US638075A - Bier. - Google Patents

Description

No. 638,075. Patented mw. 2s, |899. .1. A. sT. JEAN'.

BIER.

(Application led May 4. 1899.)

-(No Model.)

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UNITED STATES PATENT kOFFICE. i

JOSEPH A. ST. JEAN, OF OHEBOYGAN, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO PHEAT'I L. MILLEN, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

BIER..

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 638,075, dated November 28, 1899.

Application filed May 4,1899. Serial No. '715,595- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JosEPH A. ST. JEAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Oheboygan, in the county of Cheboygan and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Biers and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to biers and the object in view is to provide a convenient and efticient means for lifting and transporting coftins, caskets, or the like, enabling the pallbearers to be located at the ends of the casket instead of along the sides thereof, which is often impracticable in narrow hallways, &c.

The detailed objects and advantages of the invention will more fully appear in the course of the subjoined description.

The invention consists in a bier embodying certain novel features and details of construction and arrangement of parts, whereby the bier is adaptable to caskets of different sizes, as hereinafterfully set forth, illustrated in the drawings, and incorporated in the claims hereto appended.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the bier applied to a casket. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bier detached. Fig. 3 is abottom perspective View of one end of the casket, showing a slightlydifferent form of handle. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a modified form of bier. Fig. 5 is a detail longitudinal section through the handle.

Similar numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in al1 the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 and 2 designate a pair of substantially U -shaped frames, consisting, respectively, of an inner or lower transverse bar 3 and parallel side bars 4, bent to form horizontal portions 5 and upwardlyinclined end portions 6, connectedby offsets or substantially vertical or slightly-inclined connecting portions 7. The side bars 4 are connected just beyond the offsets 7 by a transverse bar 8, designed to bear against the end of the casket and form a limiting-stop, and the terminals of the side bars are formed into eyes or sleeves 9, through which is inserted a handle-bar 10, which may be either solid or tubular. The-lower bars are provided adjacent to their opposite ends with loops 11, through which adjusting-straps 12 pass, said straps being provided with buckles, whereby they may be lengthened and shortened for adapting the bier as a whole to be applied to caskets of different lengths.

In use the horizontal or inner portions of the two inner frames, which are connected by the adjusting-straps, are passed under the casket, and by slightly lifting the handles the stop or limiting cross-bars are brought into contactwith the ends of the casket. By now lifting upon the handles the casket will be raised and may be conveniently carried by two or more persons standing at each end of the casket.

The handles 10 may be composed of a rod 14., haying threaded ends to receive handles 15, and the rod 14 may be passed through the sleeves at the terminals of the side bars of the frames and the handles 15 be applied to the projecting ends thereof. Encircling the rod 14., between the side bars, is a sleeve 16 of rubber. This form of handle is especially adapted to the construction illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, in which the side bars are curved, as indicated at 17, so as to bring the handle or central portion of the handle in contact with the end of the casket. By said construction the rubber sleeves 16 will bear against the casket, thus preventing noise and injury to the casket. In the constructions illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 the stop or limiting cross-bar S may also be covered by a rubber sleeve for a purpose similar to that just hereinabove described.

.From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a simple carrying device for caskets by means of which the casket may be conveyed along a narrow passage-way or down a narrow stairway by persons located at each end thereof.

I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction hereinabove shown and described, but reserve to myself the right to change, modify, or vary the construction within the scope of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what IOO is claimed as neW, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

and cross-bars, of means for detachably securing the handles to the side frame-bars, and an adjustable and iexible longitudinal connection between said frames, substantially as described.

2. In a bier, the combination With a pair of rectangular end frames embodying horizontal cross-bars and side bars having horizontal and upwardly-inclined portions terminating in end sleeves, of detachable handles connected With said frame-sleeves, and flexible lon gitudinally-extensible connections between said frames, substantially as described.

3. In a bier, the combination with a pair of substantially rectangular frames comprising side bars connected by cross-bars, of loops at the opposite ends of one of the cross-bars,

stop or limiting cross-bars connecting the side bars at points intermediate the ends of the latter, sleeves at the ends of the side bars, handles inserted therein,and detachable and longitudinally-extensible connections between the two frames, passing through said loops, substantially as described.

4. In a bierfa pair of end frames and longitudinally-extensible connections between the same, in combination with handle-bars connected to said end frames, and flexible sleeves surrounding the handle-bars and designed to bear against the ends of the casket, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.A

JOSEPH A. ST. JEAN.

Witnesses:

SIMON Ron, WM. N. CRoss.

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