US2537812A

US2537812A - Burial vault cover receiving and handling apparatus

Info

Publication number: US2537812A
Application number: US687938A
Authority: US
Inventors: Boehme Walter
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1946-08-02
Filing date: 1946-08-02
Publication date: 1951-01-09
Anticipated expiration: 1968-01-09

Description

Jan. 9, 1951 w. BOEHME 2,537,812

BURIAL V-AULT COVER RECEIVING AND HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 2, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet l W. BOEH ME Jan. 9, 1951 BURIAL VAULT COVER RECEIVING AND HANDLING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 2, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 w. BO'EHME Jan. 9, 1951 BURIAL VAULT COVER RECEIVING AND HANDLING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 2, 1946 Jgffar/Ieys Patented Jan. 9, 1951 UNITED? STAT Es.. PATE-Nr OFFICE BURIAL -VAULT COVER, RECEIVING AND-I HANDLING APPARATUS.

Walter-Boehme, ForestParli; IIlI Application August 2, 19116,'v SerialNo. 687,938.-

Concrete An object of the present invention is to provide.

a novel but relatively simple andinexpensive' apparatus for handlingv concrete burial vaults.- in cemeteries, and' in and adjacent toa' grave open'- ing, therein, in such amanner that the complete burialvault, as well as the box-like base andthe cover thereof; may be readily handled by a crew of only two men and without necessitating any heavy'lifting by the workmen so that danger to the workmenv is thus eliminated.

An additional object of the invention is tn con-l structthe new burial vault handling apparatus in such a manner that'. it may readily bev assembled and disassembled" adjacent a grave openingso as to enable thecover.V andthe box-likeV base ofthe vault to be handled in the. manner described hereinafter.`

AnV additionaliobjectof the invention kis to" construct the newburi'al vault handling. apparatus.

in such a. manner that the cover of`a concrete burial service by the" same grass mat employed to cover the' saidl` mound of earth removedfroni the grave. opening, and so that after the burial.'

service the new burial vaultv handling apparatus maybe reassembled and the burialvault. cover then' lowered into the grave opening upon the contemplated' applying, these principles. .Other embodiments of theA invention embodying the; same orequivalent' principles may. be used"v andi structural changes may ber made. as desired*v by, those skilled in the artA withoutA departing, from. thev present invention and.' the. purview ofthe appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is. a. side. elevationalview illustratinga. preferred form of` the new buriall vault handling, apparatus. assembled at. a. grave opening and slfiowing the box-like base, andi the cover of the.

burialvaul'tj assembledover a grave. opening. prior t'o removalAA of the cover' fromtheboX-like base of box-like base of the burial vault disposed therein..

A. further object ofthe invention is to con.- struct the new concrete burial vault handling apparatus in such a manner that it may be readily 'assembled in position4 of use at a grave opening.

panying drawings which, by way of'illustration.

show preferred embodiments of" the. present invention` and the principles. thereof" and' what I now' consider to be the best mode in which I' have base of' thevault into. the grave opening ,i

Fig. 2"i`s a view`of'the. newburialvault handling apparatus assembledas in Fig. 11 but showing the',

cover ofthe burial" vault in full". lines. after it. has. beenremovedfrom the box-likeY base'of the vault andl movedinto a` position. above the. moundoff earth removed'fro-m thegrave opening and`.show

ing'it in dotted lines as. it appears after. ithasI been lowered'onto the mound of'. earth removedl from the graveopening. The box-like base ofthe. vaultis shown in fulllihes in this. ii'gureasitappearsV supported above` the grave opening. after.. the removal of` the. cover. therefrom and'isshown in dotted lines as itappears after having been` lowered-into. the grave opening.;

Fig. 3 is a side elevational" view of the newn burial vault handling apparat'usand'of the as sembledfburialvault shown in Fig, l, on. lined-31 inFig. 1';

Fig. 4". isa` fragmentary andelevational viewv online 4'-4' in Fig: l showing. the. burial'. vault..

cover guiding and' clamping. device embodied in. the new burial" vault.l handling apparatus for guiding the vault cover int'ofandir holding or. clamping it in, an inclinedf position againstf one. side of. the. mound of.` earth. removed from the grave openingl during the burial serv-ice.;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional detail plan View on line. in Fig... ll showing the hanger member andcooperating. attachment plate e1n bodiedin the new burialv vaulthandling appara.- tus for suspendingone end portion. of thehorizontal" carriage. trackway or. derricl. beam. from..

