Improvements in the Manufacture of Metallic Coffins.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 22nd July, 1892
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Apr., 1893—Accepted, 10th June, 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Metallic Coffins.
We, ADRIAN CASTANIEN, Manufacturer, and HUGO EXCEL, Engineer both of
Bielefeld, in the Kingdom of Prussia and German Empire, do hereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The object of this invention is improvements in the manufacture of metallic
coffins designed to simplify the manufacture and to prevent as much as possible the
formation of not perfectly air-tight joints. The latter is especially of great
importance if the coffins are used for the transport of dead bodies over long
distances.
In order to carry out my invention I produce the upper part and the lower part
of the coffin by repeated stamping from one sheet of metal for each part. For
facilitating the manufacture, the end faces of the coffin are not of straight but
curved form. In this manner, it is possible to form the end and side of one piece
without crack. The coffin has only one joint, namely between the upper and lower
parts.
In a modified manner, we prepare the plate or sheet of metal only so far by
stamping, that it receives a form in blank corresponding to the ultimately desired
shape of the sides and ends of the coffin. We then cut out the four corners of the
blank so that the remaining parts when bent upwards form the sides and ends of
the upper part or of the lower part of the coffin. The edges are then soldered
together.
The coffin thus produced has only besides the joint between the upper and lower
parts soldered joints at the ends, which being short are easily made so as to be
perfectly air tight. In order to allow of an air tight joint between the upper and
lower part, we bend the edge of the upper part around a rod of metal having a
section which is semi-circular or segmental at the top and wedge-shaped below.
The edge of the lower part of the coffin we bend around a metal rod of semi-
circular or segmental shape, the upper face of which is grooved.
When the upper part of the coffin is placed on the lower part, the wedge faces of
the rim of the upper part engage with the groove on the upper side of the rim of
the lower part of the coffin which carries suitable material to make the joint
perfectly air-tight.
The upper and lower parts are fixed together and the material which makes an
air tight joint is pressed between them by metal cramps the curved ends of which
are passed over the rims and fixed there by hammering. These cramps may be
covered by figures of a symbolic character rivetted or otherwise fixed thereto.
Dated this 22nd day of July 1892.
FELL & WILDING,
1, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C., Agents for the Applicants.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Metallic Coffins.
We, ADRIAN CASTANIEN, Manufacturer, and HUGO ENGEL, Engineer, both
of Bielefeld, in the Kingdom of Prussia, German Empire, 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 improvements in the manufacture of metallic

page_text: coffins, designed to simplify the manufacture and to prevent as much as possible the
formation of joints, that are not perfectly air-tight. The latter is especially of
great importance if the coffins are used for the transport of dead bodies over long
distances.
In order that our invention may be the better understood we now proceed to
describe the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings and to the
letters and figures marked thereon.
Figure 1 shows the plan of a coffin constructed according to our invention.
Figure 2 is an elevation of the lower part of the coffin.
Figure 3 shows a modified method of making the coffin with angular ends.
Figure 4 is an elevation of a coffin made according to our modified method.
Figures 5 and 6 show the joint made between the upper and lower parts.
Figures 7 and 8 show a modified joint made between the upper and lower parts.
Figures 9 to 22 shew the tools for the gradual shaping of the sheet metal plate
or blank into the form of an upper or a lower part of the coffin.
In order to carry out our invention we produce the upper part and the lower part
of the coffin by repeated stamping from one sheet of metal for each part. We use
preferably mild steel sheet, or other sheet metal of great tensile strength, ductility
toughness, and homogeneity.
For facilitating the manufacture of one form, the end faces of the coffin are not
of angular, but of curved form, the curve being preferably part of a circle, as
shown in Figure 1, illustrating the lower part of the coffin. In this manner it is
possible to form the end and side of one piece without fracturing the material at
sharp bends. A further advantage is that the coffin has only one joint, namely
that between the upper and lower parts.
In a modified manner we prepare the plate or sheet of metal of which the coffin
is made, only so far by stamping that it receives a form in blank, corresponding to
the ultimately desired shape of the sides and ends of the coffin, see Figure 3; we
then cut out, according to the lines a band ar, the four corners of the blank, so that
the remaining parts a, when bent upwards, form the sides and ends of the upper
part or of the lower part of the coffin. The edges are then soldered together.
