US2519819A - Religious cross structure - Google Patents

Description

Patented Aug. 22, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to ornamental dual cross-structures used for ecclesiastical display purposes and consists particularly in improved means for connecting a pair of cross members either in superposed relationship or with one member erected in upright position on the other member.

One object of the invention is to provide a cross-structure comprising a base member in the shape of a Latin cross and a second similarlyshaped cross member adapted to overlie said base member in face-to-face relationship or to stand vertically on the base member.

Another object is to provide improved means for slidably connecting the two cross members in contiguous superposed relationship with the upper member forming a tightly-tting cover for a recess or concavity in the base member which is adapted to serve as a receptacle for containing religious articles used for worship and in administeringl the sacraments of the church.

Another object is to provide means ior connecting the upper cross member in superimposed relation to the base member with said connecting means adapted for engagement by sliding one member on the other member to a relatively short extent to render the connecting means convenient for engagement and disengagement.

Further objects of the invention are set forth in the following specification which describes a preferred form of construction of the cross members and their connecting means, with one modication thereof, as illustrated by the accompanying drawing. In the drawing:

Fig. l is a top plan View showing the two cross members assembled in connected relationship with one member superimposed on the other member in face-to-face arrangement;

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same showing the two cross members in connected relationship;

Fig. 3 is a side View of the base member shown with the upper member disconnected therefrom;

Fig. 4 is a side View of the upper cross member;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the base member showing a part of the connecting means for the upper cross member more in detail;

Fig. 6 is an end view of the base member and a rearward View of the upper cross member shown as erected in upright position on the base member;

Fig. 7 is a greatly .enlarged transverse sectional view on line 'l-l of Fig. 1 showing the connectn ing means between the upper member and base member;

Fig. 8 is a perspective View of one element of said connecting means;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary top plan view of the base member showing the lower part of the upper cross member in transverse section and illustrating one form of means for holding the upper member in upright position on the base member;

Fig. 10 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary View showing the base mem-ber and the lower part of the upper cross member which is erected in upright position thereon by means of the connecting or holding means;

Fig. 11 is a greatly enlarged transverse sectional view of the two cross members shown with the upper cross superimposed on the base member and illustrating the holding means for erecting the upper cross as disposed in an opening therein when said cross is recumbent on the base member; and

Fig. 12 is a detailed perspective view of said last-named holding means for erecting the upper cross on the base member.

Various types of composite or dual cross-structures have heretofore been designed for use by the laity and clergy for purposes of worship and in administering the sacraments of the church; for example, as a sick-call, so-called. In these devices means are provided for attaching an upper cross in recumbent position on a base member of the same form, or for holding the upper cross in erect position on the base member, but most of these prior holding devices have not been found entirely satisfactorily in use. It is therefore one object of the present invention to provide improved means for connecting the upper cross with the base member which is more convenient to operate and more secure for retaining the upper cross in place as a cover for the cavity in the base member used as a receptacle for religious articles. One particular object of the present invention is to provide improved Vconnecting means that may be slidably engaged by a relatively short extent of movement of one member on the other member.

Referring to the present drawing, the base member 2 may be of the conventional shape o fa Latin cross comprising a longitudinally-extending body portion 3 with arms Il and 5 projecting laterally therefrom. The ends of the body member 3 and arms and 5 of the base cross may be shaped to an ornamental contour such as with the curved points shown, or with any other artistic configuration. Preferably, the upper cross 6 is of more severe outline and formed with square ends as shown in Figs. 1 and 6.

As illustrated more particularly in Fig. the body 3 of the base member 2 is formed with a longitudinally-extending concavity 8 for storing religious articles such as a pair of candles, a receptacle for ointment, a vial for holy water .and other ecclesiatical accessories. The two opposite arms 4 and 5 of the cross or base member 2 may be provided with circular recesses 9 for holding candles inserted thereinto.

