US1965385A - Burial casket - Google Patents

Description

July 3, 1934.I 0E. v. LUDWIG 'BURIAL GASKET Filed Sept. .30. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet l y gwuembz 33nd,@ @Mme/1g l July 3, 1934. E. v. LUDWIG 1,965,385

BURIAL GASKET Filed Sept. 30. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 E. V. LUDWIG July 3, l1934.

BURIAL GASKET Filed Sept. 50. 1931 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 mimnl Juy 3, 1934.

E. v. LUDWIG BURIAL GASKET 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Sept. 50, 1931 Snom/woz fa/V man@ di auf @2x3 @Mime/1j Patented July 3, 1.934

. UNITED STATES BURIAL GASKET Edgar Valentine Ludwig, Buffalo, N. Y., assigner to American Radiator Company, New York, N. Y.,fa corporation of New Jersey Application September, 1931, Serial No. 566,010l

l Claims.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in burial caskets, and more particu larly of that type constructed of metal.

The primary object of my invention is to provide an improved casket receptacle which shall be cast as an integral body from a suitable metal or alloy, and thus be free from joints or seams.

A further object is to provide an improved casket rceptacle having a comparatively thin l0" wall thickness or metal line so as to produce a receptacle which will be of a practicable weight but which at the same time will have suiicent strength to withstand handling and transportation.

A further object is to provide a cast metal casket comprising a one-piece receptacle, and a cover or closure with a novel sealing joint between the same, which when closed will effectually seal the receptacle against the ingress of moisture or other objectionable elements.

A further object is to provide a novel handle construction embodying means for securing the same to the casket receptacle in such manner that the metal wall will be relieved of deleterious 25.- effects of strain when the casket is lifted, and which will be closed against ingress of moisture and other deleterious elements.

The invention consists in the improved construction. and combination of parts, to be more fully described hereinafter, and the novelty of which will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

I have fully and clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this speciiication, a preferred embodiment of my invention,

and in which- Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the embodiment shown 4Gv in Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the one-piece receptacle with the cover removed, certain parts being shown. in: dotted lines;

Fig. 4- is a view, partly in side elevation and partly rin longitudinal central section, taken on the line 4--4 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section View on the line 5-5'of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view on the line 6 6 of- Fig. l and showing my improved joint construction for connectingl and sealing the receptacle and lid toeach other;

Fig. '7 is a front elevation of a handle plate forming a part of my invention;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view of the handle plate shown in Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a view in end elevation ofV the plate shown in Figs. 7= and 8, with parts broken away and partly in section, but showing the handle levers assembled thereon and a portion of thef side wall` of the receptacle in section, and

Fig. l0 is a view similar to Fig. 9 showing a modiiied form of the bracing and strain resisting webs and the handle construction.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, l designates generally a one-piece, cast metal receptacle of dimensions suitable for the purposes for which the same is intended. This receptacle in its preferred form comprises a bottom wall 2 and an upstanding, surrounding, enclosing wall, preferably including substantially vertical end walls 3, 3 and vertical side walls 4, 4, the end and side walls being at substantial right angles to each other, but the points of connection at the corners being preferably rounded, as indicated in Fig. 3. The bottom wall at its surrounding edge portions is carried upward around its ends and along its longitudinal edges to form a surrounding groove 5, which is inset a short distance from the extreme edge of said Wall, and the extreme edge of the bottom wall is connected to the side and end walls by an outwardly curved portion 6. The groove 5 and the extreme marginal portion of the bottom wall, together with the curved-portion 6 constitutes a convenient hand hold by which the receptacler may be lifted, if desired, it being noted that the marginal portion of the bottom wall vis located in a plane above the main portion of the bottom wall so that the receptacle may be conveniently grasped when the bottom wall rests on a flat surface.