The coffin thus produced, has only, besides the joint between the upper and lower
parts, soldered joints at the ends, which being short, are easily made, so as to be
perfectly air-tight. It is illustrated in Fig. 4.
In order to allow of an air-tight joint between the upper and lower parts, we
bend the edge of the upper part A around a rod of metal e see Figure 6.
The
metal rode has a section which is semi-circular or segmental at the top, and wedge
shaped below. The edge of the lower part B is bent around a metal rod f, of seini-
circular or segmental shape, the upper part of which is grooved.
When the upper part of the coffin is placed on the lower part, the wedge face of
the rim of the upper part engages with the groove on the upper side of the lower
part of the coffin, which carries suitable material to make the joint perfectly air-
tight. The upper part A, and the lower part B, are fixed together, and the
material which makes an air-tight joint is pressed between them by metal cramps g,
the ends of which are passed over the rims and fixed there by means of a strong
pair of tongs or any other suitable tool, see Figures 5 and 6.
The cramps may be covered by figures of a symbolic character, rivetted or
otherwise fixed thereto.
In a modified manner, these symbolic figures, which are preferably made of
metal, may be also used for connecting the upper part A to the lower B by halving
the cramps, and combining each half with a half of one of the symbolic figures,
which, for this purpose, have also been divided. The combined halves are then
connected to each other by means of screws, see Figures 7 and 8.
The tools for shaping the sheet metal plates consist of an upper stamp m, a lower
stamp n, a matrice p, set in the table G of the press, and a frame o surrounding the
stamp m.
The sheet metal plate is placed on the table G of the press, and adjusted by

page_text: means of the guides q. The stamp m and the frame o are then lowered on to the
sheet metal plate, which position is shown in Figure 9.
The stamps m and n are then pressed downwards, whereby the plate is shaped
trough like with a broad horizontal rim. The frame pressing on the sheet metal
plate prevents the formation of wrinkles in the rim during this operation, see
Figure 10.
After this operation the stamped piece is lifted out of the press, so that a new
piece may be brought into the press for stamping. The lifting out of the piece
from the press is effected by raising the stamps m and n and the frame o simul-
taneously. The stamp m is then raised further until its lower face is raised higher
than the rim of the stamped piece. During this movement the frame o remains
in position and strips the stamped piece off the stamp m, thus freeing it for
removal. This position is shown in Figure 11.
It will be seen that during the preceding operation, the stamp m must be lifted
a little more than twice the height of the stamped piece.
The necessary height of the lift of the stamp m may be decreased one half by
making the table G also vertically movable. In this case, the table G is situated
below the frame o, and the stamp m at the commencement of the operation. The
operation commences with the lifting of the table G, and the sheet metal plate on
it, until the latter touches the stamp m, with the frame o, which is the position
illustrated in Figure 9.
When the stamping has been effected and the stamp m is withdrawn from the
stamped piece, the latter is made free by the lowering of the table G into its first
position.
The shaping of the stamped piece to the form of the upper or lower parts of the
coffin is effected by means of stamps of corresponding form.
Figure 12 shows such a stamp when still above the stamped piece which has
already been preliminarily shaped, and is placed into the lower stamp or matrice.
The upper stamp and lower stamp or matrice, which are shown in Figure 12, are
designed to further shape the piece.
In Figure 13 the stamp has gone down and finished the shaping of the body of
the coffin part.
It now only remains to bend over the rim of the upper or lower part to the form
illustrated in Figure 6.
see
For this purpose the shaped part is placed into a frame-like matrice
Figure 14. A hollow stamp u is then lowered on to the coffin part, which stamp,
in the case of an upper part (A), serves to shape the rim to the incline which it is
to receive on its inner side.
Figure 16 shows the tools in the corresponding final position.
In this operation the edge or rim, protruding over the matrice v, is depressed by
a stamp u, of the required shape, which surrounds the stamp u like a sleeve.
Figure 15 shows the stamp u in its lowest position, and the rim of the coffin part
downwards bent.
The bending over of the rim around the metal rod e, see Figure 6, which has
been previously formed to correspond to the circumference of the coffin, and which
is placed into the groove previously formed by the shaping stamp, is effected
by the machines or tools, ordinarily used by braziers and others, for similar
purposes.
in
Figure 16 shows the modifications of the matrice v, and the upper stamp
the case of a lower coffin part (B) on which a rim with a wedge-shaped groove has
to be formed, according to Figure 6.
