GB2386385A

GB2386385A - Memorial construction

Info

Publication number: GB2386385A
Application number: GB0305378A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael Critchley
Original assignee: Critchley & Son Ltd S
Current assignee: Critchley & Son Ltd S
Priority date: 2002-03-12
Filing date: 2003-03-10
Publication date: 2003-09-17
Anticipated expiration: 2023-03-10
Also published as: GB0305378D0; GB2386385B

Abstract

A memorial construction comprises a base or plinth 11 resting on a foundation 12 on subsoil 15. The memorial has an anchor 13. An aperture 29 is provided in the plinth and optionally in the foundation in which is received a member 22 in the form of a cylinder with a base 23 having an aperture and a circular flange at the upper end. A bolt 26 extends through the base 23 and through the foundation 12 to engage in the subsoil 15. A vessel 28 with a perforated cover is received in the member 22 to hold floral tributes and mask the bolt. The bolt can be an expandable bolt.

Description

MEMORIAL CONSTRUCTIONS

This invention relates to memorial constructions for use in the provision of headstones or grave markers, for example.

Memorials, particularly headstones used, as grave markers 5 frequently comprise a slab of masonry, such as a polished and engraved stone, set upon end or upon edge in a configuration, which is only conditionally stable. Any cause such as subsidence, collision or vandalism can render the marker unstable by moving its centre of mass close to or outside of the base area of the slab. Toppling of such 10 unstable memorial slabs poses a safety hazard, which causes several serious accidents each year. The solution to this problem is to fix the memorial by means of an anchor, which includes a connector pin having a head part received in a bore in the head stone or a base part thereof and a shank part extending through a bore through the foundation of the 15 memorial construction, possibly in association with a sleeve and a stake or spike which extends into the sub soil.

In fixing a memorial with an anchor, it is essential that the correct sizes of bores and other holes are used for all steel components and that the anchor is fitted using the recognised methods for fitting that particular 20 anchor.

In addition to use of the anchor, the masonry base of the monument is bedded in and adhered to the foundation, which usually comprises a concrete raft, of either a flag or beam.

Inspection and safety authorities are concerned that it is difficult 25 to inspect memorial anchors for quality of workmanship and materials and adherence to standards once a memorial has been completed. Also later inspection after a few years in order to check for damage or corrosion is

difficult due to the fact that the memorial is cemented in place on the foundation and for inspection to take place, the joints between the memorial base and the foundation would have to be broken, usually using a hand chisel, which involves risk of damage to stone work. It is not at 5 all clear where responsibility for making good or paying for damage lies, and thus despite the need for inspection to maintain long term safety there is a reluctance to engage in work which may risk damage to stone work so that inspection work is continually deferred.

There is accordingly a need for a construction which makes it 10 possible to take memorials apart without risk to damage to the stonework to enable inspection to take place for example after completion and then at intervals of a few years there after to check for corrosion damage.

It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a construction of a memorial, which enables inspection to take place 15 without risk of damage to stonework.

According to the invention a memorial construction comprises separately from any anchor arrangement provided, an aperture extending through a plinth and/or base of the memorial and optionally the foundation layer and a member for insertion into said aperture and said member 20 providing a flange member for bearing on and being supported by the upper rim of said aperture side member means extending downwardly into said aperture and a base which is apertured to enable a bolt to be passed through the base into an under foundation structure.

The member for insertion into the aperture may be configured to 25 permit a receptacle for displaying floral tributes to be inserted in the aperture within and above the member. This serves a decorative function

- 3 - and to conceal the functional purpose of the arrangement and combines the invention spatially with a customary existing part of a memorial.

The member for insertion into the aperture may comprise a cylindrical sheath for lining the aperture comprising a circular outwardly 5 extending flange about the upper end of the sheath, cylindrical side walls lining the aperture and a base in the form of a circular inwardly extending flange defining a central aperture. In an alternative form, the member for insertion may be in the form of a strip or yoke, provided with end flanges for resting on the rim of the aperture side members extending into 10 aperture and a base member connecting the side member having an aperture therein.

In a minimal form, the member may comprise a base member with an aperture therein as a single side member and a single end flange for resting on the rim of the aperture.

15 In each embodiment the aperture in the base may be relatively large or merely large enough to enable a bolt to be inserted there though with a clearance and the bolt head may be rested on a disc which bridges the aperture in the base. The disc may range in size from the usual washer associated with the bolt head, to a disc, which has a diameter 20 substantially equivalent to that of the base of the insertion member.

The bolt is preferably an anchor bolt of the type, which is activated by the twisting of the bolt head, and similar to so called RAWLBOLTS (Trade Mark) (expansion bolts).

The bolt may connect with a metal plate or other fixing member 25 located below the foundation and the shank of the bolt may extend into the subsoil or other sub foundation structure.

- 4 The invention may also include a modification to the anchor device whereby detent means such as lugs, tabs or other projections which extend generally horizontally from the upper end of the anchor sheath or flange thereon.

5 Embodiments of memorial constructions according to the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a sectional view of a memorial construction showing the arrangement according to the invention; 10 Figure 2 is a detail sectional view of part of the memorial construction; Figure 3 is a sectional view of a modified memorial construction similar to Figure 1; Figure 4 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of insert for use 1 5 in the construction; Figure 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of insert for use in the construction; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of an insert for use in the construction; and 20 Figure 7 shows a detail view of the modified anchor device or Figure Referring first to figure l a memorial construction comprises a head stone 1 0 a base 11 both of dressed and possibly polished stone and a concrete foundation layer 12.

