CA2069277C - Cremation urn burial apparatus - Google Patents
Cremation urn burial apparatusInfo
- Publication number
- CA2069277C CA2069277C CA002069277A CA2069277A CA2069277C CA 2069277 C CA2069277 C CA 2069277C CA 002069277 A CA002069277 A CA 002069277A CA 2069277 A CA2069277 A CA 2069277A CA 2069277 C CA2069277 C CA 2069277C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- platform
- frame
- support
- urn
- hole
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Fee Related
Links
Classifications
-
- E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
- E04—BUILDING
- E04H—BUILDINGS OR LIKE STRUCTURES FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSES; SWIMMING OR SPLASH BATHS OR POOLS; MASTS; FENCING; TENTS OR CANOPIES, IN GENERAL
- E04H13/00—Monuments; Tombs; Burial vaults; Columbaria
- E04H13/006—Columbaria, mausoleum with frontal access to vaults
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
- A61G19/00—Hoisting or lowering devices for coffins
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A61—MEDICAL OR VETERINARY SCIENCE; HYGIENE
- A61G—TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES, OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS; OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES
- A61G17/00—Coffins; Funeral wrappings; Funeral urns
- A61G17/08—Urns
Landscapes
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Architecture (AREA)
- Civil Engineering (AREA)
- Structural Engineering (AREA)
- Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Animal Behavior & Ethology (AREA)
- General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
- Public Health (AREA)
- Veterinary Medicine (AREA)
- Tents Or Canopies (AREA)
- Laying Of Electric Cables Or Lines Outside (AREA)
Abstract
An apparatus for lowering a cremation urn into a burial hole comprises a substantially rectangular frame formed by connected rails to leave an opening at the center of the frame to span the hole into which the urn it to be buried. A
square platform is positioned within the opening with a horizontal surface of the platform lying in a common plane with the top horizontal surface of the frame. The platform can be moved from the raised initial position to a lower position within the hole by two pairs of cable each being connected to a respective shaft on a respective side of the platform. Each cable passes over a guide bar at a top edge of the frame and extends therefrom to a connecting bar joining the two cables on one side of the platform. A connecting bar is attached to the platform by a hook and eye arrangement which can release when the platform reaches the ground surface at the bottom of the hole simply by tilting of the connecting bar about its longitudinal axis.
square platform is positioned within the opening with a horizontal surface of the platform lying in a common plane with the top horizontal surface of the frame. The platform can be moved from the raised initial position to a lower position within the hole by two pairs of cable each being connected to a respective shaft on a respective side of the platform. Each cable passes over a guide bar at a top edge of the frame and extends therefrom to a connecting bar joining the two cables on one side of the platform. A connecting bar is attached to the platform by a hook and eye arrangement which can release when the platform reaches the ground surface at the bottom of the hole simply by tilting of the connecting bar about its longitudinal axis.
Description
CREMATION URN BURIAL APPARATUS
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus for use in the burial of a cremation urn.
BACKGROUND
Conventional burial takes place in a vault or crypt or in a relatively deep hole. It is necessary therefore to lower the relatively heavy casket from the ground surface into the vault or hole in the ground and therefore a number of proposals have been made for devices useful for mechanically lowering the casket in this way. Examples are shown in United States patents 3,068,621 (O. P. Dale), 2,901,812 (E. A.
Meewes), 4,716,636 (Schneider), 680,528 (J. Herwig) and 2,589,882 (J. B. Sinner et al.). Each of these devices provides a pair of straps onto which the casket is placed so that the straps cradle the casket and act to lower the casket into the ground or into the vault. The above patent of Meewes provides flexible straps and cables for supporting both the casket and a vault for simultaneously lowering into the ground and at the same time lowering the casket into the vault.
Over the years cremation has become much more acceptable and widely used. It is necessary however, after cremation to deal with the ashes in a suitable manner. One technique which has become more widely used is that of burying -1- ~
the urn containing the ashes in a small burial plot. This has the advantage of reducing the quantity of land used for the burial plots but at the same time providing a piece of land which acts as a burial site. The burial takes place only at a relatively shallow depth of the order of two to three feet since of course the burial does not include any bodily remains.