The upper cross `(i may conform generally' to the shape of the' base" member 2, .being usually oi thinner section and adapted to mount a ligure of the Christ to serve as a crucix. T e improved means for securing the upper cross 6- in closely-abutting superimposed relation to the base member 2 comprises a channel-shaped# el'ement l5, which is preferably formed of metal with longitudinal runners on its sides. The connecting` element I5 may be constructed by bending or folding; a; strip of. sheet-metal intoV brought-shape. t0 1 ovide vertical sides l5 with. relatively narrow .da Vges tlf-bent',outwardly wright-angles thereto; element td' is quiten short compared to' the length: ci? the body' of theV base member 221;. beingg fastened' tothe topi ofthe latter ata pcintadjanentits cross amis 4f. by'mcansof oradsit.; screws". or thel like auch as: shown in Iiigs\..5- and 7.

The upper cross,- zr is formed.y en its rearward eiderwith ai rela-tively deep slot 2aextending longitudinally of its body portion: from aboutmidway between its: ends nearly to its upper terminal. Substan ally one-3i l1- of theV slot 2G, that isits upper hal-f, is undercut to= provide overhanging strips or shouldered ribs 2!A which overhang the sic'es` ci they slot.. The slot 2% withy its ribs- Zvi fori 1- one part of the connecting: meansior` hold:- ing the upper cross in recurnbentp sition 0n the besenrember il,` the lower straight-sided portieni-*12 of thetA slot being ofa wi-:ithlto receive the flanged connecting member whereafter the upper cross is slid. longitudinally of the body 3 of the base`- member Zv to engage the nanges i'l witl theV strips or ribs 2l' projecting from the sides of the upper. portion of the` slot. In this may the upper cro-ss 6. may be fastened inY flat sur imposed position on thebase member 2 by only ofsleoi'tsliding movement-of the upper cross, thereby providing. for easyy and convenient connrctiop between the cross members, Figs. 1, 2 fue ri "I V As shown ,i1-Figs andI 5, the base member be provided. with a pin adiacent the the holding 0r connecting elem .it i5V for rioting the upper cross` in upright posie-upper of theta-.sc member-2. The is.4 adaptedY to engage inA a drilled hole i in the bottom of theupper cross er as indicatedV by. dotted'. linesin Fig.v 6. The pin ..5 has @further function to: provide a stop or detent en- ;Taceablowit-h:theiend'of the'upper portion of the slet Bof in theupper cross 6 to limit its sliding movement on the base member 2- whereby to locate the upper cross in symmetrical relation to the. base member;l that is, wi r the crossV arms off the twoV members in substantial alinement. When assembled in, this relationship the upper crossfprovid'es'a close-zitting cover for the cavity 84 ini the besef member 2 toy retain the articles stored. therein from being misplaced or lost.

Figs;.9to; l2 show a` modiiiedform of constructioni or"- the means for holding the upper cross 6 in: erect position' onI the base-member, 2:. For this purpose I provideta connecting, elementifiyshown shown in perspective, view in Fig. 8,.

in perspective view in Fig. l2, having a head 29 with a shank 3Q which may be driven into the wood or other material o the base ymember 2. rl`he head 2S has its wider portion at the top and is undercut at the sides with notches 3l Preferably, the head 29 is of slightly arcuate shape in edge View or of concave-convex form on its opposite faces, this formation of the head having certain advantages as later explained.

Referring to Fig. lh, when the upper cross 6 is superimposedt on the" base member 2 the head or" the element 28 is entered into the straightsided portion of the slot 23 in the upper cross 6 andi caused tofbe displaced therealong as the upcross is slid on the base member 2 to engage the flanges r1' 0f the holding element i5 with the lateral strips or ribs 2i at the sides o the upper portion of the slot The element 28 thus has the same function as the pin 25, that is to provide a stop for limiting the sliding movement the upper cross. 5 to. properly positionA it in symmetrical!! relation tol the'. base member Witlr this latter formi of construction or" the holding or attaching element Etf the` upper cross be formed with a= re-ent'rant opening or slot at-itsrl'ower' end,. see Figs; 9 andv l0, the narrower side grooves of which are adapted to engage with the head 29 of the element 28. It will now be seen that the arcuate or bowed shape of the head Z13-provides for the frictionol @nag/nient thereof withv the grooves in the slot 32' to providearmrigid connection between the base member 2: and' theupoer' cross' S when the latter is erected' in upright position on the base member; Through this form of construction the upper cross' i's held firmly and' preventedv from turning, or rotating on its axis as is the case when' thepin 254 is employed. the n ans for connecting the upper cros in erect r sltion onv the base member 2'. In some cases the narrower' portion 3 of the slot may be employed for engagement with a pin 35 at the lower' end or the base member 2, see Fig. Si to reinforce the connection of the upper cross with the base member. when the former is .in recom-- bent position thereon.. This engagement between the pin 35 and the narrow portion thus prevents any lateral movement. at. the lower endof the upper4 cross. when itl is in recumbent position on the base. member 2.

