AU2009202643B2 - Crypt - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A crypt (1) is provided wherein a length thereof is generally horizontally extending. The crypt (1) is made 5 from a pre-formed cast material and has an upper air vent (17) and a lower drain (19). The vent (17) and the drain (19) interconnect via a vertically extending passageway means (21) . Multiple crypts (1) can be stacked one on top of another such that openings (23) and (25) in the top of 10 the crypt and the bottom of the crypt interconnect the crypts for venting and draining. The vertically extending passageway means (21) is provided within a wall of the crypt at the time of pre-forming the crypt from cast material. N:\Melboume\Cases\Patent\78000-78999\P78219,AU.1\Specis\Specfication as lodged -CAP - 2008-6-27.doc 29/06/09

Description

AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION Standard Patent Applicant (s): Norwalk Concrete Industries Pty Ltd Invention Title: CRYPT The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method for performing it known to me/us: P78219.AU,1 Pal_Set_Filing Application 2009.-29.doc (M) -2 CRYPT Field of the Invention s This invention relates to a crypt and to a mausoleum with such a crypt therein. Background 10 Hitherto, it has been known to manufacture crypts and mausoleums of pre-cast concrete. The known crypt is elongate and generally one end is left open. Internment occurs through the open end which is subsequently sealed with an end wall of impervious material. Crypts of the 15 above type have been manufactured according to an industry standard where an air vent is provided in a upright wall, typically at the end opposite the open end. This air vent is usually immediately adjacent an internal upper inside ceiling of the crypt. Drains have also been required at a 20 floor of the crypt so any liquids can escape to suitable drainage. Typically, the air vents and drains are positioned generally midway between opposed parallel sides of the crypt, and directly above one another. In this way, an upright pipe coupling can be connected to an air 25 vent and to a drain so that the pipe coupling can serve both as a means to permit venting by allowing air or gases to escape upwardly through the air vent and then through the pipe coupling, and also to allow liquids to escape into the drain and then into the pipe coupling where they 30 drain by gravity to a discharge area. It has been necessary to position the upright pipe coupling adjacent the end wall of the crypt, externally of the crypt. When a crypt is positioned within a mausoleum, it is necessary to provide access space to enable physical connections 35 with the vents and drains from each of the crypts. Typically, the crypts are stacked on top of each other, and also in side by side arrangements. Thus, a single N:\Melboume\Cases\Patent\78000-78999\P78219AU.1\Specis\Specification as lodged -CAP -2008-6-27.doc 29106/09 - 3 upright pipe coupling will interconnect with a group of crypts stacked on top of each other, and a similar upright pipe coupling will connect with a group of crypts in the immediately adjacent side by side stack. Thus, there may 5 be multiple stacks of crypts and multiple upright pipe couplings. Typically a header is provided to connect the upright coupling pipes so that a single discharge outlet can be provided though an upper roof of the mausoleum. Similarly, a lower drain pipe interconnects each of the 10 upright coupling pipes at the bottom or floor level of the mausoleum to allow any liquids to drain from the mausoleum. Typically, a space in excess of 0.75 meters is required for access to the pipe work for the necessary installation and for subsequent maintenance. This space is serves no purpose other than for access to the upright coupling pipes and is an unnecessary waste of space within a mausoleum and generally adds unnecessary costs to the installation of a mausoleum and its ongoing costs, which taken over many mausoleums in a cemetery, can be 20 significant. There is a need for improved arrangement. Statements of the Invention 25 Therefore, according to a first broad aspect of the present invention there is provided an elongate crypt intended for use with the elongate length thereof being generally horizontally extending, said crypt being 30 preformed from cast material and having an upper air vent and a lower drain, the upper air vent and the lower drain connecting with vertically extending passageway means that communicate with an opening in the upper surface of the crypt and an opening in a lower surface of the crypt such 35 that multiple such crypts can be stacked one on top of another and the openings between crypts positioned so all the air vents will be interconnected for venting and so N:\Melboume\Cases\Patent\78000-78999\P78219.AU.1\Specis\Specification as lodged - CAP - 2008-6-27,doc 29/06/09 - 4 all the drain vents will be interconnected for draining, said vertically extending passageway means being provided within a wall of the crypt at the time of pre-forming the crypt from the cast material. 5 In an embodiment the vertically extending passageway means is a single passageway that extends between the air vent and the drain. 10 According to a further broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a mausoleum having at least one crypt of the above type contained therein, said mausoleum having a floor onto which the crypt rests, said floor having a drain positioned to be under the opening in 15 the lower surface of the crypt and so draining from said lower drain can be drained externally of the mausoleum by said drain. In an embodiment the mausoleum comprises a portico, 20 and wherein said drain pit is positioned relative to said portico 'such that when a crypt is positioned in the mausoleum with the opening in the lower surface of the crypt over the drain, the drain will be at a distant end of the crypt relative to the portico for that crypt. 25 Brief Description of the Drawings In order that the invention can be more clearly ascertained, examples of embodiments will now be described 30 with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a side elevational cross sectional view taken in the vertical plane of one example of a crypt in accordance with the invention. 35 Figure 2 is a transverse cross sectional view of the crypt shown in Figure 1. N:\Melboume\Cases\Patent\78DOO-78999XP78219.AUA \Specis\Specification as lodged -CAP - 2008-6-27.doc 29/06/09 -5 Figure 3 is a horizontal cross sectional view taken midway through the crypt shown in Figures 1 and 2. 5 Figure 4 is a vertical cross sectional view showing an end of the crypt remote from the open end positioned in a mausoleum over a drain pit. 10 Figure 5 is a vertical cross sectional view through a mausoleum housing two groups of crypts in back to back relationship. Each group comprises crypts stacked one on top of each other and a similar group stacked in side by side relationship. Each of the groups of crypts are 15 positioned back to back and the mausoleum has two porticos. Figure 6 is a view similar to that in Figure 5 showing an alternative example of a mausoleum where there 20 is a single group of crypts and a single portico. Figure 7 is a horizontal plan view in schematic form showing the positioning of a stacks of crypts in the example of Figure 6. 25 Figure 8 is a transverse cross sectional view of the group of crypts shown in Figure 7, looking from the open end of the crypts. Figure 8 shows four crypts stacked one on top of each other and in six side-by-side stacks. 30 Figure 9 is a close-up detailed cross sectional view similar to that shown in Figure 5, but showing detail of interconnection of the vents and drains, and 35 Figure 10 is a transverse cross sectional view at one end of a group of crypts showing how upright drain pipes are interconnected for permitting venting of air and any N:\Melboume\Cases\Patent\78000-78999\P78219.AU.1\Specis\Specification as lodged - CAP -2008-6-27.doc 29/06/09 - 6 liquids from a mausoleum. Detailed Description of Embodiments 5 Referring now to figures 1 - 4, it can be seen that a crypt 1 is pre-formed from a cast material such as concrete. Other materials suitable for casting may include plastics material or the like. Concrete is a relatively inexpensive material at this point of time, but 10 other materials may prove to be more economical in due course and are to be embraced as being within the range of materials that could be used. The crypt 1 has a generally elongate rectangular configuration as shown. The crypt 1 has an upper wall 3, a lower wall 5, two parallel spaced 15 side walls 7 and 9, and end wall 11 remote from an open end 13. The inside ceiling surface 15 is slightly inclined downwardly towards the end 11 as shown. Figure 3 shows that the lower wall 5 has the inside face angled downwardly towards the end 11 with a slope of about 1 in 20 150. The open end 13 can be closed by a concrete panel or by a plaque or similar impervious closure. The crypt 1 has an upper air vent 17 and a lower drain 19 located approximately centrally disposed between the opposed side walls 7 and 9. The vent 17 is positioned as high up 25 against the ceiling surface 15 of the upper wall 3 as possible and