Couch-casket.

Application filed December 29,1902. Serial No. 136,949· (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Frank N. Watt ^an<I Harry C. Keelor, citizens of the United States, residing in the city of Richmond, in 5 the county of Wayne and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Couch-Caskets, of which the following is a specification, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it apio pertains to make and use the same when taken in connection with the drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in couch-caskets, and has for its primal object the provision of a couch-casket constructed 15 with particular reference to presenting ah elegant, artistic, and exquisite ensemble of the decorative construction.

Another object is the provision of a couchcasket composed of a minimum number of 20 parts consistent with the effect to be produced, which will be simple in character, compact in form and construction, easily operated, and which can be manufactured and sold at a comparatively low price.

Other objects and advantages of our invention will appear from the following specification and from the drawings forming a part thereof.

Our invention consists in a couch-casket 30 embodying certain new and useful features and details of construction and relative disposition and arrangement of parts, substantially as hereinafter particularly set forth, illustrated in the drawings, and incorporated 35 in the claims hereunto appended.

In detail the invention relates to improvements in couch-caskets or the like, substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings, in which—

Figure 1 shows a perspecti ve view of a couchcasket constructed and completed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 shows a front elevation of our invention, showing the body of the couch in longitudinal section.

Fig. 3 shows a cross-section of our invention, taken on the line X X of Fig. 2, showing the couch open. Fig. 4 shows a cross-section of our invention, taken on the line X X of Fig. 2, showing the casket closed. Fig. 5 is a dego tail cross-section of a portion of our invention, taken on the line Y Y of Fig. 2, Fig. 6 is a detail view showing the elevation of one of the hinges of the auxiliary lid.

Similar indices refer to and denote like parts throughout the several vie.ws. 55

In the drawings the letter A denotes the body of a casket, of which the upper edges are scalloped, substantially as shown.

a represents the rear side of the body of the casket, and a' the front side of same. _ 60

The letter B represents the lid of the casket, hinged to the rear side a, with downwardlyfacing scalloped edges adapted to fit the contour of the upper edges of the body A. The lid B is connected to the rear side a by sepa- 65 rable hinges c, by which the lid B is held vertically edgewise when the lid is open, as in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and the lid is adapted to be lifted up and removed from the body of the casket when so desired. 70

The numeral 1 denotes an auxiliary lid, the lower edge of which is adapted to rest normally on the upper edge of the rear side a, as in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, and it is hinged onto the inside faces of the rear side a and the 75 architrave 1 by a pair of angular hinges 2, Fig. 6, by which the architrave 1 may be turned inward at right angles to its said normal position, thus removing the lower edge of the auxiliary lid away from and at right 80 angles to the upper edge of the rear side a. Between the hinges 2 is secured a springhinge 3, connecting the auxiliary lid 1 to the side a, by which the auxiliary lid 1 is normally held vertical, as in Figs. 1, 2, and 3. 85

The numeral 4 denotes cleats secured at their upper edges to near the lower edge of the auxiliary lid, so that their lower points will extend below the lower edge of the auxiliary lid, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 5, in 90 order that when the auxiliary lid 1 is turned forward horizontally, as in Fig. 4, the lower points of the cleats 4 will touch the inner face of the side a and prevent the auxiliary lid from dropping below said horizontal position. 95 The cleats 4 are in triangular shape in crosssection and serve to break the joint between the auxiliary lid 1 and the side a and also extend forward to substantially the same distance as do the hinges 2 and 3 and serve to ico hold the upholstering from entanglement with the said hinges.

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739,704

The inside of the lid B and the inside of the body A of the casket may be upholstered or trimmed as desired. The upholstering or trimming of the inside of the body A should 5 extend up over the auxiliary lid 1 in order to cover the hinges 2 and 3 and the cleats 4 and to cause the auxiliary lid to appear as a continuity of the rear side a, as shown in Fig. 1.

Desiring to expose the contents of the Casio ket A, the lid B may be turned back at right angles to its closed position, the auxiliary lid 1 rising vertically by the resilient action of the spring 3 or by the hand of the operator, and the couch would then present the appear15 ance as shown in Fig. 1, or the lid B may be entirely removed, in which case the auxiliary lid would still be in the same position and present the appearance as of the back of a couch. When the lid B is closed, the auxil20 iary lid 1 will be caused to lie horizontal within the lid or the couch, as shown in Fig. 4, and its presence there will not be apparent.

The auxiliary lid 1 will give the appearance and impression of the upward extension of 25 the rear side a, although, in fact, it is not an integral part of either the casket or the lid.

Our invention is perfectly adapted to accomplish the objects stated, and its resultant benefits will be apparent, and the construc30 tion described may be variously changed and· finished in any desired style to meet the requirements or tastes of different individuals. It is apparent that the auxiliary lid may be hinged or permanently secured to the lower 35 inner edge of the lid B or to the upper edge of the rear side a, if desired, without departing from the spirit of our invention.

Our invention is perfectly adapted to ac-: complish the results for which it is intended, 40 and it is evident that changes in and modifications of the specific construction herein shown and described may be made and that analogous parts maj' be used to accomplish· the same results without departing from the' 45 spirit of our invention or sacrificing any of its many advantages, and the specific construction of the details of the invention in; which novel features are embodied may be: variously changed without altering the es-J 50 sential principles which are claimed as new.:

The terms “front,” “rear,” “upper,”: “lower,” and other similar terms are used merely for convenience of description, and it: is not intended bj⁷ their use to limit the ar55 rangement of the several parts to the precise positions indicated; but they may be variously changed and modified to suit the various requirements and differentiations which may occur.

We wish it to be understood that we do not 60 dedicate any part of our invention to the public and that we wish adequate and just protection for every feature herein shown and described that is new and useful and which involves invention. 65