Foundation Support for Grave Markers

Abstract

A foundation support for stabilizing a headstone, grave marker, monument or the like includes a base member made of a cellular confinement system and having an opening therein; and a vase insert mounted to the base member within the opening. The vase insert can be permanently or removably mounted to the base member.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A foundation support for stabilizing a headstone, grave marker, monument or the like comprising:
 a base member made of a cellular confinement system; the base member having an opening therein; and   a vase insert mounted to the base member within the opening.   
     
     
         2 . The foundation support of  claim 1 , wherein the vase insert is integrally secured to the base member. 
     
     
         3 . The foundation support of  claim 1 , wherein the vase insert is removably secured to the base member. 
     
     
         4 . The foundation support of  claim 3 , wherein the base member includes first connector portions and the vase insert includes second connector portions that are configured to cooperate with the first connector portions for removably securing the vase insert member to the base member. 
     
     
         5 . The foundation support of  claim 4 , wherein the first connector portions are female connector portions, and the second connector portions are male connector portion. 
     
     
         6 . The foundation support of  claim 5 , wherein each of the female connector portions include a slot and each of the male connector portions include a bridge portion that is configured for insertion in a respective one of the slots and a tab portion extending from the bridge portion. 
     
     
         7 . The foundation support of  claim 6 , wherein the tab has a tapered portion. 
     
     
         8 . The foundation support of  claim 1 , further comprising a blank insert for selectively and removably mounting to the base member within the opening when the vase insert is detached from the base member. 
     
     
         9 . The foundation support of  claim 1 , wherein the vase insert is configured for complementary insertion in the opening. 
     
     
         10 . The foundation support of  claim 1 , wherein the opening and vase insert member are both rectangular in shape. 
     
     
         11 . The foundation support of  claim 1 , wherein the base member is substantially rectangular. 
     
     
         12 . The foundation support of  claim 11 , wherein the base member has two shorter sides and two longer sides; the opening in the base member being longitudinally centered and laterally shifted towards one of the longer sides. 
     
     
         13 . The foundation support of  claim 1 , wherein the base member is made of a polymeric material. 
     
     
         14 . The foundation support of  claim 1 , wherein the cellular confinement system includes apertures therein that have a shape selected from the group consisting of i) regular rectangular members, ii) rectangular members having opposite shorter sides that are concave, iii) rectangular members having one or more of their sides that are convex. 
     
     
         15 . The foundation support of  claim 14 , wherein some of the apertures of the cellular confinement system include cross members therein. 
     
     
         16 . The foundation support of  claim 1 , wherein the vase insert has a peripheral wall and a bottom secured to the peripheral wall; the peripheral wall being tapered towards the bottom. 
     
     
         17 . The foundation support of  claim 1 , wherein the base member includes first and second opposite sides; the first side including at least one male connector portion and the second side including at least one female connector portion that is configured for complementary receiving the at least one male connector portion of another foundation support, thereby allowing the interconnection side by side of two foundation supports. 
     
     
         18 . The foundation support of  claim 17 , wherein one of the first and second lateral sides includes at least one biasing member to push onto the other one of the first and second lateral sides of said another adjacent foundation support, thereby adding tension and strength between the male and female connector portions. 
     
     
         19 . The foundation support of  claim 17 , wherein the male connector portions include tabs and the female connector portions include slots.