GB2313587A - Interment memorial - Google Patents

Abstract

An interment memorial such as a garden seat 10 or other household item comprises a free standing body 11,12 having at least one cavity 17 for receiving a funeral casket or urn 18. The cavity may be a snug fit around the casket and the body may comprise at least two parts, with access to the cavity being closed off when the parts are connected. The memorial may resemble a flower pot stand, a bird bath, a sundial, a statue, a sculpture or a seat, and may have a non-aesthetic function. The memorial may have two cavities and may be made of stone.

Description

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 provide 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 freestanding body having a cavity adapted to receive a casket containing mortal remains.

The above-ground-interment memorial provides a means of repackaging the casket in a way which belies its primary purpose which is to store mortal remains. Being freestanding, the body is movable which adds a whole new dimension to existing perceptions of memorials. Instead of being embedded in the ground or built 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 movable memorial may be portable.

The cavity may be adapted to receive a conventional funeral urn as 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 standard shape and size. The receptacles are jar-like, having a screw-top and a substantially square cross-section 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" throughout the present specification.

The above-ground-interment memorial may comprise at least two body parts, with access to the cavity being closed off when the parts are in registration forming the memorial. For example, one of the body parts may define the 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 need 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 may itself be mounted on a plinth.

The overall shape of the above-ground-interment memorial may be that of an item of house or garden furniture. The item of furniture may be selected from the group comprising a jardinire or flower pot stand, a bird bath, a sundial, a statue, a sculpture, and a seat. The item of furniture is not limited to any particular shape or configuration.

In one embodiment, the above-ground-interment memorial has a non-aesthetic function determined by its overall shape. That is, a practical function over and above being 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 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 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 (10). 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 (14). A receptacle (18) (shown in Figure 2 which is a cross-sectional view through support (11)) containing cremation remains is placed in one or each of the chambers (17) before they are covered by the granite slat (16).

It is to be understood that more than one chamber (17), for example three, may be provided in each support (11,12) if required.

Figure 3 illustrates a movable memorial in the shape of a flower pot stand (20). The flower pot stand (20) comprises a bowl (21) for receiving a plant or flowers and a column (22) which supports the bowl (21). The column (22) has a cylindrical chamber (23) having an opening (24) in the top of the column (22). 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.

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 (30). The column (30) is mounted on a plinth (33), thus closing off the lower chamber (32), and a platform (34) may be provided on the top of the column (30). 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 (21), a sundial may be placed on the column (30).

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, connecting the bottom of the chambers (17) to the underside 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 (32). Any water collecting in the bottom chamber (32) may drain out through a groove formed between the contacting surfaces of the column (30) and plinth (33).

Claims (11)

1. An above-ground-interment memorial comprising a freestanding body having a cavity adapted to receive a casket containing mortal remains.

2. An above-ground-interment memorial according to claim 1, in which the cavity is adapted to receive a conventional funeral urn.

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 body comprises at least two parts, with access to the cavity being closed off when the parts are in registration forming the memorial.

5. An above-ground-interment memorial according to claim 4, in which the cavity is provided in one of the body parts.

6. An above-ground-interment memorial according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the overall shape is that of an item of house or garden furniture.

7. An above-ground-interment memorial according to claim 6, in which the item of furniture is selected from the group comprising a flower pot stand, a bird bath, a sundial, a statue, a sculpture, and a seat.

8. An above-ground-interment memorial according to any one of claims 1 to 5, having a non-aesthetic function determined by its overall shape.

9. An above-ground-interment memorial according to any preceding claim having two chambers, each for receiving mortal remains.

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

11. An above-ground-interment memorial substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.