Until now basically the urn containing the ashes has simply been placed into the hole manually. This however detracts from the solemnity of the service involved leading to a need for a device for mechanically lowering the urn into the opening.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, therefore, there is provided an apparatus for use in burial of a cre,-,alion urn comprising an urn support platform having a horizontal support surface dimensioned and arranged to support an urn placed thereupon, a frame including side frame pieces defining an opening therebetween, the platform being located within the opening therebetween, the platform being located within the opening, the side frame pieces being arranged for resting upon a ground surface at least partly surroundirlg a hole for burial of the urn, support means for supporting the platform from the frame for movement vertically relative to the frame from a first position in which the horizontal support surface is positioned at a height substantially aligned with the frame with the urn resting thereupon and projecting upwardly therefrom for viewing to a second position moved into the hole for burial and drive motor means actuable to drive said support means in said movement, said support means comprising a first pair of flexible elements connected to the platform at one side, a second pair of flexible elements connected to the platform at an opposed side, the flexible elements including means for releasing a connection between the flexible elements and the platform, a first connecting bar and a second connecting bar, the first connecting bar 206q277 ~' being connected to the first pair of flexible elements and the second connecting bar being connected to the second pair of flexible elements, the rele:~sAble coupling means being arranged between the connecting bar and the platform.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for use in burial of a cremation urn comprising an urn support platform having a horizontal support surface dimensioned and arranged to support an urn placed thereupon, a frame including side frame pieces defining an opening therebetween, the platform being located within the opening therebetween, the platform being located within the opening, the side frame pieces being arranged for resting upon a ground surface at least partly surrounding a hole for burial of the urn, support means for supporting the platform from the frame for movement vertically relative to the frame from a first position in which the horizontal support surface is positioned at a height substantially aligned with the frame with the urn resting thereupon and projecting upwardly therefrom for viewing to a second position moved into the hole for burial and drive motor means actuable to drive said support means in said movement wherein the support means comprises four flexible support elements with two of the support elements arranged on one side of the platform and two of the support elements arranged on an opposed side of the platform, means for simultaneously winding the support elements and first and second guide bar means each arranged on a respective side of the platform such that two of the support elements engage over the first guide bar the other two of the support elements engage over the second guide bar, the guide bar being arranged adjacent an upper surface of the support frame; wherein the frame includes a first frame piece and a second frame piece parallel to and spaced therefrom such that the hole can be located between the first and second frame pieces, each of the ,~
.
frame pieces being substantially rectangular in cross section so as to define the horizontal lower surface for resting upon the ground surface, a horizontal top surface defining a top surface of the frame and two vertical sides, means interconnecting first and second frame pieces, said first and second guide bars extending across the opening from the first frame piece to the second frame piece at positions thereon spaced apart to define said opening therebetween and a first and second winding shaft each extending from the first frame piece to the second frame piece at a position thereon spaced outwardly from a respective one of the guide bars, the drive motor means being mounted within the first frame piece and including drive means for communicating drive form the drive motor means to each of the first and second shafts, the drive means extending along the interior of one of said first and second frame pieces.
Preferably the platform comprises simply a horizontal planar surface so that the horizontal surface constitutes the uppermost surface of the platform and preferably this surface is aligned with the top surface of the frame in the initial raised condition so that the device appears as a flat surface onto which the urn is placed. In order to achieve this the support arrangement includes guide bars and cables with the guide bars located at the top of the frame.
Preferably the platform is arranged so that it can be released when the platform reaches the bottom of the hole simply and automatically allowing the cable-lowering system to be retracted from the hole and hole filled with the device in place. In some types of service this is necess~sry since the service basically completes the burial of the urn during the service. In other cases there is imply a token burial by one or two small amounts of soil so that the platform can remain at the bottom of the hole while the token burial takes place and subsequently the complete burial can be completed out of the sight of the mourners.
