Year: 1888

page_text: I, JOSEPH SWEETMORE, of Park Green, Macclesfield, in the County of Chester,
Undertaker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is to provide a shroud for the dead which will be air
tight water proof and impervious to the exhalations from the body.
It is especially designed to be used in cases of death from dropsy and infectious
diseases but may also be used in other cases.
The shroud will preferably be prepared of a transparent fabric which will present
the appearance of the body when laid out but slightly different to what it would be
were the shroud not used.
I form the body of the shroud of a suitable textile fabric prepared so as to be water-
proof and air tight and enclose it round so as to form the shoulders and sides. An
opening is made and covered in with glass to protect and exhibit the features. This
glass is preferably set in position with a metallic ring which connects it to the cloth or
fabric. A tape or band may be tied round this to keep it from resting on the face of
the corpse and regulate the distance and another tape will be passed round the neck.
An ornamental border or frilling may be also used around the metallic ring and to
cover the tapes. Down the front of the shroud is left an opening with overlapping
edges through which the body is inserted. A metal clip is provided to receive a
stretcher or staff which is inserted from the feet and when in position the opening is
sealed by passing a heated iron over the overlapping edges.
When allowed to set the stretcher is withdrawn and the feet sealed up in a similar
manner.
At the feet I prefer to place a wooden foot, board which will retain the fabric in
position and a cloth flap is attached thereto to effect the sealing up of the fect.
The shroud may be ornamented in any suitable or desired manner by frilling or
other trimming carried down the front or otherwise.

page_text: By the use of this shroud the body will be completely encased from the air and all
obnoxious or infectious exhalations will be prevented from being diffused into the
atmosphere of the chamber thus removing the liability of danger from infection and
objectionable smells while, where the shroud is transparent and fitted with glass face
plate the features of the body will be visibly exposed.
11: Cal ... of A 1000
WM. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
6, Bank Street, Manchester,
Patent Agents.
I, JOSEPH SWEETMORE, of Park Green, Macclesfield, in the County of Chester,
Undertaker, 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:—
The object of this invention is to provide a shroud for the dead wherein the body
will be oncased, which will be air-tight and waterproof and impervious to any exhala-
tions from the body..
Although especially designed to be used in cases of death from dropsy or infectious
diseases, it may also be used with advantage in other cases.
It consists essentially in forming a shroud that will entirely encase the body from a
suitable textile fabric prepared to be waterproof and airtight and to resist the action of
any discharge or exhalations that may arise from the body, preferably fitted with a
glass plate to expose the features of the face to view.
The invention will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawing
in which is shown a sectional elevation of the shroud (as if inflated with gas or air) in
the position it would assume when in use.
The body of the shroud is composed of the textile fabric A which is preferably trans-
parent or semi-transparent so as to present the appearance of the body when laid out, but
slightly different to what would be the case under the ordinary practice. The fabric A
to render it air-tight and waterproof and impervious to any discharge or exhalation
from the body is treated with a preparation of linseed oil until completely saturated.
The oil is boiled at a high temperature, the temperature being raised several degrees
higher than is the case in the preparation of the ordinary boiled oil of commerce, use:
for mixing with pigments. The oil so prepared is mixed with dryers such as are used

page_text: for mixing with paints, in the proportion of about 8 parts of the prepared oil to 1 part
of the dryer. The fabric I prefer to use is a fine closely woven calico, but a linen or
other suitable fabric may be used.
In manufacturing the shroud I prefer first to mark out the calico in the piece with
the pattern to which it is to be cut and then apply to it the prepared oil with a brush
thoroughly saturating the fabric therewith. I leave a margin unsaturated with the oil
which forms the seams where the several parts are stitched together. The fabric is
allowed to dry thoroughly and then cut out and the several parts stitched together,
after which the seams are covered or saturated with the oil, to render the whole
waterproof and airtight.
It is obvious that the whole fabric may be first treated with the oil and then cut out
and the several parts joined together, or it may be cut out and joined together
first, and then oiled but I prefer the method first described. Although I prefer
to use linseed oil prepared as hereinbefore described for the purpose of rendering
the fabric proof against, and impervious to the discharges or exhalations of the body,
I do not limit the invention thereto, as other preparations which will have the same
result may be substituted therefor.
In closing up the shroud so as to form the shoulders and sides an opening is
left into which a plate of glass B, (preferably oval or circular) is set, through
which, the features of the face are exhibited. The plate of glass B is secured to
the fabric by the metallic ring into which both the glass plate and the edge of
the fabric are inserted and sealed with a cement composed of white shellac and
naphtha. Around the opening which receives the glass plate B are inserted a number
of stiffening pieces a of steel cane, whalebone, or the like, which serve to hold the
plate away from the face. The position of these regulated and adjusted by the
tape which is tied more or less tight according to the height the glass plate is
to be fixed. An ornamental border or frilling D may be placed around the
metallic ring to cover the joint and the adjusting tape C.
The front of the shroud is provided with a vent or opening with overlapping
edges E through which the body is inserted. The overlapping edges of the vent
are coated with a cement composed of india-rubber dissolved in bi-sulphide of carbon
or other suitable material which can be readily sealed by the application of heat. A
metallic clip F is attached to the fabric at one end of the vent to receive the end of a
stretcher or staff G which is passed up the front of the shroud from the foot for the
purpose of adjusting it and to assist in the sealing of the vent. At the foot is placed
à board or stretcher H to retain the fabric in position and shape.
fitted with a spring catch g at its outer end to hold it in position
of sealing up the shroud.
The stretcher G is
during the operation
When the body has been placed into the shroud the stretcher G is passed up through
the hole in the foot board H until the top end engages with the metallic clip F and
the catch g engages with the foot board. A hot iron is then applied to the overlapping
edges E which rest on the top of the stretcher and the vent in the shroud sealed up.
When the cement is set the stretcher may be withdrawn and the hole h covered and
sealed in a similar manner by tho flap I which is also coated with an india-rubber or
other cement. The stretchor G is preferably hinged or jointed in the centre for con-
convenience in withdrawing it from the shroud.
The shroud may be ornamented in any suitable manner, such as by flowers, frilling,
swansdown or other trimming carried down the front or by being covered internally
or externally with a soft or ornamental material.
By the use of this shroud the body will be encased and hermetically-sealed from
contact with the outer air and all obnoxious or infectious exhalations will be prevented
from being diffused into the atmosphere of the chamber, thus removing to a large
extent the liability of danger from infection and objectionable smells. At the same time
the shroud does not present the objection that is urged against the use of a metallic
coffin as after burial in a reasonably short space of time it will decompose while it will
allow for the use of wooden shells in many cases where metallic coffins would other-
wise be necessary.

page_text: Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed 1 declare that what I
claim is :-
1. A shroud for the dead formed of a suitable textile fabric rendered waterproof,
air-tight and impervious to exhalations or discharges from the body, in which the body
can be encased and sealed from contact with the outer air substantially as described.
2. A shroud for the dead that will entirely encase the body made from calico
or other fabric treated with a preparation of boiled linseed oil substantially as
described.
3. A shroud for the dead having a body of a prepared waterproofed textile fabric a
glass face plate secured by a metallic ring and supported by stiffening strips, a foot
board and a vent seamed or sealed by an indiarubber or other cement substantially as
described and shown.
1000