US2916317A

US2916317A - Casket-lid locking system

Info

Publication number: US2916317A
Authority: US
Inventors: Jesse N Diday
Original assignee: BELMONT CASKET Manufacturing CO
Current assignee: BELMONT CASKET Manufacturing CO
Priority date: 1958-01-10
Filing date: 1958-01-10
Publication date: 1959-12-08
Anticipated expiration: 1976-12-08

Description

Dec. 8, 1959 J. N. DlDAY 2,916,317

CASKET-LID LOCKING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 10, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

JESSE N. DI DAY BY CORBE TT- MAHONEKM lLLER & RAM BO Dec. 8, 1959 J. N. DIDAY CASKET-LID LOCKING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 10, 1958 INVENTOR.

JESSE N. D l DAY BY CORBETT MAHONEY\ M ILUZR & RAMBO BYJZKLX AT Unite CASKET-LID LOCKING SYSTEM Application January 10, 1958, Serial No. 708,083

3 Claims. (Cl. 29226) My invention relates to a casket lid locking system. It has to do, more particularly, with a locking system for a casket of the type which includes a body section having a pair of lid half-sections hinged thereto for swinging independently in a vertical direction.

Caskets with hinged half-section lids in the past few years have come into considerable favor. These lid half-sections are hinged to the rear upper edge of the casket body section for swinging vertically independently of each other. Each lid section is provided with a sealing flange around its front, rear, and end edges for cooperating with a sealing flange on the corresponding upper edges of the casket body section. Furthermore, a sealing gasket arrangement is provided between the meeting inner end edges of the lid half-sections. Locking systems have been provided in the prior art for pulling the lid sealing flanges in tight contact with the body section sealing flanges and locking the flanges together in sealed relationship. A locking arrangement commonly used in the past has consisted of headed pins which depend from the front flanges on the two lid half-sections and a single reciprocable locking bar mounted below the body section sealing flange which is provided with bayonet slots formed therein for the reception of and cooperation with the headed studs, to pull both lid half-sections simul taneously downward and seal them to the casket body section. This locking bar is usually operated by a screw extending through one end of ths casket body section and operable by a crank from outside the end sections but this has been found difllcult in actual operation because the bar might engage the pull down studs of one lid half-section without engaging the studs of the other lid half-section. Sometimes, considerable downward pressure or weight on both lid half-sections is required to force them downwardly sufficiently to properly locate the studs of both lids so that the heads thereof will be engaged by the bar.

It is the main object of my invention to provide a locking system for the lid half-sections of a casket which is so designed and constructed that each lid section can be pulled down and locked independently of the other section.

Another object of my invention is to provide a locking system of the type indicated above which comprises an independent locking unit for each lid half-section.

Another object of my invention is to provide a locking unit which includes hook-type latch members which will, when the unit is properly operated, reach into cooperating latch slots in the sealing flange of the lid and pull the flange downwardly into sealing position with the sealing flange body section Where it will be firmly locked.

A further object of my invention is to provide a locking unit which is provided with an off-center arrangement tending to snap the hook latches into locked position and keep them in such position.

A further object of my invention is to provide a locking unit which is readily adjustable to properly position the hook latches relative to the latch openings.

States Patent An additional object of my invention is to provide a locking unit which is operable by a single rotatable actuating shaft accessible from the front and outside of the body section of the casket and which is provided with sealing means between it and the casket body front wall.

Various other objects will be apparent.

In the accompanying drawings, I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a casket having two lid half-sections with my locking system associated therewith.

Figure 2 is an enlarged side elevational view of one of the locking units associated with one of the lid sections.

Figure 3 is a top view of the locking unit shown in Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a detail in perspective of a portion of one of the locking units.

Figure 5 is an enlarged side elevational view of the actuating crank of the locking unit showing the off-center arrangement tending to move the latch hooks into locking position and hold them in such position.

Figure 6 is a detail showing the rotatable actuating shaft on the front wall of the casket body and the sealing means therefor.

With reference to the drawings, in Figure l, I have illustrated my locking system applied to a casket which comprises the body section ll) having the two lid halfsections 11 hinged thereto at the rear upper edge thereof. One of the lid sections 11 is shown in closed position and the other in open position. Each section 11 is provided with a sealing flange 12 which extends along the end, front, and back edges of the section. These flange portions will cooperate with corresponding portions of a sealing flange 13 provided entirely around the upper edge of the casket, as indicated at 13 in Figures 2 and 4. Extending along the sealing flange 13 is a sealing gasket 13a.

A locking unit 14 is disposed at the upper edge of the forward wall of the casket body 10 directly below the sealing flange 13 thereof. One of these units 14 is provided for each of the lid half-sections 11. Each of these units is independently operable to independently pull down and seal the lid half-section 11 with which it is associated.

