Improvements in coffins / [James Bradley Furniss].

  • Furniss, James Bradley.
Date:
1893
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Improvements in coffins / [James Bradley Furniss]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    1/6
    N° 20,642 A.D. 1892 Date of Application, 15th Nov., 1892 Comp fete Specification Left, 11th Aug., 1893—Accepted, 16th Sept., 1893 PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION. Improvements in Coffins. I, James Bradley Furniss, of 7A Queen’s Road, Brighton, in the County of Sussex, Undertaker, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows :— The object of my invention is to construct water-tight coffins in such a manner as o to obviate the necessity of having what is known as a shell, and confining myself to the outer coffin and lining the same with lead, zinc or any other metal and making same watertight, and also to improve the outward appearance of the coffins by filling in the panels with separate panels covered with velvet or other material in the manner hereinafter described/ 10 At the present time when it is desirable to have a watertight coffin with a wood exterior, they are usually made in three separate parts ; vis.t the shell, the lead coffin, and the outer coffin, and are arranged so that the lead coffin comes between the shell and the outer coffin. In carrying out my invention, the method of construction is entirely different, 15 I make the ordinary single coffin and form the sides, ends and lid into panels by means of mouldings, the said moulding at the bottom being flush with the coffin, and the moulding round the top is raised to form a rebate for the lid of the metal lining. I then cut out of lead, zinc or other metal, the shape of the bottom, sides and ends, the depth of the sides and ends being a little more than that of the coffin 20 to allow of its being dressed over the top of the coffin and up the sides of the moulding and these are soldered together at the angles. In order to secure the shroud, linings and trimmings without in any way destroying the virtue of the metal, 1 place several shaped brackets near the top of the coffin and these are soldered or let into prepared slots ; into the brackets I 25 fit a slight wooden fillet, which goes all round and is prevented from being displaced by means of a tooth formed in the upright portion of the bracket or by a screw in the same position, it is to this wooden fillet that I fasten the shroud, linings aud trimmings above referred to. In forming the metal lid, I make a skeleton frame which I brace across at one or •10 two points to give it firmness, this frame is covered with the same metal, and is made to fit in between the rebates formed by the top mouldings of the coffin ; the metal lid is then dropped into these rebates and the whole soldered round thus rendering it watertight and as effectual as the present system ; the lid of the coffin which is panelled in the same manner as the sides and ends would then be screwed 35 on as in ordinary cases. ' In carrying out the part of my invention which refers to the panels on the outside of the coffins, I cut panels of thin wood, the same size and shape as the panels on the coffin, and these I cover with velvet or some other textile material, aud fasten them into the panels of the coffin by any known means ; to further add to the 40 appearance of the coffin I fill in the corners of the panels with artistic designs made of the same metal as the handles. It will be understood that I do not restrict myself to any particular shape of coffin as my invention is equally applicable to either the ordinary or mediaeval shaped coffins. 45 Dated this 14th day of November 1892. THOMAS H. MELLOR, 110, St. James’s Street, Brighton, Agent for the Applicant, [Price 8<LJ