US1799586A - Grave-vault structure - Google Patents

Description

April 7, 1931- l. l.. FOSTER GRAVE VAULT STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 2G, 1928 Patented Apr. 7, 1931 i,...

IRA L. FOSTER, or FoRTnoDGE, VIowA` GRAVE-VAULT sTRUcTtrnn Application mea November 26,1928. `Vserial No. 321,954. i

The object of my invention is to provide a grave vault structure of simple, durable and comparatively inexpensive construction.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a vault structure in which electrolysis will not occur. vault itself isfusually made of one metal and the casket on the inside thereof is made of another and more expensive metal. Due to the dissimilarity of these metals, they produce electrolysis of the casket itself, the vault structure or the body within the casket, depending on what metals are used in their construction and when the casket is placed in contact with the vault structure so that an electric circuit can be established between the two.

Electrolysis'is a decomposition of the vault structure, the casket or the body within the casket caused by an electric current generated within the vault 'structure due to the dissimilarity of the metals used in the vault structure lconstruction and the casket construction when the twoare in contact with each other. i

It has therefo-re, been my object to provide a means of insulation between the vault structure and the casket so that the chance of an electric circuit being established, is eliminated and consequently electrolysis cannot occur. l Y

Still a further object is to provide in an air sealed type of vault structure, a vault bottom entirely arranged in a' single plane instead of a portion thereof being upstruck for forming risers upon which the casket may rest. The purpose of this construction is so that the vault structure may easily be rolled over the rollers in the iioor of a hearse which 40 are usually shorter than the width ofthe vault bottom.

Still a further object is to provide a novel means for latching the vault bell or cover to the vault bottom. Y

With these and other objects in view my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my device, whereby the objects 0011-' templated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, and

In metal vaults, the

ing means applied thereto.

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:-

Figurel 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view' through a vaultl structure, `embodying casket therein in side elevation.

f Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view'on the linef2-2 of Figure 1. f y

Figure Sis a sectional -view of a port-ion of y.Figure 2, illustrating the latch iny aridiifervslightly'as indicated at 12. Afvault bell or cover 14 coacts with the bottom 10 and is provided with anV inturned and upturned peripheral flange 16. g i a f Secured to the bottom'member 10, are a plurality of risers A consisting of side plates 18 havingfeet 2O formed thereon.` The .feet

20 may be riveted or welded to the bottom 10.

The side members 18 of the risers Aare provided with flanges 22. -Ateach end of each riser A, gravity locks 24are provided;l The locks 24 are pivoted to the side flanges 18by means of rivets or the like 26. vvlIIachlock 24 is provided with a catch shoulder28 and a stop lug 30. j

Openings 32 are provided inthe side plates 18 to receive vCotter keys 34 as'illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings for the purpose of Y rendering the'locks inoperative when ship' y ping thevault structure. 90

An insulating member 36 is provided on each riser A and may be secured theretoin any suitable manner such as by rivets 38 o r the like extending through a downwardly projecting rib 37 on the member. `Thermem- 95 bermay be held by clamps of frictionl also. The insulator 36'In'a'y be of wood, glass, cork, rubber, fiber, bakelite or any other suitable insulating material and is provided for resting the casket 40 onand prevents itsy contact 100' my invention and illustrating a .'66

with the risers A or the bottom 10 of the vault structure.

It is the general practice to buy quite an y expensive casket such as one made of bronze, zinc, copper, Armco iron or Keystone steel. This list of course, does not include wooden caskets since electrolysis does not occur when they are used due to the fact that they are of insulating material themselves. One way of effectively preventing electrolysis, is to purchase the metal vault at bottom 10, bell 14:

and casket 40 all of similar metal, but this increases the expense greatly. Therefore, cheaper vault structures are used for the purpose of making a water seal vault and by using `any number of the risers A capped with the insulating bars 36, a metal casket made of a metal dissimilar from that from which the vault structure is made, may be placed Within the vault structure without the danger of electrolysis occurring which of course, is a very deplorable result when using vault structures and caskets of dissimilar metals without insulation between them.

Iny air seal vaults of the bell type, water rises about an inch or so above the lower end of the bell. To prevent this water from com'- ing in contact with the casket, vault bottoms are'usually pressed upwardly for raising the bottom of the casket above the lower edge of the bell. In my construction the vault bot tom is made flat and the riser members 18 serve the purpose of raising the casket while at the same time they serve as a convenient way of supporting the bars 36 of insulation. By the use of gravity locks 24, the danger of springs rusting out as in the types of locks now in general use is eliminated.

Considerable changes in the construction of the risers and the locks 24 as well as in the vault structure itself, m'ay be made without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention in which a means of insulation is provided between the casket and the vault structure.

It is therefore,my purpose to cover by my claim, such modiiica-tions in the form ofthe structure and use of mechanical equivalents las may be construed as falling within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

In a metal'grave vault structure, Va vault bottom member, a vault cover member for coaction therewith and a riser member on said bottom member, said riser member being adapted for having a casket made of a metal diierent from the grave vault structure supported thereon, said riser member being capped with an insulating material whereby to prevent the occurrence of electrolysis ofa body Within said casket.

' IRA L. FOSTER.

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