- 206g2~
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along lines 2-2 of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view through the platform section only when lowered to the base of the hole: and Figure 4 is a plan view of the platform at the base of the hole showing the disconnection of the hook and eye fastener allowing the platform to be discarded at the base of the hole.
In the drawings, like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The cremation urn is generally indicated at 10 and is shown in Figures 2 and 3 but is omitted from Figures 1 and 4 for convenience of illustration. The apparatus is provided in order to bury the cremation urn within a hole 11 provided in the ground, the hole having a relatively small dimension of the order of 18 inches to 2 feet across simply to receive the urn as a token or symbolic burial.
~ 2069277 The apparatus for lowering the cremation urn 10 into the hole 11 is generally indicated at 12 and comprises an outer frame 13, a platform 14 and a support and lowering system 15.
The frame 13 comprises a front transverse rail 16, a rear transverse rail 17 parallel to the front rail 16, a first side rail 18 and a second side rail 19 parallel to the first side rail, the rails being arranged mutually at right angles to form a rectangular frame structure and the the rails defining an opening between the rails to be placed over the hole 11. Each of the rails is formed from a rectangular tubular member as best shown in Figure 2 defining a hollow interior, the tubular member being provided as a tube or being fabricated as required. The spacing between the front and rear rails is substantially equal to the width of the hole whereas the space in between the side rails is slightly greater so that the frame structure is rectangular and slightly elongate as shown in Figure 1.
The platform 14 simply comprises a flat board of wood or similar material which is manufactured sufficiently inexpensively that it can be abandoned in the hole if required with the urn 10. On top of the platform 14 is provided a fabric covering 20 for example of a green or brown felt-type material to provide an attractive appearance of the top of the _ ~ 2069277 platform. Each side of the platform carries a pair of eye bolts 21 which as best shown in Figure 4 comprise a loop attached to a shank 22 with the shank screw-fastened into a side edge of the platform 14 so that the loop 21 lies in a horizontal plane.
As shown in Figure 2 the frame 13 and the support and lowering mechanism 15 are covered by a fabric layer 23 which extends across the frame from a position contacting the ground around the frame to a position adjacent the platform 14.
The fabric covering 23 has a central rectangular or square opening through which the fabric 20 of the platform is exposed and through which the urn passes as it is lowered into the hole. The fabric 23 and the fabric 20 are preferably formed of the same material to provide the appearance of a flat surface covering the hole in the initial condition shown in Figure 2 and then for the central portion of that fabric to simply be lowered on top of the platform in a solemn and professional manner. The support and lowering mechanism 15 comprises a pair of shafts 24 and 25 each arranged adjacent a respective one of the side rails 18 and 19 and lying parallel thereto. The shafts 24 and 25 are mounted approximately halfway up the inside wall of the tubular members forming the front and rear rails 16, 17. The shafts are mounted on bearings 26 so they can freely rotate about the longitudinal axis of the shaft.
,_ 2069277 A guide bar 27, 28 is associated with each of the shafts 25 and 26 and is positioned spaced slightly inwardly from the respective shaft away from the respective side rail toward the platform. The guide bar 27, 28 comprises a plastics bar which is formed as a flat strap and is connected across from the front rail to the back rail in fixed position with the flat surface of the strap inclined downwardly and inwardly towards the opening of the hole. One side edge of the strap indicated at 27A is located in the plane of the top surface of the side rails which forms a common horizontal plane for the top of the frame. From that side edge 27A, the strap inclines downwardly and inwardly.
Each shaft carries a pair of cables 29 and 30 which is wrapped around the shaft so that it can be paid out and drawn in by rotation of the shaft about its axis in the bearings 26. The cables 29 and 30 are spaced apart from a center line of the platform so that the platform is balanced by all four of the cables, two connected to one side of the platform and two connected to the opposed side of the platform.
