Abstract:
An exquisite marble fireplace mantle has a left marble pillar ( 1 ) and a right marble pillar ( 2 ) positioned vertically on a marble slab base ( 3 ) at a predetermined distance from oppositely disposed marble front walls ( 4, 5 ) of the fireplace mantle and extended to positions of support of marble display shelving ( 6, 12, 22 ) proximate a top of the marble fireplace mantle. Vertical and horizontal components are made of marble slabs that are cut to shape and grooved for tongue-and-groove fitting of adjoining joints of all-marble components that can have ground and polished visible surfaces. Selected vertical components that rest on horizontal surfaces are location-pinned in place.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     This invention relates to exquisite fireplace mantles and in particular to a marble fireplace mantle having front marble pillars and grooved fittings.  
         [0003]     2. Relation to Prior Art  
         [0004]     There are a wide variety of known fireplace mantles. They range from simple utility to elaborate sources of residential heat. Exquisite fireplace mantles provide luxurious comfort that is highly desirable for the affluent.  
         [0005]     There are no known fireplace mantles made of marble slabs that are groove-fit together and have front pillars in a manner taught by this invention.  
         [0006]     Known prior art that is different but that has similarity significance includes the following:  
                                       Patent Number   Inventor   Issue/Publication Date                   US 2003/0140570 A1   Richmond et al.   07/2003       US D465,023 S   Caldwell   10/2002       U.S. Pat. No. 5,737,888   Shimek et al.   04/1998       U.S. Pat. No. 5,720,666   Arculeo   02/1998       U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,603   Jones   06/1992       U.S. Pat. No. 4,945,692   Gallier   08/1990       US Des. 280,127   Syme et al.   08/1985       U.S. Pat. No. 4,254,596   Wright et al.   03/1981       U.S. Pat. No. 3,657,848   Davidson   04/1972       US D 21,162   Abell   11/1891       FR 2,597,963   Gilbert   10/1987                  
 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0007]     Objects of patentable novelty and utility taught by this invention are to provide an exquisite marble fireplace mantle which: 
        epitomizes warmth with exclusively elegant luxury;     provides a top display surface for displaying complementary artistic objects and trophies;     has long endurance with groove fitting that prevents deterioration and distortion with age and use; and     is sufficiently expensive to assure desired exclusiveness.        
 
         [0012]     This invention accomplishes these and other objectives with an exquisite marble fireplace mantle having a left marble pillar and a right marble pillar positioned vertically on a marble base slab at a predetermined distance from oppositely disposed marble front walls of the fireplace mantle and extended to positions of support of a marble display shelf proximate a top of the marble fireplace mantle. Vertical and horizontal components are made of marble slabs that are cut to shape, grooved for tongue-and-groove fitting of adjoining of joints of all-marble components that have ground and polished visible surfaces. Vertical components that rest on horizontal surfaces are location-pinned in place. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS  
       [0013]     This invention is described by appended claims in relation to description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the following drawings which are explained briefly as follows:  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of the exquisite marble fireplace mantle;  
         [0015]      FIG. 2  is a rear elevation view of the exquisite marble fireplace mantle;  
         [0016]      FIG. 3  is a partially cutaway top view through a marble display shelf and down to a marble display base for showing a front marble display wall with ends in grooves of a left marble display wall and a right marble display wall positioned on the marble display base below the marble display shelf,  
         [0017]      FIG. 4  is a partially cutaway top view through the marble display shelf and the marble display base, down to a marble slab base for showing a fireplace top wall with ends in grooves of a left marble side wall and a right marble side wall positioned on the marble slab base below the marble display base and also showing tops of pillars and a marble fireplace slab positioned on the marble slab base;  
         [0018]      FIG. 5  is the  FIG. 4  illustration showing a left marble front wall with a left edge positioned in the groove of the left marble side wall and a right marble front wall with a right edge positioned in the groove of the right marble side wall with the left marble front wall and the right marble front wall being under the fireplace top wall in the same grooves;  
         [0019]      FIG. 6  is an elevation view of a left end of the exquisite marble fireplace mantle;  
         [0020]      FIG. 7  is a partially cutaway end view of the marble display shelf for showing a groove for receiving the front marble display wall;  
         [0021]      FIG. 8  is a bottom view of the marble display shelf for showing the groove for receiving the front marble display wall;  
         [0022]      FIG. 9  is a partially cutaway end view of the marble display base for showing a groove for receiving a top edge of the fireplace top wall and for showing pin apertures;  
         [0023]      FIG. 10  is front edge view of the marble display base for showing the groove for receiving a top edge of the fireplace top wall; and  
         [0024]      FIG. 11  is a bottom view of the marble display shelf for showing the groove for receiving the front marble display wail and for showing the pin apertures.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0025]     Following is a description of the preferred embodiment of this invention. It is preceded by a list of numbered terms which designate features with the same numbers on the drawings and in parentheses throughout the description and throughout patent claims.  
       List Of Numbered Terms  
       [0000]    
       
