Improvements in the Construction of Metallic Coffins and in the Manufacture thereof.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Oct., 1890
Complete Specification Left, 11th Apr., 1891-Accepted 30th May, 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Metallic Coffins and in the
Manufacture thereof.
I, ROBERT EDWIN PEACOCK CRAVEN, of 8 Seamer Street, Armley, Leeds, in the
County of York, Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be
as follows:-
This invention relates to an improved method of constructing metallic coffins from
very thin material, giving extra strength to such thin material by producing on its
surface, corrugations embossings, pannels, or raising any kind of projections, and at
the same time flanging such thin plates either inwards or outwards, either all round
their edges or sides, or only on a portion thereof, for the purpose of fastening the
different parts together.
The metallic plates forming the bottom of the coffin, also the plate forming the
lid, are first cut to the requisite shape are next placed between suitable male and
female dies, which are fixed in an hydraulic or mechanical power press. On the
surface of the male die, are risen portions forming the desired pattern of embossings
pannels, or other projections which take into corresponding recesses in the female
die, which recesses are made somewhat wider than the projections on the male
die, to allow of the thickness of the metallic plate to be operated upon.
The male and female dies are next caused to approach each other, thus forming
in the metallic plate the pattern which is on their surfaces, and at the same time
flanging all round the edges of the plate, thus giving extra strength to such plates,
and also giving such plates the appearance of great thickness, they are then taken
out of the dies and are ready for fixing other parts thereto.
The sides and end plates when made separately are produced in a similar manner,
excepting the flanges, which are turned either inwards or outwards as required.
In place of making the sides and ends in separate pieces, to form the body of
the coffin, I take a metallic plate of sufficient length, and of the requisite width
and thickness, this I wind on to a former, the exact shape of the inside of a coffin
this former may be in one or more parts and may have for convenience the head
and feet portions semicircular, on the periphery of the former is the pattern either
projecting or sunk as the case may be, and which it is desired to form on the plate,
this pattern is produced on the plate during the operation of winding the plate on
to the former, by means of a pressing roller, on the periphery of this pressing
roller is the reverse pattern to that on the former, space being allowed between
the two patterns for the thickness of the plate to be operated on
The top and bottom flange on the plate is also produced during the operation of
winding and embossing.
That part forming the joint of both ends of the plate are secured together, by
either welding, brazing, or a butt or lap joint and rivetting.
The separate parts when completed, either pressed or formed, are punched or
drilled and the body portions are rivetted to the bottom plate, the lid being
left loose to be afterwards secured to the body by means of bolts and nuts.
On the top flange of the body is fixed some piece of textile material for fastening
the shroud to, this is done by drilling or punching small holes in the
as to enable the textile material to be sewn thereto.
Dated this Second day of October 1890.
flange so
[Price 8d.]
ROBERT EDWIN PEACOCK CRAVEN.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Construction of Metallic Coffins and in the
Manufacture thereof.
I ROBERT EDWIN PEACOCK CRAVEN, of 8, Seamer Street, Armley, Leeds, in the
County of York, Engineer, 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 :-
This invention relates to an improved method of constructing metallic coffins
from very thin material giving extra strength to such thin material by producing
on its surface corrugations embossings panels or raising any kind of projections,
and at the same time flanging such thin plates either inwards or outwards, either all
round their edges or sides or only on a portion thereof, for the purpose of fastening
the different parts together. The metallic plates forming the bottom of the coffin
also the plate forming the lid, are first cut to the requisite shape, are next placed
between suitable male and female dies which are fixed in a hydraulic or mechanical
power press.
On the surface of the male die are raised portions forming the desired pattern of
embossments, or other projections, which take into corresponding recesses in the
female die, which recesses are made somewhat wider than the projections on
the male die to allow of the thickness of the metallic plate to be operated upon.
The male and female dies are next caused to approach each other, thus forming
in the metallic plate the pattern which is on their surfaces, and at the same time
flanging all round the edges of the plate, thus giving extra strength to such plates
and also giving them the appearance of great thickness, they are then taken out of
the dies and are ready for fixing other parts thereto.
The sides and ends when made separately are produced in a similar manner,
excepting the flanges which are turned either inwards or outwards as required.
In place of making the sides and ends in separate pieces, to form the body of the
coffin, I take a metallic plate of sufficient length and of the requisite width and
thickness this I wind on a former the exact shape of the inside of a coffin.