25 The memorial is secured by an anchor arrangement similar to that described in our co-pending British Patent Application No. 030861.8 which comprises aligned bores in the base 11 and foundation 12 with an

- 5 anchor pin 13 and a sleeve 14 lining the bore through the foundation 12 and extending into a subsoil structure 15. The pin 13 has a head 16 in the bore in the base 1 1 resting on the top of the sleeve 14 and a shank 17 extending into the sleeve 14, which may rest upon the head of a stake 5 or spike 18 which has been driven home by insertion of the pin into the sleeve 14 thus extending the depth of the anchor.

In order to allow dismantling of the memorial structure in place of cementing the base 11 to the foundation 12, a new removable securing arrangement is provided separately from the anchor arrangement just 1 0 described.

This arrangement comprises aligned apertures in the part of the base 11 extending "in front" of the headstone 10 (that is before the inscribed face of the headstone) and the foundation 12 there under. This corresponds to the location customarily provided for receiving a vase or 15 holder for floral tributes. The aperture however is deeper than required to hold the vase. As shown also in more detail in figure 2 the aperture is lined by an insert member 20, which comprises a flange 21, side members 22 and a base 23 having apertures 24 therein. A disc or washer 25 bridges the aperture 24 and cooperates with an anchor bolt 26 20 which extends downwardly through the base 23 and a fixing plate 27 into the subsoil 15. The anchor bolt 26 is fixed by a nut below plate 27, the head being supported by the washer 25. The fixing plate is secured to the underside of the foundation 12, -by cement bond or by fixing bolts (not shown).

25 A vase or flower container 28 is contained in the upper part of the aperture, within the base 11 resting within the insert member 20 and comprises a perforated upper cover 29 and a vessel 30. This fulfills the

- 6 customary requirement for a flower holder, and helps disguise the functional aspect of the arrangement.

In figure 3, corresponding parts are given the same reference numerals as in figure 1, and are only described where the arrangement is 5 different. Thus the headstone, base and raft, and anchor arrangement are all as described in figure 1 however the aperture is only formed in the base 1 1 of the memorial and is not continued through the foundation 12.

The insert member 20 only extends down to the bottom of the base 11, and the vase 28 is correspondingly less deep to allow space for the head 10 of RAWBOLT 26 (trade mark 26), which is shown expanded with its expandable jaws engaging into the foundation 12.

The anchor device of Figure 3 is modified with respect to Figure 1 as the sleeve 14 is shown to be provided at its top end with wings or a flange 22 which is shown in more detail in Figure 7.

15 Figure 4 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of the insert member 20, which corresponds to that shown in and described with reference to figure 2 and comprises an annular flange 21, which engages on the rim of the aperture, cylindrical side members 24 and a base 23 with an aperture 24 therein.

20 Figure 5 shows a second embodiment of insert member 40 which is in the form of a yoke or forged strip providing end flanges 41, 42 for resting on the rim of the aperture side members 43, 44 and a base, member 45 having an aperture 46 therein through which an anchor bolt such as 26 can be passed.

25 Figure 6 shows a minimal embodiment of insert member 60 with a single end flange 61 a single side member 62 and a base member 63 having an aperture 64 for an anchor bolt. Finally Figure 7 is a detail of

the modified anchor of Figure 3, wherein the flange 22 rests on the foundation 12 and may comprise wings to each side of the sleeve 14 or a full circular flange. This prevents the sleeve 14 from being lost in the hole. 5 In use, the memorial may be disassembled easily by removing the flower holder and disengaging the bolt 26. As there are no cement bonds this can be done without risk of tool damage to the masonry. The anchor arrangement can then be inspected for workmanship, and at later dates to monitor corrosion so that safety of the memorial can be assured.

Claims

- 8 Claims

1. A memorial construction comprising, separately from any anchor arrangement provided, an aperture extending through a plinth and/or base of the memorial and optionally the foundation layer, 5 and a member for insertion into said aperture, said member providing a flange member for bearing on and being supported by the upper rim of said aperture, side member means extending downwardly into said aperture, and a base which is apertured to enable a bolt to be passed through the base into an under 1 0 foundation structure.

2. A memorial construction according to claim 1, wherein the member for insertion into the aperture is configured to permit a receptacle for displaying floral tributes to be inserted in the aperture, within and above the member.

15 3. A memorial construction according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the member for insertion into the aperture comprises a cylindrical sheath for lining the aperture having a circular outwardly extending flange about the upper end of the sheath, cylindrical side walls lining the aperture and a base in the form of a circular inwardly 20 extending flange defining a central aperture.

4. A memorial construction according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the member for insertion into the aperture is in the form of a strip or yoke provided with end flanges for resting on the rim of the aperture, side members extending into the aperture and a base 25 member connecting the side members, having an aperture therein.

5. A memorial construction according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the member for insertion into the aperture comprises a base member

- 9 - with an aperture therein, a single side member and a single end flange for resting on the side of the aperture.

6. A memorial construction according to any one of claims 3 to wherein a bolt is inserted through the aperture in the base with a 5 clearance, the bolt head being rested on a disc which bridges the aperture on the base.

7. A memorial construction according to claim 6, wherein the bolt extends through a metal plate below the foundation, and the shank of the bolt extends into ground below the foundations.

10 8. A memorial construction according to claim 6, wherein the bolt is an expandable bolt with jaws which expand to grip the walls of a bore in the foundation in which the bolt is received.

9. A memorial construction according to any preceding claim wherein there is also provided an anchor construction having a pin extending 15 through a base and foundation into a bore in the sub soil lined with a sleeve, wherein the sleeve has detents such as tabs or a flange at the top thereof to rest on the foundation.

10. A memorial construction substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in Figs 1,2 and 4, or Figs 2,3 20 and 4 or Figs 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.