It will be apparent from Figure 1 that the forward flange portion of the lid sealing flange 12 is provided with a pair of latch-receiving openings 15, each of which is disposed adjacent the ends of the lid sections. For cooperating with these latch openings 15 of each lid section, the associated locking unit for that section is provided with a pair of hook latches 16. The manner in which these latches are mounted and are associated with the locking unit 14 is illustrated in detail in Figures 2 to 4, inclusive.

Each hook latch member 16 is pivoted for vertical swinging movement about a horizontal pivot 17 which is mounted on a depending lug which may be formed in producing an opening 19 in the flange 13 of the casket body. Each opening 19 will be so located that it will align with the corresponding opening 15 in the lid when the lid is lowered. As shown by dotted lines in Figure 2, the two latch members 16 are turned in opposite directions and will swing in opposite directions through the two sets of aligning

openings

15 and 19. Ordinarily,

openings

15 and 19 and the ends of the hooks will engage the lid flange 12 adjacent the outer ends of the openings 15, as indicated by full lines in Figure 2.

For rocking the two hook. latches 16 about the pivots 17, a, pair of push-pull actuating. rods 20 .is provided. Each rod ispivotedat its outer .end: to the .flat end of the. hooklatch 16 by. the pivot pin 21. The opposite or innerend of each rod.20 is pivoted -by .a pivot pin 22 to one end of a double crankarm 23 which is preferably of channel form. Each rod is providedwith a turnbuckle 24 by means of which its length may be adjusted so as to initially position the associated latch member 16 properly around its pivot 17. The double. crank arm 23 is, pivoted intermediate its ends by means of a forwardly or outwardly extending shaft25' which is rigidly secured to the crank member 23 intermediate its ends and which is rotatably mounted in a bearing 26 formed onthe front wall 27 of: the body section of the casket. An annular sealing gasket 28 surrounds the shaft 25 and engages the outer surface of the wall 27 around the shaft opening. It will be noted that the shaft '25 extends through theforward wall 27- of the body section of the casket and is surrounded by the gasket 28. A retaining collar 31 is attached to the outer wall 27 and holds the gasket 28 in sealing position. The shaft 25 is provided with an outwardly opening socket 32 of angular cross-section for receiving a tool by means of which it may be rotated. For normally closingthe outer end of the socket a tab 33 is pivoted thereto and can be rocked to one side to expose the outer end of the socket 32.

It will be apparent that when the shaft 25 is rocked, the crank 23 will be rotated about the axis thereof and will simultaneously exert push or pull forces on the rods 20 since they are connected to the double crank at opposite sides of the axis of the shaft 25. In one direction of rotation of the shaft. 26,.the rods. 20 will swing the rods 16 inwardly into releasing position. vIn a reverse rotation of the shaft 26, the rods 20 will swing the latch member 16 upwardly and outwardly through the aligning openings and 19 into latching position where the latching ends of the hook members 16 will engage the lid flange 12 to pull the lid downwardly and lock it in sealed position. As the latch members near latching position, the rod pivots 22 will assume an offcenter relationship to a line passing through the axis of the shaft 25, as shown in Figure 5, which will tend to snap the latch hooks in latching position and retain them in such position. It will be noted that the pivot 22 for the outer rod is inside the channel crank arm 23 so as not to interfere with shaft while the other pivot 22 is outside the channel.

It will be apparent from the above that I have provided a simple locking system for the lid half-sections of a casket which can be operable from the front of the casket. Each lid half-section is locked by a separate locking unit so that each lid section can be locked independently of the other. Thus, one section may be open with the other locked or both may be open at the same time. However, as each section is closed, it is locked independently of the other. No pressure will be required to attempt to lock both sections simultaneously and, in fact, each section will be pulled down in the initial locking operation merely by operating 'the latches.

