US2488924A - Cemetery vase structure - Google Patents

Description

Nova 1949 H. MElI IRJOHAN ETAL 2,488,924

CEMETERY VASE STRUCTURE Filed Dec. 12, 1947 val/1 1114 l /9 E I I /4 235 :E 5 24 1a INVENTORS. HERMAN MEIERdOHAN v ERNEST WENGLEF? y :E- 19 4 Patented Nov. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES ENT CEMETERY VASE STRUCTURE Herman Meierjohan and Ernest Wengler, Cincinnati, Ohio Application December 12, 194-7, Serial Nb. 791,196-

4 Claims. 1 This invention relates to a cemetery vase structure. An object of the invention is to provide an improved construction embodying unusual simplicity of manufacture and assembly, with sub-,.

stantial savings of time and labor, resulting in reduced cost to the purchaser.

Another object is to provide a cemetery vase so constructed as to facilitate placement in the earth, and which effectively resists any tendency to sinking or upheaval under adverse ground or weather conditions.

Another object is to provide means in an 1mproved cemetery vase, overcoming any tendency. to displacement when subjected to the weight and jarring effects of lawn mowers and similar gravemaintenance equipment.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved cemetery vase construction permits ting various dispositions of the flower holder or cup, without the use of complicated or delicate means of support that may be readily subjectto injury or destruction.

Another object is to provide a device of the character stated, which is built to withstand severe use and abuse over an extended period of time.

The foregoing and other objects are attained by the means describedherein, and illustrated upon the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view, partly in crosssection, showing the device with the flower holder or cup in the elevated position.

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the cup or holder in a lowered or concealed use position.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the flower holder or cup.

Fig. 4 is a fragmental perspective view showingv the device in the closed or inoperative position. Fig. 5 is a fragmental cross-sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

- The cemetery vase structure herein disclosed,

is of the type in which the flower holder or cup.

may be adjusted to various positions. In one position the cup may extend above ground level as illustrated by Fig. l, or alternatively, it may be submerged or lowered to the position of Fig. 2,

which is an operative position below ground level.

A third position is illustrated by Fig. 4, wherein. the flower holder or cup is inverted so as to present a substantially flush relationship to ground level, when the device is not in use.

. Prior to the present invention, cemetery vases of the general charactenreferred. toabove were complex in, construction,andiherefore expensive; to the extent that they were notavailable with-.- in the means of the ordinary, purchaser. The; improveddevice is so constructed, however, that. it may. be produced in a production: line manneig; with the use of simple andinexpensive patterns. and castings, and equallysimple machinery As: a result, the improved cemetery .vasestructure having the desirable featuresheretoforemem tioned, may be reducedin'cost soI astomemove it; from the-class of luxury items: v

As-will be explained hereinafter, the devicamay; beearth-supported: as ,shown inethe drawings, or; in an alternative formitmayreceive support fromz a plate or. plaque restingupon-thesurface oi: the} earth.

Referring to theaccompanyingidrawing, lindi cates the flower; holder; or, cuixfwhicniby prefene ence; is: conical. inform, and-gwhich includes a cast or pressed metal. base-,-8 suitably; secured; .to, the bottom of the cup. The;cup;-may have an; upper beador rim 9, if; desired. The-center per-.1 tion:of the base 8, indicated at ing-may form the. bottom of the holder or. cup; and-.issecuredto the. latter, in; leakeproof. relationship.-; For this. purpose, the upper face of' the. base ,8 may be: fur-r nished with an annular groove: 1 2. intowhich the lower. edge l 3 of the cup.- bodye may. be spun, orotherwisesecured, witlror.-- without the .usewof: solder, cement or-other binding agent. As indi cated :on the bottom view .ofiiFig. 3;the cup base may include a pluralityof radiallyextendinglock ing lugs M which are equally spaced apart uponv the periphery of the base. These-lugs are coplanar and Will preferably'be-ot identical shapeand' dimensions. The function-of the lugs will be explained in duecourse.- The character Iii-inclicates a handle or-iingergrip" element located wholly within the-convexity Ii of the cupb'ase'e' By means of finger gripelement I iyt-he flowerholderor cup may be lifted from the-protective outer casing, as will plainly be evident-byreferring to Fig. 4 of the drawings.

At I1 is shown a substantially cylindrical protective casing adapted toibe-buried in the earth,

said casing having anupper-marginal portion 18;

thecupbase- 8, so that the-cup-may be lowered througn-the ring" and into the protective outer casing in the manner of Fig.2. In order to provide for a solid connection between the flange ring and the upper margin of the casing ll, the ring may be provided with a depending annular wall 22 to be pressed or otherwise inserted into the upper open end of the casing.

