Patent Publication Number: US-2004040130-A1

Title: Method and apparatus for casket embellishment

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0001] The present invention relates to the construction of burial coffins or caskets and more particularly, to methods and apparatus for customized embellishment thereof.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002] As a general rule coffins, now more commonly referred to as caskets, are intended to lend dignity and substance to funeral proceedings. There have always been a minority who would defy convention for artistic, memorial or idiosyncratic reasons and casket panel embellishments have been available for these individuals. A provider of such embellishments in 1881, was William F. Taylor, who in his U.S. Pat. No. 246,241 disclosed printed fabric panels designed to cover the plain exterior surfaces of a casket, much in the manner of wall paper. Taylor&#39;s printed borders defined the trim lines of each fabric panel, so as to simplify the task of fitting the artistic depiction to the panels of a casket, but the actual application would seem to still have required skill and patience.  
       [0003] More recently, Stewart, U.S. Pat. No. 5,813,099 has disclosed apparatus for attachment of a picture of the deceased to virtually any flat exterior panel of a casket. Stewart also discloses a hard, durable transparent cover for protecting the picture from moisture and impact.  
       [0004] George Foley, Jr. discloses a burial casket having prepared surfaces for receiving drawn or painted images, or even decals. If the elected decoration is to be drawn or painted, the skill and services of a talented artist are required. A funeral home can make such arrangements, but scheduling of the work within the time available and the expense involved must be considered. If the elected decoration is a decal, time and expense problems are much less significant, but the result is simply an unprotected decal. Fant et al, in U.S. Pat. No. 6,233,404 B1, discloses a method for embellishing casket panels, with decals made to extend continuously across curves and moldings. Others teach the use of decorative, or theme panels, inside of the hinged casket cap. All in all, the desire for individually distinctive casket embellishments persists and appears to attract increasing numbers of practitioners. The long felt need, first expressed by William F. Taylor, for a series of interchangeable panel enhancements, is perceived to be redefined to include realistic artwork depicting life interests and/or hobbies of the deceased.  
       [0005] A first object of the present inventions is therefore, to provide method and apparatus for providing artwork in a variety of interchangeable depictions to be applied to the panels of a burial casket. A second object is that these depictions be durable, so as to be unaffected by moisture and time. A third object is that the depictions have the appearance of being integral to the casket and permanent in nature. Other objects are that the depictions be inexpensive to manufacture in production quantities and capable of quick and easy installation by relatively unskilled workmen.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006] The present inventions contemplate improved methods and apparatus for personalized embellishment of the outer panels of burial caskets. These inventions relate to or employ some steps and apparatus well known in the casket construction and embellishment arts and therefore, not the subject of detailed discussion herein.  
       [0007] The present inventions comprise embellishment apparatus suitable for application on flat or curved outer panel casket surfaces. A border, which may be in the form of a plain or ornate molding, provides a decorative frame for the selected exchangeable depiction. The depictions are transparent panels a nominal thickness of one-eighth inch or so, with an artistic rendering of any subject or scene, personally appropriate to the deceased, applied to the inside surface. The perimeter of the insert is sized and shaped to fit closely into the interior opening of the border, so that the borders serve in the manner of a picture frame, giving the depiction added depth and a finished appearance. A retaining gasket is applied around the border interior, at the perimeter of the depiction, both to hold it in place and seal against damaging water leaks. An “O” ring fitted into a groove where it overlaps and bears against the outer edge of the depiction provides these functional attributes in a preferred embodiment of the present inventions.  
       [0008] The design of the borders should be understated, so as to serve as tasteful embellishments, whether with depictions, or not. With matching borders on every panel, the casket has a balanced, finished appearance. Also, by having borders on every panel of a standardized casket, a funeral director can offer several depictions, one or none, as the case may be, and have complete flexibility in placement. The family of the deceased can even have a depiction exchanged for another, as arrangements are finalized. 
     
