Improvements in the Manufacture of Burial Caskets.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd Aug., 1893
Complete Specification Left, 21st June, 1894-Accepted, 11th Aug., 1894
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Burial Caskets.
We, HENRY ANGELO GARVEY, and ALTAMONT DE CORDOVA, both of
223 West 44th Street, New York, in the United States of America, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements in the manufacture of burial caskets, and
in means and materials for use therein, and it has for its object to construct a
seamless and indestructible casket, with circular or rounded ends.
For the purpose of our invention we construct two metal moulds one of which is
used to form the body and the other the lid of the casket, and these moulds are
made in parts which are, secured together by means of suitable flanges or lugs
tapped or screwed to receive thumb screws or the like.
In making a casket by means of the above described moulds, the inner surfaces
of the mould are first oiled, then a sheet of wire netting is placed in each of the
moulds and is supported therein by having some of its threads or wires bent at
right angles to the sheet and resting against one side of the mould.
The wire netting, at certain intervals, is bent over and supports screwed nuts,
which are used to secure the hinges and lock to the lid and body of the casket after
the same is cast. The parts of the mould are then fastened together by means
of the tapped flanges above mentioned, and the mould is then inverted; the
composition is now poured into the moulds through suitable gates which are formed
therein for the purpose.
This composition may consist of the following ingredients: Plaster of Paris, cork
dust, washed animal hair, dextrine, Indian red, and water, in suitable proportions,
and thoroughly mixed together.
As soon as the composition commences to heat, the thumb screws are removed,
and when the composition has set, the casket can be withdrawn by taking off the
bottom piece of the body mould, removing the screws from the nuts cast in the
casket, then removing the side pieces of the mould. A few light taps with a
mallet, or the like, will loosen the casting when it can be lifted off. The same
process applies to the cover but, when casting, the mould is placed perpendicularly
on end.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Burial Caskets.
We HENRY ANGELO GARVEY, Artisan, and ALTAMONT DE CORDOVA,
Banker, both of 223, West 44th Street, New York, in the United States of
America, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what inanner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to
the letters and figures marked thereon, that is to say :-
This invention relates to articles and a method of forming hollow articles of
compositions of matter, and having metallic cores, and consists of the articles and
methods hereinafter described and is more particularly pointed out in the
description hereinafter.
One form of this invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming
part of this Specification, in which :-
--
Figure 1 is a cross-section of a mould and a casket,
Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the last named parts at one end thereof,
Figure 3 is a plan sectional view taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2,
Figure 4 is a view of a part of the mould,
Figure 5 is a section of the lid of, and.
°
Figure 6 is a section of the body of the preferred form of the casket fórmed
according to this invention, also showing part of the mould,
Figure 7 is an edge view of the preferred form of the foraminous core, and
Figure 8 is a side view of the same.
This invention, so far as it relates to the method, is as follows:-
About or in one part of the mould is stretched a foraminous metallic templet or
core, provided with small spurs or off-sets to hold the same away therefrom, so
that, by preference, it will be in the centre of the completed mould; the edges of
the templet are then secured by means of small wires or the like to the mould,
preferably placing them in shallow grooves across the edge thereof; the other
part of the mould is then placed and secured in position; the liquid or plastic
composition is then introduced through suitable gates, leaving others as air vents,
until the mould is full. Sufficient time is allowed for the hardening or setting of
the composition, after which the mould is removed, the small holding-wires being
cut to free the article from the mould. The top is or may be formed in a similar
manner. The parts are now ready for subsequent operations, such as smoothing
off, painting, affixing of handles and the like.
In some cases the core is roughened or oxidized to get a better bond between it
and the composition.
Referring to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawings, 5 marks one half of a mould, said
half 5 being formed of four longitudinal pieces 6, 7, 8, 9, hinged together by
hinges 10, and three pieces (at each end) 11, 12, 13, held in place by overlapping
lugs 14 and screws 15. The pieces 6, 9, 11, 12, 13, of the half mould 5 are formed
with flanges 16, which have lugs or flanges 17 in which screw threaded bolts 18 are
pivoted, said bolts having butterfly nuts 19 thereon.
At suitable intervals, the flanges 16 have small holes 20 through them. Half
mould 5 by preference is suspended at a height convenient for workmen, (or it
may be turned upside down on a bench), while the templet or core is put in position.
