CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN COFFINS
Year: 1859

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to James Parkinson, of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, Dentist, for the Invention of "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS IN
COFFINS."
Sealed the 12th August 1859, and dated the 14th February 1859.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James Parkinson at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the 14th
February 1859.
I, JAMES PARKINSON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Dentist,
do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "CERTAIN IMPROVEMENTS
IN COFFINS," to be as follows:-
My Invention consists in forming or manufacturing coffins or burial cases
of earthenware, such as the "brown ware" made of ordinary clays, or of finer
descriptions such as china clay, or other similar plastic material, or they may
be made of ordinary clay and "veneered" with clays or cements of a finer
quality, and they may be coated inside and out with a vitreous enamel or
glaze. The earthenware coffin may be used as an interior shell, and covered
outside with wood, or may be used alone, and may be made in two halves,
cemented or otherwise joined together, or with an ordinary lid or cover. And,
finally, the coffins may be of any form or description within the capabilities of
the application or use of clay or other plastic materials, and they may either
be made wholly of clay or in combination with wood, glass, vitreous glaze,
"veneers," or other available substance.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said James Parkinson in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th August 1859.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JAMES
PARKINSON, of Manchester, in the County of Lancaster, Dentist, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Fourteenth day of February, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, in the twenty-second year of
Her reign, did, for Herself; Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto ine,
the said James Parkinson, Her special licence that I, the said James
Parkinson, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such others as I, the
said James Parkinson, 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 night 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 IMPROVE-
MENTS IN COFFINS," upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
James Parkinson, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my hand and seal, 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 James Parkinson, 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
following statement (that is to say) :—
19
My Invention consists in forming or manufacturing coffins or burial cases
of earthenware, such as the "brown ware made of ordinary clays or of finer
descriptions, such as china clays or of other similar plastic material, or they
may be made of ordinary clay and "veneered" with clays or cements of finer
qualities, any they may be coated inside and out with a vitreous enamel or
glaze. The earthenware coffin may be used as an interior shell, and covered
outside with wood, or may be used alone and made in two halves cemented or
otherwise joined together, or with an ordinary lid or cover. And, finally, the
coffins may be of any form or description within the capabilities of the applica-
tion or use of clay or other plastic materials, and they may either be made

page_text: wholly of clay or in combination with wood, glass, vitreous glaze, "veneers"
or other available substance. Or, the coffin may be made of wood and the
interior or sides of the grave may be supplied or lined with outer coffins or
burial cases of earthenware so as to form a case or receptacle for the ordinary
coffin in a similar manner to and instead of the brick lined graves called
"vaults" as at present constructed.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in what
manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be distinctly understood
that I claim forming or manufacturing coffins, burial cases, or receptacles of
earthenware or other similar plastic materials, and also forming an outer
coffin case or receptacle for the protection of ordinary coffins, and to be so
employed instead of the brick or stone vaults bitherto us as herein-before
described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James Parkinson, have hereunto set my
hand and scal, this Twelfth day of August, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine.
JAMES PARKINSON. (L.s.)