IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LOWERING COFFINS INTO GRAVES
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
I, JAMES BURNS, of 4 Clayton Square, Liverpool in the County of Lancaster,
Clerk in Holy Orders, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention for
IMPROVEMENTS IN APPARATUS FOR LOWERING COFFINS INTO GRAVES 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 certain new and useful improvements in an apparatus
for lowering burial caskets into graves and consists in a rectangular frame arranged
to be supported near a grave in such manner that its attachments may be readily
applied to a burial casket as it stands at one side of the grave to raise the casket
from the ground swing it over the grave and lower it into the grave by the
operator and as the casket is deposited in the bottom of the grave the attachments
become automatically disengaged from the casket and withdrawn by the operator
without entering or disturbing the grave. Referring to the Drawings A represents
a frame rectangular in form, having a cover A' and supported by the adjustable
legs H. C is a carriage supported within the frame A on the side tracks a² by
means of the travelling wheels a between the flanges a and a¹ and support the
suspended tracks E' by the flanges a. This carriage c is arranged to be moved
endways in either direction by means of the belts w, w, which pass around tho
rollers B and B¹ respectively and their ends connected with said carriage. The
roller shaft B is provided with a crank B' at one end and when it is desired by the
operator to move said carriage he turns said crank which in turn starts the belts w. w.
in motion and moves said carriage as desired as shown in Fig. 5. E. E. are pulley
blocks suspended from the suspending tracks E¹ on the traveling wheels and are
connected with the movable pulleys J. J. by the hoisting ropes F. F. in the
following manner. The ropes F first attach to the movable pulleys J J through
the eyes J Fig. 2. They then pass up over wheels Z thence down and under
wheels J thence up and over wheels Z' each rope connecting each set of pulleys
respectively and then each wind on drum D³ in frame D. The movable pulleys J. J.
have attached to their lower end the hooks d and into which the straps S
are hooked as shown in Fig. 1. The hook d is provided with a slide S¹ so
arranged as to be held so that its upper surface will be about on the same plane as

page_text: the nose of the hook by means of the coil spring S₁ when the hook is not in actual
use as shown in Fig. 2. But when the straps S are applied to the casket and
attached to the hooks d and d and the weight of the casket comes on the said
straps the slide S' on hook d is depressed leaving the nose or point of said hook to
protrude far enough to hold the strap as shown in Fig. 1. As the straps S aro
released from the weight of the casket the spring S¹ will force the straps S off the
hooks so they may be withdrawn from under the casket. The rope F¹ attaches to
the pulley E by means of the loop v¹ Fig. 3 thence it passes to and over the
stationary pulley Z thence to the winding drum D. Rope F2 attaches to a
pulley E in the same manner as rope F and passes to and over the stationary
pulley Z thence to the winding drum D. These said ropes and drums and their
operating mechanism which will be hereinafter explained are for the purpose of
adjusting the pulleys E on the suspending track E¹ and for holding them at any
desired place.thereon. The drums D³ D* and D' are supported respectively by the
hanger frame D D' and D' and are rotated by the cranks bb¹ and 6 respectively
and are prevented from turning the wrong way by a pawl and ratchet system as
shown in Fig. 4. Each being the same it is not necessary to show but one in
detail. The drum D³ is rigidly attached to shaft m within the frame D. The said
shaft passes out through the frame D and is provided with a winding crank b at
-one-end and a ratchet wheel R at the other both rigidly attached to said shaft.
Immediately above the ratchet wheel-R-is-a-pawl P pivoted at the upper end to
the frame D and held engaged with ratchet-wheel R by means of the spring-P
At one side of the pawl P is a lever 12 fulcrumed near one end to the frame D-in-
such manner that its short end may be brought to bear against the pawl P to hold
it disengaged from the ratchet wheel R as shown in Fig. 4 for the purpose of
unwinding-the-accumulated rope from the drums when desired or to loosen the
rope on the drum D' and D to adjust the pulley-blocks E. E. to adjust the casket
below. When it is desired to operate this apparatus to lower a casket into a grave-
it is placed over the grave so that the centre of the frame A will be on a line at ono
side of the grave to permit the-frame A_to_extend over a casket placed on the
ground at the side of the grave as shown in Fig. 1. When this is done-the-cranks.b
and bª are turned to wind the ropes F1 and F2 on the drums D and D³ to pull the
pulley blocks E. E. to one side of frame A over the casket as shown in said Fig.
When the straps S. S. are applied to the casket and the pawl disengaged from the
ratchet wheel on drum shaft D³ so that said drum may permit the ropes F F to
unwind to lower the movable pulley blocks J. J. so the straps S. S. may be attached
to their hooks dd dd when the casket is ready to be raised from the ground
which is done by winding up the ropes F. F. on the drum D³. After the casket has
been raised a short distance from the ground it is swung over the grave by
disengaging the pawls from the ratchet wheels on the drum shafts D' and D³ so
the said drums may unwind to loosen the ropes F and F to permit the pulley
blocks E. E. to move along on the track El to bring the casket directly over the
grave which is caused by the tension on ropes F. F as the ropes F' and F* are
loosened. When the casket has reached such position the pawls are again engaged
with their ratchet wheels to hold the drums from unwinding more rope.
The casket is then lowered into the grave by again disengaging the pawl from
the ratchet wheel on drum shaft DS permitting said drum to be turned backwards
to pay out its ropes F. F. The drums D' and D' are each capable of being operated
independently to adjust either end of the casket should it not be on a line parallel
with the box in the grave and also should the casket require adjustment endways
in either direction to properly enter the box in the grave it may be done by turning
the crank B which will by means of the roller shaft B and B' and belts w. w.
move carriage c as desired when the casket has reached the bottom of the grave its
weight will of course be released from the apparatus and the straps S. S. The
springs S will cause the slides S² to automatically disengago the said straps from
the books d. d. so the operator may wind up the ropes F. F. on drum Ds and

