US240372A - Outside case for coffins - Google Patents

Description

no Model.)

0. G. BOWER. Outside Case for Coffins.

No. 240,372. Patented April 19,1881,

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STATES a'rnnr OUTSIDE CASE FUR COFFINS.

SPECIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 240,372, dated April 19, 1881.

' Application filed January 4, 1881. (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. BOWER, of the city of Reading, county of Berks, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Construction of Outside Cases for Goffins, of which the following is a specification.

This improvement has more particular reference to use in wet or marshy ground and where the corpse is temporarily buried for future removal.

The accompanying drawings represent my improvement.

Similar letters designate similar parts.

Figure l is a perspective elevation Fig. 2, a sect-ion at :r m,- Fig. 3, elevation of a bolt with a ring-nut; Fig. 4:, plan of the lid.

A represents the body of the case, made in the usual form of the wooden case. B is the lid. 0 Q are bolts having their heads embedded in the sides of the case. (I d are bolts similarly secured in the lid.

It has long been a desideratum to have acoffin-case that would be impervious to both moisture and air, and many attempts have been made to meet the want, thus far unsuccess' fullythat is, commercially. Cases have been constructed of iron, glass, cement, papiermach, terra-cotta, india-rubber, and bitumen, all more or less fulfilling the requirements as far as the preservation of the coftin and body was concerned 5 but where the material was cheap, the weight (caused by the thickness necessary for strength to permit handling) was excessive, and where the weight was not objectionable the cost of the materials was a bar to its general introduction. I

I claim to have discovered an available are dium-constructing with my improved compound a light yet strong case, and one which can be manufactured at a moderate advance upon the price of wooden cases of good construction.

The advantages of a water-proof and indestructible case are manifold. It saves walling up of the grave, can at any time be removed without any offensive'odors arising therefrom, can be shipped to any point as readily as is now done with the wooden case, and yet can sealed. As the case is hermetically sealed the coffin cannot rot or corrode, and can at any time be removed from the case by means hereinafter described.

The body of my coffin-case compound is composed, principally, of pure refined Trinidad asphaltum, which is placed in a pan of proper size over a furnace and melted. While in the melted state I add (thoroughly stirring to incorporate the mass) hydraulic cement until it is of such consistency as will flow freely from the pan or the ladles provided for the purpose into the molds. The molds must be oiled previous to their use, or the material in cooling will adhere to the same. When more hardness is desired a portion of clean, sharp sand may be added. Care must be taken to keep the material of an even temperature up to the [110- ment of pouring, and it will be found to be economical to heat the cement and sand previous to their mixing with the asphaltum. This may be done by covering the flue leading from the mixing-pan with iron plates and placin g the cement and sand thereon, warming the same by the waste heat from the asphaltumfurnace.

I do not confine myself to the use of the material as compounded for coffin-cases alone, but shall adapt it for use wherever an impervious and air-tight receptacle may be required.

To insure a tight joint between the case and its lid I suspend in the mold as many bolts as may be considered necessary, with their heads from three to six inches below the joint-line. \Vhen the molds are filled the material surrounds the bolts and heads, and thus prevents their withdrawal. The lid is, of course, cast with holes corresponding with the bolts in the case, and has in addition one or more bolts ing the usual slings through the rings. The

case is lowered in the grave, and the ring-nuts removed after the coffin is in place. Ring-nuts are threaded upon the bolts provided for that purpose, and the lidis left down upon the case over the bolts therein, and the ordinary screwnuts are then screwed down upon the lid, (an elastic packing of rubber or equivalent material having been placed in the joint.) After the nuts are all secured, to give additional security to the case, a small quantity of the compound is heated and poured over the nuts, smoothing it down with a spatula. This prevents the corrosion of the bolt and nut,whioh would occur if left unprotected above the lid of the case, and the smoothing down of the material placed above them facilitates the removal of the earth from the case, the shovel passing freely over the same. I find a thickness of about one inch for the bottom, sides, and ends is sufficient, giving ample strength for the above use, and that a thickness of from one and one-half to two inches, dependent upon the arch given, is sufficient thickness for the lid.

To open the case at any time after closing or exhuming, heat an iron red-hot and place it on the material immediately over the nuts.

This will melt the compound, and, having a Wrench ready, as soon as the nut is laid bare, and While still warm, unscrew it. This done to all the nuts, the lid can be removed, and the operation of sealing and unsealing can be repeated as often as desired.

Having described my case and compound and mode of manufacture, I claim as follows, to wit:

1'. A coffin case or receptacle, A, having a lid, B, secured to and combined with the case A by nuts threaded upon the bolts 0, which have their heads concealed or cast Within the thickness of the sides of the case A, substantially as shown, and for the purpose described.

2. The combination of the bolts 0 with the sides of the case A,and of the bolts 01 with the lid B of the same, in the manner set forth and substantially as and for the purpose specified.

CHARLES C. BOWER.

Witnesses JAMES R. KENNEY, WAYNE HAYMAN.

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