At the upper portion of the side and end walls and cast integral therewith, is an outwardly directed, curved portion 'l extending preferably entirely around the periphery of the receptacle, and at the upper portion of said curved portion 7 isan inwardly directed flange 8 which is also cast integral with the body ofthe receptacle. This flange extends inward a distance such that the inner edge of the flange projects inwardly beyond the inner faces of the end and side walls, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. rIv'he upper face of the liangev 8 is preferably flat, as indicated at 9, to form a contact sealing surface in connection with my improved cover o1' lid joint, which will be described hereinafter.

On the inner faces of the side walls at suit able points thereon, are inwardly projecting, hollow bosses 10, which are preferably circular in cross-section to facilitate casting, each of these bosses,-at its inner end, being closed by a metal wall l1, and the interiors thereof opening outward through the enclosing wall of the receptacle, and being internally threaded, as at 10a, for a purpose to be presently described.

In order to brace and stifen the side walls of the receptacle, said walls are formed on their inner surfaces with inwardly directed, vertical ribs or webs 12, said webs being cast integral with the side wall and preferably integral with the bosses 10, heretofore described, so as to brace the latter and the adjacent parts of the wall, as will be pointed out hereinafter. These ribs or webs 12 preferably extend from a point adjacent the lower edge of the side wall to a4 point adjacent the upper horizontal edge thereof.

The inwardly, overhanging flange 8 is braced. by vertical webs 13 cast integral with theunderface thereof and with the outwardly curved portion 7, these webs preferably alining with or forming continuations of the webs heretofore described, although it will be understood that they may be located wherever desired respecting said flange.

The receptacle and the parts thereof so far described, are east froma suitablemetalV or.' alloy of suitable metals in a one-piece, integral structure, so as to be devoid of seams or joints likely to permit leakage of moisture into the receptacle. The bottom and side Walls, together with the. other parts so far described, are preferably cast of a thickness approximating` gig of an inch, so as to reduce the weight to a minimum, but it will be understood that the dimension given is merely by way of example, and that I do not limit myself thereto.

At their lower portions each of the webs 12 is provided with an inwardly projecting boss 14 cast integral with the web, and which may be tapped with screw threads to receive a screw for the purpose of holding in place trimming supporting means, preferably a strip 15 of wood, to which the interior cloth trimming (not shown) of the receptacle may be attached, and the ribs or webs 13 are each formed with a recess 16 to receive a similar strip 17 for securing trimming along the upper surrounding edge of the receptacle, said webs 13 each having a tapped boss 13 at the base of the recesses, the strip 17 being secured in place by a screw 13b threaded into the boss.

I will now describe the novel handle construction and securing means therefor constituting my invention: 18 designates a handle plate or escutcheon provided on its rear face with a surrounding flange 19 adapted to abut the outer face of the side wall of the casket, so thatl the plate is formed with a recess 20 between the main portion thereof and the receptacle wall, and formed integral with the rear face of the plate are inwardly directed, spaced bosses 21 which are horizontally spaced a distance substantially equal to the horizontal distance between the bosses 10, said bosses 21 on the handle plate beinginternally bored to aline with the threaded sockets in the bosses l0 and being adapted to receive headed fastening screws 22 which project through the same and into the bosses 10, whereby the handle plate will be securely clamped againsty the side wall of the casket receptacle. It will be noted that by this arrangement the handle plate is held in place by a joint or fastening which precludes any leakage into the receptacle at the point where the handle plate is secured.

The outer face of the handle plate isy formed with pairs of spaced ears or lugs 23, and between each pair is located a handle lever 24 pivotally connected to the ears by a cross-pin 25. The lower ends of the levers are provided with alining openings 26 to receive a handle or lifting bar 27, and the upper end of each lever adjacent the pivot pin is provided with a stop-lug 28, which when the handle bar is lifted and the levers are swung upwardly on their pivots, will eventually contact a stop-face or pad 29 on the base ofthe handle plate to provide for a rigid handle connection when the casket is being lifted by the handles. It will be noted that the bosses 10 are braced and stiffened by the webs 12 so that said bosses and adjacent parts of the side walls of the receptacle are reinforced against strains exerted on the bosses when the receptacle is lifted by the handles. This arrangement is of advantage. because the comparatively thin side wall is prevented effectually from cracking or breaking, and may be made of less thickness. than might be practicable if such reinforcement were not used.

