WO2004100849A2

WO2004100849A2 - A burial casket

Info

Publication number: WO2004100849A2
Application number: PCT/IB2004/001558
Authority: WO
Inventors: Petrus Gerhardus KÜHN
Original assignee: Kuehn Petrus Gerhardus
Priority date: 2003-05-14
Filing date: 2004-05-14
Publication date: 2004-11-25
Also published as: WO2004100849A3

Abstract

A burial casket (10) which includes a moulded container (12) having an opening (18) through which a human corpse can be introduced into the container (12), the container (12) having an elongated shape and being dimensioned to hold a human corpse in a lying condition. The burial casket (10) also includes a moulded closure (14), for sealingly closing the opening (18) and fastening means for fastening the closure (14) onto the container (12).

Description

A BURIAL CASKET

THE INVENTION relates to the burial of corpses. In particular, the invention relates to a burial casket, a burial arrangement, and to a burial casket carrier.

According to the invention, there is provided a burial casket which includes a moulded container having an opening through which a human corpse can be introduced into the container, the container having an elongated shape and being dimensioned to hold a human corpse in a lying condition; and a moulded closure, for sealingly closing the opening; and fastening means for fastening the closure onto the container.

The container may be defined by an elongate concave shaped base, and the closure may be in the form of a lid. The opening of the base may have a peripherally extending flange for fitting the lid to the opening of the base.

The fastening means may include a plurality of threaded fastening members such as screws, bolts, or the like, which may be screwthreadingly receivable through peripherally spaced apertures in the lid and the flange of the base. In another embodiment, the fastening means may include a plurality of rivets, such as self locking rivets, pop- rivets, or the like, which are receivable through peripherally spaced apertures in the lid and the flange of the base. The burial casket may include sealing means for hermetically sealing the joint between the lid and the flange of the base. For example, the sealing means may include a resilient seal such as an O-ring, a gasket, or the like, disposed in the joint between the lid and the flange of the base. In another embodiment, the sealing means may include an adhesive applied in the joint between the lid and the flange of the base.

The burial casket may include at least one ventilation port extending through a wall of any one of the container and the closure, the at least one ventilation port being spaced from a foot end of the burial casket.

The burial casket may include a valve through a wall of any one of the container and the closure, the valve selectively providing a flow path between the inside of the burial casket and the surrounding atmosphere.

The burial casket may include an identification tag, the identification tag having communication means for transmitting an identification code. For example, the identification tag may include a radio frequency (RF) transmitter, operable selectively to transmit the identification code by means of a radio frequency signal. The identification tag may include a receiver, operable to receive an interrogation signal from a remote tag reader, and to transmit the identification code in response to receipt of the interrogation signal.

The burial casket may include a set of moulded carry formations for carrying the burial casket in a horizontal orientation, the carry formations being spaced along an outer periphery of the burial casket. For example, the carry formations may be in the form of integrally moulded handles, moulded hinges to which hinged handles are attachable, or the like, spaced along the sides of the burial casket.

The burial casket may include an attachment formation for attaching the burial casket to an anchor, the attachment formation being located towards a head end of the burial casket to support the burial casket in a vertical orientation, when depending from the anchor.

The burial casket may include a support arrangement for supporting a corpse in the burial casket, the support arrangement having at least one tie member fast with the container for fastening the corpse to the container, in use to keep the corpse in position when the burial casket is in a horizontal- or vertical orientation. In another embodiment, the support arrangement may be in the form of at least one inflatable bladder, located inside the burial casket between at least one wall of the burial casket and the corpse, the bladder, when inflated exerting a force on the wall of the burial casket and on the corpse, thereby to keep the corpse in position in the burial casket, when the burial casket is in a horizontal- or vertical orientation. The bladder may include an inflation port extending through a wall of the burial casket. The inflation port may be connectable to inflation means, such as a supply of compressed air, for inflating the bladder after the burial casket has been closed.

The invention extends to a burial arrangement which includes at least two rows of parallel spaced circular bores in the earth for burying human corpses in a generally vertical orientation, each bore having a diameter of between 500mm and 1000mm, the bores in one row being staggered relative to the bores in the adjoining row, such that the distance between adjacent bores in each row is the same as the distance between a bore in one row and adjacent bores in the adjoining row. At least one bore may have a sleeve which lines at least a portion of the bore.

