A Sanitary Mortuary Shell.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 20th Sept., 1894
Complete Specification Left, 19th June, 1895-Accepted, 20th July, 1895
A Sanitary Mortuary Shell.
JAMES BIRCH 56 Queensbury Street Essex Road Islington N. in the County of
Middlesex Drain and Sewer Stick Manufacturer do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:-
A mortuary shell specially invented and designed and trapped with a sanitary
fluid under flange trap combined with metal draw of stop tap or taps for the
prevention of infectious diseases in private houses and mortuaries capable of
holding dead bodies.
Dated this 20th Jan of Contamhou 1001
I, JAMES BIRCH, of 56, Queensbury Street, Essex Road, Islington, N. in the
County of Middlesex, Drain and Sewer Stick Manufacturer, 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 :—
My invention relates to an improved shell for use in mortuaries or other places,
and it consists essentially of a shell having a movable lid which is adapted to fit
into a channel or recess formed in the body of the shell, a gas or air tight joint
being secured by means of water or other fluid placed in the said channel or recess,
so as to form a trap for the gases given off by the body, a suitable pipe being
provided for leading off the said gases, the object being to prevent the spreading of
infectious diseases.
I will now more particularly describe my invention making reference to the
accompanying drawing in which :-
:-
Figure is a view in side elevation of a shell constructed according to my
invention.
Figure 2 is a view in plan thereof with one half of the lid removed.
Figure 3 is a sectional view in side elevation thereof.
Figure 4 is a sectional view in end elevation thereof, and
Figure 5 is a plan view of a movable portion formed in the lid.
Throughout the views similar parts are marked with like letters of reference.
The main portion or body of the shell A is formed with a groove or channel a
on its upper edge which is adapted to contain water or other liquid, containing a
suitable disinfectant or not. A stop cock a¹ is provided for drawing off the liquid
from the said channel.
The lid B is provided with a flange b adapted to fit into the groove or recess a
on the body of the shell A.
The lid B may be glazed or provided with a glazed portion to allow of the body
[Price dd.1

page_text: being inspected, but I preferably cut away a portion of the lid as shown and form
a groove or channel 6 on the edges thereof which is also adapted to receive water
or other liquid. The lid or covering piece C for this opening being glazed and
formed with a flange e to fit into the said groove or channel on the lid B.
A stop cock connected with a pipe or tube is provided on the lid B for leading
off the air or gases from inside, the shell.
Suitable handles are provided for removing the lids B and C.
It will thus be seen that by means of, the water or other. liquid in the grooves
or channels a and b and the flanges b and c on the lids B and C, an effectual trap
is provided against the escape of gases. into the room or, mortuary emanating from
a body within the shell.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed,, I, declare that what I
claim is :-
(1.) A mortuary shell, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown.
(2.), In a mortuary shell the use of a movable lid either glazed or not, adapted,
to cover the said shell and sealed by means of a liquid, as set forth.
(3.) In a mortuary shell, the use of a secondary glazed lid adapted to cover and
seal an opening formed on the main lid constructed as herein before described,
shown and claimed by. the second claim.
(4.) In a mortuary shell having one or more movable lids as hereinbefore
described, shown and claimed, the use of a stop cock and tube for, leading off the
air or gases from within the shell, as set forth.
ROBERT E. PHILLIPS, Assoc. M. Inst. C.E., M.I. Mech. E.,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent,
70, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agent for the Applicant.