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0009] The accompanying drawings are incorporated into the specification to assist in explaining the present inventions. The drawings illustrate preferred and alternative examples of how the inventions can be made and used and are not to be construed as limiting the inventions to only those examples illustrated and described. The various advantages and features of the present inventions will be apparent from a consideration of the drawings in which:  
     [0010]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a burial casket incorporating the present inventions;  
     [0011]FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 as seen along plane  2 - 2  of FIG. 1;  
     [0012]FIGS. 3A and 3B are cross-section views of an alternative apparatus for depiction retaining and sealing; and  
     [0013]FIGS. 4A and 4B are cross-section views of a second alternative apparatus for depiction retaining and sealing. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
     [0014] The present inventions are described in the following by referring to drawings of examples of how the inventions can be made and used. In these drawings, reference characters are used throughout the views to indicate like or corresponding parts. The embodiments shown and described herein are exemplary. Many details are well known in the art, and as such are neither shown nor described.  
     [0015]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a burial casket  10  incorporating the present inventions where it is seen that the exterior panels include both flat and curved areas  12 - 20 , which may be made suitable for the display of artwork. In accordance with the present inventions, the exterior casket panels include design coordinated borders  22 - 36 , which serve as picture frames, giving the artwork added depth and a finished appearance. Certain of the borders are designated to hold depictions  40 - 44 , as is discussed in the following pages. The two side panels opposite panels  14  and  16  are unshown, as is the end panel opposite panel  12 , but it is to be understood that everything stated herein concerning panels applies to these unshown panels as well. For the purposes of this disclosure, it is felt that two end depictions  40 , four side depictions  42 , and one top depiction  44  will afford ample capability for the display of personalized artwork. Thus, only the borders which frame inserts  40 - 44  are configured for that purpose. It is to be noted that depictions  42  are interchangeable in borders  30  and  34  on the casket side shown and the unshown side. In the same manner, depiction  40  may be installed either in border  22  or, in the unshown border on the opposite end. Thus, it is seen that the borders serve not only to frame depictions  40 - 44 , but also provide cosmetic concealment of retaining gaskets.  
     [0016] Other aspects of casket  10  are familiar to all who have knowledge of the casket arts. Casket head cap  46  and foot cap  48  are hingedly attached in accordance with common practice, although not so shown in the drawings. Handlebars  50  are also mounted to escutcheon plates  54  on each side of casket  10  by means of arms  52  in accordance with common practice. In short, casket  10  of the present inventions is the same as the caskets now well known to funeral homes, except for the exterior embellishments as disclosed herein.  
     [0017]FIG. 2 shows a preferred means for installing a typical depiction  56 . Border  60  is shown here as made for application to flat surface  58 , but borders and similarly curved depictions can just as well be made to conform to a cylindrically curved surface, such as the exterior of foot cap  48  in FIG. 1 or to a convexly curved surface. Border  60  has a decoratively shaped cross-section that is replicated throughout the casket set. In a preferred embodiment of the inventions, every border potentially designated to receive artwork, as typified by depiction  56 , has an interior contour  66  cut to be a close fit to depiction  56 . Groove  64  in contour  66  is spaced slightly away from flat surface  58  and is dimensioned to receive elastic “O” ring  62 , with a portion of the diameter thereof protruding beyond the surface of contour  66 . Thus, “O” ring  62  must be compressed as depiction  56  is pressed into place and springs back out as depiction  56  is fully seated within contour  66 . The spacing of groove  64  from flat surface  58  is such that “O” ring  62  overlaps and bears against depiction  56  in its seated condition. In this manner, “O” ring  62  becomes a retainer and a gasket, holding depiction  56  in place and sealing against potential water leakage and consequent damage to the artwork. Thus, it is seen that the borders serve not only to frame depictions  40 - 44 , but also provide cosmetic concealment of the necessary retaining gaskets.  
     [0018] Even if no depiction  56  is installed in a designated molding  60 , “O” ring  62  does not detract from the finished appearance, whether it remains in place or not. Borders not designated to receive artwork are simply made without groove  64 , but otherwise are identical in appearance.  
     [0019]FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate how an alternative to “O” ring  62  and groove  64  can be provided by a “formed-in-place” silicon or urethane gasket  70 , made by applying a bead of gasket compound  74  around inner contour  72  of border  80 , at flat surface  68 , as shown in FIG. 3A. It is preferable to leave a short gap in bead  74 , so that air can escape as depiction  56  is pressed into place, as shown in FIG. 3B. This gap is then closed and sealed from the outside. In this view, bead  74  is seen to extrude, filling the clearance space between depiction  56  and contour  72 , even to overlapping the outer edge of depiction  56 . In this manner, depiction  56  is retained and sealed, as effectively as with the preferred “O” ring method. Inasmuch as a small amount of the gasket compound will also be squeezed under depiction  56  and away from border  80 , it is preferable to use a clear silicone or urethane compound for gasket  70 . In any case, its proximity to border  80  will make its presence unobvious. This formed-in-place gasket method does not allow the ready removal or exchange of depictions  56 , but has the advantage of allowing artwork to be installed in undesignated moldings that do not have an “O” ring groove.  
     [0020]FIGS. 4A and 4B show an alternative embodiment wherein depiction  90  effectively includes integral border  92 , applied to either the inner or outer surface of depiction  90 . Border  92  may be a plain, solid color, or an ornate representation of a picture frame. In either case, border  92  serves to frame the artwork of depiction  90 , giving it added depth and a more finished appearance. Depiction  90  may be flat or may be made to conform to a cylindrical or convex surface, so as to be capable of installation on any matching casket panel. Installation is by the formed-in-place gasket method, basically as described for the installation of FIGS. 3A &amp; 3B. A “formed-in-place” silicon or urethane gasket  94 , is made by applying a bead of gasket compound  96  around the underside of border  92 , where it will be hidden. Again, it is preferable to leave a short gap in bead  96 , so that air can escape as depiction  90  is pressed into place, as shown in FIG. 4B. This gap is then closed and sealed from the outside. In this manner, depiction  90  is retained and sealed, as effectively as with the preferred “O” ring method. A small amount of the gasket compound may also be extruded beyond the outer edge of depiction  90 . Even though this excess is easily removed with a clean rag and solvent, it is preferable to use a clear silicone or urethane compound for gasket  94 . In any case, its proximity to border  92  will make its presence unobvious. This formed-in-place gasket method does not allow the ready removal or exchange of depictions  90 , but has the advantage of allowing artwork to be installed on caskets not otherwise configured for the purpose.  
     [0021] The embodiments shown and described above are exemplary. It is not claimed that all of the details, parts, elements, or steps described and shown were invented herein. Even though many characteristics and advantages of the present inventions have been described in the drawings and accompanying text, the description is illustrative only. Changes may be made in the detail, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of the parts within the scope and principles of the inventions. The restrictive description and drawings of the specific examples above do not point out what an infringement of this patent would be, but are to provide at least one explanation of how to use and make the inventions. The limits of the inventions and the bounds of the patent protection are measured by and defined in the following claims.