At least one bore may have a ventilation duct for aerating a lower region of the bore, the ventilation duct extending from a lower region of the bore to an upper region of the bore.

At least one bore may include a closing member, for closing the opening of the bore after the bore has been filled. For example, the closing member may be in the form of a gravestone, which may be inscribed.

The invention further extends to a burial casket carrier which includes a base for positioning the burial casket carrier securely proximate a vertical bore in the earth, the base having reference means for aligning the burial casket carrier with a mouth of the bore; a cradle supported on the base, the cradle defining a bed on which an elongate burial casket is supportable in a horizontal orientation; a tilting mechanism for tilting the cradle into a vertical orientation in which a casket supported on the bed is aligned with a said bore; and a lowering device attachable to the burial casket for lowering a said burial casket from the bed beyond the base into the vertical bore.

The reference means may include a frame, dimensioned to frame a circular bore of between 500mm and 1000mm. The lowering device may include a flexible tensile element rolled onto a pulley, a free end of the tensile element having attachment means for attaching to a burial casket.

The lowering device may include a brake mechanism, operable to unwind the tensile element from the pulley at a predefined rate, under load of the burial casket.

The tilting mechanism may include a jack for driving the cradle from a horizontal orientation into a vertical orientation. The jack may include drive means for actuating the jack. The drive means may include at least one of an electrical motor, a pneumatic actuator/motor, or a hydraulic actuator/motor.

The attachment means may include a release mechanism which, when attached to a burial casket, allows the attachment means to be released from the burial casket. The attachment means may include a first holding formation fastened to the tensile element at a distance from the free end of the tensile element and a second holding formation fastened at the free end of the tensile element, the first and the second holding formations being releasably attachable to one another to define a loop in the tensile element between the first- and second holding formations, the release mechanism, upon activation releasing the first and second holding formations from each other.

The invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the following diagrammatic drawings in which,

Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional exploded view of a burial casket in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 shows a top plan view of a burial arrangement in accordance with the invention;

Figure 3 shows a partial section of the burial arrangement taken at Ill-Ill in Figure 2; Figure 4 shows a three-dimensional view of a burial casket carrier in accordance with the invention;

Figure 5 shows a side view of the burial casket carrier shown in Figure 4;

Figure 6 shows a three-dimensional view of the burial casket carrier in Figure 4, in use;

Figure 7 shows a side view of the burial casket carrier in Figure 4, in a partially tilted orientation;

Figure 8 shows a side view of the burial casket carrier in Figure 4 in a vertical orientation; Figure 9 shows a three-dimensional view of attachment means of the burial casket carrier shown in Figure 4; and

Figure 10 shows an exploded view of the attachment means shown in Figure 9.

In the drawings, reference numeral 10 generally refers to a burial casket in accordance with the invention. The burial casket 10 includes a moulded container 12, a moulded closure 14, and fastening means 16, in the form of self locking rivets for fastening the closure 14 on the container 12. In one embodiment of the invention, the container 12 and closure 14 can be formed by a press moulding process using certain types of fibrous material such as reconstituted wood, bogus or other naturally occurring fibrous material, plastic, or even glass fibre reinforced resin material. In another embodiment of the invention, the container 12 and closure 14 can be formed by a conventional glass fibre moulding process which comprises a pattern or orientation moulding, vacuum-forming, plastic injection moulding, gas assisted injection moulding (structural foaming), or blow moulding process in the case where a thermoplastic material is used.

The container 12 and closure 14 can include decorative effects, for example, by adding colour pigments to the moulding material. Alternatively the container 12 and closure 14 can be spray painted, silkscreen printed, or the like, according to personal and religious preference. In the illustrated example, the only decorative effect illustrated is a printed cross 11 on the closure 14, as can been seen in Figure 3.

The container 12 has an opening 18 through which a human corpse (not shown) can be introduced to be held in a lying condition in the container 12. The closure 14 is shaped and dimensioned to close the opening 18 of the container 12, thereby to seal the burial casket 10.

