This invention pertains to a system and method for securing stone or other similar frangible material to a supporting structure in a secure manner which leaves a neat, visually uninterrupted surface that is virtually vandal proof. In addition, the stone may be removed and reinstalled at least once while retaining the foregoing advantageous characteristics.
Although the system and method of the invention may be used in many environments it will be described in the context of securing a stone faceplate to a columbarium wall.
Columbariums are coming into increasing use for the reasons mentioned in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/665,148. As illustrated and described in that patent application a columbarium usually consists of a supporting structure, almost always a metal frame, which is arranged to provide a plurality of columbarium niches. Each niche is of a size to receive a receptacle containing remains and, if desired, other objects which the deceased or family members desire to be entombed therewith. The final, exterior closure member for each niche is a faceplate. Since a columbarium may take several years to be fully utilized each niche needs to be identified, repeatedly accessed and secured. The individual faceplates which comprise the columbarium must however present the same dignified external visual appearance to the eye of an observer at all times; i.e.: from the day in which the construction of the columbarium is complete until all niches have been utilized, and beyond.
At the present time securement of the faceplate to the supporting structure is achieved by the use of a bolt or stud device and a rosette that functions as a glorified nut. Because stone products tend to be quite brittle it is impossible to tighten down these rosettes lest the corners break off the stone product. Hence the rosettes become easy prey for prying fingers and are quite easily removed, creating a maintenance problem at least and a niche intrusion at most.
In the system and method of the invention a niche faceplate made of stone or other frangible material is initially tightly secured to a supporting structure using a fastening assembly which includes standard, off the shelf components. In this condition the visual appearance to the eye of an observer is that of a dignified, completely assembled structure. Indeed, by using conventional design means, such as style lines which disguise access to the fastening assembly, the fastening assemblies may be indistinguishable from the surrounding areas from a very short distance away. When it is desired to gain access to the niche for the purpose of placing an urn or other container therein, the fastening assembly is loosened by use of a conventional tool which has been slightly modified to foil vandals, the faceplate removed, the urn placed therein and then the faceplate repositioned in front of and covering the niche. Upon reassembly of the faceplate to the supporting structure the fastening assembly is again tightened to the same or even a greater degree than the original tight fit, and, as a consequence, re-access to the niche again becomes quite difficult, though not with the specialized tool described herein.
The invention is illustrated more or less diagrammatically in the accompanying drawing in which:
In the following description of a specific embodiment of the invention like reference numerals will refer to like or similar features from Figure to Figure of the drawing.
Referring first to
In
The right or access end of the fastening assembly as viewed in
The left, or anchor end, of the fastening assembly is received in a hole 28 formed in the wall 29 of supporting structure 21.
The fastening assembly 22 includes a torx security screw, indicated generally at 31, a short piece of tubing, preferably made of stainless steel, indicated generally at 32, and a conventional rivet nut indicated generally at 33.
Rivet nut 33 has a thick base portion 34, which is threaded as at 35 to receive the torx screw 31, and a thin shank portion 36 which terminates in flange 37. Tubing 32 has four slots, three, of which are indicated at 38, 39 and 40 in its right or front end. The head 41 of screw 31 has been modified slightly in that the side wall of the head is tapered inwardly as at 42 toward the shank portion 43. The diameter of flat end 26 of head 41 plus double the thickness of the wall of tubing 32, when added together, are slightly less than the diameter of rear hole 24.
Thereafter, tubing 32 is slid onto shank portion 43 of the torx security screw 31 with the end containing slots 38, 39 and 40 butted against the tapered portion 42 of the head 41. Since the length of tubing 32 is shorter than the length of screw shank 43, the threaded end 44 of the screw 31 will project outwardly from the smooth end 45, see
From
The torx screw 31 is activated by the torx screwdriver indicated generally at 54 in
Referring now to
The torx screw head 41 has a center pin 63 which mates with recess 64 in the head 56 of screwdriver 54.
It will be understood that rivet nuts and torx screwdrivers are off the shelf items and indeed such conventional components are used in the invention. However, the conventional, as purchased condition of the screwdriver is preferably modified by reducing the diameter of the shank 56 at the engagement end thereof. Thus, outer section 62 of shank 56 has a smaller diameter than that portion 65 of the shank next to the handle 55. At the same time the socket 53 is of a smaller than conventional size so as to, firstly, match the configuration of the flutes 58, 59 on head 57 of the screwdriver, and secondly to decrease the diameter of front hole 15 of faceplate 10 so that a standard sized torx screwdriver cannot gain access to the socket 53 in the top surface 26 of the tapered end 42 of the torx screw 31.
In operation, after assembly of the screw 31, tubing 32 and rivet nut-nut 33 with hole 28 in supporting structure 21, the torx screwdriver is applied just sufficiently to snug up the assembled parts. After four such assemblies have been so assembled to the supporting structure, as represented by access holes 15, 16, 17 and 18 of
When it is desired to activate the niche behind faceplate 10 at a future date—which may be years after initial installation—the torx screwdriver 54 rotates the screw 31 in the opposite direction, the prongs relax, and the faceplate 10 is lifted off. After the niche is filled with an urn or other object and sealed, the faceplate is again attached to the supporting structure as above described and the screw 31 is tightened as hard as possible so that removal of the faceplate is made as difficult as possible.
Although torx screwdrivers are available in standard sizes, the inability of a torx screwdriver of a standard size to be used to loosen screw 31 is prevented by reducing the diameter of the shank section 62 and the head 57 to a size intermediate two standard torx screwdriver sizes. As a result, a standard size torx screwdriver whose diameter is slightly larger than faceplate hole 15, that is, the width of shank portion 65, cannot enter hole 15, and the next smaller standard size torx screwdriver will have a head too small to engage the seats 60, 61 etc. in head 41 with enough gripping force to rotate screw 31.
Although a specific embodiment has been described in detail it will at once be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications can be made within the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, it is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by the foregoing exemplary description, but rather only by the scope of the hereafter appended claims when interpreted in light of the relevant prior art.