Flower support for tombstones

An adjustable flower saddle removably secured to the top portion of a tombstone. The adjustable saddle has opposing movable leg pairs extending for engagement over the top edge of a tombstone or the like. Decorative objects such as a planter box are attached to the saddle for ornamental display on the tombstone. The saddle is resiliently held on the tombstone by the opposing legs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Technical Field 
This device relates to flower and display saddles mounted on tombstones 
that can be selectively removed without damage to the stone. 
2. Description of Prior Art 
Prior art devices of this type have used a variety of different structures 
to engage the tombstones and provide a mounting base or container to which 
various displays and flower arrangements can be placed, see for example 
U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,310,911, 3,511,461, 4,640,045 and 5,072,542. 
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,310,911 a flower pot supporting attachment for cemetery 
monuments can be seen having an elbow and connecting rods which clamp onto 
the vertical surface of the tombstone via tubular extensions that are 
retracted by an adjustment screw therebetween. 
U.S. Pat. No. 3,511,461 discloses a floral display support for gravestones 
using a metal wire frame construction that can be adjusted to fit over the 
top and sides of a tombstone. The wire frame has resilient pads and 
tubular elements to prevent marring of the monument. 
A flower saddle for tombstones is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,640,045 
having a telescopically adjustable leg configuration for gripping the 
tombstone. The legs are drawn together by a central threaded elongated nut 
and bolt assembly positioned in spaced relation between the legs. A 
planter is secured to the leg assembly for display purposes. 
U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,542 is directed towards a gravestone saddle planter 
having a planter container with an internal clip extending therefrom. The 
clip has flexible leg elements that can be resiliently separated and 
placed on the top edge of a tombstone. Pads are positioned on the 
respective ends of the legs that engage the stone. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
A self-adjusting flower support saddle for tombstones having spring-mounted 
opposing pairs of rigid legs extending for resilient engagement with a 
tombstone. A planter configuration may be integral with the saddle 
defining a receptacle for flowers or the like.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Referring to FIGS. 1-3 and 7 of the drawings, an adjustable flower saddle 
10 can be seen comprising a generally rectangular body member 11, having 
elongated integral leg supports 12 in spaced relation to one another on 
said body member. The leg supports 12 are tubular and extend transversely 
across and beyond said body member 11. Pairs of leg members 13 and 14 are 
adjustably positioned partially within said respective free ends of said 
leg supports 12. Each of said leg member pairs 13 and 14 have identical 
right angular leg elements 15 and 16 and 17 and 18 respectively that are 
notched at 19 and apertured at 20 inwardly of one respective end thereof. 
In assembly, the adjustable flower saddle 10 has a spring element 21 
positioned within said respective leg supports 12 via an access port P 
that is secured to and between said notched end 18 and aperture 19 of 
opposing leg elements 14 and 15 and 16 and 17 respectively as best seen in 
FIG. 3 of the drawings. Spring retaining pins 22 are affixed within said 
apertures at 20 passing through said notched ends at 18 securing the 
springs 21 to the respective leg elements 14 and 15 and 16 and 17. It will 
be evident from the above description that as assembled the flower saddle 
10 will resiliently grip a tombstone 23 by selective extension of the 
respective leg elements 14 and 17 from the leg supports 12 in oppositely 
disposed direction to one another as best seen in FIG. 7 of the drawings. 
The adjustable flower saddle 10 will compensate for variations in the 
relative dimensional thickness of the tombstone 23. 
Referring now to FIGS. 4-6 of the drawings, an alternate form of the 
invention can be seen wherein a basic flower saddle as seen in FIG. 1 has 
been modified having a main body member 24, a pair of spaced integral 
tubular leg supports 25 and multiple resilient leg elements 26 extending 
therefrom. Each of said leg elements 26 has a notched end 27 with an 
aperture therein at 28. Referring now to FIGS. 4 and 6 of the drawings, a 
spring 29 is positioned within said tubular leg support 23 via an access 
port P and secured to respective effacing notched leg ends by retaining 
pins 30. Each of said leg elements 26 has an angular extension 31 
extending from its free end thereof. Said angular extensions 31 are 
co-planar with said tubular leg support 25 and act as a rail engagement 
when positioned on a porch rail or deck rail 32 shown in broken lines in 
FIG. 4 of the drawings. 
A planter box 33 can be seen in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 of the drawings 
permanently secured to the alternate saddle and has a bottom 34, 
oppositely disposed tapered side and end walls 35 and 36 and a continuous 
flange lip 37 defining an opening therein. 
In use, the adjustable flower saddle 10 can be readily positioned on the 
tombstone 23 which has a top edge 37, front side 38 and back side 35 by 
extending the respective leg elements 15, 16, 3, 17, and 18 telescopically 
from their respective tubular leg supports 12 against the resistance of 
the attached springs 21 as seen at 40 in dotted lines in FIG. 3 of the 
drawings. Extended leg element pairs 13 and 14 are positioned over the 
tombstone 23's top edge 37 engaging said front side 38 and back side 39 
respectively. Various decorations and the like (not shown) can be attached 
to the flower saddle 10 for display purposes. 
It will thus be seen that a new and useful adjustable flower saddle has 
been illustrated and described and it will be apparent to those skilled in 
the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without 
departing from the spirit of the invention, therefore I claim: