US2085825A - Burial casket stay strap hinge - Google Patents

Description

July 6, 1937. E. NEWKIRK BURIAL GASKET STAY STRAP HINGE Filed Feb. 8, 1956 J l; INVENTOR.

I Il Patented July 6, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BURIAL GASKET STAY STRAP HINGE Elmer Newkirk, St. Albans, N. Y.

Application February 8, 1936, Serial No. 62,946

4 Claims.

This invention relates to devices such as completely lined burial caskets and has particular reference to such devices having strap means for limiting the opening of the covers of the burial caskets.

One object of the invention is to furnish a dei vice of the character described having improved means for reliably limiting the opening movement of the cover and for preventing a portion of the lining, or indeed, of the means itself, from entering the hinge joint for the cover and obstructing the closing thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the nature set forth comprising a burial casket having a lining extending continuously along the cover and along the interior of the casket body, together with an improved stay strap hinge so co-ordinated as to bridge across the hinge joint of the casket in opening and closing position of the cover so as to support the lining against entering the hinge joint, with the strap element preferably positively disposed alongside of the wall of the casket body in the full closed position of the cover, and with the stay strap element maintained in such positions along its path of travel as not to catch on nor to obstruct the normally freely depending draping lining.

Another object of the invention is the provi- 'sion of a device of the type mentioned comprising a casket or container having a hinged cover in association with a pivotal lost motion resilient element adapted to positivelyv limit the opening of the cover and to yieldingly cushion the opening movement when the cover reaches the end of its travel to thus prevent jarring of the joints l of the casket, particularly in relatively heavy constructions thereof. n

40, A further object of the invention is to provide a stay strap hinge of improved highly simplified construction, and a supplemental object of the invention is to furnish a novel co-ordination thereof with a container or casket resulting in en embodiment having few and simple parts and which is inexpensive to manufacture and assemble, compact, durable, reliable and efficient to a high degree in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention -will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described in 55 their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated in the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated by the. same reference characters throughout the several views.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing'a device embodying the invention, in the closed position thereof.

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary view in elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing the device with the cover in full open position.

Fig. 4 is a face view of a stay strap hinge embodying the invention.

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a face View of a modified stay strap hinge.

Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line 'l-'l of Fig. 6.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when all of its features andvinstrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to4 which the invention appertains, that the same may be incorporated in several different constructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merely as showing the preferred exemplication of the invention.

Generally described, this invention provides a container such as a burial casket having a hinged cover, andY a continuously extending lining freely draped across the hinge joint, together with means disposed beneath the lining for supporting the cover in the open position thereof in such a reliable and positive manner as to prevent the tearing loose of ornamental stay cords frequently provided in burial caskets and to avoid undue stretching or mutilation of the lining. l-Ieretofore, devices such as burial caskets have been provided with ribbon-like bands of textile fabric interconnecting the casket body and cover across the hinge joint to support the cover in open position and to limit the opening movement thereof. However, such' bands either stretched unequally or in uncertain degrees or worked loose at their points of connection, particularly as a result offl the sudden tension produced thereon in opening the relatively heavy cover of the casket, so that the ornamentall stay cords, particularly when made of cotton as in caskets of the cheaper type,

lits path of opening movement. It will be noted would become broken, and the casket otherwise damaged. By this invention, the above mentioned defects are avoided, and at the same time, features of improvement are provided that are adapted for general use.

Referring in detail to the drawing, I8 denotes a device embodying the invention. The same may include a casket body I I, one side wall I2 of which is shown to which is connected any suitable butt hinge I3 for securing in place the relatively heavy decorative marginal bar I4 that forms a part of the cover I5. Extending continuously along the internal face of the cover and casket body is a lining I6 which is of relatively thick padded material, the top thin portion I1 of which is secured to the cover atpoints in relative proximity to the region of the hinge joint I8 so that the lining will comparatively closely follow the internal contour of the casket, and nevertheless freely drape downward into the body of the latter, and in close proximity to the side walls such as I2'thereof. It is noted that the lining is constructed with sufficient slack to permit it to move upward when the cover is opened as shown in Fig. 3.

Bridging across the region I8 of the hinge joint is a device I9 embodying the invention and which may be characterized as a hinge stay strap. The same may comprise a plurality of identic plates such as 2U, 2l. Each of these plates may comprise a pair of aligned ears 22 receiving a pin 23 and the plates having a suitable means forsecurement thereof to the casket. For example, a prong 2li may be struck at an end of each plate so as to be adapted to be driven into a wall of thecasket, and a hole 25 may be formed in each plate adapted to receive a wood screw such as 26 to thus strongly connect the respective plate to the casket. It is noted that the ears 22 project beyond the adjacent end 2 of the plate so as to afford ample clearance between the pintle 23 and said edge of the plate for a particular purpose hereinafter described. Interconnecting a pair of plates 28, 2I is a strap means 28 which may consist of a strip of flexible' but preferably resilient sheet metal bent at 29 to take around a pintle and reversely bent at 30 at a point remote from 28, in order to take around a pintle of a companion plate, and the `end porl tions 3|, 32 of said strip being secured together as by a rivet 33 so as to provide a bearing portion 30 that relatively closely embraces the pintle received therein. By this construction, the means 28 affords a longitudinal loop 34 along which the other pintle is freely movable so that the lost motion engagement thus afforded permits the plates 2G, 2l to move toward and away from each other.

