Improvements in Coffin Furniture and in the Manufacture of the same.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 15th Apr., 1899
Comalate Concification I aft 15th Jan
1900-Accented. 24th Feb. 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coffin Furniture and in the Manufacture of the same.
1, JAMES RALPH, of Lyndhurst, Bilston, in the County of Stafford, Manufac-
turer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
My invention has for its object improvements in coffin furniture and in the
manufacture of the same, by which I improve the appearance and character of
such furniture and at the same time render it much more impervious to the
destructive action of damp than in the case of the metal furniture hitherto in use
my improved furniture not being liable to corrosion as in the case with metal
fittings.
In carrying my invention into effect I form the breast or name plate head, foot,
and handle plates of any suitable wood, which in the case of the breast plate is
shaped to the required design or configuration and is specially prepared for the
prevention of warping by either forming dovetail grooves in the back of the plate
into which dovetail clamps are inserted having the grain running at right angles
to that of the plate or the plate may be formed of two thicknesses of wood pressed
and curved together each with their grain at right angles to the other. The face
of these plates may be ornamented with inlaid wood ivory or imitations thereof
of various shades and kinds and the name and other particulars may be either
painted on the face or letters of ivory or imitations thereof may be cut out stamped
or otherwise formed and attached to the plate by any suitable means such as glue
cement or sprigs.
The plate is attached to the coffin lid preferably by screws from the inside of
the lid so that no means of attachment can be seen by which in cases where the
plates are of the same wood as the coffin the plate has the appearance of being
worked on the coffin and a much bolder more solid and substantial appearance
is obtained than in the case of metal plates. The plates may be carved, sunk and
worked to any desired extent and in cases where they consist of various kinds of
wood to form an inlaid pattern, I may manufacture them by building up a block
to the required pattern with lengths of the various kinds of wood to form the
pattern which would be secured together and afterwards shaped externally along
its length to the required design for the plate after which the block would be cut
laterally into the required thicknesses for forming a number of such plates the
edges of which would then be moulded or otherwise dealt with as required.
The head and foot plates are formed in a similar manner and of similar materials
to match as also the handle plates which have holes provided for the passage
through of the handle support attachments the ends of which may be secured
within the coffin in which case the support would require a longer pin to pass
through my plate as well as the coffin side.
The plates may be veneered and polished or varnished as may be required and
may be secured by ornamentel brass headed screws if so desired.
Date L 1
1 1000

page_text: Improvements in Coffin Furniture and in the Manufacture of the same.
I, JAMES RALPII, of Lyndhurst, Bilston, in the County of Stafford, Manufac-
tuier, 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:-
-
My invention has for its object improvements in coffin furniture and in the
manufacture of the same, by which I improve the appearance and character of
such furniture and at the same time render it much more impervious to the
destructive action of damp than in the case of the metal furniture hitherto in use;
my improved furniture not being liable to corrosion as in the case with metal
fittings.
In order that my invention may be clearly understood and more easily carried
into practise I have appended hereunto 2 sheets of drawings upon which I have
fully illustrated the nature of my said invention together with the mode of carry-
ing the same into effect.
Figure 1 is a view of a collin furnished in accordance with my invention with
inlaid wood plates.
Figure 2 illustrates one form of breast or name plate before attachment.
Figure 3 is a similar elevation of a foot plate.
Figure 4 is an elevation of a head plate.
Figure 5 is an elevation of a handle plate.
Figure 6 is an enlarged section through Figure 2.
Figure 7 is a similar section to Figure 6 but shewing a modification.
In carrying my invention into effect I form the breast or name plate A head B
foot C and handle plates E of any suitable wood which is shaped to the required
design or configuration and is specially prepared for the prevention of warping by
either forming dovetail grooves al in the back of the plate into which dovetail
clamps are inserted having the grain running at right angles to that of the
plate or the plate may be formed of two thickness of wood pressed and secured
together each with their grain at right angles to the other. The face of these
plates may be ornamented with inlaid wood ivory or imitations thereof of various
shades and kinds as shewn at s, and the name and other particulars may be either
painted on the face or letters of ivory, imitations, thereof or any kind of metal
may be cut out stamped or otherwise formed and attached to the plate by any
suitable means such as glue cement sprigs or screws.
the coffin lid preferably by screws F from the inside of the lid K so that no means
The plate is attached to
of attachment can be seen by which in cases where the plates are of the same kind
of wood as the coffin X the plates have the appearance of being worked on the
coffin and a much bolder, more solid and substantial appearance is obtained than
in the case of metal plates. In some cases I may sink the inlays A B, C and E
into the solid wood the whole forming one level surface in which case the inlaid
plate is let into the solid board of the coffin as shewn by Figure 7.
The plates A, B, C and E may be carved sunk and worked to any desired extent
and in cases where they consist of various kinds of wood to form an inlaid pattern
I may manufacture them by building up a block to the required pattern with
lengths of the various kinds of wood to form the pattern which is glued or other-
wise secured together and afterwards shaped externally along its length to the
required design for the plate after which the block is cut laterally into the required
thickness for forming a number of such plates the edges of which are then moulded
or otherwise dealt with as required.

page_text: All the plates for the particular parts are formed in a similar manner and of
similar materials to match while the handle plates E are provided with holes e²
for the passage through of the handle support attachments the ends of which may
be secured within the coffin in which case the support would require a longer pin
to pass through my plate as well as the coffin side.
in place of cutting plates of the required thickness from the made up blocks
I may in the case of elaborate designs cut veneers from the ends of the said made
up blocks and glue or otherwise cement the same to a plain board shaped to the
required outward configuration and which may be moulded on the edge and of a
similar or contrasting wood to that of the coffin or the veneers may be sunk into
the coffin as shewn by Figure 7.
The plates here illustrated are examples from which numerous modifications in
the shape ornamentation and fixing will readily be understood.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
In coffin furniture plates A, B, C and E built up of wood or inlaid substantially
as and for the purpose herein set forth and illustrated upon the accompanying
drawings.
LEWIS WM. GOOLD,
Agent for Applicant, 5, Corporation Street, Birmingham.