US2544168A - Lining device for caskets and the like - Google Patents

Description

C. W. LUSBY LINING DEVICE FOR GASKETS AND THE LIKE March 6,

2 Sheetsa 1 Aug N VENTOR,

1W Q I E I Afro/m ys March 6, 1951 c. w. LUSBY 1.1mm: DEVICE FOR GASKETS AND THE LIKE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 6, 1948 MN H I I I I I r I 1 1 I I I I/ II I/ I I l I I I I/ I I I I I I I INVENTOR. CarZ 14 Z as ATTOFP/VfVS Patented Mar. 6, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LINING- DEVICE FOR GASKETS AND THE LIKE Carl. W. Lusby, MountVernon, Ohio Application August 6, 1948, Serial No. 42,874

2 Claims. i

This invention relates to a combination casket and. vault.

An object of the invention is the provision of a casket-vault combination which is airtight and water-proof and which has suificient strength to withstand the weight of the soil so that the casket will operate the same as a vault, said vault being manufactured from non-porous and rust-proof materials thereby eliminating danger of disintegration, the lid being cemented to the casket to provide substantially a unitary enclosure, a lining supported by a framework. being insertable into the casket as a unit independently of the lid or casket.

A further object of the invention is the pro.- vision of a casket formed of plastics materials which will not disintegrate under varying conditions of the soil of a grave, and which is not only impervious to moisture but is airtight, the lid being sealed to the top of the casket by a operating tongue and groove formation and a cement to. produce a one-piece unit. The transversely curved lid for resisting the weight of the soil in a grave, in conjunction with the type of materials employed in the manufacture of the lid and casket, transforms said burial unit into a vault. The interior side walls of the casket are lined with a suitable fabric which may be attached removably to a foldable framework insertable into the casket as an independent unit.

The invention is best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part of the specification, nevertheless, it is to be understood that the invention is not confined to the disclosure, but is susceptible of such changes and modifications as shall define no material departure from the salient features of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawings: 7

Figure l is a plan view of an improved combination casket and vault.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end view of the casket with parts broken way to show the handle construction.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section of the lid and a wall of the casket.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary View in perspective of one end of a removable frame for supporting a lining for the interior side walls of the body portion of the casket.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary view in perspective of an attaching clip secured to an interior lining, and

Figure '7 is an enlarged fragmentary side view of a bar of the supporting frame and a floor board disclosing a means for attaching removably the frames to said board.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, It designates the bottom of a casket having integrally formed side walls H and endwalls [2. It will be noted from Figure 2 that the end walls and side walls are thicker along the bottom edges to provide an external flange 13. The upper edges of said walls are thickened to form a peripheral flange it. around the elongated entrance to said casket.

Each side wall has three inwardly bent portions forming pockets 20. A handle 2! formed integrally with the side walls projects outwardly and downwardly and the lower edge 22 thereof terminates approximately midway between the upper and lower edges of each pocket. The inbent portions 23 provide sufficient space for the reception of the fingers and hand of a pallbearer. As shown in Figure 3 the extreme outer surfaces of the handles lie in a vertical plane passing through the side faces of the flanges I3 and I l so the handles will not appear from the top of the casket (Figure 1).

The upper edge of the peripheral flange [4 has a continuous dove-tailed groove 25 which is broader at the bottom 26 than at the open end. A continuous rib or tongue 2? depends from the underface 23 of a peripheral flange 29 of a top or closure 30 and is received by the groove 25. The width of the upper portion of the rib where it joins the bottom face 28 of the flange 29 is narrower than the bottom thereof to provide slanting side walls which are substantially parallel to the adjacent slanting side walls of the groove 25. However, the side walls of the rib and groove and the bottoms of said rib and grooves are spaced from each other to receive a cement 3! which when hardened will seal the top to the casket. Some of the cement will be squeezed out of the groove and form a thin layer between the top of the walls of the casket and the bottom face 28 of the top 36. Any cement which is pressed outwardly onto the exterior will be wiped or scraped off.

The top or closure 39 is manufactured of some suitable plastics material, as is the body of the casket. The exterior surface of the closure and body may be polished or otherwise treated to provide various effects. The inner surface may be given an opaque coating. The closure, however, has a transparent portion 35 which covers the upper half of the body so that portion of the body may be viewed after the lid has been sealed in place. Before the casket is removed from a home or an establishment, the transparent portion is covered by a sheet of paper or cloth, or a coating which will dry quickly is applied thereto. The lid is curved transversely for the purpose of strength in order that the lid will support the weight of the earth in the grave.

The flange 29 at one end of the lid 30 is provided with a pair of threaded passages closed normally by threaded glass plugs 36. The threaded passages are intended to receive threaded nipples attached to a tube for supplying various chemicals which aid in the preservation of the body. One of the passages is employed as an inlet while the other passage oper ates as an outlet.

Another type of lid or enclosure may be employed with the elimination of the clear glass section 35 when it is undesirable to expose the body to view. In this case, the lid is formed of two sections which are fitted together midway between the ends of the casket and sealed with a cement of the type which is used to seal or look the rib 21 in the groove 25.

The interior of the casket is lined with a suitable material 40 which ma be pleated or provided with folds. The material may be a fabric employed generally in the manufacture of caskets or it may be in the form of sheets of some suitable plastics material.

Means is employed for retaining the fabric neatly in place and consists of a pair of rectangular side frames at which are hinged together at 62 at the inner contacting ends (Figure 2) So that said frames may be folded upon each other for storage. End frames 43 have their opposite ends arranged in abutting relation with the side frames 4|, adjacent to the opposite ends of the side frames. It will be noted from Figures 2 and that the top bars of the frames are provided with transverse notches 45 to receive hooks 45 attached at 4'. in any approved manner to the inner face of the fabric. The bottom edge of the fabric may be cemented or tacked to the lower bars of the frames.

A fioor board 50 may be made in sections and hinged together in the same manner as the side frames. Clips 5| are secured at 52 to the ends and sides of the board at such spaced intervals that they will be received by notches 53 formed in the bottom bars of the frames for connecting the frames in position. A cushion is placed on the board to receive the body and a pillow is disposed on the cushion to receive the head.

It is to be borne in mind that the board 53, the frames 4!, 43 and the fabric 40 are independent of the casket and are assembled for insertion into said casket. In this way the fabric may be stored in boxes so that the purchaser may select the style of fabric he desires for the interior lining. The frames may be manufactured of some light material asa plastic, wood or cellophane.

The casket also operates as a burial vault since it is built substantially strong to withstand the weight of the soil placed in the grave. Furthermore, the materials employed in the manufacture of the combined casket and vault are not only water-proof but are airtight. When the lid 30 is sealed in place it cannot be removed. Furthermore, the lid and body portion, when manu- 4 factured, may be provided with suitable decorations.

What I claim:

1. A lining device for caskets and the like, comprising a flat rectangular floor panel removably mounted within the casket and arranged upon the bottom of the casket, open upstanding rectangular side frames removably mounted within the casket upon the floor panel and disposed adjacent to the sides of the casket and including top and bottom horizontal rails and vertical end rails connecting the top and bottom rails, the top and bottom rails of the side frames being provided with longitudinally spaced notches, open upstanding rectangular end frames removably mounted within the casket adjacent to the ends thereof and arranged between the upstanding side frames at the opposite ends of the side frames, the end frames including substantially horizontal top and bottom rails having longitudinally spaced notches formed therein and vertical end rails disposed adjacent to and laterally inwardly of the vertical end rails of the side frames in substantially contacting relation therewith, clips secured to th side and end edges of the floor panel and having parts projecting above the floor panel for engagement Within the notches of the bottom rails of the side and end frames, hooks for engagement within the notches of the top rails of the side and end frames, and a lining of thin sheet material for the casket and arranged upon the inner sides of the side and end frames and extending entirely about the sides and ends of the casket and secured near its top to the hooks, the hooks serv-- ing to suspend the lining from the side and end frames, the lining extending from the top rails of the side and end frames substantially to the bottom of the casket.

2. A lining device for caskets and the like, comprising a fiat rectangular floor panel to be removably mounted upon the bottom of the casket and extending for substantially the entire distances between the ends and sides of the casket, open upstanding rectangular side frames removably mounted within the casket adjacent to the sides of the casket and disposed upon the floor panel adjacent to the side edges thereof, the side frames including companion longitudinally extending frame sections hinged together near the longitudinal center of the casket, the frame sections being foldable upon each other for storage, each frame section including a top and bottom rail provided in their upper faces with longitudinally spaced notches and substantially vertical outer end rails connecting the outer ends of the top and bottom rails, open rectangular end frames mounted upon the floor panel adjacent to its opposite ends and arranged close to and inwardly of the ends of the casket, the end frames including top and bottom substantially horizontal rails, provided in their upper faces with longitudinally spaced notches and substantially vertical end rails arranged adjacent to and inwardly of the outer end rails of the side frame sections and in substantially contacting relation with such outer end rails, substantially L-shaped brackets secured to the side and end edges of the floor panel and projecting above the fioor panel for engagement in the notches of the bottom rails of the side frame sections and end frames and serving to position the side frames with respect to the end frames, hooks engaging within the notches of the top rails of the side frame sections and end frames, and a lining of thin 5 sheet material connected with and supported by the hooks and arranged upon the inner sides of the side frames and end frames, the linin extending substantially to the bottom of the casket and being secured at its bottom edge to the bottom rails of the side frame sections and end frames.

CARL W. LUSBY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number Number 6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Butler Mar. 3, 1891 West Feb. 12, 1913 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Great Britain Sept. 23, 1915

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