US2167091A

US2167091A - Burial vault

Info

Publication number: US2167091A
Application number: US191102A
Authority: US
Inventors: Simpson Robert
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1938-02-17
Filing date: 1938-02-17
Publication date: 1939-07-25
Anticipated expiration: 1956-07-25

Description

July 25, 1939.

R. SIMPSON BURIAL VAULT Filed Feb. 17, 1938 Patented July 25, 1939 UNITED yS'ITATES PATENT OFFICE 15 Claims.

The present invention.relatestotburial vault constructions. More particularly, the invention is directed to modifications of or improvements on vaults of the type shown and described in my 5 copending application Serial No. 137,337, filed April 16, 1937, now Patent No. 2,111,462.

It is an object of the invention to improve the construction of vaults of the fcregoing type, .particularly as regards the concrete, stone, or masonry parts thereof. It isla further object of the invention to provide means for preventingthe moisture which forms on the interior surface of theivaultfrom collecting therein. To this end, novel means are provided to-effect 15 drainage of such moisture, without permitting passage of air or gases to andfrom vthe inside and the outside of the vault.

It is a further object ofthe invention to provide a vault which `is characterized by great strength and ruggedness, so that the vault will not deteriorate in anyfmanner vthroughout the lapse of time.

In the accompanying drawing, two vforms of the invention are disclosed. It must' be undery25 stood that the vinvention lis not limited to the 30 In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal `sectional view of oneform of vault.

Figure 2 is a sectional lview on line 2-2 of Figure 1.

`35 Figure '3 is a vertical vlongitudinal sectional view of a second form of vault, and

Figure 4 is a transverse section on line 4-4 of Figure 3.

The vault preferably comprises a monolithic, concrete foundation slab Il) adapted to be positioned in the bottom of the grave. A slab of this kind is desirable because it increases the bearing surface in the ground and serves to distribute the weight of the vault over a large area. As a 45 result, settling of the vault in the ground and lateral tipping of the same is prevented. The foundation slab is provided around its .upper margin with a rabbeted portion comprising inclined surfaces II and I2. These surfaces support the lower edges of the base portion t3 which, in Figure 1,-cornprises a top wall-I4, end Walls I5, I6,.and side walls II, I8. The lower edges of the yside and end walls are downwardly and outwardly inclined, as indicated, and mate'withfthe downwardly and outwardly inclined surface I I of thefoundation slab.

The top wall i4 of the base serves as a casket supporting floor and its upper surface is inclined 60 downwardly and inwardly toward a central aperture I9, which `serves vas a drainage hole, as

box or hood. The lower edges of the side and end walls are preferably downwardly and outwardly inclined,-asshewn in the drawing, to rest upon and mate with'the Ainclined surfaces 2l! around the upper margin of the base.

A cover slab 28 may be positioned upon the top wall 23. This slab andfhea'd stone L29 `may be made from decorative materiaLsuch as marble, limestone, or the like.

Within the casket receptacle there is positioned an innercasing `3i! which is preferably similar to the inner casing'shown in the copending application referred to above. In the present case, however, the inner casing fhas its top Wall 3l and its side vand end walls`=32 and'33 spaced from the inner-faces of the adjacent walls of the casket receptacle. This spacing of the walls is advantageous, since it facilitatespositioning of the heavy concrete `outer casing over lthe inner casing after the latter has been putin place over the casket supported on the base i4.

The: lower edges 'ofthe inner casing are sunk in the grooves 22 `and sealed therein with an appropriate waterproof,asphaltic cement. The

-inner casing is preferably made of sheet copper formed therein a double reverse bend or goose neck :36, thereby-providing a trap to prevent the lpassage of air and gases betweenthe casket receptacle and the hollow, downwardly opening space in the base. The lower end of the pipe- 35 is positioned adjacent the'foundation slab Ill.

It 'will be appreciated from the above that an extremely rugged and efficient vault is provided Vbythe construction shownin Figures l and 2. Means ware..provide'd for draining'the moisture Azo which collects on the inner faces of the casket receptacle. The moisture which may be present inside of the inner casing will drain downwardly through the pipe 35 to the space in the hollowA Vthe foregoing primarily in that the base and the side and end walls of the casket receptacle are integral. The base I4', as in the previous case, forms the iioor of the casket receptacle. Around its margins, it is provided with downwardly projecting flanges forming end walls l5', I6 and side walls l1', I8'. The joint between the lower edges of these walls and the foundation slab l!) is the same as previously described.

Around the marginsl of the floor I4', there are formed upwardly projecting flanges providing side walls 24', 25' and end walls 26', 21' of a casket receiving receptacle. The upper end of the casket receptacle is closed by a cover slab 23', having a rabbeted joint connection 4i! with the side walls. This jointl may be dry, or it may be sealed substantially in the manner shown in my aforesaid copending application.

