The LockDown system is a mechanical memorial safety and fixing system for cement-free fixing (joints may be pointed with a weak cement mix if required). It enables the memorial to be quickly and easily dismantled for removals or inspection purposes. The system has been designed to meet current NAMM, BRAMM and BS8415 requirements. It creates a compression joint between the memorial base and the foundation restricting lift of the memorial on the foundation to a minimum.
The system is designed for use with a memorial having a flower container hole of between 90 and 105 mm diameter. It can be used with a single off-centre flower hole in memorial bases up to 915 mm wide (36”). The distance between the side of the flower container hole and any edge of the base must not be less than 38 mm (1.5”). The sleeves and expansion bolts are available in a range of sizes to suit all applications (sleeves are between 3 and 8 inches in length, expansion bolts between 4 and 6 inches).
Our Memorial Lockdown System is a completely new concept for fixing lawn-type memorials to a foundation, using a stainless steel fixing to replace the traditional cement joint.
The fixing comprises a tubular, flanged sleeve which fits inside a standard flower container hole. An expansion bolt inserted through a hole in the base of the sleeve locks the memorial down to the foundation.
The advantages of such a system are obvious. Once installed, a memorial can be quickly and easily removed and refixed to carry out additional lettering, renovations, etc. without any risk of damage to the memorial through having to break cement joints. As there is no curing time involved, the joint achieves maximum strength immediately – fixing in windy conditions is not a problem. Further, neither is rain nor snow; there is no longer subsequently a necessity to check the memorial for cement runs.
Burial authorities have been particularly receptive to the new system. They like the way in which it makes it easy to carry out random inspections to ensure that a memorial is fixed according to their regulations or periodic checks to make sure that there is no deterioration in any of the components. They also like the fact that, unlike cement joints, the strength of the Lockdown System does not deteriorate over time and that the joint will not fail under the recommended safety test loads applied by the increasingly popular “topple testers”.
In fact, the Memorial Lockdown System meets both NAMM’s Code of Working Practice standards and those laid down in the draft BS8415, the proposed British Standard for memorials, when used to secured a lawn-type memorial to a strip foundation without the necessity for any additional anchor system. This means that when upgrading an existing lawn memorial on a strip foundation to meet the latest safety standards the memorial can remain in-situ. All that is required is to drill a 20mm diameter hole in the foundation in the centre of the vase hole and fit the expansion bolt and sleeve, a very simple and quick process.
When fixing on a flag foundation, an anchoring tube can be driven through the centre of the flag – the optimum position for an anchor – or alternatively the Lockdown System can be used in conjunction with any other approved anchor system.
The Peg & Tube System
The system is constructed from stainless steel tubing as opposed to a solid bar. This makes it is easier to drive into the ground than a solid rod system as the tube cores the ground instead of compacting it and pushing it aside. Less physical effort is required and it is quicker to drive into the ground. There is less chance of hitting an obstruction and of the tube being deflected out of the vertical during the driving process than with a solid rod system. Should a stubborn obstruction be encountered a mandrill or percussion drill can be driven down the centre of the tube to break it up, something not possible with a solid bar system.
A choice of tube diameters is available to suit the most popular 28, 30 and 40 mm pre-drilled ‘NAMM’ anchoring holes. There is also a choice of tube lengths for use with either flag, poured concrete or beam foundations. In extremely soft or sandy conditions additional tubes can be used to stabilise the foundation. Only one of these tubes needs to be connected to the base with a peg so fixing is not made more complicated by having to line up multiple anchors. Being formed from part of the tube, the wings which act as a depth stop are an integral part of the construction tube. During installation they cannot accidentally break or slip causing the anchor system to under-perform or fail completely.
Because the Peg and Tube is a two part system, a tube going into the ground and a peg into the memorial, if the memorial is removed from the cemetery for further work the peg can be also be taken away, ensuring that there is nothing left protruding out of the ground to create a trip hazard. Also if cement or adhesive accidentally gets into the ‘NAMM’ hole in the base during the fixing process the peg will still pull out of the tube easily to release the memorial if it has to subsequently be removed.
When carrying out remedial work, if the joint between the headpiece and base seems secure but there is uncertainty as to whether the existing dowels meet current standards, instead of having to redowel the memorial an extra long peg can be resined into the headpiece and base to act as a combined safety dowel and anchor. Only one hole to drill – not three. No additional dowels to buy. Saves time; saves materials; saves money.