oney of the upright'. supportsor supporting. standa'rds therefor;

Fig. 6. is. a sectional. detailplan. view... on line Eil-6 inFig. 1,. illustrating. the manner inwhicli.

the other end portion' of" the. horizontal. carriage.v

tracliway` or derri'cl beam embodied. in the new burialv vault handling apparatus is supported" upon the other upright support or supporting standard embodied in the new burial vault handling apparatus;

Fig. 7 is a top plan view on line l-l in Fig. 1 illustrating the combination cover guiding and clamping device by means of which the vault cover is guided into and retained during the burial service in an inclined position bearing against one side of the mound of earth removed from the grave opening;

Fig. 8 is a central sectional view of the combination cover guiding and clamping device shown in Fig. 7, on line 8 3 in Fig. 7; l

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view on line 9--3 in Fig. 6 illustrating the manner in which one end portion of the horizontal carriage trackway or derrick beam is mounted on one of the upright supports or supporting standards therefor;

Fig. l is an enlarged detail view on line Ill-I0 in Fig. l illustrating a chain spreader plate embodied in the new concrete burial vault handling apparatus for spreading the chains necessary to lift the cover and the box-like base of a concrete burial vault during the operation of raising and lowering the cover and the boxlike base or body of the vault; and

Fig. 1l is an end elevational view of the chain spreader plate and the spreader chains used in conjunction therewith in the new concrete burial vault handling apparatus.

A preferred embodiment of the new concrete burial vault handling apparatus is shown in the drawings, wherein it is generally indicated at I5, and comprises two upright supports or supporting standards i6 and Il which cooperate to support a horizontally extending carriage trackway or derrick beam IS extending therebetween. The new concrete burial vault handling apparatus also includes a chain and pulley unit or block and tackle unit i9 which is suspended from a roller-bearing traveling carriage 2li which is movable along the trackway i8, and the new burial vault handling apparatus also includes a combination cover guiding and clamping unit 2|; all of which parts or units of the new burial vault handling device will be described in detail hereinafter.

As shown in the drawings, the upright support of supporting standard I1 includes a pair of tubular

steel supporting legs

22 and 23 which are arranged in a V-shaped formation relative to each other (Fig. 3). Each of these supporting

legs

22 and 23 has a attened foot portion 25 which may be attached, as by means of a bolt 26, to a plank or like base Support 21 which may be disposed upon the ground 28 of a cemetery at one side of a grave opening 29 therein.

As is best shown in Fig. 3, each of the supporting

legs

22 and 23 also has a flattened upper end portion 33 and these flattened upper end portions 30. of the

legs

22 and 23 are disposed of laterally extending horizontal top flanges 33, and a pair of laterally extending horizontal bottom anges 34, all of which are integral with the central web 32. A metal plate 35 is mounted on one end portion of the top iianges 33 of the carriage trackway or derrick beam I8, as by means of bolts 36. As shown in Fig. 5, the plate 35 has an elongated slot 3l formed therein outwardly of the adjacent end wall 33 of the hori- Zontal carriage trackway or derrick beam I8, and the plate 35 also has a second slot 39 formed in the outer end portion thereof, said notch 39 opening outwardly at the outer end edge 4B of the plate 35. As is also shown in Fig. 5, the

slots

31 and 39 are elongated with their` long axes extending parallel to the central web 32 of the carriage trackway or beam I8.

The new burial vault handling apparatus includes a metal hanger member 4I which has an annular upper end portion 42 which is swingingly mounted on the bolt 3 I which extends between the attened upper end portions 3|] of the

legs

22 and 23 of the upright support or supporting standard i7. The metal hanger Vmember 4I has a hook-shaped lower end portion 43 and in the use of the said hanger member 4I the main extent or body portion 4l thereof extends through the end slot 39 in the plate 35 and the hook-shaped lower end portion 43 thereof extends upwardly into the inner slot 31 in the plate 35. In this manner one end portion of the horizontal carriage trackway or derrick beam I8 is thus suspended by the hanger member 4I from the bolt 3i which extends between the flattened upper end portions 313 of the

legs

22 and 23 of the upright support or supporting standard I1. The advantages incident to the use of this arrangement will be described hereinafter.