This former may be in one or more parts and may have for convenience the head
and feet portions semicircular, on the periphery of the former is the pattern either
projecting or sunk as the case may be as may be desired. The pattern is produced
on the plate during the operation of winding the plate on the former, by means of
a pressing roller, on the periphery of which is the reverse or corresponding pattern
to that on the former, space being allowed between the two patterns for the thickness
of the plate being operated upon.
The top and bottom flange on the plate is also produced during the operation of
winding and embossing.
The ends of the plate are secured together, by either welding, brazing or a butt
or lap joint and rivetting.
The separate parts when completed, either pressed or formed, are punched or
drilled, and the body portions are rivetted to the bottom plate, the lid being left
loose to be afterwards secured to the body by means of bolts and nuts.
The top flange of the body is pierced by drilling or punching for the attachment
thereto of textile material for fixing the shroud to, and also for the bolts above
referred to.
In the accompanying drawings
Fig. 1, is a plan view of a coffin, having square corners at the head and feet and
embossments, or raised portions A, on its surface, according to my invention.
Fig. 2, is an external side view.
Fig. 3, is an end view of same.
Fig. 4, is a cross section at b, b, to an enlarged scale, showing the embossed plates
having their edges flanged the lid and bottom plates, with their edges B, and B',
and C, and C', turned downwards, whilst the side and end plates have their edges, D,
and D¹, and E, and E', outwards and inwards.

page_text: Fig. 5, shows a half plan of lid and half plan of body of a coffin with the lid
removed, this having semicircular ends for the head and feet portions, the lid
showing the embossed or raised portion G. The small holes H, in the top flange
of body are for fastening the textile material to for holding the shroud, whilst the
rivets J, fasten the body portion to the bottom plate; K, K, K, are bolt-holes in
the lid and in the top flange of the body for the reception of the bolts by which the
lid is secured.
Fig. 6, is an external view of same.
Fig. 7, is an end view.
Fig. 8, is a cross section to an enlarged scale this also shows the embossments L,
and flanges M, and M¹, on lid and bottom plates turned downwards and the
flanges N, and N¹ on the plate forming the body turned inwards and outwards.
Fig. 9, is a part section to an enlarged scale of a bottom plate of either kind of
coffin shewing the same partly corrugated either lengthwise or crosswise.
Fig. 10, is a plan of a former the shape of the inside of a coffin, and has the
projections or raised portions O, on its periphery, that are required to be produced
on the plate whilst such plate is being wound upon its surface.
Fig. 11, is a plan view of a pressing roller having on its periphery the reverse
pattern to that on the former, to allow of the thickness of the plate to be operated
on; on the lower part of this pressing roller is a flange P, for turning in a portion
of the plate to form a flange thereon during the operation of winding such plate on
to the former.
Fig. 12, is an end view of the former and
Fig. 13, shows an elevation of the pressing roller, leaving a space Q, between
them for the thickness of the plate.
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 metallic coffins as hereinabove referred to, the use of metallic plates
embossed flanged and united substantially as described and shown for the purpose
specified.
2. In metallic coffins as hereinabove referred to, constructing that part forming
the sides and ends thereof of one sheet of metal, embossed or corrugated and flanged
substantially as hereinabove described and shown for the purpose specified.
3. In metallic coffins as hereinabove referred to and illustrated the use of
strengthened or stiffened metallic plates of which they are constructed by embossing,
corrugating and flanging substantially as described and shown.
4. For the manufacture of stiffened strengthened or corrugated metallic plates
for use in the construction of metallic coffins the use by causing them to approach
each other of male and female dies having corresponding configurations, thereon
and therein as desired to be produced on said plates for the purpose specified.
5. In the manufacture of a stiffened, and strengthened metallic plate for the
formation of the sides and ends of a metallic coffin the use of a former in one or
more parts having the configuration of the interior of a coffin and capable of rotation
about an axis, in combination with a pressing roller actuated by the said former
and having a movement to and from it, and both having the necessary grooves and
projections for producing the said stiffening and flanging portions on the plate
under treatment for the purpose specified.
6. The general construction of metallic coffins of thin metallic plates stiffened
and flanged or corrugated as hereinabove referred to with sides and ends of one or
more parts substantially as described and shown.
Dated this 10th day of April 1891.
ROBERT EDWIN PEACOCK CRAVEN.