The cables are attached to the platform by a connecting bar 31 which extends along a respective side of the platform to a length just greater than the spacing between the cables. The bar 31 is formed from a circular rod of a plastics material with the cables attached to the rod along one side thereof.
_ ` 20~9277 From an opposed side extend a pair of hooks 32 shown in side elevation in Figures 2 and 3, the plane of the hook being vertical.
The shafts can be rotated about their respective axes by drive motors 35 and 35A receiving power from a battery source 36 and actuated by foot-operated switches 37 and 37A.
The motor 35 can be driven in forward direction by the switch 37 to pay out the cables by rotation of the shafts in the required direction. The motor 35A drives in the reverse direction under control of the switch 37A. Rotation of the shaft 24 is communicated to the shaft 25 by a chain or timing belt drive system 38 at the rear frame element 17.
In the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, the shafts have been rotated by the motor and drive system so that the cables are fully pulled in to a position in which they are tensioned. In this position as shown in Figure 2, the cable is taut so that it extends in a straight line from the top edge 27A of the guide bar to the connecting bar 31 with the hook 32 extending outwardly on the opposed side of the connecting bar in a similar straight line from the cable 30 into the eye 32.
This tensioning of the cable thus tends to lift the top surface of the platform into a horizontal plane which is common with or substantially common with the horizontal plane defined by the top surface of the frame structure. In this position therefore, the fabric and the platform are held in a horizontal condition over the frame providing an attractive professional appearance.
At the requisite point during the service, the person responsible actuates the switch 37 to drive the motor 35 in a direction to release the cables 29 and 30 so that the platform is lowered while maintaining a horizontal orientation by the common pay out of each of the cables 29 and 30 on both sides of the platform. The hook and eye are maintained in connection as the platform is lowered while the hook tends to twist from its initial position projecting toward the platform as shown in Figure 2 to a more vertical orientation as the depth of the platform increases.
When the platform reaches the lowest position so that it engages the surface 40 at the base of the hole 11, the platform is halted and the hook 32 thus tends to swivel by the weight of the connecting bar 31 and the weight of the hooks so that the hooks are suspended vertically downwardly on the cable 30. This acts to release the hooks from the horizontal eye 21 allowing the connecting bars 31 to swing outwardly away from the platform to fully release the platform at the base of the hole.
If required for the service that the urn be fully buried at this time, the person responsible can then actuate '- ` 2069277 the switch 37A to reverse the direction driven by the the motor 35A to pull the cables and the connecting bars back out of the hole and up to the guide bars 27 and 28. In this position the soil can be placed into the hole through the opening in the fabric 23 to substantially fully bury the urn at least to a position where it is no longer visible.
The apparatus therefore provides an arrangement for solemnly and professionally lowering the urn in a manner suitable for religious service while providing an appearance which can be rendered inconspicuous by the placement over the horizontal surface defined by the apparatus of a suitable covering fabric material.
Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to an apparatus for use in the burial of a cremation urn.
BACKGROUND
Conventional burial takes place in a vault or crypt or in a relatively deep hole. It is necessary therefore to lower the relatively heavy casket from the ground surface into the vault or hole in the ground and therefore a number of proposals have been made for devices useful for mechanically lowering the casket in this way. Examples are shown in United States patents 3,068,621 (O. P. Dale), 2,901,812 (E. A.
Meewes), 4,716,636 (Schneider), 680,528 (J. Herwig) and 2,589,882 (J. B. Sinner et al.). Each of these devices provides a pair of straps onto which the casket is placed so that the straps cradle the casket and act to lower the casket into the ground or into the vault. The above patent of Meewes provides flexible straps and cables for supporting both the casket and a vault for simultaneously lowering into the ground and at the same time lowering the casket into the vault.
Over the years cremation has become much more acceptable and widely used. It is necessary however, after cremation to deal with the ashes in a suitable manner. One technique which has become more widely used is that of burying -1- ~
the urn containing the ashes in a small burial plot. This has the advantage of reducing the quantity of land used for the burial plots but at the same time providing a piece of land which acts as a burial site. The burial takes place only at a relatively shallow depth of the order of two to three feet since of course the burial does not include any bodily remains.
