Improvements in Coffins and Cinerary Urns.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 23rd Sept., 1891-Accepted, 28th Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coffins and Cinerary Urns.
We WILLIAM HART of 12 Horsefield Street Middlesbrough in the County of
York Boiler Smith and WALLACE BRITT BIGGS of 13 Trent Street Middlesbrough
aforesaid Boiler Smith do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The coffin or urn consists of two casings or linings, the outside and inside lining.
The sides, bottom, and lid respectively of the outside lining are all made of steel or
iron or of cast metal of a thickness throughout of from th to th of an inch. The
lid is embossed so as to strengthen it and make it more capable of withstanding
pressure from above. The sides are attached to each other and to the bottom by
ineans of inside angle bars with bolts or rivets of from 2 to 24 inches apart; and
the lid is attached to the upper ends of the sides by outside angle bars with bolts
at similar distances but with an india rubber washer between the said angle bar
and the said lid. The casing may be painted to imitate oak or other woods or
materials or it may be galvanized or may be left plain, and the usual fittings such as
handles, breast plate &c., may be attached. In the case of burials at sea this
outside casing or lining is perforated with holes in order to ensure the sinking of
the coffin; but in burials not at sea no perforation is necessary. The inside lining
is made of zinc or lead, the sides and bottom being soldered together; and after
the corpse has been placed therein the lid thereto is soldered down, thus rendering
such inside casing or lining perfectly air proof and water tight, and being (together
with the outside lining before described) of a durable nature and of a material to
withstand pressure and chemical action, will prevent leakage from, and at the
same time tend to preserve, the corpse.
Dated this 24th day of February 1891.
W. B. BIGGS.
W. HART.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Coffins and Cinerary Urns.
We WILLIAM HART of 12 Horsefield Street Middlesbrough in the County of
York Boiler Smith and WALLACE BRITT BIGGS of 13 Trent Street Middlesbrough
aforesaid Boiler Smith do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what
manner the same is to be manufactured and performed, to be particularly described
and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The coffins as per drawings numbered 1 and 2 hereto are made of steel or iron
plates or of other metals.
The sides and bottom are either rivetted bolted flanged or soldered together as
in Sections A and B of drawing Number 3 or pressed from one plate as in
Section C.
In Section A the plates forming sides and bottom are connected by inside angle
irons of suitable size with bolts or rivets and nuts,-angle irons being also attached
to the top of the sides to receive the lid.
In Section B the plate forming the bottom is flanged all round to receive the
sides and ends and connected with bolts or rivets as above,-the top of such side
and end plates being also flanged to take the lid.
Section C is a seamless coffin being pressed out of one plate the top of the sides
whereof is flanged to receive the lid.

page_text: In Sections A and C an inner shell or lead lining is inserted and the cavity
between the outer and inner shell is filled in by suitable preserving composition
such as cement or pitch.
The lids in each case are to be hipped or embossed to resist top pressure. They
are fastened down by means of either hinged bolts with nuts, or tab bolts rivetted
to the sides, or they may be closed by means of hinges and hinged bolts. In all
cases the coffins are hermetically sealed by means of india rubber, felt or other
suitable material.
The coffins may be painted to represent any class of wood or they may be
galvanized or left plain.
An oval or circular aperture with glass fixed therein may be inserted in the lid
in a position above the face of the corpse and with a cover or cap of steel or other
metal to be screwed or tapped on just before burial.
And we the said William Hart and Wallace Britt Biggs hereby claim that the
materials above named may be used either for coffins as above described or for urns
suitable for the reception of the ashes of persons cremated.
Dated this 14th day of September 1891.
WILLIAM HART.
WALLACE BRITT BIGGS.