The upright support or supporting standard I6 comprises a cylindrical pipe-like pedestal 44 which has an enlarged annular base ange 45 at its lower end, which is attached in any suitable manner, as by being bolted, to a plank 45 which is adapted to be mounted on the ground 28 of a cemetery adjacent the grave opening 29 but at the opposite side of the grave opening 29 from parallel to but spaced slightly from each other arranged body portion or central web 32, a pair Cdl . tion of the pipe 4i is eXteriorly threaded, as at 48, and an internally threaded sleeve 49 is mounted on the threaded upper end portion 48 of the pipe-like member 4l. The sleeve 49 has a U-shaped head 53 formed integrally therewith and this head 55 includes a pair oi spaced.

parallel arms 5I which are interconnected by an interconnecting or 'bight portion 52, and theA threaded sleeve 43 has a iiange 9| formed thereon at its upper end (Fig. 9).

and is supported therebetween upon the flanged upper end portion 91 of the threaded sleeve 49. The combination vault cover guiding and clamping device 2l is associated with the cylindrical pedestal 44 and includes a supporting frame 53 which comprises a pair of spaced metal rods `54 which are interconnected at their lower ends by an offset interconnecting or bight por- As shown in Figs.` l, 2, 6 and 9, one end portion of the horizontal` e'a'ch` of-*these Ahookfshaped portions lltY is' pivotally mounted upon.- a laterally extending arm El. of abracingrod which i's-orined aslal part of a bracing4 unit '5&1 The spaced metal arms 5910i the? bracingv unit' 53; are welded at their upper ends, as at; ed, tothecylindrical pedestal 54, and the'lower` end portions et of these arms 59 are welded',l as at to a metal plate which is at-I tache'dby-bolts-:5dv tothe supporting plank or` base del (Eigpl).

The combinationY cover guiding and clamping device @i also includes-a metal plate 65 W-hichlis attached to the upper portions of the arms 5d thereof in any suitable manner, as by welding and the said! combination cover guiding and clamping.- deyioevl. also includes a second metalplate.l--vvhioh is attached to the lower portions oi the. rods 5d in any suitable manner, as by welding,or the like. theltwo-plates and-e5 are arrangedlupon the same side of thefrods Ell-and, as will be explained' hereinafter, the plates e5 andt cooperate with the rods 5e or" the frame 53 to provide av cradle for the reception of the cover 8e. of a concrete burial vault 8'?.

Thev combination cover guiding and clamping device 2lincludes aV clamping .handle member i which has athreaded portion 68 which threaded into a nut Eig which is weld-ed or other wise fastened to the offset lower end portion 55 ofthe frame 53 of the vault cover guiding and retaining unit 211. A nutl 'le is mounted on the threaded portion e8 of the clamping handle member 6l and a washer or disc H is mounted on the threaded portion de of. the clampingA handle member 5l adjacent the nut lil. A coiled' spring 'l2` is'mounted on the said threaded p01` tion Eil-of the clamping handle member el between the nut' Se and the washer il, this coiled` spring exerting a bindingv action or friotional drag on the threaded portion 68 of the clamp-- ing handle member 5l to prevent the latter from` turning freely inthe nut (it.

The traveling carriage unit 2Q includes a supporting frame 'i3 on which pairs of spaced rollers 'I4 are mounted and these rollers l@ ride upon the upper surfaces of the bottom flanges 3e of the carriage' trackway or derrick beam i8 on opposite sides of. the center portion 32 thereof..

The block and tackle unit lil is suspendedby al hookfi. from. the frame 'i3 of the traveling carriage unit 2d and includes a block or pulley 'Hiand aifchain 'il which works therearound, the chain TI having a hook la attached to the lower end thereof.

The new burial vault handling apparatus includes at chain spreader plate le (Fig. havinga centrally arranged notch 8G formed therein for the reception o the hook le which is moimted on the lower end portion of the chain 11. Thechain spreader plate 'i9 also has a pair of chain-receiving openings formed therein and each of these chain-receiving openings Sl has a restricted or narrow slot 82 formed at one side thereof in the chain spreader plate i9.

