Improvements in Apparatus for Lowering Coffins into Vaults or Graves.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 9th Feb., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 7th Nov., 1892-Accepted, 10th Dec., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Lowering Coffins into Vaults
or Graves.
1, ISIDORE MOSTICZKER, Civil Engineer, of No. 24 Rue Spontini, Paris, France,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :-
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of and mode of working
apparatus such as that described in the Specification of former Letters Patent
granted to Henry Edward Newton as a communication from Franz Gamper, and
dated 21st November 1884, No. 15,362, for lowering coffins into vaults or graves.
My present improvements are chiefly designed to render the apparatus much
lighter and more easily transportable than heretofore, whilst ensuring greater
strength and considerably simplifying the construction and operation of the said
apparatus.
The principle of my improved apparatus is the same as that of the apparatus
described in the said former Specification; in my improved apparatus, however the
quadrangular frame, instead of being made of wood, is constructed of thin iron or
steel tubes, so that I am enabled, whilst maintaining the strength and rigidity of
the apparatus, to diminish its weight and render it easier to handle. Moreover, in
the apparatus as hitherto constructed, the legs were furnished at their lowor end
with a tooth or point to be thrust into the ground; this arrangement did not give
the apparatus sufficient stability, by reason of the unavoidable yielding or settling
of the ground at the parts where the legs rested thereon, at the edges of the pit
designed for the reception of the coffin. In my apparatus, to obviate this incon-
venience, the uprights or standards of the frame terminate at their lower end in a
strong metal foot the centre of which is on the outside of the axis of the upright
or standard so that the said foot will afford a sufficiently extended bearing surface
for the said upright or standard, and one as far as practicable from the edges of
the pit.
My said invention also comprises important improvements which relate:
1. To the mechanism for automatically effecting the lowering of the coffin, and
2. To the arrangement for automatically disengaging or disconnecting the united
ends of the belts or bands upon which the coffin is supported, when the latter
reaches the bottom of the vault or grave.
As in the arrangement hereinbefore referred to, the coffin is supported by two
pairs of belts or bands hooked or fastened to each other at their lower ends.
These belts or bands are wound, at each side of the apparatus, upon two pulleys
or drums mounted upon a longitudinal shaft. Each of these shafts is provided at
its front end with another pulley, around which is passed a belt connecting the
shaft to the mechanism for permitting the coffin to descend at a speed which can be
regulated.
This mechanism comprises a main drum upon which are wound the belts passing
around the pulleys on the longitudinal shafts.
Upon the axle of this drum is keyed another pulley or drum around which is
coiled a flat metallic spring or band, one end whereof is fixed whilst the other end
is connected to a screw-key or equivalent device by means of which it may be
moved towards or away from the fixed end, to effect the tightening or slackening
of the metallic band, which surrounds the drum and acts as a brake thereon.
When the coffin is placed on the belts or bands intended for supporting the same,
its weight causes these bands to unwind and allow it to descend, turning in their
movement the said longitudinal shafts, which then wind upon the pulleys on their
front ends, the belts which pass around the maiu drum of the lowering mechanism,

page_text: and the lowering of the coffin takes place at a greater or less speed according to
the force with which the brake is applied.
The belts or bands which .support the coffin are connected by means of a hook
or clasp attached to one of the bands of each pair and engaging in an eye or ring
attached to the other band.
Each hook is prolonged at its lower part (below the bands, when the latter are
coupled) in the shape of an oblique arni provided at its lower end with a foot
which, in the downward movement of the coffin, comes in contact, at the proper
moment, with the bottom of the vault or grave. The downward movement
continuing, the arm and the hook to which it belongs, turn or pivot about the point
of attachment of the hook to the band, so that the said hook assumes a nearly
horizontal position. At this moment, the hook occupies such a position relatively
to the eye or ring that it escapes from the latter, in such a manner that, when the
coffin reaches the bottom of the pit, the bands may be drawn up again by winding
.them upon their respective pulleys.
