US3735456A

US3735456A - Magnetic casket seal assembly

Info

Publication number: US3735456A
Application number: US00163770A
Authority: US
Inventors: L Cude
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1971-07-19
Filing date: 1971-07-19
Publication date: 1973-05-29
Anticipated expiration: 1990-05-29

Abstract

A unique magnetic casket sealing assembly is provided which eliminates the need for conventional sealing and locking hardware. The assembly includes a plurality of permanent magnets affixed to the casket base and hinged lid components and positioned adjacent to the closure surfaces with a gasketlike tapered seal of resilient, deformable material mounted on the closure surface of the casket base. The permanent magnets each extend slightly beyond the planes of the rigid closure surfaces, such that a slight gap is maintained therebetween when the magnets engage each other, allowing the gasket to deformably flow within the gap to maintain a constant seal without the use of conventional hardware.

Description

United States Patent 1191 Cude [ MAGNETIC CASKET SEALASSEMBLY [76] Inventor: Lelon Cude, 1725' North Saint Marys Street, San Antonio, Tex.

78212 v 221 Filed: July 19, 1971 21 Appl. No.: 163,770

52 US. c1 ..'27/17, 27/DIG. 1'

['51] Int. Cl. ..A17g 61/00 [58] Field of Search ..-27/l4, 16, 17, DIG. 1;

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,038,232 6/1962J wean; 1.27/35 2,836,453 5/1958 Foley ..292/251.5

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS I 1,009,995 11/1965 'GreatBritain....'. .....292/251,s

'-839,0l9 4/1957 GreatBritain ..292/25l.5

, May 29, 1973 Primary E.xaminer-Lawrence W. Trapp Att0rneyClarence A. OBrien and Harvey B. Jacobson [57 ABSTRACT A unique magnetic casket sealing assembly is provided which eliminates the need for conventional sealing and locking hardware. The assembly includes a plu- .'rality of permanent magnets affixed to the casket base and hinged lid components and positioned adjacent to the closure surfaces with a gasketlike tapered seal of resilient, deformable material mounted on the closure surface of the casket base. The. permanent magnets each extend slightly beyond the planes of the rigid closure surfaces, such that a slight gap is maintained therebetween when the magnets engage each other,-

allowing the gasket to deformably flow within the gap to maintain a constant seal without the use of conventional hardware 4 Claims, Drawing Figures lit The present invention is generally related to casket structures and, more particularly, to casket structures of the sealing type. In the past, various sealing casket constructions have been provided which required the use of expensive mechanical locking devices fitted to the casket cover and side walls. These conventional constructions were not only unsightly in appearance, but significantly increased the manufacturing costs. In addition, it was also necessary to provide breather mechanism to'selectively permit the flow of air to and from the casket interiors during air shipment. Such conventional constructions required expensive machining to assure a true seal, the less expensive forged constructions often providing inadequate seals.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel casket sealing construction which eliminates the need of conventional locking hardware and breather mechanisms, yet requires a minimum number of parts and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a versatile magnetic casket sealing assembly including a plurality of permanent magnets affixed to the casket base and cover components adjacent to the closure surfaces to firmly maintain the cover in sealing relationship with the casket base.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a unique casket sealing construction including a tapered sealing gasket which is deformably compressed between the closure surfaces of the lid and casket base under the influence of a plurality of permanent magnets in positive engagement with each other.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a typical casket construction with the magnetic sealing assembly of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view of the cover and casket base closure surfaces with a spacer inserted therebetween for breathing during air shipment, and the like.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view taken along section 3--3 as shown in FIG. I.

Referring now, more particularly, to FIG. 1, a typical casket construction is generally indicated by the numeral 1t) and includes a relatively rigid casket base 12 and a cover assembly comprised of a pair of lids l4 and 16 adapted to be fitted over the casket base. A pair of hinges I8 and 26 may be provided for each lid for pivotal mounting to the casket base. Each lid is provided with a substantially flat closure surface 22 which is adapted to abut a tapered sealing gasket 24 when the lid is in the closed position, such as lid I6 as illustrated in FIG. I. Lid Id is also provided with a curved closure surface 26 which engages a corresponding tapered sealing gasket 28 on lid 16. Preferably, the hinges are positioned such that they do not interfere with compression of sealing gasket 24 when the lids are in the closed posi tion.