The core 4 is preferably cut from wire cloth (or equivalent) of a width sufficient
to extend around parts 6, 7, 8, 9 of half mould 5 from flange to flange (16), the
ends being cut into gores. In some cases, small off-sets or spurs 21 are secured to
the core at intervals for a purpose hereinafter mentioned. These spurs 21 are
made of the material used for the casket and may be fastened in place by any
suitable means.
The core is then bent or stretched around the half-mould 5 with

page_text: its spurs thereagainst to hold the core away therefrom; the gores are brought up
with their edges together or overlapping and are laced together with wire or
otherwise secured; the edges of the core are secured to the mould by small soft or
flexible wires 22 which pass through holes 20 in the mould and are fastened to
the core, and then to pins on the inside of the mould when the core is sufficiently
taut.
The outer half mould which is formed of bottom piece 24, side pieces 25 and end
pieces 26, hinged to bottom 24, is placed under the suspended half mould 5 with
the sides and ends down. Half mould 5 with core 4 in place is lowered and.
centred until the sides and ends of the outer half mould can be brought up and
bolts 18 be placed in slots 27 in the overlapping edges of the sides 25 and ends 26.
By means of the bolts 18 and nuts 19, the moulds are brought into proper relation.
with each other, (the core 4 being midway between them) and there secured.
The fluid or plastic composition is then introduced through some of the gates 28
until the mould is entirely full. The composition fills all interstices of the mould
and core, the two parts of the article separated by the core 4 being united through.
the perforations in the latter; also, owing to the oxidized condition of the core,.
forming a good bond with the same.
After allowing the mass to set or harden, the sides 25 and ends 26 are dropped,
bolts 18 and nuts 19 being loosened for that purpose, screws 15 are removed,.
parts 11, 12, 13 are removed, then pieces 6, 7, 8, 9 are likewise removed, and then
the casket 2 is lifted from the bottom 24, and is ready for the finishing operations.
Rough places on the casket are next smoothed off, and the same may be painted.
or otherwise finished by steps not necessary to be stated here.
The top 30 is formed in a similar manner with a core 4 therein, and with
rabbeted edges 31, so as to fit against and overlap the edge of the body portion of
the casket, to which it is secured, as by screws. The casket is supported on legs.
or flanges 33 made integral therewith.
The casket may be upholstered and finished as desired. The metal core imparts
rigidity and strength to the casket.
In Figures 5 to 8 inclusive there is shown a preferred form of the casket and the
foraminous metallic core. The latter consists of wire netting 4 having cut portions.
or spurs 21 at suitable intervals, said spurs 21" being turned to about right angles.
with the netting. A one-half inch mesh wire netting answers very well, with the
spurs several inches apart. (In the drawing these are shown as relatively closer
than this to accommodate matters to the size of the drawing.)
In
The cores, in Figures 5 and 6 are shown with outwardly and reverse flanges 40.
and 41. These give great stiffness to the edges of the casket and cover.
addition there may be longitudinal beads or mouldings, as 42, 43 on the casket and
cover, as well as ornamentation.
For the best results the mould should have a smooth or polished surface for
contact with the plastic composition. A metallic mould with burnished surfaces.
does very well for this purpose. The use of a mould with smooth faces gives a
smooth surface to the articles ready to receive varnish, paint, or other finish.
It will be understood that the method herein before described may be used to
form hollow articles of many descriptions.
Any suitable composition of matter, as artificial stone, cement, plastic com-
positions, etc., may be used to form the articles in combination with the core.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is:
1. The method of making artificial stone caskets consisting in forming or
bending a foraminous metallic core, provided with indicators or spurs, upon one
part of a mould with the spurs thereagainst, fastening the edges of the core to the
mould, placing the rest of the mould in position, then filling the mould with the

page_text: fluid or plastic composition of matter, allowing the same to harden, then releasing
and removing the mould, substantially as described.
2. The method of making artificial stone caskets consisting in cutting and
bending some of the wires of a netting at points to form spurs, bending the netting
about one part of a mould with the spurs thereagainst, securing the edges of the
netting to the mould, placing the rest of the mould in position, filling the mould
with the fluid or plastic composition of matter, allowing the same to harden, then
releasing and removing the mould, substantially as described.
3. Hollow articles made according to the foregoing invention.
Dated this 11th day of May 1894
HENRY A. GARVEY.
ALTAMONT DE CORDOVA.
Ernest de Pass,
Chartered Patent Agent,
78, Fleet Street, London, and 6, Victoria Street, Nottingham,
Agent for the Applicants.