The pulling up of the bands is effected by imparting to the two longitudinal
shafts a movement in the reverse direction to that in which they turn during the
descent of the coffin.
For this purpose a toothed wheel is keyed upon the axle of the lowering-drum,
and with this wheel is geared a pinion on the shaft or axle of which is fixed a
ratchet-wheel or a toothed clutch.
A pawl or the counterpart of the said clutch is carried by the axle of a crank-
handle and permits, by the simple movement backward and forward of this crank-
handle, of throwing the toothed pinion into or out of gear with the said crank-handle,
to which it is only necessary, after having slackened the brake, to impart a rotary
movement, in order to wind upon the main drum, the belts passing around the
pulleys fixed on the ends of the longitudinal shafts, and thus transmit to the latter
the required movement to effect the winding upon their respective drums of the
supporting bands of the coffin.
Dated this 9th day of February 1892.
D. YOUNG & Co.,
11 & 12, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for Lowering Coffins into Vaults
or Graves.
!
ISIDORE MOSTICZKER, Civil Engineer of Rue Spontini, 24, Paris, France,
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 the construction of and mode of
working apparatus, such as that described in the Specification of former Letters
Patent granted to Henry Edward Newton, as a communication from Franz
Gamper dated 21st November 1884, No. 15362, for lowering coffins into, vaults
or graves.
My present improvements are chiefly designed to render the apparatus much
lighter and more easily transportable, than heretofore, whilst ensuring greater
strength and considerably simplifying the construction & operation of the said
apparatus.
The principle of my improved apparatus is the same as that of the apparatus
described in the said former Specification; in my improved apparatus, however,
the quadrangular frame, instead of being made of wood, is constructed of thin
iron or steel tubes so that I am enabled, whilst maintaining the strength and
rigidity of the apparatus, to diminish its weight and render it easier to handle.

page_text: Moreover, in the apparatus, as hitherto constructed, the legs were furnished at their
lower end with a tooth or point to be thrust into the ground; this arrangement.
does not give the apparatus sufficient stability, by reason of the unavoidable.
yielding or settling of the ground at the parts where the legs are rested thereon,.at
the edges of the pit designed for the reception of the coffin. In my improved.
apparatus, to obviate this inconvenience, the standards of the frame terminate at.
their lower end in a strong metal foot, the centre of which is on the outside of
the axis of the standard, so that the said foot will afford a sufficiently extended
bearing surface for the said standard, and one as far as practicable from the edges
of the pit.
My said invention also comprises important improvements which relate:
1. To the mechanism for automatically effecting the lowering of the coffin, and
2. To the arrangement for automatically disengaging or disconnecting the
united ends of the belts or bands upon which the coffin is supported, when the
latter reaches the bottom of the vault or grave.
In the annexed two sheets of drawings,
Fig. 1 is a longitudinal elevation of the apparatus as the coffin is being lowered.
Fig. 2 is a plan of Fig. 1.
Fig. 3 is a side elevation of Fig. 1, as seen in the direction of the arrow a,
(Fig. 1) that is to say from right to left, the coffin being omitted.
Fig. 4 is a cross-section of Fig. on the line e, as seen in the same direction
as the preceding figure, the coffin being omitted.
Figs. 5, 6 & 7, on a larger scale, show the lowering device. Fig. 5 is an elevation
in section on the line y, y of Fig. 6; Fig. 6 is a plan in section on the line z, z,
of Fig. 5 and Fig. 7 is a cross section on the line v, v of Fig. 5.
Figs. 8 & 9, also on a larger scale, illustrate in detail one of the pullies 3
around which are wound the belts 2, supporting the coffin. Fig. 8 is a section
on the line u, u of Fig. 9 and Fig. 9 is a section on the lines, s of Fig. 8.
