None.
The subject matter herein relates generally to funerary products and more particularly to vaults for caskets.
For in-ground interment of the body of a deceased, the body is placed in a casket which is then buried in a grave. The casket may be placed in a vault in the grave if greater protection for the casket and body is desired.
Casket vaults may be fabricated from concrete or synthetic resinous material. Examples of casket vaults fabricated from synthetic resinous material are shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,245,733 for Combination Burial Vault/Casket, U.S. Pat. No. 5,321,873 for Burial Container, and U.S. Pat. No. 6,282,763 for Burial Container And Methods Of Making, all of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein as if fully set forth in their entirety.
Further innovation in casket vaults is desired.
In one aspect, a casket vault comprises a base adapted to receive therein a casket containing remains of a deceased, a lid closable on the base, and a pair of wheels mounted to the base facilitating transport of the casket vault.
The base and lid can be of a double wall construction each having an inner wall and an outer wall. The base and lid can have a structural filler material between the inner and outer walls. The inner and outer walls of the base and lid can be fabricated of a synthetic resinous material. The structural filler material can be structural foam. The base can include an end wall and a bottom wall; a pair of wheel wells can be formed in the end and bottom walls, and one of the pair of wheels can be mounted in each of the wheel wells. Alternatively, the base can include a pair of side walls, an end wall, and a bottom wall, and one of the pair of wheels can be mounted outboard of each of the side walls.
In another aspect, a casket vault comprises a base adapted to receive therein a casket containing remains of a deceased, a lid closable on the base, and a pair of handles formed in either the base or the lid (or both) facilitating transport of the casket vault.
The handles can be integrally formed as a fixed part of the base or lid, or alternatively, the handles can be pivoted to the base or the lid. The handles can pivot into and out of recesses formed in the base or lid. The handles have an outward surface contour that matches an outward surface contour of the base or lid when said handles are pivoted into the recesses.
In another aspect, a casket vault comprises a base adapted to receive therein a casket containing remains of a deceased, a lid closable on the base, and at least a pair of slots formed in an outward side of a bottom wall of the base adapted to receive and position lowering straps for lowering the casket vault into a grave and for facilitating removal of the straps from the casket vault after the casket vault has been completely lowered into the grave.
The slots can run perpendicular to a lengthwise dimension of the of casket vault. There can be three such slots. Alternatively, the slots can run parallel to the lengthwise dimension of the casket vault. There can be two such slots. Alternatively, the slots can run perpendicular to a lengthwise dimension of the casket vault and parallel to the lengthwise dimension of the of casket vault. There can be three slots running perpendicular to the lengthwise dimension of the casket vault and two slots running parallel to the lengthwise dimension of the of casket vault.
In another aspect, a casket vault comprises a base adapted to receive therein a casket containing remains of a deceased, a lid closable on the base, and a memorial record tube assembly disposed in the lid for containing a record of identification of a deceased in the casket vault.
The memorial record tube assembly can comprise a cylinder disposed in the lid, a memorial record tube including a threaded cap disposed in the cylinder, and a nameplate overlying the memorial record tube assembly.
In another aspect, a casket vault comprises a base adapted to receive therein a casket containing remains of a deceased, the base having an upwardly facing flange, a lid closable on the base, the lid having an downwardly facing flange, a pair of gaskets disposed between the flanges of the base and lid, one gasket of the pair of gaskets being a peripherally inner gasket and the other gasket of the pair of gaskets being a peripherally outer gasket, and fasteners positioned between the peripherally inner and outer gaskets securing the lid on the base.
The flanges of the base and lid can have first and second elevations in cross-section. The first elevation can be below and peripherally outward of the second elevation. The fasteners can be quarter-turn bolts.
In another aspect, a casket vault comprises a base adapted to receive therein a casket containing remains of a deceased, the base having a bottom wall, a pair of side walls, and a pair of end walls, a lid closable on the base, and an extension extending peripherally outwardly from one or more of the bottom wall, one (or both) of the side walls, or one (or both) of the end walls to anchor the casket vault in a grave.
The casket vault can include a pair of said extensions, one of the pair of extensions extending laterally outwardly from each of the side walls. Each extension can extend laterally outwardly from a respective one of the side walls near a juncture of the side wall and the bottom wall. Each extension can have a lower surface and an upper surface, the lower surface being flush with a lower surface of the bottom wall, the upper surface being concave in cross-section.
In another aspect, a casket vault comprises a base adapted to receive therein a casket containing remains of a deceased, the base having a bottom wall, a pair of side walls, and a pair of end walls, a lid closable on the base, and a cable ledge extending across each end wall and adapted to receive a length of cable positioned thereunder such that the cable can be used to raise the casket vault.
The base can have rounded corners and the cable ledge can extend across the end wall, around the rounded corners, and along the side walls.
In another aspect, a casket vault comprises a base adapted to receive therein a casket containing remains of a deceased, the base having a bottom wall, a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, and an upwardly facing flange, a lid closable on the base, the lid having a downwardly facing flange, a pair of wheels mounted to the base facilitating transport of the casket vault, a pair of handles formed in at least one of the base and lid facilitating transport of the casket vault, at least a pair of slots formed in an outward side of a bottom wall of the base adapted to receive and position lowering straps for lowering the casket vault into a grave and for facilitating removal of the straps from the casket vault after the casket vault has been completely lowered into the grave, a memorial record tube assembly disposed in the lid for containing a record of identification of a deceased in the casket vault, a pair of gaskets disposed between the flanges of the base and lid, one gasket of the pair of gaskets being a peripherally inner gasket and the other gasket of the pair of gaskets being a peripherally outer gasket, fasteners positioned between the peripherally inner and outer gaskets securing the lid on said base, an extension extending peripherally outwardly from one or more of the bottom wall, one (or both) of the side walls, and one (or both) of the end walls, and a cable ledge extending across each end wall and adapted to receive a length of cable positioned thereunder such that the cable can be used to raise the casket vault.
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The casket vault 10 can include any or all of a number of features and enhancements. For example, the casket vault 10 can include a pair of wheels 60, 60 to assist in moving the casket vault 10, and in particular to enable a single worker to move the casket vault 10 from the delivery truck to the grave site without using any other equipment. A pair of wheel wells 62, 62 can be formed in one of the end walls 22 and in the bottom wall 24. One wheel 60 of each of the pair of wheels 60, 60 can be mounted in each of the wheel wells 62 via a pin or axle 64. The wheels 60, 60 allow a user to easily transport the unit 10 by lifting the opposite end of the vault 10 and rolling the vault 10. See
To further enhance maneuverability, one or a pair of handles 70, 70 can be formed in either or both of the base 20 and lid 30. See for example
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The embodiments shown and described are merely for illustrative purposes only. The drawings and the description are not intended to limit in any way the scope of the claims. Those skilled in the art will appreciate various changes, modifications, and other embodiments. All such changes, modifications and embodiments are deemed to be embraced by the claims. Accordingly, the scope of the right to exclude shall be limited only by the following claims and their equivalents.