US1421967A - Burial box - Google Patents

Description

/14 J za F. LEES.

BURIAL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 30, 1921.

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Fredevil, Le es.

INVENTOR ATTORNEY FREDERICK LEES, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BURIAL BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1922.

Application filed November 30, 1921. Serial No. 518,894.

T 0 all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FREDERICK LEEs,'a subject of the King of Great Britain, residingat Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invent-ed new and useful Improvements in Burial Boxes` of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to burial boxes or caskets and it has more particular reference to boxes which are made of cementitious or analogous material suitably reinforced whereby the shaping of said box or casket is more easily effected and rendered durable.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a reinforced composition casket that is impervious to the action of water, air and the-ravages of vermin whereby the contents are more effectively preserved and prevented from premature decay.

Another object of my invention is to provide a burial box or casket which can be hermetically sealed and thereby protecting the contents from illicit disturbance or unlawful removal.

A further objecti attained by this invention is the provision of a burial box or casket which can be cheaply manufactured, whilst it is of light weight and such strong and durable nature as to effectively protect a corpse against the natural forces tending to set up decomposition and disintegration.

lVith the foregoing objects in view this invention more particularly consists in the novel construction` combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and specifically defined by theappended claims.

In the further disclosureof the invention reference is to be had to the accompanying sheet of explanatory drawings constituting a part of this specification. and in which like characters of reference designate the same or corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a. sectional plan taken approximately onl the line 1 1 in Figure 2, that is to say, with the cover removed.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section through my improved burial box with the cover therefor in place.

Figure 3 is a. transverse section through the burial box with the cover removed; and,

Figure 4 is a detail of the frame therefor.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and in accordance with the embodiment of my invention illustrated thereby, I construct a. substantially rectangular box 5 of suitable wood preferably tongued and grooved together and including sides 6, 6, ends 7, 7, and a bottom 8. Longitudinally of the bottom 8 and thereunder I secure in any appropriate manner a pair of skids or battens 9, 9, whilst the aforesaid sides 6, 6, and ends 7, 7 are reinforced or strengthened by spaced vertical battens 10 whereby a light and durable structure is obtained. Securely anchored by staples 11 to the aforesaid skids 9 and battens 10 is a sheath of expanded or reticulate metal fabric 12, it being particularly noted that the main part thereof, or that which surrounds and is connected to the sides 6 and ends 7 of the box 5, is a continuous length of material with the upper edge thereof outwardly bulged at 13 to lie over a surrounding peripheral reinforcing strip or lath.14 that is nailed or otherwise securely connected to the upper edges of the aforesaid vertical battens 10. The upper or projecting edge of the metal fabric 12 is then hammered or otherwise folded down at 15 to snugly rest on the top edges of the strip or lath 14 and the surrounding top edge. of the box 10, whereby said box 5 and metal fabric 12 are bonded rigidly together. The lower edge of the metal fabric 12 may similarly be inturned at 16 and secured to the longitudinal skids or battens 9, 9 whilst a layer of such fabric 17 may also b secured thereto to fill in the intervening space between said lower inturned edges 16.

Secured in any of the well known ways around the upper edge of the box 5 is a surrounding lath or strip 18 which when the cementitious material`19 is coated completely over the metal fabric 12 in any of the known manners, provides the inner wall for a continuous groove or channel 20 that constitutes a seat for thecover 21 as later on explained. This cover or lid 21 comprises an inner member or base 22 of tongued and grooved wood stifened on its upper face with transverse battens or laths-23 on which is stapled a sheathing of metal fabric 24 of the same character as that which surrounds the box 5, and said metal fabric 24 has its edges inturned at 25 to overlap the transverse limb 26 of a surrounding lip of angular cross section metal that is secured to the base 22 in any convenient maner. The vertical and depending limb 27 of said surrounding lip is adapted to seat snugly in the aforesaid groove or channel 20 when the lid or cover 21 is applied to the box 5, and said lid or cover 21 is coated with cementitious material in like manner to the box 5.

Before placing the cover or lid 21 in posi- -tion on the box 5 the groove or channel 20 is filled with fresh cementitious material or putty 28 in which the aforesaid depending limb 27 of the lip is bedded which forces said material or putty outwardly to completeA a hermetic joining seal between said cover or lid 21 and the box 5.

Previous to applying the cover or lid 21 to the box 5 I preferably dispose transversely across the top of said box 5 one or more brace rods 29 the ends whereof are downturned at 30 to seat in the aforementioned 'groove or 'channel 2O and when said lid or cover 21 is applied and bedded in the fresh cementitious material or putty 28 it will be perfectly obvious that the box will be effectively prevented from bulging or warping.

Obviously the inner walls of the box 5 as well as the bottom 8 and underside of the cover or lid 21 will be upholstered in acwhilst the outer surface may be stained or colored to give an attractive finish.

From the foregoing it will be perfectly obvious that as a result of my invention there is provided a'cheap and easily manufactured burial box which will retainits shape and owing to the impervious material or coating thereof a moisture and air-proof structure is provided. Still further it will be apparent that the contents of a burialbox constructed as hereinbefore set forth will be well preserved botlrfrom the action of the elements and from unauthorized'tampering with the same.

Whilst I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be clear the same is susceptible of'minor detail changes and the right is hereby reserved to make such variations and modifications therein as fairly lie within the scope of the appended claims. L

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is :Y

1. A burial box of cementitious material having an inner wooden body, vertically spaced battens on the outer faces of the sides and end walls and longitudinal battens under said wooden body, a reinforcing strip completely surrounding the upper outer edge of the wooden body and secured to the aforesaid vertical battens, an inner facing strip secured to the inner upper edge of the wooden body and constituting-one wall of a surrounding sealing groove in the cementitious mater1al,metallic fabric surroundingv and attached to the aforesaid battens, the upper'and lower edges of said metallic fabric bein inturned to grip the upper and lower edges of the wooden body, and a cover for said burial box having an inner wooden face reinforced by metallic fabric and a depending angular cross section lip, I

4of th'e wooden body and secured to the aforesaid vertical battens, an inner facing strip secured to the. inner upper edge of the wooden. body and constituting one wall of a surrounding sealing groove in the cementitious material, metallic fabric'surrounding and attached to the aforesaid battens, the upper and lower edges of said metallic fabric being inturned to grip the upper and lower edges of the wooden body, and a cover for said burial box having an inner wooden face reinforced by metallic'fabric and a depending angular cross section lip, said lip being adapted to seat in a groove about the said burial box, means for hermetically sealing said cover to the burial box, means ture.

FREDERICK LEES.

In testlmony whereof I aiiix my signa#

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