the drain 19 is positioned as low as possible, to the inside surface of the lower wall 5. The vent 17 and the drain 19 are typically made of PVC pipe of 50mm diameter. A vertically extending passageway 21 is 30 positioned within the thickness of the end wall 11. Typically, the passageway 21 is situated midway between the thickness of the end wall 11. The air vent 17 and the drain 19 interconnect with the vertically extending passageway 21. Typically, the vertically extending 35 passageway 21 is 40mm diameter PVC DWV piping, and 40mm diameter PVC Drain, Waste & Vent DWV 88 degree swept entry are used to interconnect the air vent 17 with the N:\Melboume\Cases\Patent\78000-78999\P78219.AU.I\Specis\Specification as lodged - CAP - 2008-6-27.doc 29/06109 - 7 passageway 21, and with the drain 19 and the passageway 21. Figure 4 shows the PVC Drain, Waste and Vent DWV 88 degree swept entry. Figure 4 also shows that the vertically extending passageway 21 communicates with an 5 opening 23 in the upper wall 3 and with an opening 25 in the lower wall 5. Figure 4 also shows that the crypt 1 is integrally formed with crypt locators 27 and 29 on the upper and lower walls 3 and 5. The crypt locators 27 are shown at the end near the end wall 11, and similar 10 locators 27 can be provided at other positions along the length of the crypt 1. The arrangement shows some of the crypt locators 27 as being extending upwardly, and some others of the crypt locators having recesses. The arrangement is such that when crypts are stacked one on 15 top of each other, there will be alignment effected by the locators such that a locator 27 of one crypt engages with a locator 27 on the other crypt and so there will be intended aligned interconnection of the vertically extending passageway means 21 between crypts by the inter 20 fitting of the upwardly extending crypt locators with the recessed crypt locators. Typically, a PVC DWV 40mm piping coupling (not shown) can pass into the respective openings 23, 25, to permit interconnection of the vertically extending passageway means 21 between crypts. When the 25 vertically extending passageway means 21 between crypts are interconnected in this way, there can be venting of air through the air vent 17 through the vertically extending passageway means 21 by the air rising vertically. There can also be draining of any liquids by 30 the liquids passing through the drains 19 and into the interconnected vertically extending passageway means 21 where the liquids can fall by gravity to be drained away. Figure 4 shows the crypt 1 positioned on a floor 29 35 such as a concrete floor in a mausoleum. The floor 29 has a preformed drain pit 31 where any liquids can drain externally of the mausoleum ideally into a soakage pit N:\Melboume\Cases\Patent\78000-78999\P78219.AU.1\Specis\Specification as lodged - CAP -2008-6-27.doc 29/06/09 - 8 positioned under the mausoleum floor. Figure 4 shows how the vertically extending passageway means 21 is positioned over the open mouth of the drain 31 in the form of a drain pit. Piping couplings are shown that interconnect the s vertically extending passageway means 21 with a drain pipe 33 in the drain 31. Referring now to Figures 5 - 10, there are shown non exhaustive examples of particular embodiments of 10 mausoleums that can be provided. Typically, a mausoleum is comprised of pre-fabricated tilt wall panels formed from a suitable material such as concrete. Here, a mausoleum is fabricated using tilt wall assembly techniques over a floor 29. The roof of the mausoleum can 15 be fabricated from similar pre-cast concrete if required. Figure 5 shows one particular style of mausoleum which is provided for housing two groups 35 of crypts 1. In this arrangement, the two groups 35 are arranged back to back. The mausoleum has two porticos 37 to permit viewing. The 20 front wall of each end of the mausoleum may be provided with a decorative facade 39. Suitable doorways (not shown) can be provided to permit entry into the mausoleum. Typically, the doorways enable access for the introduction of crypts 1 for the subsequent stacking of the crypts 1 25 one above the other and in parallel side by side arrangement. The doorways are typically of a sufficient size to allow entry of lifting apparatus to enable the crypts 1 to be positioned as required. In Figure 5, the drain 31 is positioned midway of the mausoleum and extends 30 transversely thereacross. The vertically extending passageway means 21 are shown interconnected between the vertically stacked crypts 1. In the arrangement shown in Figure 5, the groups 35 may be positioned back to back in