The new burial vault handling apparatus also' includes a plurality of spreader chains 83, each ofwhich has an elongated metal hook 8d attached thereto at one end thereof. Each of these metal hooks 3* is adapted to be engaged with U-shapedclevises 85 which are anchored in thev concretecover 8610i a concrete burial vault, such` as that' indicated at 87., and which includesa Each ofthe-armsfll; has a hook-shaped upper end portion; 5t andi As shown in Figs. 'T and S.

box-like bas'efvB-U There' arecustom'arilyil fourfol these U`shaped olevisesl anchored' and' arranged: inf a rectangularpattern.L in the cover. 86 of a concrete burial vault Sl: and; similarly; therek are likewise customarily four U-shapedcleviseslllI (Fig: 2li anchored in a-I rectangular pattern inl thebottom or thefboX-likelbase or body-'38? ofconcretev burial vault 8T'.

'I-he use andoperation of the-new burial vaultl` handling apparatus are asif'ollows: Thepedestal liof'thefupright support idandithe bracing rodsF After the grave'opening EShasbeen dug` planks:`

21)! efm'aybe laid thereacross', whereupon the con@ crete burialvault which isLt-o be loweredinto= the'grave opening' ESL is laidiupon the planks189,'. being delivered. to the cemetery by means of' at. truck or the like. The assemblyy of' the new' burial vault handling apparatus i5y may then be completed as follows: The lower end portion ofithe pipe-like member lll of! thesupporting; standard i5.. is telescopically inserted into: the.f pedestal le and the sleeve @el threaded. thereon.. Theiother upright support. or.` supporting standiard i? may' then be erected' by mounting thev flattened lower end portions 2'5 of the supporting. legs'E- and 2ty upon a suitable. supporting base...

suchV as the plank 212-. The bolt Slmay thenbeinserted through suitable openings provided in.` theA flattened upper endv portions 3331' of the legs 2=2Sand123 and through the annular upper'end; portion 42 of the hanger member M so thatther hanger member ll-43 is thus suspendedY uponthe bolt 3 If between the ilattened upper. end portionsil' ofthe legs 22-and 23. of the upright sup-- port or supportingl standard l 'l'.V The nut 24- may thenl be threaded ontov the outer 'end portion of the bolt 3| so as to hold'. the legs 22r and 23, the bolt Si!V and the hanger member [H inas'- sembled relationship;

The traveling carriage 2G may then bemounted` in` position on the horizontal trackway orderricki beam l8,.with the rollers 14 thereof riding: upon thelower'anges 34 of the trackway or beami I8. One end' portion of the said horizontal trackway or beam may then be raised and inserted into position betweenthe spaced parallel arms 5! of the threadedsleeve Ale-which is mounted onv the vthreadedupper end portion 48. of the. pipe-like. upper'member 4l of the supporting standard I5. The trackway or beam lmay then be'rnanipuf latedupon. the sleeve le as a pivot so as to position themetall plate; 35 attached thereto in such. a manner that the main' extent or body of thel hanger member di will enter the outer slot 39 in the plate 35 and the hook-shaped portion 43 of the hanger member Si will enter into the in.-Y ner slot 3l in the metal plate 35 (Fig. 5).

The block and tackle unit i9 may then be assembled with the travelingv carriage 2l) by engaging the hook. l5 between the side wallsof the frame of the carriage 20 in the manner shown;

rthe hook-18 which is attached to the lowerendVv of the chain 'H of the block and tackle unitr I9 may then be inserted in the central notch m thechain spreader plate 19 and the spreader" chains 83 inserted through the holesv Bl inv the chain spreader plate 79 and'thence moved int'o a thefrestricted or narrowfslots-Z so as ltoi-hold the'l chains 83 in assembled relationship with the chain spreader plate 19 and with the hooks 84 which are attached to the chains 83 adjusted to suitable lengths to enable them to reach from the chain spreader plate 19 to the four U-shaped clevises 85 which are anchored in the concrete of the vault cover 86 in a rectangular pattern.

The combination cover guiding and clamping unit 2l may then be assembled in operative relation with the pedestal 44 of the supporting standard l5 by slipping the hook-shaped upper end portions 56 of the arms 54 of the frame 53 of the unit 2l over the laterally extending arms 51 of the bracing rods 59 so that the said hookshaped upper end portions of the arms 54 will pivot on the laterally extending arms 51 of the bracing rods 59.