The container 12 in this example is defined by an elongate concave shaped base. The closure 14 is in the form of a lid having a shape similar to that of the base 12. The base 12 and the lid 14 both have peripherally extending flanges 20 and 22 around their openings 18 and 19. The flanges 20 and 22 are mated to close the burial casket 10.

Self locking rivets 16 fit through apertures 24 in the flange 22 of the lid 14 and through apertures 26 in the flange 20 of the base 12, to close the lid 14 on the base 12.

In other embodiments of the casket 10, the lid 14 can be in formed in two parts so that only one part can be closed to allow a corpse to be viewed prior to burial. In this example, the burial casket 10 also includes sealing means, in the form of a resilient O-ring 28 which fits between faces 30 and 32 of the flanges 20 and 22, to seal the burial casket 10 hermetically.

The lid 14 includes four ventilation ports 34 (shown in broken lines), of which only two are visible in Figure 1 , that can be opened if desirable to aerate the inside of the burial casket 10. The burial casket 10 also includes a valve 36 fitted through a wall 38 of the lid 14. The valve 36 can be opened to provide a flow path between the inside of the burial casket 10 and the surrounding atmosphere.

The valve 36 can be connected to a vacuum pump (not shown) to remove air from the inside of the of the sealed casket 10, and if desirable, to replace the air with an inert gas such as Nitrogen, to preserve the corpse for a period of time.

The burial casket 10 further includes an identification tag 40 which includes a radio frequency transmitter/receiver (not shown). The identification tag is programmed with a unique identification code that can be transmitted via the transceiver, when an interrogation signal is received from a handheld reader 41 , as shown in Figure 3. The identity of a corpse can be associated with the unique identification code of the identification tag 40 prior to burial. The identification tag 40 can then be used in combination with the handheld reader 41 , to identify the casket 10 and the corpse after burial.

The burial casket 10 has carry formations in the form of rigidly fixed or, as in this example, hinged handles 42, spaced along the sides of the burial casket 10. The handles 42 can be used to carry the burial casket 10 by hand in a horizontal orientation. The burial casket 10 also has an attachment formation 44 consisting of two moulded formations 44.2 and 44.4 on the lid 14 and the base 12, respectively. The attachment formation is located at a head end of the burial casket 10. The burial casket 10, when lifted by the attachment formation 44 depends downwardly in a vertical orientation.

A support arrangement 46 in the form of three straps 48, 50 and 52 is provided in the burial casket 10. The straps 48, 50 and 52 are fastened to the base 12 by being threaded through six slits of which only three numbered 54, 56 and 58 are visible. The support arrangement 46 is used to fasten a corpse in the base 12, thereby to keep the corpse in position when the burial casket 10 is oriented in a horizontal or vertical orientation.

It is to be appreciated that other support arrangements can also be implemented to support the corpse. In particular, a bladder like bag can be positioned next to, or on top of the corpse, and can be inflated once the burial casket 10 is sealed, thereby to press against the inside wall of the burial casket 10 and against the corpse, and to keep the corpse in position in the base 12 of the burial casket 10 when the burial casket 10 is vertically oriented.

In Figure 2, a burial arrangement 70 is shown. The burial arrangement 70 includes two rows 72 and 74 of parallel spaced circular bores 76 and 78. The bores 76 in the first row 72 are staggered relative to the bores 78 in the second row 74, such that the distance A between adjacent bores 78 in the second row 74 is the same as the distance A between adjacent bores 76, 78 in the first and second rows 72, 74. Naturally more rows can be used if desired. Figure 3, shows a section of a bore 76, taken at Ill-Ill in Figure 2. A sleeve 90 is visible in a mouth 92 of the bore 76. The sleeve 90 includes a flange portion 94 and a cylindrical sleeve portion 96. The sleeve 90 is removably inserted into the mouth 92 of the bore 76 to stabilise the surface 104 around the mouth 92 of the bore 76, before and during burial proceedings. The flange portion 94 limits the depth to which the sleeve portion 96 is inserted.