To provide support of the cup base in either of the positions illustrated by Figs. 1 and 4, the flange ring is provided with a series of coplanar lug seats 23, equal in number to the lugs 14 furnished upon the cup base. The seats 23 are equally spaced apart within the flange ring, and they project inwardly toward the center of the ring a distance sufficient to support the cup base in the Fig. 1 position, for example, while the lugs It rest flatly upon the lug seats. The seats 23 preferably are cast integrally with the flange ring. and each includes a wall or stop 24 located at corresponding ends of the several seats. At opposite corresponding ends of the seats, the seats terminate each in a free end 25, which may be passed by the lugs of the cup base when the cup is to be disposed to the concealed operative position of Fig. 2. It will be found necessary to slightly cook the cup relative to the vertical axis of the casing, in order to pass the lugs I4 through the space existing at 26, between the free end 25 of the lug seat and the depending lip 21 formed upon the lower face of the flange ring. A lip such as 21 is furnished near the free end of each lug seat, and each lip depends approximately to the plane of its associated seat, so as to limit rotary movement of the cup base axially in one direction, thereby preventingdropping of the lugs it through the space 26 as long as the lugs remain in flatwise contact upon the lug seats. It is necessary, therefore, that the space 26 between the seat end 25 and the adjacent depending lip 21, be less than the length of a lug M of the cup base. The space 26, however, will be greater than the thickness of any lug i4, so that upon tilting the cup base relative to the vertical axis of casing 11, and then rotating the cup and its base, the lugs It may pass through the space 26 for disposition of the cup and its base within the confines of the protective outer casing l1.

As indicated upon which may be referred to also as depending stops spaced from the free ends of the seats 23, may be rounded or relieved, in order to facilitate passage of the cup base lugs to the interior of the protective casing. The relationship of each de pending lip or stop 21 to its adjacent lug seat 23 and free end 25, is the same at each of the several seat locations about the interior of the flange ring 2|. As will be evident by referring to Fig. 2 the rivets or other fasteners 20 may be anchored in the metal adjacent to the stop areas 24 of the lug seats. In order to save metal and reduce the weight of the assembly, the metal of the ring may be removed to a considerable extent at the face 28, between each rivet anchorage portion 43 and the depending lip 21 of the next adjacent lug seat assembly;

As may be observed by referring to Fig. 2, the seats of the flange ring do not support the flower holder or cup structure when disposed to the concealed position of usage within the protective casing l1; however, in the extended use position of Fig. 1 and in the inverted inoperative position o f -Fig. 4, the flower holder or cup requires the support of the several lug seats 23. By referring to Fig. 4, and the bottom view of Fig. 5, it will be noted that the depending lip or stop 2|,is overhung by a flange 23 formed integrally with the Fig. 2, the depending lips 21,

ring 2|, so that by rotating the cup base lugs toward the stops 21, the lugs will be locked to prevent upward withdrawal of the cup and its base, from their respective seats 23. The locking flange 29 in each instance is integral with the ring 2|, and by preference does not overhang the free edge 25 of the adjacent lug seat. This relationship of elements is clearly illustrated upon Fig. 5. It is accordingly apparent that the cup base may be locked to the flange ring in either of the positions illustrated by Figs. 1 and 4 by simply par tially rotating the cup until the lugs of its base rest partly beneath the locking flanges 29. The extent to which the lugs may be advanced beneath the locking flanges is limited by the depending lips 21, so that the base lugs may not normally fall through the spaces 26, except upon tilting of the cup base as previously explained. To unlock the cup base from the flange ring, it is necessary only to rotate the base in the opposite direction until the base lugs 14 strike the abutments 24, whereupon the lugs may be lifted bodily from their respective seats. In this connection it Will be noted that the distance from 24 to 29 as shown upon Fig. 4 is slightly greater in extent than the length of any base lug l4.

If desired a chain or other flexible retaining member 30 may be provided for the purpose of discouraging theft of the flower holder or cup. The chain may connect the cup base to any stationary part of the casing H, such as the rivet or stud 36. The endmost link 32 of the chain may engage a strut or anchor 33 of the base, which may be formed in any suitable manner thereon,

as by providing an opening 34 and a notch 35 in the material of the base adjacent to the periphery thereof. The anchorage means for the ends of the chain may be formed in other ways, as will be understood.

With reference to Fig. 2, it will be seen desirable to provide a stop upon which the base of the flower holder may rest when disposed in the operative or use position within the confines of the protective casing. This stop may be in the form of a metallic rod or bar 36 spanning the casing upon a diameter, at the location near the lower edge of the casing. A simple construction is illustrated, wherein the ends 31 of the stop bar are turned at an angle to rest against the sides of the casing exteriorly thereof, where the rod or bar projects through openings 38 provided in the casing.

It will be noted that the lower marginal portion 19 of the protective casing is flared outwardly and downwardly. Accordingly, when the casing is projected downwardly into the earth the flared portion presents a degree of resistance to downward projection of the casing, so that after the casing has been set finally into the earth, a substantial resistance to future lowering of the casing will be set up, this being a feature of advantage in that the device as a whole will resist the depressing action of the weight of lawnmowers and other cemetery maintenance equipment rolled over the flange ring when the cup is in lowered or concealed positions. As a means of reinforcing the casing and the flared portion 45 against distortion, the casing may be furnished with an annular bead or ridge 39 located preferably in close proximity to the flare 40.