         
           
               1 . Left marble pillar  
               2 . Right marble pillar  
               3 . Marble slab base  
               4 . Left marble front wall  
               5 . Right marble front wall  
               6 . Marble display base  
               7 . Left marble display wall  
               8 . Left-front section  
               9 . Right marble display wall  
               10 . Right-front section  
               11 . Front marble display wall  
               12 . Marble display shelf  
               13 . Left marble side wall  
               14 . Right marble side wall  
               15 . Fireplace top wall  
               16 . Marble fireplace slab  
               17 . Polygonal pillar base  
               18 . Aesthetic pillar base  
               19 . Aesthetic pillar top  
               20 . Structural groove  
               21 . Pin apertures  
               22 . Display shelving  
           
         
       
     
         [0048]     Referring to  FIGS. 1-6 , the exquisite fireplace mantle has a left marble pillar ( 1 ) and a right marble pillar ( 2 ) positioned vertically on a marble-slab base ( 3 ) at a predetermined distance from a front surface of a left marble front wall ( 4 ) and from a front surface of a right marble front wall ( 5 ). The left marble front wall ( 4 ) and the right marble front wall ( 5 ) are colinearly in line and positioned a predetermined fireplace-width distance apart. The left marble pillar ( 1 ) and the right marble pillar ( 2 ) are positioned on and extended vertically upward from a top surface of the marble-slab base ( 3 ) to a bottom surface of a marble display base ( 6 ).  
         [0049]     A left marble display wall ( 7 ) is extended vertically upward from a top surface of the marble display base ( 6 ) at a predetermined distance from a left end of the marble display base ( 6 ). The left marble display wall ( 7 ) has a left-front section ( 8 ) that is extended orthogonally a predetermined distance towards a right end of the marble display base ( 6 ).  
         [0050]     A right marble display wall ( 9 ) is extended vertically upward from the top surface of the marble display base ( 6 ) at a predetermined distance from a right end of the marble display base ( 6 ). The right marble display wall ( 9 ) has an exterior surface that is parallel to the right end of the marble display base ( 6 ). The right marble display wall ( 9 ) has a right-front section ( 10 ) that is extended orthogonally a predetermined distance towards a left end of the marble display base ( 6 ).  
         [0051]     A front marble display wall ( 11 ) is positioned vertically intermediate proximate the left-front section ( 8 ) and the right-front section ( 10 ).  
         [0052]     A marble display shelf ( 12 ) is positioned on tops of top edges of the left marble display wall ( 7 ), the right marble display wall ( 9 ) and the front marble display wall ( 11 ).  
         [0053]     A left marble side wall ( 13 ) is positioned upward vertically on the top surface of the marble slab base ( 3 ) proximate a left side of the left marble front wall ( 4 );  
         [0054]     The left marble side wall ( 13 ) is orthogonal to the left marble front wall ( 4 ) and is extended intermediate proximate the top surface of the marble slab base ( 3 ) and the bottom surface of the marble display base ( 6 ).  
         [0055]     A right marble side wall ( 14 ) is positioned upward vertically on the top surface of the marble slab base ( 3 ) proximate the right side of the right marble front wall ( 14 );  
         [0056]     The right marble side wall ( 14 ) is orthogonal to the right marble front wall ( 5 ) and is extended intermediate proximate the top surface of the marble slab base ( 3 ) and the bottom surface of the marble display base ( 6 ).  
         [0057]     A fireplace top wall ( 15 ) is positioned proximate top ends of the left marble front wall ( 4 ) and the right marble front wall ( 5 ) intermediate the left marble side wall ( 13 ) and the right marble side wall ( 14 ) at a predetermined fireplace-height distance vertically above the marble slab base ( 3 ).  
         [0058]     A marble fireplace slab ( 16 ) is positioned horizontally on the marble slab base ( 3 ) for receiving weight, heat and debris of a fireplace which can be positioned on the marble fireplace slab ( 16 ) and removed for servicing and replacement.  