Until now basically the urn containing the ashes has simply been placed into the hole manually. This however detracts from the solemnity of the service involved leading to a need for a device for mechanically lowering the urn into the opening.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, therefore, there is provided an apparatus for use in burial of a cre,-,alion urn comprising an urn support platform having a horizontal support surface dimensioned and arranged to support an urn placed thereupon, a frame including side frame pieces defining an opening therebetween, the platform being located within the opening therebetween, the platform being located within the opening, the side frame pieces being arranged for resting upon a ground surface at least partly surroundirlg a hole for burial of the urn, support means for supporting the platform from the frame for movement vertically relative to the frame from a first position in which the horizontal support surface is positioned at a height substantially aligned with the frame with the urn resting thereupon and projecting upwardly therefrom for viewing to a second position moved into the hole for burial and drive motor means actuable to drive said support means in said movement, said support means comprising a first pair of flexible elements connected to the platform at one side, a second pair of flexible elements connected to the platform at an opposed side, the flexible elements including means for releasing a connection between the flexible elements and the platform, a first connecting bar and a second connecting bar, the first connecting bar 206q277 ~' being connected to the first pair of flexible elements and the second connecting bar being connected to the second pair of flexible elements, the rele:~sAble coupling means being arranged between the connecting bar and the platform.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for use in burial of a cremation urn comprising an urn support platform having a horizontal support surface dimensioned and arranged to support an urn placed thereupon, a frame including side frame pieces defining an opening therebetween, the platform being located within the opening therebetween, the platform being located within the opening, the side frame pieces being arranged for resting upon a ground surface at least partly surrounding a hole for burial of the urn, support means for supporting the platform from the frame for movement vertically relative to the frame from a first position in which the horizontal support surface is positioned at a height substantially aligned with the frame with the urn resting thereupon and projecting upwardly therefrom for viewing to a second position moved into the hole for burial and drive motor means actuable to drive said support means in said movement wherein the support means comprises four flexible support elements with two of the support elements arranged on one side of the platform and two of the support elements arranged on an opposed side of the platform, means for simultaneously winding the support elements and first and second guide bar means each arranged on a respective side of the platform such that two of the support elements engage over the first guide bar the other two of the support elements engage over the second guide bar, the guide bar being arranged adjacent an upper surface of the support frame; wherein the frame includes a first frame piece and a second frame piece parallel to and spaced therefrom such that the hole can be located between the first and second frame pieces, each of the ,~
.
frame pieces being substantially rectangular in cross section so as to define the horizontal lower surface for resting upon the ground surface, a horizontal top surface defining a top surface of the frame and two vertical sides, means interconnecting first and second frame pieces, said first and second guide bars extending across the opening from the first frame piece to the second frame piece at positions thereon spaced apart to define said opening therebetween and a first and second winding shaft each extending from the first frame piece to the second frame piece at a position thereon spaced outwardly from a respective one of the guide bars, the drive motor means being mounted within the first frame piece and including drive means for communicating drive form the drive motor means to each of the first and second shafts, the drive means extending along the interior of one of said first and second frame pieces.
Preferably the platform comprises simply a horizontal planar surface so that the horizontal surface constitutes the uppermost surface of the platform and preferably this surface is aligned with the top surface of the frame in the initial raised condition so that the device appears as a flat surface onto which the urn is placed. In order to achieve this the support arrangement includes guide bars and cables with the guide bars located at the top of the frame.
Preferably the platform is arranged so that it can be released when the platform reaches the bottom of the hole simply and automatically allowing the cable-lowering system to be retracted from the hole and hole filled with the device in place. In some types of service this is necess~sry since the service basically completes the burial of the urn during the service. In other cases there is imply a token burial by one or two small amounts of soil so that the platform can remain at the bottom of the hole while the token burial takes place and subsequently the complete burial can be completed out of the sight of the mourners.
