Casket Cap Brace

The caps or cover panels of burial caskets are large and quite heavy. At funeral services and on other occasions, this cap must be supported in a substantially vertical or open position to permit observation of the deceased. For this purpose, a casket cap brace or support is used. Accordingly, the brace should have several desirable characteristics. It must stabilize and rigidly lock the top panel in its generally vertical position against pivotal movement in either direction relative to the casket body. Further, the brace must be small in size to avoid interference with gaskets utilized to positively seal the casket upon closing. Too, aesthetics are an important characteristic. The brace must be attractive, avoid visual obstruction of the body, and emit no undesirable sound.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned characteristics for a casket cap brace, the instant invention comprises a simple elongated member pivotally carried by the casket body and adapted to extend upwardly into the casket cap through a slot therein. Upon the upper end of this member is formed a locking structure which cooperates with the slot in the casket cap when the latter reaches the open position to prevent further movement of the cap. Further, the elongated member has a lower end which extends down into and compresses an elastomeric abutment carried in the interior of the casket body. The expansion force exerted on the brace maintains the locking structure in engagement and facilitates its release. Additionally, the slot in the casket cap is lined with a plastic insert having a slot therein with edges appropriately formed to cooperate with the locking structure of the elongated brace member.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a casket cap brace which incorporates some or all of the desirable characteristics previously identified. It is a further object of this invention to provide a brace member formed of a single, elongated, stamped metal piece having substantial strength. A further object is to provide a casket cap brace of low cost, facilitating installation on a casket and having a pleasing appearance. Finally, it is an object of this invention to provide a casket cap brace which automatically locks the cap in the open position and facilitates unlocking for closing the casket. Additionally, the unit avoids the emission of undesirable sound.

The manner in which these and other objects of the invention are obtained will be made clear by the following specifications and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the casket depicting a preferred embodiment of the invention as installed;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the casket with portions broken away to depict a preferred embodiment of the instant invention in its locking position;

FIG. 3 is a view similar to that of FIG. 2, depicting the manner of unlocking the brace;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to that of FIG. 3 depicting the closing of the casket cap;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of the preferred embodiment of our invention;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view of the locking insert of our invention; and

FIG. 7 is an exploded perspective view of the preferred embodiment of our invention.

As shown in FIG. 1, the preferred embodiment of our invention has primary application to a burial casket 10. Such devices include a lower body portion 12 for receiving a corpse and a cap or top panel 16 pivotally connected to the body portion 12 by hinges (not shown) for closing and sealing the casket body portion 12. Mating horizontal flanges 14 and 18 extend inwardly from the side walls of the body portion 12 and the cap 16, and such is normally provided with a gasket to seal the casket upon closing.

However, prior to burial, the casket is normally held open during funeral services to permit viewing of the deceased. The instant invention is utilized to position and hold the cap 16 in a generally vertical position for this purpose. Preferably, a separate brace is used at each end of the casket, but since they are identical only one is shown in FIG. 1.

The details of our invention can best be described by reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. It comprises three basic components which include a bracket 30, an elongated support member 50 and an insert 80. In installation, the bracket 30 is riveted to the underneath side of flange 14 adjacent the aperture or slot 15 formed in the flange. The elongated brace member then extends through slot 15 and a slot 36 in the bracket 30 and is pivotally attached to the bracket by a pin 32. This member then extends upward through a slot 20 formed in the flange 18. Cooperative locking means on the end of member 50 and on an insert 80 carried by flange 18 then lock the top panel 16 in the open position. As subsequently described, an elastomeric abutment 48 holds the locking means engaged until the unit is to be closed.

Considering now each of these components in detail, the bracket 30 is generally U-shaped in cross-section having a top 34, and downwardly depending flanges 42. In the top 34 of the bracket is formed an elongated slot 36 which receives member 50. As shown, apertures in the top 34 permit the bracket to be riveted to the underneath side of flange 14 such that slot 36 is generally in juxtaposition with slot 15 of flange 14. The flanges 42 at their forward end of bracket 30 are turned inwardly as indicated at 44 to form a retaining device for an elastomer bumper 48, whose side walls are also turned inwardly as at 49. To complete the retainer, a flange 46 is formed at the front of bracket 30. In assembly, the abutment 48 is first inserted into the retaining flanges and the bracket is riveted to flange 14.

After the bracket 30 is attached to flange 14, the lower end of brace member 50 is inserted through slot 36. Then a pivot pin 32 is inserted through apertures 43 of flange 42 and aperture 51 of member 50. Such permits pivotal movement of member 50 through a vertical plane passing through slot 36.

The upper end of member 58 extends through a slot 20 of the flange 18 of top member 16. Preferably, this slot carries a plastic molded insert 80 having exterior and interior flanges 82 and 84 for engaging opposite sides of the flange 18.

This insert 80 and the end of member 50 are formed with cooperative locking means which are automatically engaged when the cap 16 is opened to the vertical position. As viewed in FIG. 5, the top section of member 50 takes the shape of a foot 58 having a heel or lower projection 66 and an upper toe or projection 62. As shown, the distance between projections 62 and 66 is greater than the length of slot 86. Thus, the cap 16 can be pivoted clockwise about its hinges to the position generally shown in FIG. 5 in which a recess 64 formed between projections 62 and 63 in section 56 receives a downwardly extending lip 83 formed in insert 80. The rearward surface of member 50 and the projection 66 sliding in the bottom portion of slot 86 cams the section 56 upwardly to urge the recess 64 into engagement with lip 83. Upward projection 63 opposes the tendency of the cover to cam member 50 clockwise and close. However as shown in FIG. 5, to lock the cap 16 in the open position, the lip 83 must pass over this projection 63. This is accomplished by pivoting the cap 16 clockwise a small distance beyond the position shown in FIG. 5. Since the pivot of the member 50 is transversely displaced from the pivot (not shown) of cap 16 further clockwise movement of cap 16 raises lip 84 relative to projection 63 and the lip enters the recess 64. It should be noted that the heel or projection 66 does not enter the slot 86 even though the lip 83 is seated in recess 64. Due to its shape, further clockwise movement of cap 16 will cam the recess 64 tighter against lip 83. Thus, upon opening of the top panel 16, the brace is effectively engaged.

To retain the brace in the locked position, a resilient bias is applied to member 56. This member extends below pivot pin 32 in the shape of a curved arm 52 whose end abuts the rubber bumper 48. Thus when the cap 16 is in the open position, the arm 52 should partially compress abutment 48 and its expansion force urges the member 50 counterclockwise resulting in a tighter engagement between recess 64 and lip 83. Accordingly cap 16 is rigidly held against pivotal movement in either direction.

To release the brace member 50, it is rotated slightly clockwise as shown in FIG. 3 by applying a force F to the indentation 59. This pressure further compresses abutment 48, and the clockwise force causes section 56 to move inwardly of cap 16. This occurs because clockwise rotation of member 50 diminishes the height of projection 63 relative to lip 83 of the insert. Upon release, cap 16 may be closed while member 50 telescopes into the slot 86 and the cap as shown in FIG. 4. The casket is then locked for burial.

Our invention may take various forms. For example, the bracket may be formed integrally with the casket body and the elastomeric abutment may be attached by various other means. Alternatively the resilient force applied to member 52 can be exerted by a spring bias or applied at a different position. Finally, the brace support here disclosed may be used to support other panels pivotally attached to other compartments.