US522218A - Coffin-lid hinge and fastener - Google Patents

Description

(No Model.)

W. G. LANGENAU. GOFFIN LID HINGE AND FASTENER.

TTOIUVIEl S,

Patented July 3,1894.

" INVENTOR.

UNrrEn STATES.

' PATENT I OrrrcE.

-W'ILL'IAM C. LANGENAU, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

COFFlN-LID HINGEAND FASTE NER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent-No; 522,218, dated July 3, 1.894.

Application file'd May 8,1893. $erial No. 473.417. Nomodel.)

specification, the principle of the invention being herein explained and the best mode ,in which I have contemplated applying that prin ciple, so as to distinguish it from other inventions.

In the annexed drawings-Figure I repre+ sents a perspective view of a casket'provided with my improved fasteners, illustrating the casket as open; Fig. II, a transverse vertical section of, a closed casket provided with the fasteners; Fig. III, an enlarged sectionof portions of the raisedlid and the side ofthe casket, illustrating. the fastener in side elevation; Fig. IV, a similar view of portions of the closed lid and the side, illustrating the fastener in side elevation; Figs..V and VI, views, respectively, of the detached fastener and slotted plate, and Fig. VII, a top plan view of the fastener, illustrating .itflin posi-' with a.notch,,b, with whichit-may ride upon tion with the lid raised.- i

In fasteners for the lids of burial caskets or coflins,-the purpose for which my improved device is especially designed,a 'numberof featuresare required ordesi'red to'render such fastenerssatisfactory.- The fasteners should be of such character thattheywill form a positive and automatic lock for the lid,

securing the latter. firmly to the casket, while, being capable of ready disengagement. The,

fasteners should be of such character that they may serve ashinges for the lid at the same time as they serve as fasteners, so that the casket lid may be opened to either side by unlocking the fasteners at the opposite edge. This latterfeature will admit of the opening of the casket with due attention to the direction in which the light falls, the'potions of importance in burial caskets. the fasteners Should lock and be unlocked sition of the persons for whose inspection the casket is opened, and other similar considerawith as much promptness as possible, and should be as strong as possible, with the least liability to get out of order, simplicity of construction and fewness of parts should bean important feature in the fastener.

Althoughthehook or latchportion of the fastener maybe the rigid part of the same, and the slotted plate may be the movable part of the fastener, thereverse is usually the position of the parts, and the hook or latch portion will bereferred to as the movable portion, and the-slotted plate as the rigid portionof the fastener. The rigid portion of the fastener consists ofa plate, A, secured to the edge of the casket, over amortise or recess in said-edge; and said plate has preferably a flange, A, extending over the outer face of the casket side. A slot, a, is formed in the plate, at right angles to the longitudinal edges of the latter and extends into the front-flange A; being thusin the outer corner of the rectang'ularly bent keeperplate. A small slot, a,

is formed in the face of thekeeper plate, a

short distance from the inner end of the slot a; vThe. movable portion of the fastener has a base plate, B, secured over a transverse recessin the lid,- and a bolt, B, projects from the faceofsaid plate. Said bolt may enter the slot of the keeperv.plate, and is formed theedge of the vertical portion of the keeper slot; with a curved inner face,o b' which may slide against the inner end of'said slot; with a noseportion, b at the end of said curved face, which portion maylbear against the under side ofthe keeper plate; and with a transverse lug, b upon'said nose portion,

which lug may engage thesmall slot at in the keeperplate. The bolt th'us'form s the detachable hinge portion of the fastener. An

open casing, b is formed uponthe upper side of the base -plate, and an L-shaped or-bellerank'shaped latch, b isfulcrumed in. said casing, having one arm playing inv a recess, b, in the bolt. Said arm is formed with a hook or shoulder, U, which will engage beneath the inner end of thekeeper slot when the bolt is inserted into the same. Theouter I oo In all fasteners for casket lids, and with.

which I am acquainted, two separate movements have been required to release the fasteners and open the lid, viz.-an outward or a longitudinally sliding movement to unlock the fasteners, and an upward movement in opening or removing the lid. This unlocking movement,of whatever character it may be,is done away within myimproved hinge and fastener, and the upward, lifting movement, via-the upward pull upon the tassels or upon the outer arms of the latches,will unlock the fasteners and, at the same time, open orraise the lid. The operation of my improved fastener will thus be simpler and.

quicker than the operation of fasteners heretofore in use, an advantage which is very desirable in adevice more particularlydesigned for burial caskets and coflins.

As the lid may be swung to either side, the casket may be opened to view with proper regard to the side from which the light falls and to the position of the casket relative to the persons for whose inspection the casket is opened. The casket lid will be held socurely in place upon the casket by the fasteners, when said lid is closed, and may yet be easily swung open or removed when required.

The construction of r the fastener is simpleand suitable for strength combined with ease and comparative cheapness of manufacture.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed for the mode herein explained. Change may therefore be made as regards the mechanism thus disclosed, provided-the principles of construction set forth respectively in the following claims are employed.

I disclaim as my invention, the combination of a movable part having a projecting hinge portion, a keeper having a slot into which said hinge portion may enter and have play, and a latch in said hinge portion engaging the keeper and locking the former and the latter.

the combination of a keeper formed with a slot having a horizontal and a vertical portion and with a small slot at the inner end of the horizontal slot portion, a straight bolt fitting and sliding in said keeper slot and having a nose portion formed with a lug engaging the small slot, and a latch in said bolt engaging under the edge of the keeper slot, substantially as set forth.

2. In a hinge and fastener for casket lids, thecombination of a keeper bent at a right angle and formed with a slot extendinginto both of the rectangular portions, a bolt fitting and having play in said slot, and a latch pivoted in said bolt to have a shoulder project from one face of the bolt to engage under one end of the slot in the keeper and to have an actuatingarm project opposite to said shoulder, substantially as set forth.

I 3. In a hinge and fastener for casket lids, the combination of a keeper bentat a right angle and formed with a slot extending into both rectangular portions of said keeper, a bolt fitting and sliding in said slot, an L- shaped latch pivoted in said bolt to have a shoulder project from one arm at one face of the bolt to engage oneendof the slot, and to 4. In a hinge and fastener for casket lids, the combination of a keeper formed with a keeper slot having a horizontal and a vertical portion and with a small slot at the inner end of the horizontal portion, a plate having a projecting bolt fitting and sliding in the keeper slot and formed with a notch in its outer side and with a curved inner side and a nose portion having a lug, an L-shaped latch pivoted in the plate and bolt and having a shouldered inner arm and a projecting actuating arm, and a spring bearing against said actuating arm, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing to I be my invention I have hereunto set my hand this Mth'day of April, A. D. 1893.

WM. 0. LANGENAU.

Witnesses:

J. B. FAY, WM. SECHER.

have an actuating arm project in the opposite direction, and a spring bearing against said arm, substantially as set forth. I I

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