted to receive records, and a cover member mounted on and parallel to said base by a hinge, the upper surface of said cover member having an upstanding peripheral flange, said upper surface adapted to receive indicia and said peripheral flange adapted to protect any indicia on-said upper surface, the said peripheral flange on said cover member being discontinuous, the discontinuities thereof communicating with notches in the said cover member, the said discontinuities and notches constituting drainage means to drain the upper surface of the cover member, said base member being provided, at spaced portions thereof, with a plurality of upstanding guide pins which mate with complementary recesses in the said cover to thereby form guide means to maintain the cover and base members in proper alignment.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 291,106 Strong Jan. 1, 1884 296,431 Miller Apr. 8, 1884 1,425,361 Beroud Aug. 8, 1922 1,983,807 Norman Dec. 11, 1934