US1580719A - Road marker or monument - Google Patents

Description

' A. P. GILBERT ROAD MARKER OR MONUMENT April 13 1926.

Filed June 20, 1925 III II, II mum...

WITNESSES 7a Xh M M l a I Patented Apr. 13, 1926.

UNITED sTArss ALBERT I. GILBERT, 0F DURHAM,NORTH CAROLINA.

ROAD MARKER R MON MEN APP Tcation fi d un 20, 25-.

To all whom it may concern:

-Be it known that I, Annua P, Greener, a citizen of the United States, residing at Durham, in the county of Durham and State of North Carolina, have invented new and useful Improvements in Road Markers or Monuments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to road markers or monuments.

The object is to provide an artificial structure in the form' of a road marker or a monument which is composed of elements or sections easily and economically manufac tured, shipped separately in knocked-down condition and, readily set up or assembled and rigidly held together to have all the appe e, st gt and a ility of a m lithic structure.

Another object is to provide a structure of this class which may be manufactured of concrete having suitable reinforcing means to insure against the force of winds or other destructive elements, the said strucre in d ng Sepa a e p nel slabs Which may be mad a th pla f man facture with great care and precision to include suitablen'oad directions, advertises its, info m n, ep taphs r her nscriptions, the several parts of the structure,

including said panels, being easily crated in separated condition to guard against damage or destruction while being shipped, and easily and quickly put together at'the proper point along a road, etc., in a cemetery or other location to remain permanent- 1y p ition A final object is to provide a marker, sign or monument composed of pre-formed sections or members which are capable of great variation in form, size and proportions and perfection in artistic finish to serve for the more simple forms of signs or markers or to comprise the. parts of larger and more imposing and dignified monuments. tombstones or the like, the said sections or members, in all instances, being held together by simple and cheaply constructed and easily installed locking means, whichgreatly sim.

plify the operation of assembling the markers or monuments by automatic engagement of the cooperating elements thereof, to per.- manently hold the structure together and 'design of the marke'r'or monument,

Serial No. 38,538.

of the invention, as specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures Figure 1 is a side elevation of a road marker or monument constructed in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a vertical section through the same.

Figure 3 is an enlarg d e a se i al view of one of the joints.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken on the line 4.{t of Figure 2.

Fig r 5 i a plan ie of th base s ction or member of the structure.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of, one element of the locking means used in the joints. 7

Referring to the drawing there is shown a structure such as might be used for a road marker or a small monument, it being understood, as has been stated, that the same may be of many other designs and sizes to be used for different purposes.

The structure includes a base member 1 in the form of an open ring formed of suit able concrete and which may be square in plan view as shown in the drawing, or of any other desired shape depending on the The open formation supplies suiiicient strength to support the members superimposed thereon, in a manner to be explained, and further serves to cheapen the cost of construction thereof, and enables the same to be handled more easily in shipment, it being understood that the several parts are intended to be made at the factory in great numbers and shipped to the points of use, after suitably crating the same.

The upper surface of the base ring has its outer marginal edges bevelled downwardly, as indicated at 2, for the purpose of shedding rain water and moisture from the exposed portion thereof, as will be understood, and the said base member may be reinforced, if deemed necessary, as in the case of large sizes, with any foan of rod or mesh reinforcement.

On the horizontal inner portion of the upper surface of the base ring there are provided a series of spaced sockets 3 set into the concrete during the process of making the same, said sockets being in the form of metal boxes closed on all sides except the tops thereof, which are adapted to lie flush with the surface of the base and which are provided with entrance slots a narrower than the widths of the boxes for a purpose to be explained.

In the square form of the structure, as shown, the shaft of the marker or monument is comprised by four equal, upwardly tapered side members or sections 5, the bases of which are adapted to rest upon the hori zontal portions of the respective sides of the base ring, and the outer margins of which are provided with downwardly extending, beveled flanges 6 to overlap the upper or inner portions of the beveled edges 2 of the base ring, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawing, for the obvious purpose of making a tight joint therebetween and excluding the entrance of water or moisture.

One opposite pair of tapered side members or sections 5 is provided, on theinner face of each, with an inclined groove 7 arranged close to and parallel with the tapering side edges thereof, said grooves being formed between inner and outer flanges 8 formed integrally with the side members, which are all constructed of concrete and preferably reinforced by embedded rods 9, or any other form of metal mesh or the like in common use for this purpose, said rods being suitably bent where crossing each other.

Mounted within the groove 7 and midway between the flanges 8 are a series of sockets 10, similar to the aforesaid sockets 3 in the base member, the same being spaced at suitable intervals and having their slotted sides flush with the face of the member between the flanges, said sockets being also placed in position during the process of making the side members.

The tapered side members or sections 5 having the grooves formed on the inner faces thereof are also provided on their outer faces with depressed panels 11- to lighten the structure, and to provide an attractive and ornamental design as well as to provide an advantageous space for inscriptions or lettering of either depressed or raised form, which may be cast in the concrete or cement during the process of manufacture.

The other opposite pair of tapered side members or sections 5 are not provided with the flanges on the inner face thereof, but the flat edges of the same are adapted to fit between the flanges 8 of the first described pair of side members, as clearly shown in Figure 4 of the drawing, and to be securely locked in position by means of connecting plates 12 formed of metal and having their major portions embedded in the carrying member and adapted to be forced or snapped through the aforesaid slots of the sockets 10 wherein they are held from disconnection by spring tongues 13.

The last named pair of sections 5 are not provided with the exterior depressed panels, but at their lower ends are provided with an enlarged, horizontal, marginal flange 14 which, when the four panels are properly assembled and held together by said fasteners, completes the effect of a panel on each of the four exterior faces and surrounded by frames, and giving the effect of a substantial inclined corner post at each corner of the shaft of the monument or marker.