lt will be` observed from the foregoing description that the present improvedA means for connecting the upper cross in recumbent position or in erect relation on the base member 2 provides for especial. convenience in applying the two members in their diierent relationships. That is to say, theupper cross 6 may be placed in overlying relation to the base member 2 and slid therealong. for engaging the holding means by a relatively short movement of one member with respect to the4 other member; and the connectingmeansmay be as easily released to adapt the upper cross 5 to be erected in upright position on the base member 2 by engagingl either the pin 25-` with the hole` 2.6. inthe bottom of the upper cross, or by engagingv the improved attaching clement 28l with the slot 32 in the upper cross 5, whicheverA construction. is employed.

While the invention is herein described and illustrated in two preferred forms of construction, it is to be understood thatl modications may be made in the shape andA arrangement of the parts of. thefastening. means without-departing from the spirit or scope of the appended claims. Therefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:

1. A composite cross-structure comprising a base member provided with a relatively short connecting element formed with laterally-projecting anges on its sides, said connecting element being of a length only a small fractional part of the length of the base member, and an upper cross formed with a slot extending longitudinally thereof with a straight-sided portion extending from one end and adapted to receive the connecting element therein and a continuing portion having ribs on its sides for engaging under the flanges on the connecting element when the upper cross is slid longitudinally of the base member.

2. A composite cross-structure comprising a base member of conventional form, a relatively short sheet-metal connecting element of channelshape provided with laterally-projecting flanges extending longitudinally of its sides, and an upper cross having a longitudinally-extending slot in its rearward face wide enough in one end portion to receive the connecting element and provided with overhanging ribs extending throughout only a portion of its length in its opposite end portion and adapted to engage under the flanges on the sides of the connecting element when the upper cross is slid on the base member whereby to hold the upper member in connection therewith.

3. A composite cross-structure comprising a base member, a relatively short connecting element fastened to the top of the base mamber and formed with laterally-projecting flanges on its sides, an upper cross having a slot extending longitudinally thereof and shaped with a relatively wide portion at one end for receiving the flanged sides of the connecting member with projecting ribs on its sides extending throughout the remaining portion of its length and adapted to underlie the anges on the connecting element when the upper cross is slid on the base member, and means at the end of the connecting element engageable with the bottom of the upper cross to hold it in erect position on the base member.

4. A cross-structure comprising a base member in the form of a cross, an upper cross conforming in shape to that of the base member, means for connecting the upper cross in superimposed close-fitting relation to the base member, said upper cross formed with a re-entrant slot at its lower end, and a connecting element for holding said upper cross in erect position on the base member, said connecting element having a head of concavo-convex form in edge View to adapt it to frictionally engage the slot in the bottom of the upper cross with a binding action.

5. An ecclesiastical display device comprising two members of substantially corresponding cross-shape, and means for connecting said cross members in superposed relationship comprising an element on one member having laterallyprojecting flanges extending longitudinally of its sides, and a longitudinally-extending slot in the other member wide enough in one end portion to receive the connecting element on the firstnamed member and formed with overhanging ribs extending throughout only a portion of its length adjacent its opposite end to adapt them to engage under the ilanges on the sides of the connecting element when the latter is entered into the wider portion of the slot and said slotted member slid longitudinally of the other member.

RAYMOND F. BRENNAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,355,154 Goudreau Aug. 8, 1944 2,358,558 Brennan Sept. 19, 1944

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