IMPROVEMENTS IN EMBALMING AND COOLING BOARDS OR RESTS FOR CORPSES
Year: 1882

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Philip Middleton Justice at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 18th July 1882. Communi-
cated to him from abroad by Noah Trimble Shaw of Columbus in the State
of Ohio, United States of America
PHILIP MIDDLETON JUSTICE of Southampton Buildings in the County of
Middlesex Patent Agent IMPROVEMENTS IN EMBALMING AND COOLING BOARDS
OR RESTS FOR CORPSES Communicated to me from abroad by Noah Trimble Shaw
of Columbus in the State of Ohio, United States of America
This invention is directed to the production of an improved folding, embalming
and cooling board My object is to render such article substantial, light and neat,
with provision for safety against accidental crushing or falling under the weight.
of the body and in shifting the position of the board as is often required when the
body is laid thereon For this purpose, automatic locking braces serve to sustain
the board at the folding joint, relieve the hinges of undue weight and act as a
double truss in bracing and giving endwise rigidity to the structure when. in .use
The board is of two sections and when in use each section is locked by a safety
brace fastening with the hinged legs The legs are of unequal length to support
the board in an inclined position for embalming the body while removeable button
posts of unequal length support a canopy in horizontal and symmetrical relation
to the inclined board
The board is provided with corner irons having tapering sockets to receive and
hold the removeable button posts in vertical positions to give the desired
symmetrical relation of the canopy to the inclined board The legs at the head
of the board are the longest while the button posts at the foot of the board are
the longest thus producing an inclined board with folding legs and a canopy
supported by non folding button posts in taper sockets giving the canopy the
required firmness and allowing of its easy and quick attachment
The board proper consists of two sections or frames of equal length each having
side and cross connecting timbers and perforated or cane bottoms These sections
are hinged together so as to be closed and form an undertakers cabinet The
hinges are preferably placed on the outside of the frame so as to make an iron
bearing for the joined parts when forming the board and thus prevent wearing of
[Price 2d 1

page_text: the wood at the abutting ends. The depth of each section or hinged frame is
from two to three inches so that when folded the aggregate depth of the enclosed
space will be sufficient to hold the several parts of the structure, including the
canopy and the instruments for embalming.
The box is provided with a suitable fastening and a handle for convenience in
carrying The legs are hinged so as to support the frame when extended and to
fold within the part to which they are separately hinged In their supporting
positions the legs abut against blocks glued in the corners of the frames and they
are connected by rounds
These blocks serve as abutments against which the legs unfold, to relieve the
hinges of undue strain and form a back against which they are pressed and held
by automatic locking braces. The legs are of unequal length, those at the head
being the longest so as to give a proper inclination to the board for embalming,
such inclination being a necessity for embalming whether partial or permanent
When unfolded they stand in outward inclined positions and are supported by
braces hinged to the cross pieces of the board frames and locking with the rounds
of the legs The locking of these braces is automatic and such as to afford safety
against becoming unfastened A simple and convenient means of forming such
safety fastening is by providing the free ends of the braces with metal pins
formed with a groove, recess, or notch, and a thimble or socket secured in the round
of the legs and provided with a lip or projection adapted to be sprung into the
groove of said pin The hinging of the braces is such as to allow them to be
folded within the frames to which they are separately hinged
As the brace is
hinged to the middle of the board and the legs are hinged so as to be folded
toward the hinge of the brace, the locking device must be such as to constantly
press the legs outward and for this purpose the recess in the pin is next the end
of the brace and the locking lip of the socket is at the outside or next the head
and foot of the board so that in fastening the legs it is only necessary to press the
pin of the brace into the thimble socket and the legs yielding slightly the recess
in the pin is forced over the thimble lip and the brace thus sprung into locked
position with it, holding the legs firm and secure In this arrangement of the braces
it will be seen that they form with the legs, separate truss frames to sustain the
board at its hinged joining and were it not for this middle support the board would
be unsafe under the weight of the body In this truss action the corner abut-
ments for the legs and the locking pins become important factors in sustaining the
board.
The elevated section of the board is provided with a hinged head rest adjustably
supported by hinged arms and the rest is preferably formed with an opening
At the outer corner of each hinged section or frame the joining is braced and
strengthened by corner irons on the outside and the abutment blocks on the inner
side The corner irons are formed with sockets which taper downward and stand
vertical and serve to receive posts for supporting the canopy These posts are
of unequal length the shortest being at the head of the board and they are
provided with buttons for the attachment of the canopy in horizontal and
symmetrical relation to the inclined board The posts are tapered to fit the
corner sockets and when inserted therein they are bound tight in vertical positions
and are removed from the sockets in putting up the board, thus affording a firm and
convenient attachment for the canopy to an inclined board It is evident that
the locking device may be formed with the grooved pin on the round of the legs
and the lipped socket secured to the brace