' Various other advantages will be apparent.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A locking unit for a casket Lhavinga body section and a lid hinged thereto at its rear wall for-swinging movement between an upper open position and lower sealing position, the lid and the bodyhaving cooperating sealing flanges which are inflat contact when the lid is in its lower sealing position and the sealingflange of the body projecting inwardly'from its front wall, the lid flange. having a pair of latch-receiving openings formed therein and spaced longitudinally thereof and the body flange having a pair of openings therein spaced longitudinally thereof'for substantially aligning with thelid openings when the lid is in'its lower sealing position, said locking unit locking the lid in its lower sealing position, said unit comprising hook-shaped latches pivotally mounted on the front wall of the casket body below and adjacent its sealing flange and-being swingable from a lower position -within=the-body sealing flange. upwardly through the openings therein and through the aligning openings in the lid flange when vit is in itstlower sealing position into engagementwith the lid flange -to-pull it downwardly in firm. sealing contact with the body flange, each of said latches having a hooked end and an opposed actuating end and being pivoted to the front wall of the casket bodyintermediate its ends, means for actuating said latches and comprising a push and pull rod extending longitudinally below said body sealing flange and connected at their outer ends .to theactuating-end of each of said latches, a double crank mounted for rotation on said body intermediate said hook-shaped latches and to which the inner ends. of said rods are connected, said crank beingof channel form with opposed ends and with front and rear flanges, an actuating pivot shaft keyed to the channel intermediate its ends and rotatably carried by said front wallof the body of the casket, one rod having its inner end located within the channel and pivoted to the front flange of said channel at one side of said shaft and the other rod having its inner end located outside the channel and pivoted to the rear :flange of saidchannel at the other side of said shaft, said crank being movable beyond center into locking position as the actuating pivot shaft rotates .the crank and thereby moves the latches into locking position.

2. A locking unit for a casket having a body section and a lid hinged thereto at its rear wall for swinging movement between an upper open position and a lower sealing position, the lid and the body having cooperating sealing flanges which are in flat contact when the lid is in its lower sealing position and the sealing flange of the body projecting inwardly from its front wall, the lid flange having a pair of latch-receiving openings formed therein and spaced longitudinally thereof and the body flange having a pair of openings therein spaced longitudinally thereof for substantially aligning with the lid openings when the lid is in its lower sealing position, said locking unit locking the lid in its lower sealing position, saidunit comprising hook-shaped latches pivotally mounted on.the front wall of the casket body below and adjacent .its sealing flange and being swingable from a lower position within the body sealing flange upwardly through the openings therein and through the aligning openingsin the lid flange when it is in its lower sealing position into engagement with the lid flange to pull it .downwardly in firm sealing contact with .the body flange, each of said latches having a hooked end and an .opposed actuating end and being pivoted to the front -wall of the casket body intermediate its ends, means for .actuating said latches and comprising a push and pull rod extending longitudinally below said body sealing flange and connected at their outer ends to the actuating end of each of said latches, a double crank mounted for rotation on said body intermediate said hook-shaped latches and to which the inner ends of said rods are connected, said crank being of channel form with opposed ends and with front and rear flanges, an actuating pivot shaft keyed to the channel intermediate its ends and rotatably carried by said front wall of the body of the casket, one rod having its inner end located within the channel and pivoted to the front flange of said channel at one side of said shaft and the other rod having its inner end located outside the channel and pivoted to the rear flange of said channel at the other side of said shaft.

3. A locking unit for a casket havingabody. section and a lid hinged thereto at its rear wall for swinging movement between an upper open position and a lower sealing position, the lid and the body having cooperating sealing flanges which are in flat contact when the lid is in its lower sealing position and the sealing flange of the body projecting inwardly from its front wall, the lid flange having a pair of latch-receiving openings formed therein and spaced longitudinally thereof and the body flange having a pair of openings therein spaced longitudinally thereof for substantially aligning with the lid openings when the lid is in its lower sealing position, said locking unit locking the lid in its lower sealing position, said unit comprising hook-shaped latches pivotally mounted on the front wall of the casket body below and adjacent its sealing flange and being swingable from a lower position within the body sealing flange upwardly through the openings therein and through the aligning openings in the lid flange when it is in its lower sealing position into engagement with the lid flange to pull it downwardly in firm sealing contact with the body flange, each of said latches having a hooked end and an opposed actuating end and being pivoted to the front wall of the casket body intermediate its ends, means for actuating said latches and comprising a push and pull rod extending longitudinally below said body sealing flange and connected at their outer ends to the actuating end of each of said latches, a crank mounted for rotation on said body intermediate said hook-shaped latches and to which the inner ends of said rods are connected, an actuating pivot shaft keyed to the crank intermediate its ends and rotatably carried by said front wall of the body of the casket, one rod having its inner end pivoted to the crank at one side of said shaft and the other rod having its inner end pivoted to the crank at the other side of said shaft, said crank being movable beyond center into locking position as the actuating pivot shaft rotates the crank and thereby moves the latches into locking position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,794,786 McBride et al Mar. 3, 1931 2,586,648 Hale et al. Feb. 19, 1952 2,661,229 Slaughter Dec. 1, 1953 2,708,301 Wilkirson May 17, 1955 2,708,302 Wilkirson May 17, 1955 2,723,147 Slaughter et a1. Nov. 8, 1955 2,848,782 Gillison Aug. 26, 1958