page_text: remove the apparatus from the grave. The legs H are constructed to be adjustablé
as to length as shown in Fig. 7. for the purpose of adjusting the device to the
configuration of the ground and to regulate its height. The upper portions of the
legs are intended to be constructed of wood having a tubular joint H¹
telescopically attached to its lower end. Tho lower end of this joint H³ is screw
threaded in its inner surface to receive the screw threaded joint H' shown in Fig. 7.
This joint H is also tubular and arranged to receive the joint H³ and hold said
joint so it may slide in or out and be held at any place by thumb screw T and
notches N. When but slight lengthening or shortening of the leg is required the
joint H may be turned in either direction to screw it in or out of joint H' by
means of thus forming the logs into joints as shown they may be readily adjusted
as to length for the purpose stated. The partition a¹ shown in Figs. 5. and 6. is
for the purpose of providing means to hold one side of the carriage o so as not to
interfere with the winding frames and their operating mechanism. Hence it will
be seen that by this apparatus a burial casket may be raised from the ground and
placed in a grave with perfect ease and safety by a single operator while in position
to observe any slight movement of the casket and without having to place the
casket on skids over the open grave and the apparatus may be set over a grave
where the ground is rough or uneven as well as where it is level and still operate
as shown,
'
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is
1. In the apparatus described for lowering burial caskets into graves. The
carriage e having the suspending track E' fixed thereto and supported within the
frame A as shown and arranged to carry the pulley blocks EE and J J and
ropes F F in the manner substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
Bet forth.
2. In the apparatus described for lowering burial caskets into graves the winding
drum D having the crank b and ratchet wheel R connected therewith and
supported within the frame D having the spring pawl P and lever P² and adapted
to wind or unwind the ropes F F and operate the pulleys E. E. and J. J. to raise
or lower a casket by means of the hooks d. d. and straps SS in the manner
substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
3. In the apparatus described for lowering burial caskets into graves the winding
drums D' and D having the pawl and ratchet mechanism shown adapted to be
rotated to wind or unwind the ropes F. F. to adjust and hold adjusted the
pulley blocks E E in the manner substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore
set forth.
4. In the apparatus described for lowering burial caskets into graves the legs H
adapted to be adjustable as to length as shown to hold frame A in proper position
by means of the screw threaded points H³ and thumb screws T as and for the
purpose hereinbefore set forth.
5. In the apparatus described for lowering burial caskets into graves the
carriage c adapted to be moved in either direction on the track a³ by means of the
belts w. w. rollar shaft B and B¹ and crank B' all adapted to operate as and for
the purpose herein before set forth.
6. The combination of the pulley block J having the hooks d and d² slide S* and
springs S¹ adapted to operate as and for the purpose herein before set forth.
07. In combination with the frame A having the carriage c and hoisting and
adjusting pulleys ropes and drums as described. The legs H having the joints H¹
and H and H and thumb screw T as shown all adapted to operate as and for the
purpose herein before set forth.
8. The combination of the frame A and adjustable carriage having the
5 suspending track E¹ with the pulleys E. E. pulleys J. J. having the hooks d. d.

page_text: having the ropes F F adjustinent ropes F1 and F2 pulley Z and Z winding
drums D³ D' and D³ and their operating mechanism and straps S. S. all adapted to
operate as and for the purpose hereinbefore set forth.
Dated this Cuth J
1984