30 designates the cover or lid for the receptacle, which is also preferably, although not necessarily, made of cast metal. In its preferred form this cover is dome-shaped, both transversely and longitudinally, the lower edges of said domed portion terminating and merging in a substantially horizontal, surrounding portion in the form of a flange 31, which when the lid is in place on the receptacle lies in a plane over and substantially parallel to the upper face 9 of the receptacle flange 8, as shown in Fig. 6 of the drawings. The outer edge of the flange portion 3l merges into a downwardly directed surrounding flange 32 of such dimension as to extend laterally beyond and at its edge project below the upper edge of the receptacle side wall. On its inner face and preferably at the point where the lower edge of the dome portion merges with flange 31, the cover is provided with a downwardly projecting bead or rib 32a, preferably extending entirely around the cover, thus forming an angular recess 33 between the outer face of said rib and the underface of the flange 31. In the recess 33 is secured a compressible packing, preferably a ductile metal tube 34, such as soft lead, this tube being of such circumference that when seated in the recess and secured therein the lower portion of the tube will project below the lower end of the rib 32a and rest upon the sealing face 9 on the flange 8. The tube 34 may be held in place in any suitable way, but I prefer to cement it to the cover, as indicated at 35, for example by the form of cement commonly known in the founding art as iron cement. When the lid is assembled on the casket receptacle, the sealing tube 34 contacts the surface 9 and supports the flange 31 on the lid spaced a distance from the surface 9. The lid is then secured in place by headed clamping bolts 36 let through apertures 37' in the flange 31 and threaded into bosses 38 located beneath the receptacle flange 1 8 and cast integral therewith, said bolts when screwed into place moving the cover flange toward the receptacle flange and compressing the sealing member against the surface 9. When the bolts 36j are screwed tightly into place, the sealing tube will be flexed or compressed so that its entire lower portion will contact and conform to the flat, upper surface 9 of the flange 3 and thus provide an efficient, moisture-tight seal which will b e substantially permanent between the cover and the receptacle. It will be noted that the apertures 37 and the bosses 33 are located laterally of the receptacle outside of the seal formed by the member 34, so that there is no danger of leakage past the bolts 36 into the receptacle.

In the modification shown in Fig. 10, the vertical bracing and strengthening webs l2a corresponding to the webs 12 heretofore described, are shown as extending from the bottom wall of the receptacle across the entire side wall, and the ends of the webs are respectively cast integral with the underface of the fiange 8 and with the upper face of the bottom wall, the longitudinal portion of the web being cast integral with the side wall, including the curved portions 6 and '7. In this form the webs are shown each having cast integral therewith an inwardly projecting boss 10b corresponding to the boss 10 heretofore described, this boss having an internally threaded socket 10c opening outwardly through the side wall. Above each of the bosses 10b and cast integral with the web, is a boss 10d having a socket 10e opening outwardly through the side wall. In this form the handle plate is formed with spacing bosses 21ab corresponding to the bosses 21 heretofore described, and bored to receive fastening screws 22a to be threaded into the boss 10b, and integral with the rear face of the handle plate and above the bosses 21a are pins 39 adapted to project into sockets 10. By the arrangement just described, the pins 39 and bosses ld serve to distribute the lifting strain of the handles on the side wall and relieve the screws 22a of a portion of the strain.

