Year: 1896

page_text: Date of Application, 13th Oct., 1896-Accepted, 28th Nov., 1896
A communication by THE MODEL CASKET COMPANY, of Kalamazoo, in the County of
Kalamazoo and State of Michigan, United States of America.
I, WILLIAM PHILLIPS THOMPSON, F.C.S., M.I.M.E. of the Agency for Foreign
Patent Solicitors, 6, Lord Street, Liverpool and 6, Bank Street, Manchester both
in the County of Lancaster, 118, New Street, Birmingham in the County of
Warwick, and 322, High Holborn, in the County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer..
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention relates to improvements in burial caskets.
It relates more particularly to that class of burial caskets known as couch caskets,
in which the entire body of the corpse is exposed as though lying on a couch when
the casket is opened.
The objects of this invention are first to provide a burial casket which can be quickly.
and conveniently transformed into a couch while the corpse is inside; second, to
provide a convenient mechanism for accomplishing this desired end; third, to provide a
casket of this kind so constructed that a mere opening of the cover effects the
transformation. Further objects will appear in the detailed description.
The objects of the invention are accomplished by the devices and means described
in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in
which-
Figure 1 is a front perspective view of a casket embodying the essential features of
the invention;
Figure 2 is a sectional view on a line corresponding to the line 2-2 of Figure 1.
Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view through the entire casket on a line
corresponding to line 3-3 of Figure 4 ;
Figure 4 is a detail view of one side of the bottom portion showing the guiding
rollers E;
Figure 6 is a sectional view similar to that shown in Figure 3 showing the special
means for controlling the bottom;
Figure 7 is a detail view of the same.
Similar letters of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.
Referring to the lettered parts of the drawing, A, represents the shell or outer
casing of the casket, B, is the cover which is hinged to the back side of the shell,
C, is the bottom which is shaped like a box and is supported movably inside the shell.
Links D D are pivotally connected to the ends of the bottom portion and to the end
portions of the main cover B, above. A fastener is provided for the front of the cover
for locking the same. On the sides of the bottom are placed pairs of anti-friction
rollers E, to ensure easy motion of the shell over the same.
A smaller cover B' is hinged and secured in the ordinary manner over a suitable
opening in the main cover to permit the same to be opened to arrange the interior
before opening the main lid. This smaller lid can be opened at any time under any
circumstances.
In operation the casket is placed upon the pedestals which are of such a size that
the shell will pass down over the same. When it is desired to open the casket for
viewing the corpse, the clasp to the main cover is loosened in front and it is allowed

page_text: to open back gradually from the weight of the shell descending around the bottom C.
The rollers E, guide the same correctly to position. When it is desired to close the
same the cover is taken hold of and the motion made to tip it forward as in the
ordinary way of closing a box cover, when, through the connection of the links DD
to the bottom and of the hinge to the back the shell will be drawn up to the position
indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 2, where it will form a burial casket similar in
appearance to those of ordinary construction.
When the casket is made very large or very heavy, toward each end of the bottom
is inserted a shaft F, having small pinions I, rigidly secured to each end thereof.
Vertical racks I' are placed inside the shell in position to engage the pinions I. It
will thus be seen that when the shell is raised or lowered the sides will be carried
evenly to their position, either open or closed as the case may be. When the casket
is placed upon the floor and the cover is raised it will of course lift the bottom which
would be impractical in use because the weight of the corpse is supported upon the
bottom.
The smaller lid B is provided to enable the opening of the casket when placed
on the floor without raising its contents as well as for other purposes mentioned
herein..
Having thus described this improved couch casket the inventor wishes it to be
understood that it is capable of considerable variation in its details without departing
from the invention.
The guiding rollers E, are not absolutely necessary, nor are the pinions L, and,
racks I. They however serve very useful purposes when required and cause the
remaining parts to work with great precision and accuracy. It will be clear that the
shell of the casket could be made movable over the bottom and be operated in other
ways than here indicated and the effects secured by the inventor still attained though
not in so satisfactory a manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondents, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a burial casket, the combination of the shell A; the bottom C, movably
supported therein; the top B, hinged thereto at the back; links D D, connecting
the top and bottom together; anti-friction rullers E E E E upon the bottom to guide
it within the shell; a shaft F in each end of the bottom; pinions II rigidly secured
to each end thereof; vertical racks I supported inside the shell in position to
mesh with said pinions; and a lock or clasp for securing the cover in the closed
position; all co-acting substantially as described for the purpose specified.
2. In a burial casket, the combination of the shell A; a bottom C, movably
supported therein; the top B, hinged thereto at the back; links DD connecting
the top and the bottom together; anti-friction rollers EEEE upon the bottom
to guide it within the shell; and a lock or clamp for securing the cover in the
closed position all co-acting together substantially as described for the purpose
specified.
3. In a burial casket the combination of the shell A; the bottom C, movably
supported therein; the top B, hinged thereto at the back; links DD connecting
the top and the bottom together; and a lock or clasp for securing the cover in
the closed position, all co-acting together substantially as described for the purpose
specified.
4. In a burial casket, the combination of the shell A; the bottom C, movably
supported therein; the top B hinged thereto at the back; links DD connecting
the top and the bottom together; a shaft F, in each end of the bottom; pinions II
rigidly secured to each end thereof; vertical racks I, supported inside the shell in
position to mesh with said pinions; and a lock or clasp for securing the cover,
all co-acting together substantially as described for the purpose specified.
5. In a burial casket, the combination of the shell A; the bottom C, movably
inpported therein; the top B, hinged thereto at the back; a smaller cover B, on

page_text: the top B, links D D connecting the top B, and the bottom together; and a lock
or clasp for securing the cover in the closed position substantially as described.
6. In a burial casket, the combination of the shell A; a suitable cover therefor,
the bottom :novably supported therein; and suitable means of adjusting the shell
up and down over the bottom to change the casket to a couch as specified.
DL 10th day of Databa 180