A burial casket 10 is shown in position at the bottom of the bore 76 with a ventilation duct 98 extending from the burial casket 10 upwardly towards an upper region of the bore 76. The ventilation duct 98 does not extend all the way to the mouth 92 of the bore 76, but ends below the surface 104. In use, the ventilation duct 98 provides oxygen to the immediate outside of the burial casket 10, to facilitate decomposition of the burial casket 10 and the corpse. A grid 100 is provided at the top of the ventilation duct 98 and gravel stones 102 (shown in broken lines) are placed on top of the grid 100. The mouth 106 of the ventilation duct 98 is typically located 100mm to 200mm below the surface 104.

In Figure 4, a burial casket carrier 120 is shown. The burial casket carrier 120 has a base 122 in the form of an elongate oval frame supporting a cradle 124. The burial casket carrier 120 also has a tilting mechanism 126, mounted on the base 122 and supporting the cradle 124. The burial casket carrier 120 includes a lowering device 128 which is mounted at a head end of the cradle 124.

The base 122 has a number of adjustable feet 130 which can be adjusted to locate the burial casket carrier 120 securely proximate a vertical bore (not shown) in the earth. The base 122 has reference means in the form of a bore framing zone 132. The base 122 can be positioned to locate the bore framing zone 132 such that it frames the vertical bore in the earth.

The cradle 124 includes a plurality of rollers 134 which define a bed 136 onto which a burial casket 10 can be positioned. Guides 138 are provided at both sides of the cradle 124 to locate a burial casket 10 in position on the bed 136, as can be seen in Figure 6.

Referring to Figure 5, the tilting mechanism 126 includes a first stage tilting mechanism in the form of a first jack 140. A lower support member 125 of the cradle 124 is attached to a hinge 141 at the end of a cross member 143. The first jack 140 is defined by a worm gear actuator 145, of which one end is hingedly attached to the hinge 141 and another end is attached to a lifting arm 147 of which one end is attached to the cross member 143 and another end slidingly supports the support member 125 of the cradle 124. The first jack 140 includes driving means in the form of a first electrical motor 142, for actuating the jack 140. It is to be appreciated that the motor 142 can also be a pneumatic-, or hydraulic actuator. In operation, when the electrical motor 142 is operated, the lifting arm 147 folds away and the cradle bed 136 is tilted through about 15 degrees towards the bore framing zone 132, as can be seen in Figure 7. It will be appreciated that any suitable jacking arrangement could be used.

Still referring to Figure 5, the tilting mechanism 126 further includes a second stage tilting mechanism in the form of a second jack 144. The jack 144 is defined by the cross member 143 of which one end is hingedly attached to the base 122, a scissor jack having two jacking members 149 and 151 and a threaded socket 153 connected to the two members 149 and 151 and running on a worm gear 155. The jack 144 includes driving means in the form of a second electrical motor 146, for actuating the jack 144 by rotation of the worm gear 155. It is to be appreciated that the motor 146 can also be a pneumatic-, or hydraulic actuator. In operation, when the electrical motor 146 is operated, the cradle bed is tilted through 75 degrees towards the bore framing zone 132, as can be seen in Figure 8. As can be seen in Figure 8, the cradle bed 136 is in a vertical orientation in which the burial casket 10 on the cradle bed 136 is aligned with a bore in the earth. Once again it will be appreciated that any suitable jacking arrangement could be used.

In Figure 6 the burial casket 10 is shown on the burial casket carrier 120. The lowering device 128 has a flexible tensile element, in the form of a strap 150, which is rolled onto a pulley 152 and routed over a roller 154. A free end of the strap 150 has attachment means 160 which is attached to the attachment formation 44 of the burial casket 10. The lowering device 128 includes a brake mechanism or damper (not shown) inside the pulley 152, for unwinding the strap 150 from the pulley 152 at a predefined rate under load of the burial casket 10.

As can be seen in Figure 9, the attachment means .160 includes a release mechanism 162, which, when attached to the burial casket allows the attachment means 160 to be released from the burial casket 10.