The plate 20 is secured to the wall I2 ofY the casket body as shown with its pintle 23 positioned inward of the inner face of the said wall and above the top edge or surface v35 of said wall in order to assure clearance for the strap element 28 in its normal path of travel. 'Ihe plate 2l is secured to the member I4 of the cover at a suitable distance from the hinge joint in order to be adapted to permit the strap element 28 to clear theY longitudinal reenforcing rib 36Yof the cover and to limit the degree of openingofthe cover Aas-may be desired. y Preferably,the arrangement is such that the longitudinal rib 36 may abut the transversely'extending resilient or -lexible strap 28 so that the latter may serve to yieldingly cushion the cover as the latter approaches the endof that the part 36 may cause a degree of flexure in the element 28 which the latter tends to resist not only by reason of its inherent strength, but also because the tension exerted on said element by the weight of the cover tends to aid the element 28 in opposing the flexure mentioned. However, it is not essential for the purposes of this invention that the strap element 28 shall contact Vthe Arib 36, and the arrangement may consequently be such that these parts may be spaced from each other inthe normal full open position of the cover. f

In operation, when the cover is swung into closed position, the strap element 28 pivots around the pintle of the relatively xed plate 20, the motions being governed by the hinge I3 so that the strap element 28 moves downward coincident with the swinging motion thereof so that at no time shall the strap element 28 project unduly toward the interior of the casket body away from the wall I2. Thus catching and tearing of the lining I6 is avoided, a further safeguard being afforded by the rounded bearingportion l29 of the strap element. In the full closed position of the cover, the strap element 28 may lie relatively closely along the inside face of the wall I2. In opening movement of the cover, the `action is merely reversed, the cperation of the invention being at all times uniform with the path of travel of the strap element positively controlled, and with the parts so relatively snugly intertting as to prevent any rattling .or any other metallic sound. If desired, the bearing portion 29 may be substantially larger in diameterY than the pintle engaged thereby .so as to thus be adapted to afford a degree of resiliencefor cushioning the sudden tension exerted when the cover reaches the end of its opening movement. Y

In Fig. 6-is shown a stay strap hinge 40 embodyinga modification of the invention. The same may include a pair of identic plates 4 I, each having an end prong 42, a hole 43 for a wood screw or the-like, and an opening or cut out 44 at another end to thus afford an integral transverse-pintle portion 45. Interconnecting the plates 4I is a stay strap element. 48 which may w consist of, a strip of flexibleV o r resilient metal having its ends riveted together as at 41 topro-fY vide a loop, the ends whereof maybe suitably curved as shown at 48. VThe curved bearing portion 48, particularly at that `end of the strap ele- Y ment `whichhappens to bethe lowest when theV thestrap element of the movements herein de-A scribed in opening and closing the casket,

While the advantages of the; inventionare most clearly apparent in connection with devices such as burial caskets, it will be understood that the latter are shown hereinonly for illus-v trative purposes, and that the invention is adapted for other uses and may be embodied in different forms of container andl stay strap devices,

within the. scope of the following claims. A

I claim:

1. A container including a container body, ai cover hingedly connected thereto, a member,

means pivotally connecting the member to the cover, and means connecting the member to the body for sliding and swinging movement, the points of connection being spaced inward of the hinge axis to cause the member to act in tension to limit the opening of the cover, said cover having a portion underlying the member and adapted to abut the same intermediate of the said points of connection in the open position of the cover, said abutment between the member and said portion being yielding, and the said portion being coordinated with the member so as to cause said abutment to become effective as the cover approaches its limiting open position, and said means mounting the member and maintaining the same in a predetermined position in the open position of the cover.

2. A container including a container element, a cover element hingedly connected thereto, an elongated member consisting of resilient material, said member being movably engaged at its end portions with the container element and cover element at points spaced inward of the hinge axis so that said member acts in tension to limit the opening of the cover element, said member being longitudinally movable relative to one of said elements to permit the cover element to be closed. and one of the elements having a portion adapted tol laterally abut the Said member intermediate the ends thereof so that said member yieldingly resists the opening movement of the cover element as the latter approaches its full open position.

3. A limiting strap including a pair of plates having individual pintles, a member engaged with the pintles for interconnecting the plates, said member consisting of a one piece metallic band folded at points unequally spaced from the ends of the band to provide relatively long and short portions extending from the folds to the ends of the band, said end portions overlapping each other in relative proximity to one of the fold lines, and a securing element spaced 4from the fold lines and extending through the said end portions at the region of overlap and through the adjacent section of the band to thus provide an elongated loop portionl at one side of the element and an ear portion at the other side of the element, said car `portion receiving one of the pintles and the loop portion receiving the other pintle for lost motion engagement therewith along the loop portion.

4. A limiting strap including a pair of plates having individual pintles, a member engaged with the pintles for interconnecting the plates, said member consisting of a one piece band folded to provide overlapping end portions near one end of the member, means interconnectingr said end portions with each other and the adjacent portion of the band to dene an elongated loop and an ear on opposite sides of said means, said ear and loop receiving respective pintles of said plates.

ELMER NEWKIRK.

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