Accordingly, after the parts have thus been assembled and properly adjusted, the elongated hooks 84 on the chains 83 may be inserted through the clevises 85 in the cover 86 of the concrete burial vault 81. The chain 11 of the block and tackle unit i8 may then be manipulated to raise the cover` 86 off and above the boxlike base 88 of the concrete burial vault 81 whereupon the said cover 88 may be moved laterally from the position in which it is shown in Fig. l into the position in which it is shown in full lines in Fig. 2, whereupon the combination cover guiding and clamping unit 2| may then be raised into horizontal position. This is accomplished by pivoting the hook-shaped upper end portions 56 of the arms 54 of the frame 53 of the combination cover guiding and clamping unit 2l on the laterally extending arms 51 of the bracing rods 59. However, after the said combination cover guiding and clamping unit 2i has thus been moved into horizontal position the cover 86 of the burial vault 81 may be lowered onto the said combination cover guiding and clamping unit so that it rests upon the

flat plates

65 and 68 thereof which thus provide a cradle for the cover 85.

During this operation the clamping handle member 61 is rotated in the nut 59 so that the main extent of the said clamping handle member 81 lies clear of and outside the periphery of the frame 53 of the unit 2l. iter the vault cover 88 has thus been lowered onto the guiding and clamping unit 2l the clamping handle member 61 may be moved into eective position above the top of the vault cover 88 and into the position in which it is shown in full lines in Fig. 2.

The vault cover 85 may then be lowered by manipulating the chain 11 of the block and tackle unit I9 whereupon the cover 85 of the burial vault thus clamped to the combination guiding and clamping unit will be lowered therewith with the hook-shaped upper end portions 55 of the arms 58 of the frame 53 pivoting upon the laterally extending arms 51 of the bracing members 58.

In this manner the vault cover 85 is loweredV into the position in which it is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, whereupon the hooks 84 are removed from the clevises 85 in the vault cover 86, the chain 11 of the block and tackle unit I9 ad- `iusted as to height and moved with the carriage 28 back into position above the box-like base 88 of the burial vault 81. The chain 11 of the block and tackle unit I9 may then be manipulated so as to lower the hooks 84 downwardly into the box-like base 88 of the burial vault 81 wherein the hooks 84 may be engaged with the four clevises 9| which are anchored in a rectan- 8 gular pattern in the bottom of the box-like base 88 of the burial vault 81.

The box-like base 88 of the burial vault 81 may then be raised above the planking 89 and the planking 89 removed, whereupon the said boxlike base 88 of the burial vault 81 may be lowered into the grave opening 29 and in which position it is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The hooks 84 may then be disengaged from the clevises 9i in the bottom of the box-like base 88 of the burial vault 81 and the hooks 84 raised up out of the grave opening 28 by manipulating the chain 11 of the block and tackle unit i9.

The new burial vault handling apparatus lll may thereupon be disassembled. This may be accomplished by unlatching the hook 15 of the block and tackle unit i9 from the traveling carriage 13, raising the horizontal carriage trackway or derrick beam i8 so as to raise the metal plate 35 attached to one end portion thereof out of engagement with the hook-shaped portion 43 of the hanger member 4l, removing the other end portion of the trackway o-r beam I8 from between the arms 5l of the head 58 `of the threaded sleeve 49, removing the bolt 3i from engagement with the flattened upper end portions 88 of the

legs

22 and 23 or the supporting standard i1, detaching the attened lower end portions or feet 25 of the supporting

legs

22 and 23 from the supporting base or plank 2, and then sliding the lower end portion of the member 41 out or the cylindrical pedestal 44.

It will be noted, however, that in thus disassembling the new burial vault handling apparatus the pedestal 44 and the bracing rods 59 and the combination cover guiding and clamping unit 2 i, with the vault cover 85 clamped thereon, are allowed to remain in the position in which these parts are shown in Fig. l, with the burial vault cover 86 clamped thereon in the position in which it is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The pedestal 84, bracing rods 58, the combination cover guiding and clamping unit 2 l and the vault cover 58 clamped thereon may be covered by a conventional and the same grass mat which is likewise employed for obscuring the mound of earth 98 during the burial service but which is, of course, removed after the burial service.

After .the burial service the new burial vault handling apparatus may again be assembled, in the manner described hereinbefore.