Although as illustrated upon the drawings, the stop rod or bar 36 is supported where the head 39 meets the flare, it will be understood that said stop rod or bar might in some instances penetrate the casing at locations above the annular bead. The flange ring resting upon the surface of the earth, as shown, lends a degree of support to the device, opposing undesirable sinking of the casing beneath its desired level.

In some installations of the device, it may be considered desirable to provide a plate or plaque to rest upon the surface of the earth, and provided with an opening of sufficient size to receive the casing, with the flange ring serving to marginally support the entire structure upon the plate or plaque. For this reason, it is desirable to have the upper flange ring formed with an overall diameter larger than any opening of the casing. Plaques or plates of the kind mentioned may sometimes be provided with a series of openings to accommodate a plurality of vase structures, and such arrangements are contemplated within the scope of the present disclosure. As an alternative to the aforesaid plaque arrangement, the elements of the flange ring may be cast integrally with the plaque for supporting the flower cup in the various positions stated, thereby to eliminate the flange ring as an element of the combination.

All parts of the device are constructed preferably of non-ferrous metal, for example copper, brass, bronze or other alloys, to resist the deteriorating effects of the weather and ground chemicals. Whenever desired the base of the flower holder or cup may be furnished with a name plate or other identifying element 4|, riveted, screwed or otherwise attached to the base at a proper location for clear visibility.

It is to be understood that various modifications and changes in the structural details of the device may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A cemetery vase structure comprising in combination, a flower cup including a base, a plurality of extending spaced lugs on the base, and a support including an opening larger in diameter than the cup, a series of seats on the support equal in number to the number of base lugs and upon which said lugs rest in supporting the cup, said seats being coplanar and projecting inwardly of the opening, a free end on each seat, and an opposite end, the latter including an abutment elevated above the seat, depending lips on the support each spaced from a free end of a seat a distance greater than the thickness of any base lug, and a locking flange overhanging each depending lip, the distance between each locking flange and an adjacent seat abutment being greater than the length of any base lug.

1. A cemetery vase structure comprising in combination, a flower cup including a base, a plurality of extending spaced lugs on the base, and a support including an opening larger in diameter than the cup, a series of seats on the support equal in number to the number of base lugs and upon which said lugs rest in supporting the cup, said seats being coplanar and projecting inwardly of the opening, a free end on each seat, and an opposite end, the latter including an abutment elevated above the seat, depending lips on the support each spaced from a free end of a seat a distance greater than the thickness of any base lug, and a locking flange overhanging each depending lip, the distance between each locking flange and an adjacent seat abutment being greater than the length of any base lug, and the distance from each said depending lip to the adjacent seat being less than the length of any base lug.

3. A cemetery vase structure comprising in combination, a flower cup including a base, a plurality of extending spaced lugs on the base, and a support including an opening larger in diameter than the cup, a series of seats on the support equal in number to the number of base lugs and upon which said lugs rest in supporting the cup, said seats being coplanar and projecting inwardly of the opening, a free end on each seat, and opposite end, the latter including an abutment elevated above the seat, depending lips on the support each spaced from a free end of a seat a distance greater than the thickness of any base lug, and a locking flange overhanging each depending lip, the distance between each locking flange and an adjacent seat abutment being greater than the length of any base lug, and the distance from each said depending lip to the adjacent seat being less than the length of any base lug, with the seat free of any overlap relative to the locking flange.

4. A cemetery vase structure comprising in combination, a flower cup including a base, a plurality of extending spaced lugs on the base, and a support including an opening larger in diameter than the cup, a series of seats on the support equal in number to the number of base lugs and upon which said lugs rest in supporting the cup, said seats being coplanar and projecting inwardly of the opening, a free end on each seat, and an opposite end, the latter including an abutment elevated above the seat, depending lips on .the support each spaced from a free end of a seat a distance greater than the thickness of any base lug, and a locking flange overhanging each depending lip, the distance between each locking flange and an adjacent seat abutment being greater than the length of any base lug, and the distance from each .said depending lip to the adjacent seat being less than the length of any base lug, with the seat free of any overlap relative to the locking flange, and a casing depending from the support, including means to support the base of the cup when the cup is lowered into the r casing with the base foremost.

HERMAN MEIERJOHAN. ERNEST WEN GLER REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,995,771 Grueneberg Mar. 26, 1935 2,029,314 Ellis Feb. 4, 1936 2,062,684 Thomas Dec. 1, 1936 2,099,329 Comstock et a1 Nov. 16, 1937 Certificate of Correcticn Patent No. 2,488,924 November 22, 1949 HERMAN MEIERJOHAN ET AL.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the printed specification of the above numbered patent requiring correction as follows:

Column 5, line 58, for the claim number and period 1. read 2.; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction therein that the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office.

Signed and sealed this 11th day of April, A. D. 1950.

THOMAS F. MURPHY,

Assistant Commissioner of Patents.

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