The inner casing 30' in the second form is the same as that shown in Figure l, with the` exception that a plurality of openings or notches 4I are provided along the lower edgeof the side and end walls to permit moisture which may collect on the inner faces of the walls 2421' to flow inwardly to the opening I9'. From this point, the moisture drains in the manner previously described.

Preferably the foundation slab, the base, and the walls of the casket receptacle, in both forms of the invention, are made of reinforced, cast concrete. The reinforcing means may be the conventional steel reinforcing elements used in similar concrete structures.

The parts are made by pouring the concrete into appropriately shaped molds, in the usual manner.

As a result of the novel features of the present invention, an improved burial vault4 of the surfaceftype is pr-ovided. The parts are sufficiently heavy to withstand the deteriorating effects of time, and as a result, the contents of the casket will be preserved indefinitely.

As stated above, all modifications coming within the scope of the appended claims or their equivalents, are within the invention.

I claim:

1. A burial vault construction comprising, in combination, a foundation slab, a base comprising a top wall and side and end walls supported along thel margins of said slab and providing a hollow, downwardly opening chamber above said slab, a casket receiving chamber above the top wall of the base comprised of side and end walls aligned with the corresponding walls of the base and projecting upwardly therefrom and a top wall supported thereby, and a preformed, unitary sheet metal inner casing within said chamber comprising a top wall and side and end walls hermetically sealed along their meeting joints and having an open bottom.

2. A burial vault construction comprising, in combination, a foundation slab, a base comprising a top wall and side and end Walls supported along the margins of said slab and providing a hollow, downwardly opening chamber above said slab, a casket receiving chamber above the base, the top wall of the base forming the bottom wall of the chamber, said chamber being further comprised of side and end walls aligned with the corresponding walls of the base and projecting upwardly therefrom and a top wall supported thereby, and a preformed, unitary sheet metal inner casing supported on the bottom wall of said chamber and comprising a top wall and side and end walls hermetically sealed along their meeting joints and having an open bottom, said open bottom being effective to permit the casing to be lowered upon the bottom wall of the chamber to enclose a casket supported thereon prior to the closing of the chamber.

3. A burial vault construction comprising, in combination, a foundation slab having a rabbeted edge around the margins of its upper surface, a base portion comprising a top wall and Y side and end walls supported along said rabbeted edge and providing a hollow, downwardly opening chamber, a casket receiving receptacle portion above said base portion having its bottom surface formed by the top wall of said base portion and comprising side and ends by walls projecting upwardly from and aligned with the corresponding walls of the base portion and a top wall carried thereby, and drainage means leading from the interior of said casket receiving receptacle to the hollow space in said base, whereby fluid may pass from the former to the latter and drain therefrom over said rabbeted edge of the foundation slab.

4. A burial vault construction comprising, in

combination, a foundation slab, a unitary base supported thereon and comprising side, end and top walls providing a hollow, downwardly opening space, a casket receptacle above the base comprising unitary side and end walls extending upwardly from the corresponding walls of said base and a top wall carried thereby, and an inner sheet metal casing in said receptacle comprising a unitary, preformed structure including side, end and top walls hermetically sealed along their meeting edges and having an open bottom.

5. A burial vault comprising a foundation slab, a base supported along the edges thereof and comprising unitary side, end and top walls providing a hollow interior space having an open bottom closed by said slab, and a casket receptacle above said base, the bottom, casket supporting surface of said receptacle being formed by the top wall of said base, said receptacle further comprising unitary side and end walls, a top wall carried thereby, and a sheet metal inner casing supported kon said bottom surface, said casing being preformed and comprising sheet metal top and side walls hermetically sealed along their meeting joints and having an open bottom, said open bottom being effective to permit the casing to be lowered upon said surface to enclose a casket supported thereon prior to the closing of the receptacle.

6. A burial vault comprising a unitary base having side, end and top walls providing a hollow, downwardly opening interior space, the lower ends of said walls being adapted to be supported substantially at the bottom of a grave, and a casket receptacle above said base, the casket supporting surface of said receptacle being formed by the top wall of said base, said receptacle further comprising unitary side and end walls, a top wall carried thereby, and a drain pipe eX- tending through the casket supporting surface to a point adjacent the bottom of the base.

7. A burial vault comprising a unitary base having side, end and top walls providing a hollow, downwardly opening interior space, the lower ends of said walls being adapted to be supported substantially at the bottom of a grave, and a casket receptacle above said base, the casket supporting surface of said receptacle being formed by the top wall of said base, said receptacle further comprising unitary side and end walls, a top wall carried thereby, and drainage means for the casket receptacle, comprising a pipe extending through said casket supporting surface downwardly to a point adjacent the bottom of the base, said pipe havingr a goose-neck bend therein providing an air seal.