- 206g2~
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
One embodiment of the invention will now be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Figure 1 is a top plan view of the apparatus according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view along lines 2-2 of Figure l;
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view through the platform section only when lowered to the base of the hole: and Figure 4 is a plan view of the platform at the base of the hole showing the disconnection of the hook and eye fastener allowing the platform to be discarded at the base of the hole.
In the drawings, like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
The cremation urn is generally indicated at 10 and is shown in Figures 2 and 3 but is omitted from Figures 1 and 4 for convenience of illustration. The apparatus is provided in order to bury the cremation urn within a hole 11 provided in the ground, the hole having a relatively small dimension of the order of 18 inches to 2 feet across simply to receive the urn as a token or symbolic burial.
~ 2069277 The apparatus for lowering the cremation urn 10 into the hole 11 is generally indicated at 12 and comprises an outer frame 13, a platform 14 and a support and lowering system 15.
The frame 13 comprises a front transverse rail 16, a rear transverse rail 17 parallel to the front rail 16, a first side rail 18 and a second side rail 19 parallel to the first side rail, the rails being arranged mutually at right angles to form a rectangular frame structure and the the rails defining an opening between the rails to be placed over the hole 11. Each of the rails is formed from a rectangular tubular member as best shown in Figure 2 defining a hollow interior, the tubular member being provided as a tube or being fabricated as required. The spacing between the front and rear rails is substantially equal to the width of the hole whereas the space in between the side rails is slightly greater so that the frame structure is rectangular and slightly elongate as shown in Figure 1.
The platform 14 simply comprises a flat board of wood or similar material which is manufactured sufficiently inexpensively that it can be abandoned in the hole if required with the urn 10. On top of the platform 14 is provided a fabric covering 20 for example of a green or brown felt-type material to provide an attractive appearance of the top of the _ ~ 2069277 platform. Each side of the platform carries a pair of eye bolts 21 which as best shown in Figure 4 comprise a loop attached to a shank 22 with the shank screw-fastened into a side edge of the platform 14 so that the loop 21 lies in a horizontal plane.
As shown in Figure 2 the frame 13 and the support and lowering mechanism 15 are covered by a fabric layer 23 which extends across the frame from a position contacting the ground around the frame to a position adjacent the platform 14.
The fabric covering 23 has a central rectangular or square opening through which the fabric 20 of the platform is exposed and through which the urn passes as it is lowered into the hole. The fabric 23 and the fabric 20 are preferably formed of the same material to provide the appearance of a flat surface covering the hole in the initial condition shown in Figure 2 and then for the central portion of that fabric to simply be lowered on top of the platform in a solemn and professional manner. The support and lowering mechanism 15 comprises a pair of shafts 24 and 25 each arranged adjacent a respective one of the side rails 18 and 19 and lying parallel thereto. The shafts 24 and 25 are mounted approximately halfway up the inside wall of the tubular members forming the front and rear rails 16, 17. The shafts are mounted on bearings 26 so they can freely rotate about the longitudinal axis of the shaft.
,_ 2069277 A guide bar 27, 28 is associated with each of the shafts 25 and 26 and is positioned spaced slightly inwardly from the respective shaft away from the respective side rail toward the platform. The guide bar 27, 28 comprises a plastics bar which is formed as a flat strap and is connected across from the front rail to the back rail in fixed position with the flat surface of the strap inclined downwardly and inwardly towards the opening of the hole. One side edge of the strap indicated at 27A is located in the plane of the top surface of the side rails which forms a common horizontal plane for the top of the frame. From that side edge 27A, the strap inclines downwardly and inwardly.
Each shaft carries a pair of cables 29 and 30 which is wrapped around the shaft so that it can be paid out and drawn in by rotation of the shaft about its axis in the bearings 26. The cables 29 and 30 are spaced apart from a center line of the platform so that the platform is balanced by all four of the cables, two connected to one side of the platform and two connected to the opposed side of the platform.