After the four side members are secured together as above described, the same are then applied to the base member, each side section being equipped with depending metal plate connectors 15, formed and held in position in the lower edges of said members, in the same manner and in position to be introduced into the entrance slots 4 of the sockets 3 in the upper face of the base member 1. The spring tongues of the connectors 15 effectually preventthe separation of the shaft of the monument from the base thereof, by contacting with the wall of the metal boxes at each side of the entrance slots of said sockets 3.

The upper, narrow ends of each of the side members are each provided with one or more upstanding connecting plates 1t formed and held in position in the same manner as the connectors 12 and 15, and provided with similar spring tongues for engagement with sockets 17 carried on the under surface of a cap piece 18, which n'iay be of pyramidal form, as shown, and which is of a size to overlap the outer walls of the side members and to lie flush with the faces of the said corner posts so as to complete the panel effect on all four sides of the shaft in an obvious manner.

All of the sockets and connecting plates used to hold the side members together and to hold the latter upon the base, as well as to hold the cap piece in place, are formed in like manner, said connectors being formed of suitable sheet metal having the outwardly extending spring tongues 13 formed in their exposed portions, as clearly shown in Figure 6, and having their embedded portions anchored in the concrete or cement of the carrying member by means of oppositely disposed, outwardly extending spring tongues 19 which prevent the connector from being pulled out of its anchorage, while the tongues 13 are reversely disposed so as to prevent Withdrawal of the same from the coacting socket. The connectors used to hold the side members together are straight, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawing, while those used to hold the shaft to the base member and to hold the cap piece in place are slightly bent, as shown in Figure 6, so as to conform to the inclined sides of the shaft. All sockets and seams may be supplied or treated with thin, liquid cement to effectually exclude all moisture, said sockets being entirely filled, as shown in Figures 2, 3 and 4.

From the foregoing it will be seen that a simple, cheaply manufactured, and strong and durable monument or marker has been provided which may be readily manufactured and shipped in sections with any desired matter inscribed thereon, the same to be easily and quickly set up on location with a minimum amount of labor, the locking means being such as to greatly facilitate such operations and serving to rigidly hold the parts together in a manner to defy disconnection or di'smounting except through complete destruction.

What is claimed is 1. A sectional road marker or monument comprising separately formed, reinforced concrete elements or members, the several members having, in their meeting edges, interfitting spring tongue connectors and sockets respectively, adapted to automatically lock the members together when assembled.

2. A sectional road marker or monument comprising a base having a series of sockets formed in its upper face, separate side slabs or members adapted to fit together to form a shaft and having spring tongue connectors in their lower edges for engagement in said sockets, similar tongues and sockets located in the meeting edges of the said slabs for holding the same together, and a cap piece having sockets in its under face, said slabs having tongues for engagement with the last-named sockets to hold the cap in place.

3. A sectional road marker or monument comprising a hollow structure including a base ring formed of concrete, spaced metal boxes embedded in the upper face of said base flush with the same and provided with entrance slots, a plurality of enclosing slabs or panels adapted to fit together to form a shaft, metal plates projecting from the lower edges of the slabs or panels in registering relation to the said entrance slots and provided with outwardly projecting spring tongues to be depressed on entering the slots and to spring back and engage the tops of he boxes at each side of the slot to pre vent removal of the slabs from the base, means for locking the slabstogether, a cap piece adapted to rest on top of the slabs and means for locking the same in place.

4. A sectional road marker or monument comprising a concrete base ring rectangular in form and having spaced sockets in its upper face and extending around all sides thereof, opposite pairs 'of tapering, reinforced concrete side slabs' or panels each adapted to receive indicia or inscriptions on its outer face, one pair of opposite panels having grooves on their inner faces and near their outer edges and provided with spaced sockets in said grooves, the other pair of opposite panels having their side edges fitting in said grooves and provided with spaced spring tongues to automatically engage in the sockets, all of the panels having spring tongues in their lower edges to engage with the sockets in the base and also having spring tongues in their upper edges, and a concrete cap piece having sockets in its lower face to engage the last-named tongues, all to comprise a road marker or monumenthaving a monolithic appearance. 5. A sectional road marker or monument comprising a concrete base ring, side panels and cap piece, said base ring having sockets in its upper face, said side panels having connecting plates projecting from their lower edges for coaction with the base sockets to hold the panels on the base, said panels having respectively connecting plates and sockets in their meeting faces for coaction to hold the panels together, said panels also having connecting plates projecting from their upper edges, and said cap piece having sockets in its lower face for coaction with the last-named connecting plates to hold the cap piece in place on top of the side panels.

6. A sectional road marker or monument comprising a concrete base ring, side panels and cap piece, said base ring having sockets in its upper face, said side panels having connecting plates projecting from their lower edges for coaction with the base sockets to hold the panels on the base, said panels having respectively connecting plates and sockets in their meeting faces for coaction to hold the panels together, said panels also having connecting plates projecting from their upper edges, and said cap piece having sockets in its lower face for coaction with the last-named connecting plates to hold the cap piece in place on top of the side panels, said sockets each comprising a metal box having an entrance slot in one face and embedded in the concrete with the slotted side flush with the surface of the concrete, and and in reverse relation to the embedded said connecting plates each having OH tWELI'dtongues, to snap into the socket box through 1 ly extending oppositely inclined spring the entrance slot to automatically and pertongues integrally joined at one end to said manently lock the members together.

5 plate and adapted to engage the concrete of In testimony, that I claim the foregoing the carrying member on the end embedded as my own, I have hereto affixed my signatherein, the tongues of the exposed portion ture. of the plate being also oppositely disposed ALBERT P. GILBERT.

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