Improvements in Burial Caskets.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Nov., 1889-Accepted, 28th Dec., 1889
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Burial Caskets.
I, HUGH DONALD FITZPATRICK of 70 Wellington Street, Glasgow, in the County
of Lanark, Registered Patent Agent do hereby declare the nature of this invention
a communication to me from abroad by John Danford Ripson and William A.
Frazer, both of the Village of Suspension Bridge, County of Niagara State of New
York, United States of America, Manufacturers, and in what manner the same is to
be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
The object of the invention is to construct casket-lid so that the sliding head-
plate shall have the appearance, when closed, of being flush with the other top
panels of the lid, and at the same time be so supported in grooves that it will
slide without any vertical movement, in order that a sliding glass may be carried
close to it; and it consists, essentially, of a casket-lid having the foot and centre
panels made in a single piece of sheet metal or other thin material fastened to the
said lid, the sliding head-panel being made of sheet metal or other thin material
and carried in a groove made in the said plate practically flush with the bottom of
the metal centre panel, the sliding glass being carried in a groove made parallel with
and close to the groove in which the sliding head-panel is supported.
Figure 1, is a perspective outside view of our improved casket-lid.
Figure 2, is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, showing the sliding glass
and panel closed.
Figure 3, is a similar view showing the sliding panel open.
Figure 4 is an enlarged view, in part, of figure 2, showing engagement of
catch.
In the drawing, A, is the moulding which forms the rim of the lid of the casket.
On top of this moulding we fix what is commonly called the plate. In ordinary
caskets this plate is usually divided in two, so that the head portion may be readily
removed. In our casket-lid we make this plate B, is a single piece extending
around the moulding A, to which it is permanently fixed. In our lid, the top
portion of the plate B, is cut out, and we insert a piece of sheet-metal or some
other thin material, forming in a single piece the foot panel D and centre panel E;
the head panel F, being formed of sheet metal or other thin material and slidingly
supported in a groove made in the plate B flush with the bottom of the thin centre
panel E. Immediately below the head-panel F we make a groove in the plate B,
close to and parallel with the groove supporting the head-panel F, in which groove
we insert the sliding glass G.
In order to form a finish between the plate B, and the panels D, E, and F, we
place round the foot-panel D, and head-panel F, a moulding H. A knob I, is fixed
o the head-panel E, and a similar knob J, is fixed to the glass G, by means of which
he head-panel F, and glass G, may readily be adjusted.
With the view of locking the sliding glass G and panel F, we provide a simple
catch, consisting of a spring K, fixed at one end to the bottom of the foot-panel D;
ts other end being curved downwardly to a point below the bottom of the glass G.
A pin L connected to this end of the spring K projects through the top of the
anel E, and has a knob M, formed on its upper end. This pin forms a stop to
ock the head-panel F, and glass G, when they are closed. By seizing the end of
he knob M, the pin L, and its spring K, may be readily raised clear of the panel F,
when the said panel may be caused to slide back, as indicated in figure 3, thus
olding the pin and its spring up out of the way of the glass, G, which may then be
aused to slide open when desired.

page_text: Although we prefer the spring catch described, it will be understood that
any kind of catch by which the sliding panel and glass may be locked will be
suitable.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1. A casket-lid having the foot and centre panels made in a single piece of
sheet-metal or other thin material fastened to the plate of the said lid, in com-
bination with a head-panel made of sheet-metal or other thin material, and slidingly
held in a groove made in the said plate practically flush with the bottom of the centre
panel, substantially as and for the purpose herein before described.
2. A casket-lid having the foot and centre panels made in a single piece of sheet
metal or other thin material fastened to the plate of the said lid, in combination with
a head-panel made of sheet-metal or other thin material and slidingly held in a groove
made in the said plate, practically flush with the bottom of the centre-panel, and of
a piece of glass slidingly held in a groove made in the plate parallel with the
groove carrying the head-panel; substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
described.
3. A casket-lid having a sliding panel and a sliding glass in different horizontal
planes in combination with a catch having a substantially-vertical portion adapted to
engage the end of both said panel and glass for holding the two closed; substantially
as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.
Dated this 22nd day of November 1889.
H. D. FITZPATRICK,
70, Wellington Street, Glasgow.