Fig. 10 is an elevation of the device for disconnecting the ends of the belts 2, 2,
which carry the coffin; the device is shown as the coffin is being lowered, the belt
ends being connected.
Fig. 11 is a similar view showing the device in the position it occupies when the
coffin has reached the bottom of the grave, and
Fig. 12 is a plan of the said device, in the same position as in Fig. 11.
The frame, which is rectangular in shape, is preferably made of thin iron or steel
tubing and is formed of four standards 1 suitably connected together at the
sides and at the top by means of ties, so as to constitute a rigid framing. The
standards 1 terminate at the bottom in a wide metallic foot plate 1¹ so as to afford
a good resting point for the apparatus, when the latter is set over a grave.
As in the apparatus already patented, the coffin is supported by two pairs of
belts 2, 2 which are wound around pullies 3, fitted upon two longitudinal
shafts 4, 4 secured in the frame. These belts are connected in pairs at their
free ends by means of a special device to be hereinafter described. Each shaft 4
carries, at its front end, a pulley 5 around which passes a belt 6 connecting the
shaft 4 to the mechanism for lowering the coffin at an adjustable rate of speed.
This mechanism, which constitutes one of the essential portions of my improve-
ments, is contained in a metallic casing 7 connected by means of ties 8,8 to the
framing of the apparatus. The lowering mechanism proper is composed of a drum 9,
Figs. 3, 5, 6 & 7, around which are wound the two belts 6, 6, one end of each of
the latter being secured to the drum, as shown, and the other being wound around
the pullies 5. On the axis of the drum 9 is fastened a gear 10 meshing with a
pinion 11 loose on an axis 12 suitably fitted in the walls of the casing 7. Upon the
axis 12 is a loose sleeve 12" capable of sliding longitudinally upon the axis and
upon which is fastened one half 13 of a clutch which can come into engagement
with another similar half 14 integral with the pinion 11. With the clutch-half 13
is formed a ratchet-wheel 15 in the teeth of which engages. a.pawl:16 held byca:

page_text: spring 17 so as to allow the sleeve 12" to turn in the direction of the arrow b,
Fig. 5, only, when the operator actuates the crank-handle 18 fastened to the end of
the said sleeve 12ª.
The sleeve 12 has, near the crank-handle, two circular grooves 19, 19, arranged
for receiving a latch 20 pivotted at 21; according to the groove 19 into which it
engages, the latch 20 keeps the sleeve 12" longitudinally in the required position
for enabling the clutch half 13 to engage with the other half 14 or for keeping the
former at a distance from the latter, for the purpose to be hereinafter explained.
Upon the axis of the drum 9 and gear 10 is fastened a second drum 22 around
which passes a flexible metallic band 23 acting as a brake. One end 24 of the
brake-band bears upon an abutment 27 forming part of or secured to the walls of
the casing 7, whilst the opposite end 25 of the brake 23 bears against a shoulder on
a spindle 26, the lower end of which is screw-threaded and engages the abutment 27.
It will be easy to understand that by turning the spindle 26 in one direction or the
other by means of the handle 28, the screwed portion of the said spindle will be
more or less engaged with or disengaged from the abutment 27, whereby the
ends 24 & 25 of the brake-band 23 will be brought closer together or set further
apart, so as to apply or release the brake 23, as required. It is evident that the
drum 9, gear 10 and drum 22 can be fastened separately upon the same axis, or
form one single piece.
