Abstract:
A memorial container for storage of crematory remains is disclosed. A body having an opening and a panel attachable to the opening by fasteners and mounting blocks is provided. A gasket material is affixed to the perimeter of the opening or the panel to create a seal upon closure. Supports are provided to permit the container to be displayed on a variety of irregular or unlevel surfaces. Designs and memorabilia may be displayed on various outer surfaces of the container and may be created by a variety of methods, including engraving.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a receptacle for storing crematory remains and commemorating the deceased. Specifically, the present invention relates to a sealable container with adjustable supports that permit it to be displayed on a variety of surfaces and structures. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Cremation of the mortal remains of living creatures, such as humans and pets, is a long established practice. During the cremation process, the mortal remains are reduced to ash. Relatives and loved ones often desire to retain the ashes in memory of the deceased. The ashes are generally stored in an urn, a container often resembling a vase. It may be desirable to display the container inside the home or as part of an outdoor memorial. 
         [0003]    It is desirable for the container to be sealable to prevent loss of ashes and the entry of foreign materials such as water. It is also desirable for a container to have adjustable supports, for positioning the container on various surfaces and topographies. In many cases, it is also desirable for a memorial container to incorporate decorative features such as by displaying a plaque identifying or commemorating the deceased. While the prior art has separately addressed the use of sealing means, supports and decorative features, it has not addressed each of these problems together while providing the desired adjustable supports. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    The memorial container includes a body having an interior chamber. A panel, preferably having a gasket affixed about the perimeter of one side, is used to close and seal the chamber after crematory remains are placed inside. The panel is attached over the opening using fasteners that connect with mounting blocks affixed to the body. 
         [0005]    The container includes supports. In one embodiment, the supports are leveling members for adjusting the distance between the container and a resting surface. In another embodiment, the container includes rods for attaching the urn to a mounting surface. 
         [0006]    The present invention solves the problems of the prior art by providing a memorial container for storage of crematory remains of humans and pets which is completely sealed and permits display on a wide variety of surfaces. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a front isometric view of a container with a side removed to show the supports and mounting blocks in one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of the detail in  FIG. 1  showing the supports and interior mounting block connections. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a sectional view of a support of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is an exploded isometric view of the container having supports, fasteners for connecting with mounting blocks and a gasket for sealing the panel over the opening in another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a rear isometric view of a mounted container with the base, rear and a side removed to show mounting bolts in another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged view of the detail in  FIG. 5  showing the bolts and interior mounting block connections. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the bolted connection to a mounting surface of the embodiment of  FIG. 5 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a section along the line  8 - 8  in  FIG. 4 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is an isometric view of a container having a memorial hook in another embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is an enlarged perspective view of the memorial hook of the embodiment of  FIG. 9 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0018]    With reference to  FIG. 1 , the memorial container  10  provides a chambered body  12  for storing cremated remains. The chambered body  12  is defined by a base  20 , front wall  16 , a lower portion  28  of rear panel  14  and first and second side walls  22 ,  24 . Each of the walls  16 ,  22 ,  24  and portion  28  extends upwards from the base  20  and joins with a top or roof  18  in a sealed relationship. In this embodiment, the container  10  has the general “n” shape. If desired, the walls  22  and  24  and top  18  may be formed as one piece such as by stamping metal or molding plastic. The front wall  16  is shaped to mate with the front edge of the arcuate roof  18 . Each of the base  20 , front wall  16 , roof  18  and side walls  22 ,  24  has an interior side and an exterior side. The body components are preferably joined together to form a permanent and impermeable seal, such as by metal welding or heat welding for thermoplastic materials. Prior to use, the chambered body  12  has an interior chamber  15  with an opening  25 , see  FIG. 4 , for receiving cremated remains. The opening  25  is closed by lower sealing portion  28  of panel  14  having an interior side  14 A and an exterior side  14 B (See  FIG. 8 ). 
         [0019]    In the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  4 ,  5  and  9 , the panel  14  is divided into an upper presenting portion  26  and the lower sealing portion  28 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the lower sealing portion  28  is secured by fasteners  78  for sealing over the opening  25 . The upper presenting portion  26  may provide a commemorating surface to identify or honor the deceased. 
         [0020]    As shown in the preferred embodiment in  FIGS. 4 and 8 , the lower portion  28  is grooved to receive a gasket  36  for sealing the panel  14  over the opening  25 . The gasket  36  may be affixed to the outer edges of the defined opening  25 , or about the perimeter of the interior side of the panel  14 . With reference to  FIG. 8 , the perimeter of the interior side  14 A of the panel  14  defines a groove  38  for receiving the gasket material  36 , such as an O-ring. The depth of the groove  38  is less than the diameter of the gasket  36  so that when the panel  14  is fixed over the opening  25 , the gasket  36  is compressed between the interior of the groove  38  and the panel  14 , to create a seal. Alternatively, the gasket  36  may be affixed about the perimeter of the interior side of the panel  14  and a groove defined along the edges of the defined opening  25 . 