Lids M and I6 are provided with

permanent magnets

36 and 32, respectively, which are rigidly affixed thereto adjacent to their respective closure surfaces. Similarly, casket base 12 is provided with a pair of

permanent magnets

34 and 36 mounted adjacent to the base closure surface 38 and positioned to engage

magnets

30 and 32 located in the lids. The poles of each permanent magnet are arranged such that the magnets are attracted toward each other to bring the lid closure surfaces into sealing engagement with sealing

gaskets

24 and 28.

Referring to FIG. 2 and 3, the mounting of the permanent magnets and their relationship to tapered gasket 24 can be seen in more detail. It will be appreciated that each permanent magnet is mounted such that it extends slightly beyond the plane of the corresponding closure surface. This arrangement assures that the oppositely disposed permanent magnets will engage each other when the cover lids are in the fully closed position, as shown in FIG. 3. It will also be noted that sealing gasket 24 is tapered inwardly such that it is of decreased thickness at its edge adjacent to

permanent magnets

34 and 36, while maximum thickness is provided along its outer perimeter. The gasket is made of a resilient, deformable material, such as synthetic rubber. Thus, as each lid is closed, initial contact of closure surfaces 22 is made along the thick areas of the gasket. Continued lowering of the lid causes the gasket to flow inwardly to assume the position shown in FIG. 3.

The configuration and properties of the tapered gasket are such that after sufficient deformation and compression has been achieved, the oppositely disposed permanent magnets engage each other to assure that the maximum magnetic forces of attraction are present to maintain a constant seal. Thus, by extending the per manent magnets beyond the closure surfaces positive engagement between the magnets is assured as well as suficient deformation of the tapered sealing gasket. While the permanent magnets are shown as being permanently welded to the closure frameworks, adjustable mounting means may be provided where desirable to assure proper magnet positioning.

During air shipment, it has been necessary in the past to provide breather mechanisms for the conventional sealer casket constructions. This was to assure pressure equalization between the casket interior and the surroundings, pressure changes due to changes in atmospheric and cabin pressures. Referring to FIG. 2, it will be appreciated that the magnetic field of strength of the permanent magnet is sufficient to hold the lids snugly in place during air shipment by the insertion of a spacer block 46 between each lid and casket base to assure adequate breathing. If desired, the spacing block may be inserted directly between the permanent magnets to achieve adequate spacing. Preferably, spacing block 40 is made of iron, or similar materials, with suitable magnetic properties.

From the foregoing description, it will be appreciated that the magnetic casket sealing assembly of the present invention provides a relatively inexpensive means of sealing the casket without the use of conventional hardware mounted on its exterior surfaces. It is also apparent that the present invention eliminates the need for breather mechanisms required for conventional sealer caskets. It should be noted that the magnetic assembly may be utilized with caskets having covers different from the hinged covers shown in FIG. 1. Also, changes in the position or number of permanent magnets, or in the configuration of the sealing gasket are deemed to fall within the scope of the present invention.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A casket sealing assembly comprising a casket base with a first substantially planar, horizontal closure surface, a casket cover hingedly connected to said base and with a second substantially planar, horizontal closure surface overlying said first closure surface when in the closed position, a first magnetic member attached to said casket base and disposed laterally of said first closure surface, a second magnetic member attached to said casket cover disposed laterally of said second closure surface and overlying said first magnetic member when said cover is in the closed position, and deformable sealing means attached to one of said closure surfaces for maintaining a seal between said first and second closure surfaces under the influence of said magnetic members, each of said magnetic members protruding vertically beyond the horizontal plane of the corresponding closure surface, said magnetic members postively engaging each other when said cover is in the closed position with said sealing means being deformed under the influence of said magnetic members, at least one of said magnetic members comprising a permanent magnet, said deformable sealing means including a resilient, deformable strip of material which is normally shaped to include areas of greater and lesser thickness which are deformed to substantially the same thickness under the influence of said permanent magnets when said cover is in the closed position.

2. The structure set forth in claim 1 wherein said resilient, deformable strip is substantially flattened by said planar closure surfaces under the influence of said magnetic members to a thickness substantially equal to the composite vertical distances by which said permanent magnets each protrude beyond their respective closure surfaces.

3. The structure set forth in claim 1 together with a spacing block inserted between said closure surfaces to provide a breathing space between said casket cover and said casket base.

4. The structure set forth in claim 3 wherein said spacing block is of magnetic material and is inserted directly between said magnetic members to provide a path of magnetic flux therebetween sufficient to maintain said casket cover in position and at the same time to provide a breathing space between said closure surfaces.