The attachment means 160 has a first holding formation 164, fastened to the strap 150 at a distance from its free end, and a second holding formation 166 fastened at the end of the strap 150. The first holding formation 164 is releasably attachable to the second holding formation 166 to define a loop 168 in the strap 150, for suspending the burial casket 10 from the attachment formation 44. As can be seen in Figure 10, the first holding formation 164 defines a sleeve 170, into which a locking mechanism in the form of a cylinder 172 is receivable. The sleeve 170 has two guides 171. The cylinder 172 defines a slot 174 into which two inwardly protruding clips 176 can fit. The cylinder 172, when received in the sleeve 170, can rotate about its longitudinal axis to bring the slot 174 in register with the guides 171 to receive the clips 176, into the slot 174. If the cylinder 172 is rotated so that the slot 174 is out of register with the guides 171 , the clips are retained in the slot 174. The release mechanism 162 is operated by displacing lever 178, which is fast with the cylinder 172, in the direction of arrow 180. By displacing the lever 178 in the direction of arrow 180, the slot 174 is rotated and the clips 176 are released from the slot 174 thereby releasing the second holding formation 166 from the first holding formation 164. The first and second holding formations 164 and 166 are locked together by means of a locking pin 182, which fits through a first aperture 184 through a cylindrical wall in the sleeve 170 into a second aperture 186 in the cylinder 172, thereby preventing rotation of the cylinder 172.

In operation, the burial casket carrier 120 is positioned over a vertical bore 157 in the earth, with the bore framing zone 132 framing the bore. A burial casket 10 is placed on the burial casket carrier 120, which is in a horizontal orientation (see Figure 6). The attachment means 160 is attached to the attachment formation 44 of the burial casket, the tilting mechanism 126 is tilted through 15 degrees by operation of the first jack 140 (see Figure 7) and then through a further 75 degrees by operation of the second jack 144 (see Figure 8). The burial casket 10 is then oriented in a vertical orientation depending from the attachment formation 44 which is attached to the attachment means 160. The lowering device 128 is activated and the strap 150 is unrolled from the pulley 152 under control of the braking mechanism (not shown), thereby to lower the burial casket 10 at a predefined rate from the cradle bed 136 through the bore framing zone 132 and the base 122 into the vertical bore.

Once the burial casket comes to rest at the bottom of the vertical bore, the locking pin 182 is removed from the release mechanism 162 and the lever 178 is rotated in the direction of arrow 180, thereby releasing the second holding formation 166 from the first holding formation 164 and then to release the strap 150 from the attachment formation 44. The strap 150 is then rolled back onto the pulley 152 and the bore can be filled with earth, with or without the ventilation duct 98, shown in Figure 3.

The inventor believes that the invention, as illustrated, provides a new burial casket, which may be of use for burying human corpses in a vertical orientation. In addition, the casket, as illustrated, provides the option to be sealed and/or to be aerated to provide for controlled decomposition of a corpse in varying soil drainage conditions, with reduced contamination of underground water and soil. The inventor believes that the burial arrangement, as illustrated provides a space efficient arrangement to bury human corpses. The inventor also believes that the burial casket carrier, as illustrated provides a fast and efficient means to introduce the burial casket into a vertical bore in the earth.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A burial casket which includes a moulded container having an opening through which a human corpse can be introduced into the container, the container having an elongated shape and being dimensioned to hold a human corpse in a lying condition; and a moulded closure, for sealingly closing the opening; and fastening means for fastening the closure onto the container.

2. A burial casket as claimed in claim 1 , in which the container is defined by an elongate concave shaped base, and the closure is in the form of a lid, the opening of the base having a peripherally extending flange for fitting the lid to the opening of the base.

3. A burial casket as claimed in claim 2, in which the fastening means include a plurality of threaded fastening members, screwthreadingly receivable through peripherally spaced apertures in the lid and the flange of the base.

4. A burial casket as claimed in claim 2, in which the fastening means include a plurality of rivets, selected from the group of a self locking rivet and a pop-rivet, receivable through peripherally spaced apertures in the lid and the flange of the base.

5. A burial casket as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 4, which includes sealing means for hermetically sealing the joint between the lid and the flange of the base.

6. A burial casket as claimed in claim 5, in which the sealing means include a resilient seal disposed in the joint between the lid and the flange of the base.

7. A burial casket as claimed in claim 5, in which the sealing means include an adhesive applied in the joint between the lid and the flange of the base.

8. A burial casket as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, which includes at least one ventilation port extending through a wall of any one of the container and the closure, the at least one ventilation port being spaced from a foot end of the burial casket.