         [0021]    As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  4 ,  5  and  6 , mounting blocks  30  are attached to the interior of the body  12 , in proximity to the opening  25  and aligned with apertures  65  in the panel  14  (see  FIG. 4 ), to facilitate securing of the panel  14  over the opening  25 . Preferably, a plurality of mounting blocks  30  are attached to the interior of the body  12  so the panel  14  is drawn flush and the seal is maintained through a variety of environmental conditions. In this preferred embodiment of stainless steel, six of the blocks  30  are provided. 
         [0022]    As noted previously, the panel  14  is preferably attached over the opening  25  by a plurality of fasteners  78  coupling with the mounting blocks  30 . In the preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 4 , each mounting block  30  comprises a cube having a threaded recess  61  surrounded by a circular groove  62 , on the face of the mounting block  30  nearest to the opening  25 , that provides a seat for a gasket, preferably an O-ring  64 . The holes  65  in panel  14  are aligned with a respective mounting block recess  61 . The fasteners  78  are preferably countersunk Allen head screws  78  that extend through the panel holes  65  and thread into the mounting blocks  30  so they are flush with the surface the exterior side of the panel  14 B. Alternatively, slotted or Phillips head screws may be used as fasteners  78 . The fasteners  78  may include security devices to prevent removal after installation (not shown). With the tightening of the screws  78 , the gaskets  64  are compressed within the grooves  62 , a seal is created and the contents are protected from the surrounding environment. 
         [0023]    In the preferred embodiment shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the container further comprises a memorial hook  56  for presentation of memorabilia such as identification tags belonging to the deceased. The memorial hook  56  is preferably attached to an outer edge of the panel  14 , but may be attached to a section of the body  12 . In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 9 and 10 , the hook  56  is attached by a screw  58 , but other types of fastening, such as spot welding and adhesives, may be used as well. 
         [0024]    The base  20  may contain any one of a variety of supports, depending on the desired location for the container  10 .  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3  illustrate one preferred embodiment in which the container  10  has adjustable leveling members  32 . As best shown in  FIG. 3 , each of the four leveling members  32  has a support receiving member  46  that is affixed to the base  20  over an aperture  33  in a permanently sealed connection, such as by welding, and support member comprising an exterior connector rod  42  that connects to a foot  40  and extends through the aperture  33  in base  20 . The connector rod  42  includes a threaded portion  34 . The connector rod  42  connects to the foot  40  so that adjustment of the rod  42  positions the memorial container  10  at rest on the surface beneath the memorial container  10 . 
         [0025]    In the preferred embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , intermediate support members  44  for mating with the support receiving members  46  are further provided. As illustrated, the support receiving members  46  are cap nuts with standard interior threads. As can be seen clearly in  FIG. 3 , the connector rod  42  does not fill the aperture  33 . This is because the illustrated embodiment reflects an application where the memorial container  10  is in an interior location and less robust leveling members  32  are desired. To accommodate this application, an intermediate support member which is a set screw  44  is placed in the threads of the support receiving members  46  so that a slimmer connector rod  42  may be used. The set screws  44  are preferably socket head set screws, but may be slotted or Phillips head screws. Each set screw  44  is bored to have an interior threaded cavity  35  for receiving the connector rod  42  of the leveling members  32 . The threaded bore is selected so that set screw  44  can still be inserted and removed from the supporting member  46  so the memorial container  10  can be used with more robust connector rod  42  or mounted more permanently to a surface, see  FIGS. 6 and 7 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the intermediate support member  44  preferably extends below the top surface of the interior side of the base  20 . In an alternative embodiment to that shown in  FIG. 3 , the set screw may extend even further below the top surface of the base to provide greater stability to the leveling member  32 . 
         [0026]    In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 5-7 , the supports comprise rods  82  for fixing the body  12  to a surface  90 . As is best shown in  FIG. 7 , the rods  82  are preferably bolts having a head  84  and a shaft  86 . In this embodiment, the base  20  defines apertures  33 . A structure  90  to which the memorial container  10  is to be mounted has holes  91  of matching size and corresponding location. Bolts  82  are inserted through holes  91  of the structure  90  and the holes  33  of the base  20  of the memorial container  10 , such that the bolt heads  84  abut the bottom surface of the mounting structure  90 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 7 , the bottom surface of the structure  90  defines a recess  92 , for receiving a bolt head  84 , to prevent the bolt head from protruding from the bottom surface of the mounting structure  90 . A threaded end of each bolt shaft  86  protrudes through the interior surface of the base  20  and mates with a respective supporting member  46 . 
         [0027]    The memorial container  10  is preferably made of stainless steel, but can be made of various other water impermeable materials, including metals and plastics. 
         [0028]    Various surfaces of the memorial container  10  such as the front wall  16 , side walls  22 ,  24  and upper portion  26  of the panel  14  can be used to display words or images commemorating the deceased. Such displays are preferably created by engraving, but may me created by other means as well. In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 and 9 , the interior side  14 A of the upper portion  26  of the panel includes a commemorating surface. A commemorating surface may also be provided on the exterior side  14 B of the panel, or on another surface of the body  12 , such as one or more of the walls  16 ,  22 ,  24 . 
         [0029]    In each of the embodiments shown in the drawing figures, the body  12  is shaped to resemble a coffin, and the panel  14  is shaped to resemble a headstone. While this illustrates one preferred embodiment, the present invention should not be regarded as limited to taking on such an appearance.