It will be seen that in both forms of handle construction, as shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the bosses 21, 21a respectively are so located on the pad or plate 18 as to be behind the Vspace between the ears 23, so that the heads of the screws 22, 22a are located behind the handle levers 24 and concealed thereby from view in all normal positions of operation of said levers. In assembling the handle, the plate is first secured in place by the screws, and the levers 24 are then placed between the ears and secured by the insertion of the pivot pins 25 through the ears and levers. In both forms, the plate 18 is relieved or recessed, as at 40, beneath the handle levers, so that the levers will enter said recesses, and thus permit the handle bar 2'7 when in lowered position to hang close to the receptacle and thereby reduce the transverse overall dimension of the receptacle and handles to a minimum.

The surface of the receptacle and the cover may be covered or coated with any suitable protective or decorative covering, such, for example, as a coating of enamel, such as vitreous enamel, applied by any of the well known methods.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A burial casket comprising a cast metal receptacle formed as a unitary structure and in cluding a bottom wall and an upstanding surrounding enclosing wall, said enclosing wall hav ing at its upper edge portion an inwardly direct-I ed flange integral therewith, said flange being coextensive with said edge portion and having a flat upper surface throughout its length, a cover for the receptacle having a surrounding portion overlying said surface, a continuous sealing member of compressible ductile metal carried by said surrounding portion and projecting beneath the lower face of the same to contact with said surface; and means for securing the cover to the flange and operable to compress the sealing member between said portion and said at upper surface.

2. A burial casket comprising a cast metal receptacle formed as a unitary structure and including a bottom wall and an upstanding surrounding enclosing wall, said enclosing wall having at its upper' edge portion an inwardly directed ange integral therewith, said flange being coextensive with said edge portion and having a flat upper surface throughout its length, a cover for the receptacle having a surrounding portion overlying said surface, a continuous compressible sealing member consisting of a ductile metal tube carried by said surrounding portion and projecting beneath the lower face of the same to contact said flat upper surface, and means for securing the cover to the flange and operable to compress the sealing member between said cover portion and said flat upper surface.

3. A burial casket comprising a cast metal receptacle formed as a unitary structure and including a bottom wall and an upstanding surrounding enclosing wall, said enclosing wall having at its upper edge portion an inwardly directed flange integral therewith, said flange being coextensive with said edge portion and having a flat upper surface throughout its length, a cover for the receptacle having a surrounding flange overlying said surface and having a continuous bead extending downwardly from the underface of said surrounding flange, a continuous compressible sealing member of ductile metal seated against said bead and the underface of said surrounding flange and projecting beneath the lower face of said bead to contact with said at upper surface, and means for securing the cover to the first-named flange and operable to compress the sealing member between said surrounding ange and said fiat upper surface.

4. A burial casket comprising a cast metal receptacle formed as a unitary structure and including a bottom wall and a surrounding enclosing wall, said enclosing wall having at its upper edge portion an inwardly directed ange integral therewith, and stiifening webs integral with the underface of the flange and the inner face of the enclosing wall.

5. A burial casket comprising a cast metal receptacle formed as a unitary structure and including a bottom wall and a surrounding enclosing wall, said enclosing wall having at its upper 120. edge an outwardly directed portion and an inwardly directed iiange integral with the outwardly directed portion, and stiifening webs integral with the underface of said flange and the inner face of the said outwardly directed portion of the side wall.

6. A burial casket comprising a cast metal receptacle formed as a unitary structure and including a bottom wall and a surrounding enclosing wall, said enclosing wall having vertically disposed stiffening webs integral therewith and projecting from the inner face thereof, and bosses integral with said webs and adaptedto receive fastening means for securing interior trimming to said enclosing wall.

'7. A burial casket comprising a cast metal receptacle formed as a unitary structure and including a bottom wall and a surrounding enclosing wall, said enclosing wall having at its upper edge portion an inwardly directed flange cast integral therewith, said flange being coeXtensive with said edge portion, stiffening webs integral with said ange and said side walls and bracing said ange, and stiffening webs integral with the inner face of said enclosing wall.

EDGAR VALENTINE LUDWIG.

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