Improvements in Burial Caskets, applicable also to the Preservation of Food and similar Purposes.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 24th Nov., 1898-Accepted, 25th Mar., 1899
COMPLETE. SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Burial Caskets, applicable also to the Preservation of
Food and similar Purposes.
I, WILLIAM HENRY MOORE, of 38, Cambridge Road, Gunnersbury, London, W.,
Schoolmaster, 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 applicable also to
other purposes, and has for its principal object, to provide means for hermeti-
cally sealing a corpse in a burial casket, a complete vacuum being formed in the
later by extracting all the air therefrom, so as to prevent the generating of any
noxious gases, by such corpse. The invention is applicable also to the preserva-
tion of meat, fruit, or other perishable commodities, the creation of the vacuum
aforesaid, preventing decay.
In order that this my said invention may be the more readily understood and
carried into practical effect, reference is hereby made to the accompanying sheet
of illustrative drawings, wherein :--
Fig. 1, is a perspective view of a burial casket, made in accordance with this
invention, the lid being removed.
Fig. 2, a similar view of the lid.
Fig. 3, illustrates in section a view of hermetically sealing valve in its in-
operative position, and, Fig. 4, a similar view of the valve in its operative or
seated position.
Referring to the drawings, wherein like letters of reference indicate corres-
ponding parts throughout the several figures, a represents a burial casket, pre-
ferably moulded in one piece and formed of vulcanite or other non-perishable
material, such burial casket being provided with a lid 6 which may have bevelled
edges adapted to fit snugly within the burial casket aforesaid, in order to form
a perfectly tight joint, the tops of the sides of the casket being feather edged
and recessed in order to provide shoulders a' for the edges of the lid to rest upon.
The lid is provided with a tapering or funnel-shaped opening c normally
closed by a ball-valve d. A vacuum is created in the casket a by means of a
tube e the bell mouth e¹ of which fits tightly over the opening e, while the other
end is connected to a suitable air-exhausting pump or its equivalent (not shewn).
While the air is being exhausted in the casket a, the ball-valve d is held above
and clear of the mouth of said opening c, by means of a horizontally disposed
thumb-screw f, which, when the necessary vacuum is created in the before men-
tioned manner, is unscrewed or withdrawn sufficiently to enable the said ball-
valve d to drop into the opening c, and seat itself therein, thereby hermetically
closing the casket a.
By means of this invention the giving off of noxious gases from burial grounds
will be prevented, as the casket being made of non-perishable material will pre-
vent the corpse coming in contact with the surrounding earth, while a vacuum

page_text: being created in the before described manner, will prevent the decay of the
contents of the casket.
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:-
The improvements in burial caskets, applicable also to the preservation of food
and similar purposes consisting in the provision of a vulcanite casket having a
bevelled lid adapted to seat itself upon shoulders within the interior of said
casket, formed by recessing the sides of said casket at the top thereof, the said
lid having a funnel-shaped opening, through which the air is exhausted, said
opening being closed by a ball-valve; in combination with a bent tube for
creating a vacuum, one end of said tube having a horizontally disposed thumb-
screw and adapted to maintain the ball-valve above the funnel-shaped opening
in the lid, while the vacuum is being created, substantially as described, and as
illustrated by the drawings.
"
Dated this 24th day of November 1898
HUGHES & YOUNG,
55 & 56, Chancery Lane, London, W.C.,
Agents for Applicant.