US692067A - Portable burial-vault. - Google Patents

Description

No. 692,067. Pate nted Jan. 28, I902.

- a; BLUKEY.

PORTABLE BURIAL VAULT. (Application filed Sept. 20, 1901. I (No Model.) v 2 sheets-sheet I.

Patented Jan. 28, I902. G. B. OKEY. PORTABLE BUBIAL VAULT.

(Applichtion filed. Sept. 20, 1901.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

terial.

UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

GEORGE E. OKEY, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

PORTABLE BURIAL-VAULT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 692,067, dated January 28, 1902.

Application filed September 20, 1901. Serial No. 75,672; (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, GEORGE E. OKEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Indianapolis, in the county of Marion and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Burial-Vaults, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is directed to improvements in portableburial-vaults, and the particular matters of novelty in the construction therein areillustrated in the accompanying drawings, and in connection therewith the claims appended hereto will set out the preciseimprovement.

In the drawings, Figure 1 represents the portable vault with the end door removedto illustrate more particularly the sheet-metal closure incased within a wall of plastic ma- Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section of the closed vault, in which is seen the fastening and the sealing of the end door, which in Fig. l is shown removed. Fig. 3 shows the inner side of the end door of the vault with its ratchet fastening-arms. Fig. 4 shows an open frame which is fastened within the vault to receive and to fasten the vault end door and in connection therewith to form between the frame and the doora sealing-joint of plastic material when the vault end door is fastened in place, as in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 shows the inner side of the end door of the vault with its ratchetfastening-arms and the plastic sealing-joint as it is run in the sealingspace when the end of the vault is closed against the open frame. Fig. 6 is a partial transverse section of the vault, showingapart of the open frame and the provision whereby the end door of the vault is fastened to said frame. Fig. 7 shows in vertical longitudinal sectionthe end door of the vault secured in place and the provision whereby the end door is sealed after being fastened to the open frame.

A sheet-metal closure 1 is made, preferably, of boiler-iron in sections riveted together and to a head 2 at one end, the other end being open and forming an oblong square. A suitable distance from its open end an open frame 3 is riveted to the inner closure-walls. This frame is preferably of malleable iron and at its inner open side is formed with an inwardlyprojectiug rib or flang'e 4 around its inner place.

11, an opening 14 in the top of the open frame,

walls at right angles thereto. The opposite vertical flanges or ribs are formed with vertical slots 5, and on the inner sides of these flanges are fastened plate-springs 6, so that their free ends approach each other and overhang the upper and lower ends of the slots. The fastening of these spring-plates is such as to hold their free ends against, or nearly so, the flange-walls 4, slightly overlapping the ends of the slots in said walls, as in Figs.

6 and 7, for a purpose which I shall presently state.

A solid door 8 closes the open end of the metal closure and stands entirely within the Walls of the latter. A rib or flange 9 projects at right angles from the inner wall of the door and preferably fits closely within the inner walls of the open frame and against the rib or flange 4 of the open frame 3, as in Figs. 2 and 7, so that the joining of the two flanges is continuous.

Ratchet-arms 10 are fixed to and project inward from the door in positions to pass through the slots 5 in the vertical flanges or ribs 4 of the open frame, and pushing back the ends of the plate-springs which overlap theends of the slots causes them to engage the ratchet-teeth on the upper and lower edges of said arms, so that when the enddoor is driven home its arms will be locked by the plate-springs of the inner open frame. These ratchet-arms and the plate springs are of steel, and when the door is closed and fastened no access can be had to the fastening and the vault is secure with its casket.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 7, a space 11 is seen formed between the outer walls of the flange of the door and the inner walls of the open frame, making such space continuous around and between these walls.

At the top of the vault an aperture 12 is made in the metal and opens into this space 11, which is filled with cement 13, and thereby seals the joining of the solid door flange or rib 9 with the flange or rib 4 of the open frame, by which the end door is locked in To permit of filling this sealing-space Fig. 4, registers with the aperture 12 in the sheet metal.

A plastic wall 15 incloses the metal closure and is applied by trowel at the shop, so that the vault is a complete article of manufacture when carried to the place of interment. This plastic wall I prefer to make of a composition of cement and asbestos properly mixed, which forms a wall impervious to water, prevents corrosion of the metal closure, and will not crack.

The inner walls of the metal closure I prefer to coat with a composition known as rubberoid to prevent rusting and sweating.

It will be understood that the casket containing the corpse is shoved into the vault at the place of interment. in place and locked. It is then that the sealing of thejoining of the door with the inner open frame is effected, and for this purpose an opening 16 is left in the plastic wall, registering with the, aperture 12 in the metal closure, the plastic cement being run into and around the space 11, sealing the door at its inner side against the entrance of air. A slide 17 is seated on ways 18, by which the casket is pushed into the vault.

In Figs. 1, 4, and 7 is seen how the open frame is riveted to the metal closure, and the disposition of the rivets is to make a perfectly tight joint between the frame and the inner walls of the metal closure.

It will also be understood the joining of the door with the inner walls of the metal closure is made by aclose fit. While I have shown and described a pair of ratchet-arms on the vertical sides .of the door-flange, like arms may be secured on the other sides of said flange and the locking plate-springs correspondingly fastened on the open frame.

As shown in Fig. 5, these arms, at their ends fastened to the door-flange will be covered by the interior sealing-body surrounding said flange.

I claim 1. In a portable burial-vault and in combination, a metallic closure open at one end an open frame riveted to the inner walls at said open end and having a right-angled inwardstanding continuous rib or flange provided with slots, and with plate-spring catches the free ends whereof overlap the ends of said slots, and a metallic end door formed with an inward standing continuous rib or flange abutting the inward rib or flange of the open frame forming thereby a space between the inner wall of the open frame and the flange of the head or door, and ratchet-arms fixed to the door-flange registering with the slots in The door is then driven 3 the openframe adapted to engage the ends of the plate-sprin gs when the door orhead flange is driven against the open frame.

2. In a portable burial-vault and in combi-.

nation a metallic closure'open at one end, an

open frame riveted to the inner walls of said open end and having a continuous inwardstanding rib or flange 4:, a metallic door formed with an inward flange or rib and abutting the open-frame flange or rib whereby a space 11 is formed between the inner wall of the open frame and the flange of the door or head, a 'continuousseal filling for said space, and means whereby the flange or rib of the door is locked to the flange or rib of the in- 7o ner open frame.

3. In a portable burial-vault and in combination a metallic closure open atone end, an open frame riveted within saidopen end, a

metallic door for closing said open end, means on the open frame and means on the inner wall of the door whereby a continuous space is formed around the inner wall of the door, an aperture in the metallic closure and an aperture in the open frame both apertures registering with the surrounding space, a cement sealing within said space and means .whereby the head is secured to the open frame.

' 4. In a portable burial-vault and in combi- 8 nation a metallic closure open at one end, a flanged open frame forming. an abutment within said open end, a door having flanges on its inner wall the said flanges abuttingin the closed position of the door and forming 0 thereby a sealing-space in communication with an aperture in the closure-wall, means fixed to said flanges whereby the door is fastened to the abutment-frame and a cement sealing in the space formed by the said 5- flanges. I

5. The herein-described portable burialvault consisting of a metallic closure having an end door, means for fastening and means for sealing the door, the inner closure-walls I00 having a coating of rubberoid, and the outer closure-walls inclosed by a wall of cement having an aperture for introducing the cement sealing for the fastened door.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature

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