US177234A

US177234A - Improvement in coffins

Info

Publication number: US177234A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1876-05-09
Anticipated expiration: 1893-05-09

Description

J. GILBERT.

'COFFIN.

Patented. May 9; 1876.

N- PETERS, FHOTO'LITHOGRAPH 'vice.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

JOHN GILBERT, OF YPSILANTI, MICHIGAN.

IMPROVEMENT IN C OFFINS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 177,234, dated May 9, 1876; application filed January 28, 187 6. a

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1,, JOHN GILBERT, of Ypsilanti, in the county of Washtenaw, and State of Michigan, have invented an Improvementin Ooffins, of which the following is a specification:

My invention has for its object to so construct a metallic coffin that when a corpse is placed therein, and the lid is closed down, the coifin cannot be again opened; and to this end it consists in providing the coffi-lid with internal self acting fasteninghooks, which will lock the lid to the coffin when placed in position thereon.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a portion of acoffin and lid, showing them locked together by my automatic hooks. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig.- 3 is a bottom perspective View of a portion of 'the lid, showing the hooks held back preparatory to closing the coffin. Fig. 4 is a perspective view, showing a modification of the fastening de- Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the same.

In the drawing, A represents a portion of a coffin or burial-casket, and B a portion of its lid, both of which should be made of plateiron of such thickness and strength as to resist breakage or cutting by tools ordinarily used by grave-robbers. G is a metal bar secured to the inner walls of the coffin, either continuously or in sections, provided at intervals with slots, the front end of each of which forms a lug, a, with which may engage a hook, D, pivoted between lugs 12 at the side of the lid. Behind each hook there is a leaf-spring,

a, so arranged as to throw down the hook, and after the hook is engaged with its lug, the end of said spring being presented to the back of said hook, serves as a stop to prevent the disengaging of the hook from its lug. To prevent the lid from being locked to the coffin before the time has come for permanently closing the coffin the hooks may be held back by transverse rods d, Fig. 3, to be withdrawn when it is desired to lock the lid in position, or by means of screws, pins, or other equivalent devices.

In Figs. 4 and 5 is shown a modification of the fastening devices, consisting of pendent spring-hasps E, riveted or otherwise secured to the lid, each hasp having a slot, 6, which engages with a wedge-block, f, riveted to the walls of the coffin when the lid is placed in position. The hasp, in its descent, is guided fairly to the block by guide-flanges, 9, one at each side of the block.

What I claim as my invention is 1. The combination, with the spring-hooks D, of the rods d, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

2. The combination, with the coffin A, having lugs secured to the sides of the same, of'

the cover B, having pendent spring-catches engaging with the said lugs, substantially as described and shown.

JOHN GILBERT. Witnesses: I

H. F. EBERTS, H. S. SPRAGUE.