9. A burial casket as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 7, which includes a valve, through a wall of any one of the container and the closure, the valve selectively providing a flow path between the inside of the burial casket and the surrounding atmosphere.

10. A burial casket as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 9, which includes an identification tag, the identification tag having communication means for transmitting an identification code.

11. A burial casket as claimed in claim 10, in which the identification tag includes a radio frequency transmitter, operable selectively to transmit the identification code by means of a radio frequency signal.

12. A burial casket as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 11 , which includes a set of moulded carry formations for carrying the burial casket in a horizontal orientation, the carry formations being spaced along an outer periphery of the burial casket.

13. A burial casket as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 12, which includes an attachment formation for attaching the burial casket to an anchor, the attachment formation being located towards a head end of the burial casket, to support the burial casket in a vertical orientation.

14. A burial casket as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, which includes a support arrangement for supporting a corpse in the burial casket, the support arrangement having at least one tie member fast with the container for fastening the corpse to the container, in use to maintain the position of the corpse when the burial casket is in a horizontal- or vertical orientation.

15. A burial casket as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13, which includes a support arrangement for supporting a corpse in the burial casket, the support arrangement having at least one inflatable bladder, beatable inside the burial casket between at least one wall of the burial casket and the corpse, the bladder, when inflated exerting a force on the wall of the burial casket and the corpse, thereby to maintain the position of the corpse in the burial casket, when the burial casket is in a horizontal- or vertical orientation.

16. A burial arrangement which includes at least two rows of parallel spaced circular bores in the earth for burying human corpses in a generally vertical orientation, each bore having a diameter of between 500mm and 1000mm, the bores in one row being staggered relative to the bores of an adjoining row, such that the distance between two bores in one row is the same as the distance between a bore in one row and adjacent bores in the adjoining row.

17. ^' A burial arrangement, as claimed in claim 16, which includes at least one bore having a sleeve which lines at least a portion of the bore.

18. A burial arrangement as claimed in claim 16 or 17, which includes at least one bore having a ventilation duct for aerating a lower region of the bore, the ventilation duct extending from a lower region of the bore to an upper region of the bore.

19. A burial arrangement as claimed in any one of claims 16 to 18, which includes at least one bore having a closing member, for closing the opening of the bore.

20. A burial casket carrier which includes a base for positioning the burial casket carrier securely proximate a vertical bore in the earth, the base having reference means for aligning the burial casket carrier with a mouth of the bore; a cradle supported on the base, the cradle defining a bed on which an elongate burial casket is supportable in a horizontal orientation; a tilting mechanism for tilting the cradle into a vertical orientation in which a casket supported on the cradle bed is aligned with a said bore; and a lowering device attachable to the burial casket for lowering a said burial casket from the cradle bed beyond the base into the vertical bore.

21. A burial casket carrier as claimed in claim 20, in which the reference means includes a frame, dimensioned to frame a circular bore of between 500mm and 1000mm.

22. A burial casket carrier as claimed in claim 20 or 21 , in which the lowering device includes a flexible tensile element rolled onto a pulley, a free end of the tensile element having attachment means for attaching to a burial casket.

23. A burial casket carrier as claimed in claim 22, in which the lowering device includes a brake mechanism, operable to unwind the tensile element from the pulley at a predefined rate.

24. A burial casket carrier as claimed in any one of claims 20 to

23, in which the tilting mechanism includes a jack for driving the cradle from a horizontal orientation into a vertical orientation.

25. A burial casket carrier as claimed in claim 24, in which the jack includes drive means for actuating the jack.

26. A burial casket carrier as claimed in claim 25, in which the drive means includes at least one of any one the group including an electrical motor, a pneumatic actuator and a hydraulic actuator.

27. A burial casket carrier as claimed in any one of claims 21 to

26, in which the attachment means includes a release mechanism which, when attached to a burial casket, allows the attachment means to be released from the burial casket.

28. A burial casket carrier as claimed in claim 27, in which the attachment means includes a first holding formation fastened to the tensile element at a distance from the free end of the tensile element and a second holding formation fastened at the free end of the tensile element, the first and the second holding formations being releasably attachable to one another to define a loop in the tensile element between the first- and second holding formations, the release mechanism, upon activation releasing the first and second holding formations from each other.