The traveling carriage 28 and the block and tackle unit i9 may then be moved into a position above the concrete burial vault cover 85 which is at this time disposed in the position in which it is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. The hooks 84 may then be engaged in the clevises 85 in the vault cover 88 and the clamping handle f member 51 rotated out of engagement with the vault cover 35. The vault cover may be raised by manipulating the chain 'i1 of the block and tackle unit i9 which may then be moved with the traveling carriage 28 along the horizontal trackway i3 until the vault cover 88 comes into a position above the grave opening 28. The vault cover 88 may then be lowered into the grave opening 29 and onto the box-like base 88 of the burial Vault 81 by manipulating the chain 11 of the block and tackle unit i9. After the vault cover 86 has thus been lowered into the grave opening 28 and onto the box-like base 88 of the Vault 81 so as to seal the casket therein the hooks 84 may be disengaged from the clevises 35 in the vault cover 85 and the chain 11 of the block and tackle unit I9 again manipulated to raise thehooks 84 and the chains 83 and the spreader plate 'I9 up out of the grave opening 29. The combination cover guiding and clamping unit 2| may then be removed by slipping the hook-shaped upper end portions 56 of the arms 54 thereof off the laterally extending arms 5l of the bracing rods 59.

The new burial vault handling apparatus l5 may then again be disassembled, in the manner hereinbefore described, whereupon the mound of earth 98 removed from the grave opening may be removed from around the pedestal 44 and shovelled into the grave opening 29 upon the thus assembled burial vault 81 therein. The pedestal 44, the supporting base or plank 46 therefor, and the bracing rods 59 may then be moved, with the other parts of the new burial vault handling apparatus, to another grave lot for further use.

It will be noted that the threaded sleeve 49 and the supporting head 58-51-52 carried thereby will turn in a horizontal pla-ne upon the threaded upper end portion 48 of the tubular upper member 41 of the upright supporting unit or standard H so as to enable the trackway or beam I8 and the plate 35 carried thereby t0 be aligned for suspension from the hanger member 4 I-43.

It will be noted that the clamping handle memlber 61 may be rotated (clockwise, Fig. 7) into an ineffective position in which the main extent thereof lies parallel to the o-ifset lower end Vportion 55 of the frame 53 so as to permit the burial vault cover 85 to be inserted onto and removed from the combination guiding and clamping unit 2l. The coil spring 12 prevents free swinging of the clamping handle member 6l and holds the same in any desired adjusted position.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, that the present invention provides a new and improved but simple concrete burial vault handling apparatus which has the desirable advantages and characteristics, and which accomplishes its intended objects, including those hereinbefore pointed out and others which are inherent in the invention.

I claim:

1. A concrete burial vault cover-receiving and supporting apparatus comprising a supporting pedestal adapted to be arranged at one side of a grave opening, a burial vault cover-receiving and supporting member pivotally mounted upon the said supporting pedestal for receiving a burial vault cover and supporting the same, and manually operable means for releasably clamping a burial vault cover upon the said burial vault cover-receiving and supporting member and mounted for pivotal movement therewith relative to the said supporting pedestal whereby the said burial vault cover may be supported by the said burial vault cover-receiving and supporting member at a preselected angle relative to the vertical When the said burial vault cover-receiving and supporting member bears against a suitable bearing surface.

2. A concrete burial vault cover-receiving and supporting member as dened in claim 1 in which the said manually operable clamping means is movably mounted upon the outer and normally lower end portion of the said burial vault coverreceiving and supporting member.

3. A concrete burial vault cover-receiving and supporting member as dened in claim 1 in which the said manually operable clamping means includes a manually operable clamping handle member rotatably mounted upon the said burial vault cover-receiving and supporting member and having a portion adapted to be manually moved into and out of position above the upper surface of the said burial vaultl cover so as to releasably clamp the said burial vault cover upon the said burial vault cover-receiving and supporting member.

4. A burial v-ault cover-receiving and supporting member as dened in claim 1 which includes means for bracing the said supporting pedestal, and in which the said burial vault cover-receiving and supporting member is pivotally mounted at one side thereof upon the said bracing means and has the said manually operable clamping means rotatably mounted thereon at a side thereof which is opposite the said rst-named side thereof.

WALTER BOEHME.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 698,235 Wellman et al Apr. 22, 1902 808,357 Foust Dec. 26, 1905 1,727,671 Pott Sept. 10, 1929 2,296,611 Green Sept. 22, 1942 2,343,014 Langan Feb- 29, 1944 2,368,390 Winter Jan. 30, 1945 2,370,842 Christie Mar. 6, 1945