CERTAIN IMPROVE- MENTS IN COFFINS
Year: 1857

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Stephen Smith, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Tailor and Draper, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVE-
MENTS IN COFFINS."-A communication.
Sealed the 22nd December 1857, and dated the 29th September 1857.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Stephen Smith at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
29th September 1857.
I, STEPHEN SMITH, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Tailor and
Draper, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN
IMPROVEMENTS IN COFFINS," (a communication) to be as follows:-
This Invention relates solely to metallic "coffins" or burial cases, more
particularly to those made of cast-iron, and consists in the novel construction of
such receptacles. The "coffin" is formed in two parts or halves, top and
bottom, both of which are furnished at the edges where the halves are united
with projecting flanges, the surfaces of which may be either made plain or
rabetted to fit into each other. In order to secure the two halves together
and close the "coffin" they are bolted or screwed together, the bolts passing
through lugs or projecting pieces corresponding on each half of the "coffin,"
the handles being also secured by means of such screws, thus when the two
halves are united by the screws or bolts, and the interstices between the flanges
are filled with a suitable cement, an air-tight coffin or receptacle is produced
for which the Invention is designed. A plate of glass is placed in the upper
half or cover, over the face of the enclosed body, which is also furnished with
a metallic shutter to be placed over the same prior to burial.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Stephen Smith in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
29th March 1858.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, STEPHEN
SMITH, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Tailor and Draper, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-ninth day of September, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-seven, in the twenty-first year of
Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Stephen Smith, Her especial license that I, the said Stephen
Smith, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said Stephen Smith, my executors, administrators, and assigns, should at any
time agree with, and no others, from time to time and at all times there-
after during the term therein expressed should and lawfully might make, use,
exercise, and vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland,
the Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN COFFINS," which has been communicated to me by a foreigner residing
abroad, upon the condition, amongst others, that I, the said Stephen Smith,
by an instrument in writing under my hand and scal, should particularly
describe and ascertain the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner
the same was to be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great
Seal Patent Office within six calendar months next and immediately after the
date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said Stephen Smith, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the fol-
lowing statement and accompanying Drawings (that is to say) :-
This Invention relates solely to metallic "coffins" or burial cases, more
particularly to those made of cast-iron, and consists in the novel construction
of such receptacles. The coffin is formed in two parts or halves top and
bottom, both of which are furnished at the edges where the halves are united
with projecting flanges, the surfaces of which may be either made plain or
rabetted to fit into each other. In order to secure the two halves together
and close the coffin they may be bolted or screwed together, the bolts passing
through lugs or projecting pieces corresponding on each half of the coffin, the
handles being also secured by means of such screws, thus when the two
halves are united by the screws or bolts, and the interstices between the flanges

page_text: are filled with a suitable cement, an air-tight coffin or receptacle is produced
for which the Invention is designed. A plate of glass is placed in the upper
half or cover over the face of the enclosed, which is also furnished with a
metallic shutter to be placed over the same prior to burial; and upon the
interior surface the lid or cover, a small perforated box is provided to contain
charcoal or other deodorizing agent, from which a tube may pass through the
coffin lid into the atmosphere outside to carry away any offensive vapours.
In order that the Invention may be better understood and explained in
detail, I have hereunto attached a Sheet of Drawings, in which Figure 1 is a
side elevation of the coffin as seen when closed; Figure 2 is a plan view of
the lower half or bottom of the coffin, shewing the groove or rabbet for
receiving the rib on the upper half or cover, a view of the under side of which
is seen in Figure 3, and Figure 4 is a transverse section through the line A, B,
in Fig. 1. In the various Figures a, a, is the bottom or lower half of the coffin
within which the body is laid or placed, and b, b, is the lid or cover which is
secured thereupon by bolts or screws, the interstices between the two halves
being filled with cement; c is the glass plate and shutter placed over the face
of body, and d the box or chamber to contain any deodorizing substance
for destroying any noxious or offensive gases which may arise. The exterior
surface of the top and bottom halves may either be painted and varnished, or
coated with flock to present the appearance of cloth, or may be covered with
cloth as usual.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, together with the
method of carrying the same into practical effect, I would remark in conclu-
sion, that I claim the general arrangement, construction, and combination of
the various parts of, and the novel and peculiar configuration of the whole
coffin or burial case, as communicated to me by a foreigner residing abroad,
and constituting the Invention for improvements in coffins, as herein-before
described, set forth, and fully exhibited in the Drawings attached.
In witness whereof, I the said Stephen Smith, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-seventh day of March, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight.
STEPHEN SMITH. (L.S.)