IMPROVE MENTS IN COPFINS
Year: 1845

page_text: TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, PATRICK
SANDEMAN, of Greenside Place, Edinburgh, Upholsterer, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her present most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Royal Letters Patent under the Great Seal of Great Britain, bearing date
at Westminster, the Twenty-first day of July, in the ninth year of Her reign,
did, for Herself, Her heirs, and successors, give and grant unto me, the said
Patrick Sandeman, my exors, admors, and assigns, Her especial licence, full
power, sole privilege and authority, that I, the said Patrick Sandeman, my
exors, adñññors, and assigns, or such others as I, the said Patrick Sandeman,
my exors, admors, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no others,
from time to time and at all times during the term of years therein expressed,
should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and vend, within England,
Wales, and the Town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, my Invention of "IMPROVE
MENTS IN COPFINS;" in which said Letters Patent is contained a proviso that I,
the said Patrick Sandeman, should cause a particular description of the nature
of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, to
be inrolled in Her said Majesty's High Court of Chancery within six calendar
months next and immediately after the date of the said in part recited
Letters Patent, as in and by the same, reference being thereunto had, will
more fully and at large appear.
NOW KNOW YE, that in compliance with the said proviso, I, the said
Patrick Sandeman, do hereby declare that the nature of my said Invention,
and the manner in which the same is to be performed, are fully described

page_text: to the Drawing hereunto annexed, and to the figures and letters marked
thereon, that is say:
The nature of my improvements are,―
First, a substitution of sheet metal instead of wood for the whole of the
coffin, except an outer bottom of wood to be inserted for the purpose of giving
sufficient strength.
Second, in the formation of a lute joint or narrow trough being constructed
all round the edges of the sides and ends, to be filled with any adhesive cement,
into which, when the top is placed on, a tongue formed on the under side of it
will dip, and thus form an air-tight joint.
.
Tbird, in having the top constructed so that a small part of it may be lifted
up, thus giving the means of looking at the face of the body without involving
the necessity of removing the whole top.
Fourth, in having the ropes so arranged for lowering the coffins, that they
are coiled up and concealed in an ornamental tassel.
The advantages accruing from these improvements are, the coffin is ren-
dered completely air and water tight, so that either in the case of death from
any loathsome or infectious disease, or rapid decomposition of the body taking
place, all offensive effluvia may be prevented, and no fluid can leak from the
coffin, and any person may, if desirous of doing so, have a view of the coun-
tenance of the deceased; while at the same time the article can be manufactured
at considerable less expense than those at present in use.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Figure 1, the sides A, A, to be formed either in one or more pieces, having a
trough or lute B, constructed all round the top edge, and turned over under
'the wood bottom C, 'as shewn at D, to which they are also fastened by nails
E, E, as shewn; the ends being formed and attached in a similar manner.
F, metal bottom'soldered to the sides and ends all round.
Figure 2, section of top, shewing tongue G, which dips into trough or lute
B, Figure 1, all round. H, female screw-soldered into the centre of the trough
or lute as shewn at Figure 3, which is an enlarged drawing of screw for
securing top. K, female screw soldered in like manner through centre of tongue,
which is fixed at top) and hollowed out as shewn, so as to fit over the under
one H like a cap, but leaving a small space clear all round for the reception.of.
cement. L, mále iscrew going through the upper female:screw, and sinto the
under one H, as. shewn; thus making the joint air-tight when this trough or
lute is filled with the cement, and the top screwed down.

page_text: Figure 4, part of top, having tongue formed on its under side round the
foot end and both sides, and having on the other end a lute or trough formed
similar to the sides.
Figure 5, view of coffin on stand. After the body is placed in the coffin, and
the lute or trough filled with the cement all round, the part of top M, Figure 4,
is put in its place, and secured by means of the screws already described; the
trough N at the end of it is then also filled with the cement, and the upper
part of top O, which is hinged at P, and is shewn raised up in the Drawing,
and having formed on its under side a tongue all round as already shewn at G,
in section of top, Figure 2, is then set down, and the whole is rendered
completely air-tight.
Figure 6, section of tassell, shewing the coil of rope T inside, which is of
sufficient length for lowering the coffin into the grave, and is uncoiled for that
purpose by pulling out the end U.
I reserve the power of ornamenting the coffins with struck or raised. orna-
ments of any material, and finishing in japan work in arabesque or otherwise.
In witness whereof, I, the said Patrick Sandeman, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Tenth day of January, in the year of our Lord
One thousand cight hundred and forty-six.
PATRICK (L.S.) SANDEMAN.