Cemetery monument

• US 5,732,515 A
• Filed: 11/13/1996
• Issued: 03/31/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Wallace Rodrigues, Wallace Joseph Rodrigues
• Original Assignee: Robert Wallace Rodrigues, Wallace Joseph Rodrigues
• Inventors: Rodrigues, Wallace Joseph, Rodrigues, Robert Wallace
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): EDWARDS, WILLIAM GLENN
• Application Number:
  US08/748,561
• Time in Patent Office: 503 Days
• Field of Search: 52/103, 52/104, 312/114, 312/138.1, 312/102
• US Class Current: 52/103
• CPC Class Codes: E04H 13/003 Funeral monuments, grave sites curbing or markers not making part of vaults E04H13/008 takes precedence

Abstract

A cemetery headstone/monument intended to be anchored upright in or on a foundation includes a carved or hollowed-out portion which functions as a display area. The hollowed portion may extend through the width of the headstone from the front face to the rear face thus creating a display window. The removed front and rear faces of the headstone may be replaced by a flat rigid material, preferably transparent in nature, so as to create a protective enclosure for the display area. A locking mechanism may be provided so as to secure the contents placed within the display area. A second embodiment of the invention provides for a headstone/monument suitably adapted to permit the non-permanent attachment of display devices To the top and side surfaces of the headstone. The display devices are detachably mounted to the headstone through the use of appropriate bolting means anchored into the headstone and by aligning complimentary holes located in the display device with the pre-drilled holes in the headstone. The top horizontal side of the headstone may have sloped edges to promote water runoff. A third embodiment of the invention provides for a headstone/monument wherein the storage and display area is defined by means of the removable assembly of vertical support members detachably mounted to the top surface of the headstone/monument along with a top member detachably mounted to the support members.

Claims

1. A cemetery monument comprising a granite main body section containing a front and back face surface and two side surface;

a rectangular hollow opening extending from the front face to the back face of said main body section said hollow opening containing flat top and bottom surfaces thus defining a rectangular central storage chamber within said main body section;

one or more display shelves contained within said storage chamber; and

a front and a back transparent plastic panel member attached to the front and back face of said headstone for enclosing said central rectangular storage chamber, and

means for unlockably locking either of said panels in a closed position.

2. The monument according to claim 1 wherein said locking means comprises a conventional lock and key.