One of the pullies 3 (around which are wound the belts 2 which, when connected
support the coffin) is shown in detail in Figs. 8 & 9. The said pulley is formed of a
cylindrical drum 3 having cheeks; on the same is secured one end of the belt 2
which is to be wound around it. The drum 3 is loose on a sleeve 29 fast upon the
shaft 4; upon the said drura is formed a ratchet wheel 30 with which engages a
pawl 31, the latter being carried by a plate or disk 32 formed integral with or
secured to a sleeve 33 fastened to the sleeve 29. A spring 34 carried by the
plate 32 keeps the pawl engaged with the ratchet wheel 30). The pawl 31 carries
a finger 35 which passes through an opening in the plate 32, Fig. 9, and by means
of which the pawl 31 can be disconnected from the ratchet-wheel 30, so as to enable
the drum 3 to be turned by hand, independently of the plate 32 and shaft 4, so as
to slightly wind or unwind the belt 2, for the purpose of imparting to the free end
of the latter the desired degree of tension after it has been connected to the other
corresponding belt 2. A. belt-guide is employed upon each pulley 3, for guiding
the belt; the same is formed of two arms 37 pivotted freely around the sleeve 33
and around a corresponding part 33* keyed, together with the sleeve, upon the
sleeve 29. Both arms 37 are connected at their lower end by a rod 38 secured by
nuts 39, 39. The rod 38 carries a conductor 40 for the belt.
The device for disconnecting two belts 2 is shown in detail in Figs. 10, 11 & 12.
The free end of one belt 2 of each pair is secured to a part 41, a projection 42 of
which enters laterally, and may slide, in grooves formed in the cheeks 43 of a link
fastened to the free end of the second belt 2 of the belt pair. In the said link
pivots, at 49, a lever 45 the lower end of which terminates in a lip or ring 46
whilst the other end terminates in a hook 47. When the belts are tightened as
in Fig. 10 the book 47 engages an opening 48 in the projection 42 of the part 41,
see Fig. 11. When the device is in the position shown in Fig. 10, the hook 47
engaged in the opening 48 keeps the free ends of the belts firmly connected.
When during the lowering action of the coffin the latter is at a certain distance
from the bottom of the pit or grave, the lip 46 of the lever 45 comes in contact
with the said bottom ff, Fig. 11, and as the lowering action is continued, the
lever 45 is caused to move around its pivot 49 and when the coffin has reached the
bottom of the grave, the said lever assumes the position shown in Fig. 11, in which
the hook 47 has left its opening 48 and has released the belts 2; the latter can
then be raised, as will be explained hereinafter.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows: Assuming that the belts 2 are
wound around their respective pullies 3 so that the ends of both belts of each pair.

page_text: are connected together, also that the said belts are tightened, also that the brake 23
is secured tight so as to completely immobilize the drum 9, also that the crank 18
is drawn forward so as to cause the clutch-halves 13 & 14 to be out of engagement
and also that the said crank 18 is locked in this position by means of the latch 20,
the coffin is then placed upon the rolls 50, 50, which, are fitted in suitable bearings
upon the upper part of the apparatus. An intermediate movable support for the
coffin is formed by a cross bar 51, each end of which rests upon the axis of the
wheels 52, 52, which move upon the upper longitudinal bars 53 of the framing.
This support 51 enables the coffin to be moved at will in one or the other direction
so that the said coffin can be made to slide over one of the rolls 50 and be brought
down upon the tightened belts 2, 2.
An inspection of the drawings will clearly show that the weight of the coffin
will tend to unwind the belts 2 and to turn the pullies 3 in the direction of the
arrows d, Figs. 3, 4 & 8, so that the shafts 4 and pullies are solicited to turn in the
same direction by the agency of the ratchet wheels 30,. pawls 31, disks 32,
sleeves 33 and sleeves 29; the drum 9 will thus be solicited to turn in the opposite
direction to that of the arrow c, Figs. 3 & 5, by the agency of the belts 6, the
pullies 5 of the latter tending to wind the said belts around them, as they are.being
unwound from the drum 9.
Now, if the coffin rests, as above stated, upon. the belts 2,-2 and if the handle 28
be turned so as to slacken the brake and allow the drum 9 to turn, the weight of
the coffin will move the whole system, as above described, the coffin descending
more or less quickly according to whether the brake 23 is more or less slackened,
and creating a more or less great friction upon the drum 22.