The lower stamp w, shown in Figures 14 to 16, serves now only as an expulsion
tool.
In the foregoing arrangements, the gradual stamping and shaping of the coffin
parts is effected by means of an upper stamp or male die, and a lower stamp and
matrice.
However if the sheets are of the best quality and very homogeneous, the lower

page_text: stamp, acting as a matrice, may be avoided and only a flat expulsion stamp S be
used, which serves to lift the stamped piece out of the press..
This arrangement is shown in Figures 17-22.
The figures show the successive application of the stamps, used for stamping and ·
shaping the coffin parts. The stamping is effectel by means of the upper stamp mg
in combination with the upper press frame o, and the lower press frame p.
Figure 17 shows the commencement of the operations. The sheet or plate is
gripped between the upper and lower frames. The upper frame o, exerts such a
pressure upon the sheet or plate, that the rim of the latter can only move by
degrees out of the joint made by the frames 0 and P2, when the upper stamp m₂
does its work. This prevents the formation of wrinkles in the coffin part which is
being made.
The dotted lines in Figure 17 show the form into which the stamp m, shapes the
plate.
The part thus preliminarily stamped is brought into a second press, in which the
upper frame and lower frame are constructed so that the preliminary stamped part
is shaped further, towards the ultimately desired form.
It is obvious that the same press may be used and only the corresponding tools
be changed.
Figure 18 shows the press arranged for the second operation. The stamped
part is now introduced in the same condition in which it left the press after the
first operation. By the depression of the stamp 3, the coffin part is further
shaped to the form, shown in Figure 19, which figure illustrates the next
operation.
Figures 20-22 show the continued shaping of the coffin part, by means of
stamps m, m, me, my, and frames 04, 0, 04, 07, which gradually shape the part to the
form ultimately desired, with the exception of the rim which is formed, both in the
case of the upper coffin part and the lower coffin part, in the same manner as
previously described with regard to the first series of stamps.
During each stamping operation the depression of the upper stamp pulls down
the sheet or coffin part so far, that the outer rim is still gripped between the upper
and lower frames. The ascent of the upper stamp and the movable upper frame
allows the expulsion stamp S to lift the stamped piece out of the press, to allow of
its being placed into the next press, or into the same press, after the tools or parts
of the press have been changed accordingly.
In the manufacture on a large scale with a small number of presses, a number of
plates or coffin parts will be shaped successively in one press, which may then be
changed for the next operation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :--
1st. A metallic coffin, the upper part and the lower part of which are each
made of a whole sheet of metal, and in such a manner that the ends of the coffin
have a strongly curved profile.
2nd. The manufacture of a metallic coffin in such a manner, that the upper and
lower parts are each made of a whole sheet or plates by successive stamping, by
means of an upper stamp m with surrounding frame o, a lower frame na matrice
and a table G.
P
3rd. The modification of the method claimed in Claim 2 in such a manner that
the lower stamp, serving as a matrice, is dispensed with and the gradual shaping
of the plate into a coffin upper or lower part is effected by the co-action of an
upper stamp (m, m, &c.) and an upper frame (0, 0, &c.) and a lower frame (p², p³,
&c.) the latter two gripping the plate between them.
4th. The modification of the method claimed herein before, so that the sheet or
plate is prepared by stamping, only so far as is required by the outlines of the
ends and sides of the coffin, the corners being cut off or stamped out, so that when

page_text: the remaining parts are bent upwards and the edges or joints are soldered together,
an upper part or a lower part of a coffin has been formed.
5th. The making air-tight of the metal coffin in such a manner that the rims
of the upper and lower parts of the coffin are bent round metallic rods (e and f
respectively) by means of a stamp u, a frame u, surrounding it, a frame like
matrice v, and ordinary braziers tools; the upper rim being wedge shaped and
engaging into a groove of the lower rim which also receives suitable packing to
make an air-tight joint, the rims (and therefore the upper and lower parts of the
coffin) being fixed together by cramps, engaging over the rounded surfaces of
the rims.
D1 011
11000
FELL & WILDING,
Agents for the Applicants.