Crypt fastener

J. W. RICKARDS ETAL 3,342,005

CRYPT FASTENER

Sheets-Sheet 1

Sept. 19, 1967

Filed March 26, 1965

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Sept. 19, 1967 j. _w. rickards etal 3,342,005

CRYPT FASTENER Filed March 26, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 2

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United States Patent Office _P. ...

Patented Sept. 19, 1967

3,342,005

CRYPT FASTENER

John W. Rickards, Evangeline H. Rickards, and John B. Sinner, all of 1711 Santa Barbara St., San Diego, Calif. 92107

Filed Mar. 26, 1965, Ser. No. 442,922

Claims. (Cl. 52—702)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

A crypt fastener for keying and removably fastening together crypt front slabs of the type having slots at their corners consisting of a mounting bracket having a horizontal shelf thereon for the direct carrying of crypt front slabs and a vertical lip on the front edge thereof for slidably carrying a key being dimensioned for being received by the edge slots of one or more of the crypt front slabs and being furtherably slidable in situ with the slabs in situ and being dimensioned for further slidable within the slab slots when the slabs are in their mounted position.

The present invention relates to an improved crypt fastener, and more particularly, to an improved crypt fastener for keying and fastening together crypt front slabs to crypt anchor bushing studs with a laterally sliding key.

Prior art fasteners have generally utilized a keying means which slips vertically down through a slot in the bracket, keying the top of the crypt front slabs through grooves cut in the slabs. These have had the general disadvantage of having to lift the entire key before one of the slabs could be removed.

According to the invention, a crypt fastener is provided utilizing a fastener bracket having a vertical wall adapted to be carried by anchor bushing studs. The bottom of this bracket terminates in a horizontal shelf for carrying crypt front slabs. The front edge of the shelf terminates in a vertical lip. A key member is then slipped onto the vertical lip horizontally. On top of this key member are then placed the two adjacent comers of crypt front slabs, the corners having bottom grooves to receive the key member and rest on the horizontal shelf. The key member can extend beneath the shelf for cooperation with grooves in the top of two other crypt front slabs, the key member then keying all four adjacent corners of the crypt front slabs. Since the top slabs resting on the horizontal shelf of the fastener bracket does not rest on the sliding key member, the key member can be moved horizontally simply by placing a thin object in between the crypt front slabs and exerting horizontanl pressure against the key member. In this manner, the crypt front slabs can be removed very simply. Since the entire crypt fastener assembly can be constructed of stainless steel, rust marks will not appear on the front of the crypt front slabs.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a crypt fastener having a simple and laterally movable keying means.

Another object is the provision of an improved crypt fastener in which the entire assembly can be constructed of stainless steel.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of an improved crypt fastener which is inexpensive, simple to construct, and convenient to use.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent with reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawing, in which like reference numerals designate like parts throughout the figures thereof, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary view in front elevation of the improved crypt fastener (shown in phantom) applied to a crypt;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view in perspective of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view in perspective of a righthand end termination embodying the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view in perspective of a lefthand termination mounting of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a view in vertical section of the present invention applied to a crypt.

Referring to FIG. 1, slabs 37 are applied to the front of a crypt by crypt fasteners 16 having upper springs 21 and lower springs 22 to force a face alignment of the slabs 37. The top of the crypt terminates in slab 10 and the sides .of the crypt terminate in slabs 41. These slabs are permanently mounted around the concrete crypt lock (not shown). Recesses 42 in side facings 41 permit the removal of the marble slabs 37 adjacent to the side facings 41. This will be explained in detail with references to FIGS. 3 and 4.

Referring to FIG. 2, anchor bushing studs 11 and 12 are adapted for being embedded in a concrete wall of a crypt, as is well known to those skilled in the art.

Vertical wall 14 of fastener bracket 16 has two vertical slots 17 for the reception of anchor bushing studs 11 and 12. Anchor bracket 16 is fixedly attached to stud bushings 11 and 12 by lock nuts 18 and clamping nuts 19. Upper springs 21 and lower springs 22 are attached to vertical wall 14 of fastener bracket 16 at 23, as by a screw and nut or rivets. Horizontal shelf 24 carries crypt front marble slab 26. Horizontal shelf 24 terminates in vertical lip 27. Keying member 28 formed of stainless steel has vertical opening 29 terminating in edges 31 and 32, which are dimensioned to receive vertical lip 27 on horizontal shelf 24.

Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the right and lefthand crypt front fasteners adapted for sliding into slots 42 (FIGS. 1 and 4) of side facings 41 are shown. These operate identically to the center version shown in FIG. 2, with the exception that they could not be pushed into the slot of an adjacent slab, since there is no adjacent slab but only side facings 41. Recesses 42 in side facings 41 then allow for key members 34 to be pushed horizontally, allowing for a bottom slab 37 (not shown) to be pulled out from the top through notched-out portions defined by faces 46 and 47. Since the top portion 34 of the key member is rounded, the slab can then be rotated on the key member holding it in at its bottom, and lifted out of the crypt front. Recesses 48 facilitate sliding key members 34 when placed in recesses 42 as by a scribe or pick.

Referring to FIG. 5, marble front slabs 26 have a recess 33 which is deeper than the distance from the top 34 of key member 28 to horizontal shelf 24 after key member 28 has been mounted on lip 27. This will cause surface 36 of slab 26 to rest on horizontal shelf 24, and will result in key member 28 being relatively free for horizontal movement. Slabs 37 having top grooves 38 for receiving the lower edge 39 of key member 28 are installed underneath shelf 24 of bracket 16. These slabs will rest on another bracket shelf mounted beneath the illustrated bracket.

Springs 22 and 23 will then push slabs 26 and 36 against key member 28 for a flush mounting at all four corners of marble slabs 26 and 36.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing disclosure relates to only a preferred embodiment of the invention, and that it is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the invention herein chosen for the purpose of the disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the present invention.