By suitably tightening the brake 23, the speed at which the coffins will descend
can be regulated at will.
When the coffin is about to reach the bottom of the grave, the lever 45 will be
rocked, as previously described, and will release the ends of the belts 2, 2 from each
other; and when the coffin will have come to rest upon the said bottom, the
belts 2, 2 will have been completely disconnected and the only operation remaining
to be performed will be to move them upwards by winding them around their
respective pullies. For this purpose, after having raised the latch 20-out of the
corresponding groove 19, the crank 18 is pushed inwards so as to cause the clutch-
halves 13 & 14 to engage each other, after which it is secured in position by means
of the same latch 20. On turning the crank 18 in the direction of the arrow b
Figs. 3 & 5, the pinion 11 will be moved in the same direction, and will actuate the
gear 10 and drum 9 in the direction of the arrow c, Fig. 5. This action will cause the
belts 6 to be wound around the drum 9. The rotary movement of the said drum
will thus be transmitted through the belts to the pullies 5 and will cause the
latter, together with the shafts 4, +, to rotate in the direction of the arrows e, e,
Fig. 3. From the shafts 4, 4, the same movement will be transmitted to the
pullies 3 around which the belts 2, 2, will be wound through the agency of the
following parts-shafts 4, 4, sleeves 29, sleeves 33, disks 32, pawls 31, ratchet
wheels 30 and pullies 3.
After the belts 2, 2 have been raised, they are again connected together and the
brake 23 is again tightened by mean of the handle 28, after which the apparatus is
again prepared for action.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is :
1. In an apparatus for lowering coffins into graves, the improved framing
constructed of iron or steel tubing, the standards 1 of which are provided, at their
lower end, with metallic foot-plates 1', substantially as described & shown in
Figures 1, 3 & 4 and for the purpose set forth.
2. In an apparatus for lowering coffins into graves, the improved arrangement of
mechanism for regulating the speed at which a coffin is lowered, the said

page_text: 'mechanism being constituted by the combination, with the drum 9, belts 6, 6 and
pullies 5, 5, of the drum 22 around which passes the metallic flexible band 23
operated by the rod 26 and handle 28, the lower end of which rod engages an
abutment 27 so as to cause both ends 24. 25 of the said band to come nearer
together or to be set further apart, whereby the degree of friction of the band 23
against the drum 22 can be varied at will, substantially as described and shown in
Figures 1 to 7.
3. In an apparatus for lowering coffins into graves, the improved arrangement of
mechanism for raising the belts 2, 2 after a coffin has been lowered into a grave,
the said mechanism being constituted by the combination, with the drum 9,
belts 6, 6 and pullies 5, 5, of the gear 10, pinion 11, axis 12, clutch-halves 13 & 14,
pawl 16, spring 17, ratchet-wheel 15, crank 18, grooves 19, and clutch 20 pivotted
at 21, substantially as described and shown in Figures 1 to 7.
4. In an apparatus for lowering coffins into graves, the arrangement, at the top
of the framing, of two loose rolls 50, 50 fitted in suitable bearings and of a
movable cross-bar 51 fitted upon two pairs of wheels 52 which move upon the
two upper longitudinal bars 53, 53, substantially as described and shown in
Figs. 1, 2, 3 & 4 and for the purpose set forth.
5. In an apparatus for lowering coffins into graves, the adaptation, to the
pullies 3, 3, of belt-guides formed substantially as described and shown in
Figures 8 & 9.
6. In an apparatus for lowering coffins into graves, the adaptation, to the
pullies 3, 3, of a finger 35 secured to the pawl 31 engaging the ratchet wheel 30,
the said finger passing through an opening 36 of the disk 32 and projecting
outwardly, substantially as described and shewn in Figs. 8 & 9 and for the
purpose set forth.
Dated this 7th day of November 1892.
I. MOSTICZKER,
By L. W., per F. B.