IMPROVEMENTS IN COFFINS.
Year: 1882

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Samuel Turner, John Turner, and Robert Turner, all of
Rochdale, in the County of Lancaster, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN COFFINS.'
"
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Samuel Turner, John
Turner, and Robert Turner at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on
the 16th August 1882.
SAMUEL TURNER, JOHN TURNER and ROBERT TURNER all of Rochdale in the
County of Lancaster "IMPROVEMENTS IN COFFINS "
The object of this invention is to construct an indestructible coffin so that not-
withstanding the natural decay of the body or the outor coffin (if any) owing to its
interment in the earth or in a vault the remains shall not be liable to be disturbed
or dispersed but shall be kept together and be capable of being removed entire
if desired.
The invention consists principally in the use of a coffin made of asbestos cloth in
the manner hereinafter described, such coffin being by preference enclosed in a
wooden or other suitable shell either plain or ornamental in any desired
manner.
The improved coffin is formed of the desired size and in the ordinary or other
shape, of asbestos cloth, cut out and sewn together at the edges by asbestos thread
or cord, and lined and padded, and fringed or otherwise ornamented as may be
required. The top or cover is made of a separate piece of asbestos cloth cut to
the required shape and provided with eyelet holes all round. Similar eyelet holes
are formed round the upper edges of the sides of the asbestos coffin and when it is
desired to close the same the top is laced on by means of a cord also made of
asbestos.
The whole may now be enclosed in an ordinary or other coffin or shell to give
it additional rigidity and it will be evident that however this outer coffin may
decay or however it may become disturbed or broken, the bones and other remains
will always remain enclosed in the indestructible asbestos coffin and will not be

page_text: liable to be dispersed, or to become lost or mixed with the surrounding earth, but
can at any future time be lifted and removed entire if desired.
This improved coffin is also particularly applicable in cases where the body is to
be submitted to cremation as the asbestos cloth and asbestos cord are indestructible
by fire and consequently the ashes will all be preserved and will not become mixed
with the ashes of the fuel employed.
We are aware that asbestos cloth in the form of a shroud or wrapper has been
previously employed for this purpose but what we consider to be new in our
invention and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is to construct an indestructible
coffin of asbestos cloth cut out to the required form and sewn or laced together at
the edges by asbestos cord; the upper edges of the coffin and the sides of the lid
being provided with eyelet holes so that the lid can be sewn or laced on with
asbestos cord after the body is placed in the coffin.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Samuel Turner, John Turner, and Robert Turner in the Great Seal
Patent Office on the 14th February 1883.
..
SAMUEL TURNER, JOHN TURNER and ROBERT TURNER all of Rochdale in the
County of Lancaster "IMPROVEMENTS IN COFFINS
"
The object of this invention is to construct an indestructible coffin so that not-
withstanding the natural decay of the body or the outer coffin (if any) owing to
its interment in the earth or in a vault the remains shall not be liable to be
disturbed or dispersed but shall be kept together and be capable of being removed
entire if desired.
The invention consists principally in the use of a coffin made of asbestos cloth
in the manner hereinafter described, such coffin being by preference enclosed in
a wooden or other suitable shell either plain or ornamented in any desired
manner.
The construction of our improved coffin will be readily understood, on reference
to the accompanying drawing and the following explanation thereof.
The improved coffin a, a is formed of the desired size and in the ordinary (or
other) shape of asbestos cloth, cut out and sewn together at the edges b, b by
asbestos fibre, spun and twisted together so as to form a thread or cord, and the
coffin thus formed may be lined and padded, provided with a pillow for the head
and fringed or otherwise ornamented as may be required.
The top or cover c, c is made of a separate piece of asbestos cloth cut to the
required shape and provided with eyelet holes d, d all round the edges. Similar
eyelet holes e, e are formed round the upper edges of the sides of the asbestos
coffin a, a and when it is desired to close the same the top c, c is laced on by
means of a long cord or lace also made of asbestos fibre spun and twisted into a
cord.
The whole may now be enclosed in an ordinary or other coffin, or shell to give
it additional rigidity and it will be evident that however this outer coffin may
decay or however it may become disturbed or broken the bones and other remains
will always be found enclosed in the indestructible asbestos coffin a, a and will
not be liable to be dispersed or to become lost or mixed with the surrounding
earth, but can at any future time be lifted and removed entire if desired.
This improved coffin is also particularly applicable in cases where the body is to
be submitted to cremation as the asbestos cloth and asbestos cord are indestructible
by fire and consequently the ashes will be preserved and will not become mixed
with the ashes of the fuel employed.
Having now described the nature and object of our said invention together with
the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect we would remark in conclusion that we are aware that asbestos
cloth in the form of a shroud or wrapper has been previously employed for this
purpose but what we consider to be new and desire to claim as our invention is to
construct an indestructible coffin of asbestos cloth cut out to the required form and
sewn or laced together at the edges by asbestos cord; the upper edges of the coffin

page_text: and the sides of the lid being provided with eyelet holes so that the lid can be laced
or sewn on with asbestos cord after the body is placed in the coffin.
In witness whereof we the said Samuel Turner, John Turner and Robert
Turner have hereunto set our hands and seals this twelfth day of February
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighty three.