close and/or abutting relationship. This contrasts 35 significantly with the arrangements in the prior art where access space was required to permit access to the air vents 17 and drains 19 for plumbing. Each of the N:\Melboume\Cases\Patent\78000-78999\P78219.AU.1\Specis\Specification as lodged -CAP - 2008-6-27.doc 29/06/09 - 9 respective vertically extending passageway means 21 are interconnected by couplings to the drain pipe 33 so that any liquids can be drained away from the mausoleum. The upper end of the vertically extending passageway means 21 5 are interconnected via suitable pipe couplings so that there can be venting through vent means 41 external of the mausoleum. Whilst a single vent means 41 has been shown, there may be multiple vent means 41 so there is one vent means 41 for each of the vertically stacked crypts 1 and 10 for their respective vertically extending passageways 21. Typically, the upper end of the vertically extending passageway means 21 are connected with a common pipe (not shown) which is, in turn, then connected with a vent means 41. 15 Figure 6 shows a mausoleum for a single group 35 of crypts 1 which are stacked one on top of each other and in side by side arrangement. Here, the mausoleum has a single portico 37. In this arrangement it can be seen 20 that the crypts 1 are positioned close, or in almost abutting relationship to the end wall of the mausoleum. This contrasts with the prior art where a considerable space was required to permit access to the vents 17 and drains 19 for plumbing. It can be seen that the crypts 1 25 are positioned over the drain 31 and that the vertically extending passageway means 21 interconnects with a drain pipe 33 so liquids may be drained from the mausoleum. The upper end of the vertically extending passageway means 21 is connected to vent means 41 in a similar manner to that 30 shown in Figure 5. Figure 7 shows a plan view of the mausoleum in Figure 6 where the crypts 1 are in vertical side-by-side stacks. 35 Figure 8 shows an end elevation of the crypts 1 stacked one on top of each other in a four high crypt arrangement and in a six side-by-side stacked arrangement N:\Melboume\Cases\Patent\78000-78999\P78219.AU.1\Specis\Specification as lodged - CAP - 2008-6-27.doc 29/06109 - 10 of vertical stacks. Figure 9 shows a close-up vertical cross sectional view of the arrangement shown in Figure 5 particularly 5 showing the interconnection of the air vents 17 and the drains 19 to the respective vertically extending passageways means 21. Figure 10 is an end elevation of the arrangement 10 shown in Figure 8 (showing only four vertical stacks), where there is interconnection of the vertically extending passageway means 21 with the drains 19 and the vent means 41. Here, it can be seen that the drain 31 extends transversely across the mausoleum in a direction generally 15 perpendicular to the longitudinal extent of each of the crypts 1. Similarly, upper passageway means 43 connects with the upper end of the vertically extending passageway means 21 to enable venting through the vent means 41. The passageway means 43 also extends generally transversely 20 across the width of the mausoleum in a direction generally perpendicular to the vertical stacks of crypts 1. It should be appreciated that many modifications may be made to the invention as would be apparent to persons 25 skilled in this art. For example, the mausoleum arrangement shown in the examples are merely exemplary and other floor plan arrangements are possible which may not incorporate a portico. Whilst the examples do not show groups 35 of crypts in abutting end to end relationship, 30 this is not excluded and is quite possible as the space previously required for access for plumbing to the air vents 17 and drains 19 is no longer required. It is to be understood that, if any prior art 35 publication is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the publication forms a part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia N:\Melboume\Cases\Patent\78000-78999\P78219.AU.1\Specis\Specification as lodged -CAP -2008-6-27.doc 29/06/09 - 11 or any other country. In the claims which follow and in the preceding description, except where the context requires otherwise 5 due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in 10 various embodiments of the invention. The above and other modifications may be made without departing from the ambit of the invention the nature of which is to be determined from the foregoing description. 15 N:\Melboume\Cases\Patent\78000-78999\P78219.AU.1\Specis\Specification as lodged - CAP - 2008-6-27.doc 29/06/09

Claims (15)

1. An elongate crypt intended for use with the elongate 5 length thereof being generally horizontally extending, said crypt being pre-formed from cast material and having an upper air vent and a lower drain, the upper air vent and the lower drain connecting with vertically extending passageway means that communicate with an opening in the 10 upper surface of the crypt and an opening in a lower surface of the crypt such that multiple such crypts can be stacked one on top of another and the openings between crypts positioned so all the air vents will be interconnected for venting and so all the drain vents will is be interconnected for draining, said vertically extending passageway means being provided within a wall of the crypt at the time of pre-forming the crypt from the cast material. 20

2. A crypt as claimed in claim 1, wherein said vertically extending passageway means is a single passageway that extends between the upper air vent and the lower drain. 25

3. A crypt as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the vertically extending passageway means, upper air vent and lower drain are positioned midway between elongate opposed sides of the crypt, and in vertical alignment. 30

4. A crypt as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the vertically extending passageway means is piping, and wherein a piping coupling can pass into a respective opening to permit air vent and/or drain interconnection between crypts. 35

5. A crypt as claimed in any one of the preceding claims comprising integrally preformed crypt locators on the N:\Melboume\Cases\Patent\78000-78999\P78219.AU.1\Specis\Specification as lodged - CAP - 2008-6-27.doc 29/06/09 - 13 upper and lower surfaces, so that when two or more such crypt 5 are stacked one on top of another, the crypts can be aligned by the locators on one crypt engaging with locators on another crypt and so there will be intended 5 aligned interconnection of the vertically extending passageway means.

6. A crypt as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the crypt is a pre-cast concrete crypt. 10

7. A mausoleum having a crypt as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 6 contained therein, said mausoleum having a floor onto which the crypt rests, said floor having a drain positioned to be under the opening in the lower 15 surface of the crypt and so draining from said lower drain can be drained externally of the mausoleum by said drain.

8. A mausoleum as claimed in claim 7, comprising a portico, and wherein said drain is positioned relative to 20 said portico such that when a crypt is positioned in the mausoleum with the opening in the lower surface of the crypt over the drain, the drain will be at a distant end of the crypt relative to the portico for that crypt. 25

9. A mausoleum as claimed in claim 7 or claim 8, wherein a plurality of such crypts are stacked one on top of another and with two or more stacks in side-by-side arrangement on said floor and wherein said drain extends transversely of the longitudinal extent of the crypts, and 30 wherein the openings of the crypts will drain into said drain.

10. A mausoleum as claimed in claim 9, wherein said drain comprises a drain pipe and wherein a respective piping 35 coupling can pass into an opening in a lower surface of a crypt to effect draining of the crypts into said drain pipe. N:\Melboume\Cases\Patent\78000-78999\P78219.AU.1\Specis\Specification as lodged -CAP - 2008-6-27.doc 29106/09 - 14

11. A mausoleum as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 10, and having a portico at opposite ends and wherein said drain is generally midway between the two porticos and 5 wherein there are a plurality of crypts for one portico in side-by-side arrangement, and a plurality of crypts for the other portico in side-by-side arrangement, and wherein the openings in the lower surfaces of all crypts resting on the floor are over the drain so there will be draining 10 from all crypts into the drain.

12. A mausoleum as claimed in claim 11, wherein the crypts for one portico are in close abutting or near abutting relationship with the crypts for the other 15 portico.

13. A mausoleum as claimed in any one of claims 10 to 12, when appended to claim 10, wherein a respective piping coupling can pass into an opening in an upper surface of 20 the crypt to effect air venting into an air venting piping in the mausoleum, said air venting piping terminating with an air vent to said mausoleum to thereby vent all crypts externally of the mausoleum. 25

14. A mausoleum as claimed in claim 13, wherein said air venting piping extends transversely of the longitudinal extent of the crypts above the openings in the upper surface of the crypts. 30

15. A mausoleum as claimed in any one of claims 7 to 14, wherein said mausoleum is a tilt wall prefabricated mausoleum. N:\Melboume\Cases\Patent\78000-78999\P78219.AU.1\Specs\Specfication as lodged - CAP -2008-6-27.doc 29106/09