The cables are attached to the platform by a connecting bar 31 which extends along a respective side of the platform to a length just greater than the spacing between the cables. The bar 31 is formed from a circular rod of a plastics material with the cables attached to the rod along one side thereof.
_ ` 20~9277 From an opposed side extend a pair of hooks 32 shown in side elevation in Figures 2 and 3, the plane of the hook being vertical.
The shafts can be rotated about their respective axes by drive motors 35 and 35A receiving power from a battery source 36 and actuated by foot-operated switches 37 and 37A.
The motor 35 can be driven in forward direction by the switch 37 to pay out the cables by rotation of the shafts in the required direction. The motor 35A drives in the reverse direction under control of the switch 37A. Rotation of the shaft 24 is communicated to the shaft 25 by a chain or timing belt drive system 38 at the rear frame element 17.
In the position shown in Figures 1 and 2, the shafts have been rotated by the motor and drive system so that the cables are fully pulled in to a position in which they are tensioned. In this position as shown in Figure 2, the cable is taut so that it extends in a straight line from the top edge 27A of the guide bar to the connecting bar 31 with the hook 32 extending outwardly on the opposed side of the connecting bar in a similar straight line from the cable 30 into the eye 32.
This tensioning of the cable thus tends to lift the top surface of the platform into a horizontal plane which is common with or substantially common with the horizontal plane defined by the top surface of the frame structure. In this position therefore, the fabric and the platform are held in a horizontal condition over the frame providing an attractive professional appearance.
At the requisite point during the service, the person responsible actuates the switch 37 to drive the motor 35 in a direction to release the cables 29 and 30 so that the platform is lowered while maintaining a horizontal orientation by the common pay out of each of the cables 29 and 30 on both sides of the platform. The hook and eye are maintained in connection as the platform is lowered while the hook tends to twist from its initial position projecting toward the platform as shown in Figure 2 to a more vertical orientation as the depth of the platform increases.
When the platform reaches the lowest position so that it engages the surface 40 at the base of the hole 11, the platform is halted and the hook 32 thus tends to swivel by the weight of the connecting bar 31 and the weight of the hooks so that the hooks are suspended vertically downwardly on the cable 30. This acts to release the hooks from the horizontal eye 21 allowing the connecting bars 31 to swing outwardly away from the platform to fully release the platform at the base of the hole.
If required for the service that the urn be fully buried at this time, the person responsible can then actuate '- ` 2069277 the switch 37A to reverse the direction driven by the the motor 35A to pull the cables and the connecting bars back out of the hole and up to the guide bars 27 and 28. In this position the soil can be placed into the hole through the opening in the fabric 23 to substantially fully bury the urn at least to a position where it is no longer visible.
The apparatus therefore provides an arrangement for solemnly and professionally lowering the urn in a manner suitable for religious service while providing an appearance which can be rendered inconspicuous by the placement over the horizontal surface defined by the apparatus of a suitable covering fabric material.
Since various modifications can be made in my invention as hereinabove described, and many apparently widely different embodiments of same made within the spirit and scope of the claims without departing from such spirit and scope, it is intended that all matter contained in the accompanying specification shall be interpreted as illustrative only and not in a limiting sense.
Claims (7)
1. Apparatus for use in burial of a cremation urn comprising an urn support platform having a horizontal support surface dimensioned and arranged to support an urn placed thereupon, a frame including side frame pieces defining an opening therebetween the platform being located within the opening therebetween, the platform being located within the opening, the side frame pieces being arranged for resting upon a ground surface at least partly surrounding a hole for burial of the urn, support means for supporting the platform from the frame for movement vertically relative to the frame from a first position in which the horizontal support surface is positioned at a height substantially aligned with the frame with the urn resting thereupon and projecting upwardly therefrom for viewing to a second position moved into the hole for burial and drive motor means actuable to drive said support means in said movement, said support means comprising a first pair of flexible elements connected to the platform at one side, a second pair of flexible elements connected to the platform at an opposed side, the flexible elements including means for releasing a connection between the flexible elements and the platform, a first connecting bar and a second connecting bar, the first connecting bar being connected to the first pair of flexible elements and the second connecting bar being connected to the second pair of flexible elements, the releasable coupling means being arranged between the connecting bar and the platform.