8. A burial vault comprising a base having unitary side, end and top walls providing a hollow downwardly opening interior space and a casket receptacle above said base, the casket supporting surface of said receptacle being formed by the top wall of said base, said receptacle further comprising unitary side and end walls, a top wail carried thereby, a preformed sheet metal inner casing supported on said bottom surface comprising sheet metal top and side walls hermetically sealed along their meeting joints and having an open bottom, said open bottom being effective to permit the casing to be lowered upon said supporting surface to enclose a casket supported thereon prior to the closing of the receptacle, and drainage means for the space enclosed within said inner casing, said means comprising a pipe extending through said supporting surface to a point at the bottom of said base.

9. A burial vault comprising a base having an upper, substantially horizontal casket supporting surface, and downwardly extending side and end walls integral therewith providing a lower, downwardly opening hollow space, means for supporting said base in a grave, and a casket enclosing receptacle supported on said base, said receptacle comprising integral, top, side and end walls and an open bottoni, said bottom being closed by the top wall of said, base.

if). A burial vault comprising a base having an upper, substantially horizontal casket supporting surface, and downwardly extending side and end walls integral therewith and adapted to be supported adjacent the bottom of a grave and providing a lower, downwardly opening hollow space, a casket enclosing receptacle supported on said base, said receptacle comprising integral top, side and end walls and an open bottom, said bottom being closed by the top wall of said base, and a sheet metal inner casing supported on said casket supporting surface, said casing being preformed and comprising sheet metal top and side walls hermetically sealed along their meeting joints and having an open bottom, said open bottom being effective to permit the casing to be lowered upon said casket supporting surface to enclose a casket thereon, pior to the closing of the receptacle.

l1. A vault construction comprising a base and a casket enclosing receptacle, said base comprising a supporting fioor and side and end walls integral therewith and projecting downwardly therefrom, the upper outer margins of the base being provided with downwardly and outwardly inclined surfaces, said receptacle comprising a top wall and downwardly projecting side and end walls integral therewith, the lower edges of said downwardly projecting walls being provided with downwardly and outwardly inclined surfaces mating with the surfaces on said base, whereby moisture may drain downwardly and outwardly through the joint between the inclined surfaces.

12. A vault construction comprising a substantially horizontal casket supporting floor, downwardly projecting supporting flanges extending around the margins of said oor and supported substantially at the bottom of a grave, a casket enclosing hood comprising a top wall and integral downwardly projecting side and end walls adapted to be supported along their lower edges around the margins of said iioor, and moisture drainage means comprising a pipe positioned substantially centrally with respect to said floor and extending therethrough, said pipe having a gooseneck bend therein pr-oviding a liquid seal to prevent the passage of air and gas through said drainage means.

13. A vault construction comprising a unitary, cast concrete foundation slab adapted to be placed inthe bottom of a grave, a substantially horizontal casket supporting floor spaced upwardly from said slab, downwardly projecting supporting flanges extending around the margins of said floor and supported at their lower ends on the margins of said slab, a casket enclosing hood comprising a top wall and integral downwardly projecting side and end walls adapted to be supported along their lower edges around the margins of said floor, and moisture drainage means comprising a pipe positioned substantially centrally with respect to said floor and extending therethrough and terminating adjacent the upper surface of said foundation slab, said pipe having a gooseneck bend therein providing a liquid seal to prevent the passage of air and gas through said drainage means.

lll. A vault construction comprising, in combination, a foundation slab, a substantially horizontal casket supporting floor, and upwardly and downwardly projecting marginal flanges formed integrally with said door, the downwardly projecting flanges being supported upon said slab and dening'a hollow space below said floor, the upwardly projecting flanges dening a casket receiving chamber, a cover slab for said chamber, and a preformed inner casing comprising sheet metal top and side walls hermetically sealed along their meeting joints and having an open bottom, said open bottom being effective to permit the casing to be lowered upon said :door to enclose a casket supported thereon prior to the closing of said chamber.

l5. A vault construction comprising, in combination, a foundation slab, a substantially hori- Zontal casket supporting door, and upwardly and downwardly projecting marginal flanges formed integrally with said floor, the downwardly projecting flanges being supported upon said slab and dening a hollow space below said floor, the upwardly projecting flanges defining a casket receiving chamber, a cover slab for said chamber, a preformed inner casing comprising sheet metal top and side walls hermetically sealed along their meeting joints and having an open bottom, said open bottom being effective to permit 'the casing to be lowered upon said oor to enclose a casket supported thereon prior to the closing of said chamber, and drainage means comprising a pipe extending through said floor from a point within said inner casing to a point adjacent said foundation slab.

ROBERT SIMPSON.