         [0059]     Predetermined outwardly visible surfaces of the exquisite marble fireplace mantle can be polished.  
         [0060]     The left marble pillar ( 1 ) can include a predeterminedly polygonal pillar base ( 17 ) positioned on the marble slab base ( 3 ). Similarly, the right marble pillar ( 2 ) can include the predeterminedly polygonal pillar base ( 17 ) positioned on the marble slab base ( 3 ).  
         [0061]     The left marble pillar ( 1 ) is preferably cylindrical intermediate a predeterminedly aesthetic pillar base ( 18 ) and a predeterminedly aesthetic pillar top ( 19 ). Similarly, the right marble pillar ( 2 ) is preferably cylindrical intermediate the predeterminedly aesthetic pillar base ( 18 ) and the predeterminedly aesthetic pillar top ( 19 ).  
         [0062]     Predetermined vertically contacting portions of the exquisite marble fireplace mantle can be location-pinned together for preventing lateral travel of a top vertically contacting portion from a desired position on a bottom vertically contacting portion.  
         [0063]     The left-front section ( 8 ) includes a structural groove ( 20 ) that is articulated for receiving the left end of the front marble display wall ( 11 ). The left end of the front marble display wall ( 11 ) is positioned in the structural groove ( 20 ) for structural support.  
         [0064]     The right-front section ( 10 ) includes the structural groove ( 20 ) that is articulated for receiving the right end of the front marble display wall ( 11 ). The right end of the front marble display wall ( 11 ) is positioned in the structural groove ( 20 ) for structural support.  
         [0065]     The left marble side wall ( 13 ) includes the structural groove ( 20 ) that is articulated for receiving the left side of the left marble front wall ( 4 ). The left side of the left marble front wall ( 4 ) is positioned in the structural groove ( 20 ) for structural support.  
         [0066]     The right marble side wall ( 14 ) includes the structural groove ( 20 ) that is articulated for receiving the right side of the right marble front wall ( 5 ). The right side of the right marble front wall ( 5 ) is positioned in the structural groove ( 20 ) for structural support.  
         [0067]     Referring to  FIGS. 6-8 , a bottom portion of the marble display shelf ( 12 ) predeterminedly proximate a front edge of the marble display shelf ( 12 ) includes the structural groove ( 20 ) that is articulated for receiving a top-side portion of the front marble display wall ( 11 ).  
         [0068]     Referring to  FIGS. 4-5  and  9 - 11 , a bottom portion of the marble display base ( 6 ) predeterminedly proximate a front edge of the marble display base ( 6 ) includes the structural groove ( 20 ) that is articulated for receiving a top-side portion of the fireplace top wall ( 15 ).  
         [0069]     The left marble side wall ( 13 ) includes a top portion of the structural groove ( 20 ) that is articulated for receiving a left end of the fireplace top wall ( 15 ). The left end of the fireplace top wall ( 15 ) is positioned in the structural groove ( 20 ) for structural support.  
         [0070]     The right marble side wall ( 14 ) includes a top portion of the structural groove ( 20 ) that is articulated for receiving a right end of the fireplace top wall ( 15 ) and the right end of the fireplace top wall ( 15 ) is positioned in the structural groove ( 20 ) for structural support.  
         [0071]     The marble display base ( 6 ) is location-pinned to a top of the left marble side wall ( 13 ). The marble display base ( 6 ) is location-pinned to a top of the right marble side wall ( 14 ). Pin apertures ( 21 ) are provided in matching location positions in the marble display base ( 6 ), in the left marble side wall ( 13 ) and in the right marble side wall ( 14 ) for accurate and reliable positioning of the marble display base ( 6 ) and resulting positioning of display shelving ( 22 ) for the exquisite marble fireplace mantle.  
         [0072]     A new and useful exquisite marble fireplace mantle having been described, all such foreseeable modifications, adaptations, substitutions of equivalents, mathematical possibilities of combinations of parts, pluralities of parts, applications and forms thereof as described by the following claims and not precluded by prior art are included in this invention.