2. The apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the platform is shaped so that the horizontal surface comprises a top surface thereof.
3. The apparatus according to Claim 2 wherein the frame pieces have a substantially horizontal top surface and wherein the support means is arranged so that the horizontal top surface of the platform is substantially directly aligned with the horizontal top surface of the frame pieces in said first position thereof.
4. The apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the releasing means is arranged to be operated by relative movement between the flexible elements and the platform when the platform reaches a bottom surface of the hole.
5. The apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the coupling means comprises a pair of hook members mounted on the connecting bars and a pair of cooperating eye bolts mounted on the platform.
6. Apparatus according to Claim 1 wherein the platform has transverse dimensions less than 24 inches.
7. Apparatus for use in burial of a cremation urn comprising an urn support platform having a horizontal support surface dimensioned and arranged to support an urn placed thereupon, a frame including side frame pieces defining an opening therebetween, the platform being located within the opening therebetween, the platform being located within the opening, the side frame pieces being arranged for resting upon a ground surface at least partly surrounding a hole for burial of the urn, support means for supporting the platform from the frame for movement vertically relative to the frame from a first position in which the horizontal support surface is positioned at a height substantially aligned with the frame with the urn resting thereupon and projecting upwardly therefrom for viewing to a second position moved into the hole for burial and drive motor means actuable to drive said support means in said movement wherein the support means comprises four flexible support elements with two of the support elements arranged on one side of the platform and two of the support elements arranged on an opposed side of the platform, means for simultaneously winding the support elements and first and second guide bar means each arranged on a respective side of the platform such that two of the support elements engage over the first guide bar the other two of the support elements engage over the second guide bar, the guide bar being arranged adjacent an upper surface of the support frame; wherein the frame includes a first frame piece and a second frame piece parallel to and spaced therefrom such that the hole can be located between the first and second frame pieces, each of the frame pieces being substantially rectangular in cross section so as to define the horizontal lower surface for resting upon the ground surface, a horizontal top surface defining a top surface of the frame and two vertical sides, means interconnecting first and second frame pieces, said first and second guide bars extending across the opening from the first frame piece to the second frame piece at positions thereon spaced apart to define said opening therebetween and a first and second winding shaft each extending from the first frame piece to the second frame piece at a position thereon spaced outwardly from a respective one of the guide bars, the drive motor means being mounted within the first frame piece and including drive means for communicating drive form the drive motor means to each of the first and second shafts, the drive means extending along the interior of one of said first and second frame pieces.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002069277A CA2069277C (en) | 1992-05-22 | 1992-05-22 | Cremation urn burial apparatus |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002069277A CA2069277C (en) | 1992-05-22 | 1992-05-22 | Cremation urn burial apparatus |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2069277A1 CA2069277A1 (en) | 1993-11-23 |
| CA2069277C true CA2069277C (en) | 1995-07-04 |
Family
ID=4149888
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002069277A Expired - Fee Related CA2069277C (en) | 1992-05-22 | 1992-05-22 | Cremation urn burial apparatus |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2069277C (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP2298265A1 (en) * | 2009-09-18 | 2011-03-23 | Urn-Care ApS | Urn lowering device |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CA2661108C (en) | 2008-04-18 | 2013-07-30 | Andre Courchesne | Apparatus for lowering a cinerary urn |
-
1992
- 1992-05-22 CA CA002069277A patent/CA2069277C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
Cited By (2)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP2298265A1 (en) * | 2009-09-18 | 2011-03-23 | Urn-Care ApS | Urn lowering device |
| WO2011032558A1 (en) * | 2009-09-18 | 2011-03-24 | Urn-Care Aps | Urn lowering device |
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2069277A1 (en) | 1993-11-23 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |