U.S. patent application number 12/240465 was filed with the patent office on 2010-04-01 for method of forming sheet metal casket.
This patent application is currently assigned to Batesville Services, Inc.. Invention is credited to Daniel J. Parker.
Application Number | 20100077579 12/240465 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42055852 |
Filed Date | 2010-04-01 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100077579 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Parker; Daniel J. |
April 1, 2010 |
METHOD OF FORMING SHEET METAL CASKET
Abstract
A method of forming a sheet metal casket comprises providing a
sheet metal casket shell having at least a portion of an end wall
and at least a portion of a side wall and a round corner between
the portion of the end wall and the portion of the side wall, and
forming a generally planar corner oriented at about a 45.degree.
angle relative to the portion of the end wall and the portion of
the side wall.
Inventors: |
Parker; Daniel J.;
(Connersville, IN) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WOOD, HERRON & EVANS, LLP
2700 CAREW TOWER, 441 VINE STREET
CINCINNATI
OH
45202
US
|
Assignee: |
Batesville Services, Inc.
Batesville
IN
|
Family ID: |
42055852 |
Appl. No.: |
12/240465 |
Filed: |
September 29, 2008 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
27/10 ;
29/434 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61G 17/04 20130101;
Y10T 29/4984 20150115; A61G 17/0407 20170501; A61G 17/0076
20130101; Y10T 29/49968 20150115; Y10T 29/49947 20150115; Y10T
29/49826 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
27/10 ;
29/434 |
International
Class: |
A61G 17/00 20060101
A61G017/00; B23P 11/00 20060101 B23P011/00 |
Claims
1. A method of forming a sheet metal casket comprising: providing a
sheet metal casket shell having at least a portion of an end wall
and at least a portion of a side wall and a round corner between
the portion of the end wall and the portion of the side wall, and
forming a generally planar corner oriented at about a 45.degree.
angle relative to the portion of the end wall and the portion of
the side wall.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of forming a generally
planar corner comprises deforming the round corner inwardly so that
the prior round corner becomes generally planar and oriented at
about a 45.degree. angle relative to the portion of the end wall
and the portion of the side wall.
3. The method of claim 1 further comprising attaching a corner
ornament back plate to the planar casket shell corner.
4. The method of claim 3 further comprising attaching an attachment
clip to the back plate, the attachment clip having at least one
groove comprising a slot and an opening communicating with the
slot.
5. The method of claim 3 further comprising attaching an attachment
clip to the back plate, the attachment clip having at least one
groove comprising a first keyhole portion and a second non-keyhole
portion.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the first keyhole portion has a
first longitudinal axis, the second non-keyhole portion has a
second longitudinal axis, and the first and second longitudinal
axes are non-parallel.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the first and second longitudinal
axes are perpendicular.
8. The method of claim 3 further comprising attaching an attachment
clip to the back plate, the attachment clip configured such that a
corner ornament is removably secured to the back plate via motion
in first and second non-parallel directions generally parallel to a
plane defined by a mounting surface of the back plate.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the motion in the first and second
directions is rectilinear.
10. A sheet metal casket comprising: a sheet metal casket shell
having a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls and a round
corner spanning respective ends of adjacent ones of said side and
end walls, said round corner having a generally planar portion
formed thereon oriented at about a 45.degree. angle relative to
said adjacent ones of said side and end walls, said round corner,
at least a portion of said adjacent one of said end walls, and at
least a portion of said adjacent one of said side walls formed from
a continuous and seamless single piece of sheet metal.
11. The casket of claim 10 further comprising a corner ornament
back plate attached to said planar portion of said casket shell
corner.
12. The casket of claim 11 further comprising an attachment clip
attached to said back plate, said attachment clip having at least
one groove comprising a slot and an opening communicating with said
slot.
13. The casket of claim 11 further comprising an attachment clip
attached to said back plate, said attachment clip having at least
one groove comprising a first keyhole portion and a second
non-keyhole portion.
14. The casket of claim 13 wherein said first keyhole portion has a
first longitudinal axis, said second non-keyhole portion has a
second longitudinal axis, and said first and second longitudinal
axes are non-parallel.
15. The casket of claim 14 wherein said first and second
longitudinal axes are perpendicular.
16. The casket of claim 11 further comprising an attachment clip
attached to said back plate, said attachment clip configured such
that a corner ornament is removably secured to said back plate via
motion in first and second non-parallel directions generally
parallel to a plane defined by a mounting surface of said back
plate.
17. The casket of claim 16 wherein said motion in said first and
second directions is rectilinear.
18. A sheet metal casket comprising: a sheet metal casket shell
having a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls and a round
corner spanning respective ends of adjacent ones of said side and
end walls, said round corner having a generally planar portion
formed thereon oriented at about a 45.degree. angle relative to
said adjacent ones of said side and end walls, said round corner,
at least a portion of said adjacent one of said end walls, and at
least a portion of said adjacent one of said side walls formed from
a continuous and seamless single piece of sheet metal, a corner
ornament back plate attached to said planar portion of said casket
shell corner, an attachment clip attached to said back plate, said
attachment clip having at least one groove comprising a slot and an
opening communicating with said slot, and an ornament with a
fastener attached thereto, said fastener having a head thereon,
said ornament attached to said back plate, said head removably
retained behind said slot.
19. The method of claim 2 further comprising attaching an
attachment clip to the back plate for removably attaching the
ornament to the shell, the attachment clip comprising: a front
portion having a pair of vertically spaced right angle keyhole
grooves therethrough, having a rearwardly projecting circular post,
and having a rectangular rib adjacent said post, and a back portion
having a pair of vertically spaced spring tabs each of which
cooperates with one of the pair of vertically spaced right angle
keyhole grooves, having a circular hole for receiving the circular
post, and having a rectangular hole for receiving the rectangular
rib.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein the ornament includes a pair of
vertically spaced fasteners on a rear side thereof, each of which
includes a head thereon.
21. The method of claim 19 wherein each spring tab includes a pair
of ribs spaced apart to accept the head of a respective one of the
pair of fasteners.
22. A sheet metal casket comprising: a sheet metal casket shell
having a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls and a generally
planar corner spanning respective ends of adjacent ones of said
side and end walls, said generally planar corner oriented at about
a 45.degree. angle relative to said adjacent ones of said side and
end walls, said generally planar corner, at least a portion of said
adjacent one of said end walls, and at least a portion of said
adjacent one of said side walls formed from a continuous single
piece of sheet metal, a corner ornament back plate attached to said
planar casket shell corner, an attachment clip for removably
attaching said ornament to said back plate, said attachment clip
comprising: a front portion having a pair of vertically spaced
right angle keyhole grooves therethrough, having a rearwardly
projecting circular post, and having a rectangular rib adjacent
said post, and a back portion having a pair of vertically spaced
spring tabs each of which cooperates with one of said pair of
vertically spaced right angle keyhole grooves, having a circular
hole for receiving said circular post, and having a rectangular
hole for receiving said rectangular rib.
23. The casket of claim 22 wherein said ornament includes a pair of
vertically spaced fasteners on a rear side thereof, each of which
includes a head thereon.
24. The casket of claim 23 wherein each said spring tab includes a
pair of ribs spaced apart to accept said head of a respective one
of said pair of fasteners.
25. A sheet metal casket comprising: a sheet metal casket shell
having a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls and a generally
planar corner spanning respective ends of adjacent ones of said
side and end walls, said generally planar corner oriented at about
a 45.degree. angle relative to said adjacent ones of said side and
end walls, said generally planar corner, at least a portion of said
adjacent one of said end walls, and at least a portion of said
adjacent one of said side walls formed from a continuous single
piece of sheet metal, a corner ornament back plate attached to said
planar casket shell corner, an attachment clip attached to said
back plate, said attachment clip having at least one groove
comprising a slot and an opening communicating with said slot, and
an ornament with a fastener attached thereto, said fastener having
a head thereon, said ornament attached to said back plate, said
head removably retained behind said slot, an attachment clip for
removably attaching said ornament to said backplate, said
attachment clip comprising: a front portion having a pair of
vertically spaced right angle keyhole grooves therethrough, having
a rearwardly projecting circular post, and having a rectangular rib
adjacent said post, and a back portion having a pair of vertically
spaced spring tabs each of which cooperates with one of said pair
of vertically spaced right angle keyhole grooves, having a circular
hole for receiving said circular post, and having a rectangular
hole for receiving said rectangular rib.
26. The casket of claim 25 wherein said ornament includes a pair of
vertically spaced fasteners on a rear side thereof, each of which
includes a head thereon.
27. The casket of claim 26 wherein each said spring tab includes a
pair of ribs spaced apart to accept said head of a respective one
of said pair of fasteners.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] None.
FIELD
[0002] This relates generally to caskets, and more particularly to
sheet metal caskets.
BACKGROUND
[0003] There is a trend in the death care industry towards
personalizing to the deceased the funeral products and the funeral
or other memorial service to provide a more meaningful memorial
experience for the family and friends of the deceased. The casket
in which the deceased is displayed can be customized to fit the
needs and preferences of the deceased and the family. For instance,
a wide variety of materials, finishes, colors, and decorative
ornamentation can be chosen for the casket.
[0004] Some casket designs incorporate decorative corner ornaments
secured to the casket during fabrication thereof. In many, if not
most, prior designs, these ornamental corner pieces are rigidly
affixed to the casket shell. Consequently, if a customer purchasing
the casket is not pleased with the particular pre-installed
ornamental corner pieces, and wishes to customize the casket
exterior to his or her taste, the funeral director must go through
a lengthy and complicated process to first remove the original
ornamental corner pieces and then reinstall the ornamental corner
pieces chosen by the customer. This process typically requires
manual manipulation and access to the interior of the casket which
may require the removal of bedding, lining, and the like. Such a
process is time consuming and can damage the otherwise new casket
and is thus frowned upon and generally avoided by the funeral
director.
[0005] To more effectively market caskets, the funeral director
desires to offer a wide variety of ornamental corner pieces from
which a customer can select according to the customer's taste.
However, to offer such a wide selection, and to avoid the
undesirable practice mentioned above, the funeral director would
have to maintain a large inventory of many different casket
material/finish and corner piece combinations, which is also
undesirable. To minimize the required inventory of finished
caskets, the funeral director could simply have one casket of each
material/finish on hand provided that the funeral director had some
means providing for the quick and efficient changing of the
ornamental corner pieces on each casket. As such, the customer
could quickly view numerous corner pieces on a single casket, and
the funeral director would need only stock a single casket of each
material finish. Many prior casket designs, which rigidly affix the
ornamental corner pieces, do not permit such quick and efficient
changing of the ornamental corner pieces as discussed above.
[0006] A quick-change casket corner mechanism is disclosed in Acton
et al. U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,591,466, 5,928,706, and 7,340,810, assigned
to the assignee of the present invention and incorporated by
reference herein. The Acton et al. patents disclose an ornamental
corner piece assembly having a back plate that attaches to the
corner of a casket. The back plate includes a clip member having at
least one keyhole groove. A decorative corner insert includes at
least one attachment member that slidingly engages the keyhole
groove in the clip member such that the corner insert removably
couples to the back plate. In this way, a funeral director may
quickly and conveniently change out the decorative corner pieces to
provide a wide variety of casket designs personalized to the
deceased. Such a quick change casket corner ornament is
commercially available from the assignee as its LIFESYMBOLS.RTM.
line of corner ornaments.
[0007] Sheet metal caskets having round corners present their own
unique challenges to incorporating the quick change casket corner
of the Acton et al. patents. More particularly, it is desirable to
orient the casket corner ornament at about a 45.degree. angle
relative to the adjacent casket shell side wall and end wall
between which the casket corner ornament is positioned. Round
corner sheet metal caskets have heretofore thus been problematic
and therefore the casket corner ornament of the type disclosed in
the Acton et al. patents has not previously been utilized on round
corner sheet metal casket shells. For sheet metal casket shells
having right-angle corners, currently a rectangular cut out is
formed and then a flat rectangular plate is welded over the
rectangular opening formed in the casket shell corner. A flat
45.degree. wall between adjacent casket shell side and end walls is
thus formed on which the casket corner back plate of the Acton et
al. patents may be mounted.
[0008] It is desirable to devise a method of mounting the quick
change casket corner ornament of the Acton et al. patents to a
sheet metal casket having round corners which is less labor
intensive than the method of mounting the quick change casket
corner ornament of the Acton et al. patents to a sheet metal casket
having right-angle corners.
SUMMARY
[0009] In one aspect, a method of forming a sheet metal casket
comprises providing a sheet metal casket shell having at least a
portion of an end wall and at least a portion of a side wall and a
round corner between the portion of the end wall and the portion of
the side wall, and forming a generally planar corner oriented at
about a 45.degree. angle relative to the portion of the end wall
and the portion of the side wall.
[0010] The step of forming a generally planar corner can comprise
deforming the round corner inwardly so that the prior round corner
becomes generally planar and oriented at about a 45.degree. angle
relative to the portion of the end wall and the portion of the side
wall. The method can further comprise attaching a corner ornament
back plate to the planar casket shell corner. The method can
further comprise attaching an attachment clip to the back plate,
the attachment clip having at least one groove comprising a slot
and an opening communicating with the slot. The method can further
comprise attaching an attachment clip to the back plate, the
attachment clip having at least one groove comprising a first
keyhole portion and a second non-keyhole portion. The first keyhole
portion can have a first longitudinal axis, the second non-keyhole
portion can have a second longitudinal axis, and the first and
second longitudinal axes can be non-parallel. The first and second
longitudinal axes can be perpendicular. The method can further
comprise attaching an attachment clip to the back plate, the
attachment clip configured such that a corner ornament is removably
secured to the back plate via motion in first and second
non-parallel directions generally parallel to a plane defined by a
mounting surface of the back plate. The motion in the first and
second directions can be rectilinear.
[0011] In another aspect, a sheet metal casket comprises a sheet
metal casket shell having a pair of side walls and a pair of end
walls and a generally planar corner spanning respective ends of
adjacent ones of the side and end walls, the generally planar
corner oriented at about a 45.degree. angle relative to the
adjacent ones of the side and end walls, the generally planar
corner, at least a portion of the adjacent end wall, and at least a
portion of the adjacent side wall formed from a continuous single
piece of sheet metal.
[0012] The casket can further comprise a corner ornament back plate
attached to the planar casket shell corner. The casket can further
comprise an attachment clip attached to the back plate, the
attachment clip having at least one groove comprising a slot and an
opening communicating with the slot. The casket can further
comprise an attachment clip attached to the back plate, the
attachment clip having at least one groove comprising a first
keyhole portion and a second non-keyhole portion. The first keyhole
portion can have a first longitudinal axis, the second non-keyhole
portion can have a second longitudinal axis, and the first and
second longitudinal axes can be non-parallel. The first and second
longitudinal axes can be perpendicular. The casket can further
comprise an attachment clip attached to the back plate, the
attachment clip configured such that a corner ornament is removably
secured to the back plate via motion in first and second
non-parallel directions generally parallel to a plane defined by a
mounting surface of the back plate. The motion in said first and
second directions is can be rectilinear.
[0013] In another aspect a sheet metal casket comprises a sheet
metal casket shell having a pair of side walls and a pair of end
walls and a generally planar corner spanning respective ends of
adjacent ones of the side and end walls, the generally planar
corner oriented at about a 45.degree. angle relative to the
adjacent ones of the side and end walls, the generally planar
corner, at least a portion of the adjacent end wall, and at least a
portion of the adjacent side wall formed from a continuous single
piece of sheet metal, a corner ornament back plate attached to the
planar casket shell corner, an attachment clip attached to the back
plate, the attachment clip having at least one groove comprising a
slot and an opening communicating with the slot, and an ornament
with a fastener attached thereto, the fastener having a head
thereon, the ornament attached to the back plate, the head
removably retained behind the slot.
[0014] The attachment clip can comprise a front portion having a
pair of vertically spaced right angle keyhole grooves therethrough,
having a rearwardly projecting circular post, and having a
rectangular rib adjacent said post, and a back portion having a
pair of vertically spaced spring tabs each of which cooperates with
one of the pair of vertically spaced right angle keyhole grooves,
having a circular hole for receiving the circular post, and having
a rectangular hole for receiving the rectangular rib. The ornament
can include a pair of vertically spaced fasteners on a rear side
thereof, each of which includes a head thereon. Each spring tab can
include a pair of ribs spaced apart to accept the head of a
respective one of the pair of fasteners.
DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a sheet metal
casket.
[0016] FIGS. 2A-2C are diagrammatic partial perspective views of
the process of forming the sheet metal casket of FIG. 1.
[0017] FIG. 3 is an exploded partial perspective view of the casket
of FIGS. 1 and 2 with back plate, attachment clip, and
ornament.
[0018] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of an attachment clip
for attaching the ornament to the casket.
[0019] FIG. 5 is an assembled perspective view of the attachment
clip of FIG. 4.
[0020] FIG. 6A is a view taken along line 6-6 in FIG. 5 showing the
ornament and its fastener prior to attachment to the attachment
clip.
[0021] FIG. 6B is a view similar to FIG. 6A showing the ornament
fastener head inserted into the attachment clip.
[0022] FIG. 6C is a view similar to FIG. 6B showing the ornament
fastener head slid into its final position in the attachment clip
and coming to rest between the two ribs on the spring tab.
DESCRIPTION
[0023] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 3, a casket 10 comprises a casket
shell 12 having a pair of side walls 14 and a pair of end walls 16,
a casket lid 18 closable on the casket shell 12, and an ornament
20, for example a corner ornament, mounted to the shell 12. The
casket shell 12 and ornament 20 are configured such that the
ornament 20 is removably attachable to the casket shell 12.
[0024] The casket 10 and ornament 20 can further comprise apparatus
32 for removably securing the ornament 20 to a mounting surface 34
of the shell 12. That apparatus 32 can comprise a first attachment
element 36 associated with the mounting surface 34 of the shell 12
and a second attachment element 38 associated with the ornament 20.
The first 36 and second 38 attachment elements are for removably
securing the ornament 20 to the shell 12. One of the first 36 and
second 38 attachment elements can be at least one groove 40 and the
other of the first 36 and second 38 attachment elements can be at
least one fastener 42 having a head 44 thereon. The groove 40 can
comprise a slot 50 and an opening 52 communicating with the slot
50, the opening 52 being of a greater dimension than the slot 50.
The fastener 42 can be a threaded fastener, for example a screw.
The screw can be for example a shoulder screw.
[0025] The shell 12 can have a mounting member 60 disposed between
adjacent ones of the side 14 and end 16 walls, and the ornament 20
can be mounted to the mounting member 60. Accordingly in this
example the mounting surface 34 is a part of the mounting member 60
of the shell 12. Mounting member 60 can be the back plate shown and
described in the Acton et al. patents. It can be attached to the
shell with the use of bolts, nuts, and washers 72, 74, 76,
respectively, or other suitable attachment means. Other mounting
surfaces and members are possible. The mounting member 60 can be
oriented at a 45.degree. angle relative to the adjacent ones of the
side 14 and end 16 walls. The first attachment element 36 can be
associated with the mounting member 60, and the second attachment
element 38 can be associated with the ornament 20. For example,
groove 40, or a pair of grooves 40, can be formed in an attachment
clip 62 secured to mounting member 60 with screws 64, and the
shoulder screws 42 can be secured to the rear side of the ornament
20.
[0026] The first 36 and second 38 attachment elements can be
configured such that the ornament 20 is removably secured to the
shell 12 via motion in first and second non-parallel directions
generally parallel to a plane defined by the mounting member 60.
The groove(s) 40 can include a first keyhole portion 66 and a
second non-keyhole portion 68. The first keyhole portion 66 can
have a first longitudinal axis, the second non-keyhole portion 68
can have a second longitudinal axis, and the first and second
longitudinal axes can be non-parallel. For example, the first and
second longitudinal axes can be perpendicular. For examples, the
first and second directions can be rectilinear or curvilinear.
[0027] To install the ornament 20, the head(s) 44 of the
fastener(s) 42 are inserted into opening(s) 52 of groove(s) 40;
ornament 20 is then moved generally parallel to a plane defined by
mounting member 60 from left to right as illustrated thus sliding
head(s) 44 from left to right in slot(s) 40. The ornament 20 is
then moved again generally parallel to the plane defined by the
mounting member 60 downwardly thus sliding head(s) 44 down in
slot(s) 50. While not required, the multi-direction movement to
install ornament 20 can reduce the potential for the ornament 20 to
become inadvertently dislodged.
[0028] Referring to FIGS. 4-6C, one form of attachment clip 62
which could be used is illustrated. The attachment clip 62 can have
a front portion 100 having a pair of vertically spaced right angle
keyhole grooves 102 therethrough, a rearwardly projecting circular
post 104, and a rectangular rib 106 adjacent the post 104. The
attachment clip 62 can have a back portion 110 having a pair of
vertically spaced spring tabs 112 each of which cooperates with one
of the pair of vertically spaced right angle keyhole grooves 102, a
circular hole 114 for receiving the circular post 104, and a
rectangular hole 116 for receiving the rectangular rib 106. Post
104, rib 106, hole 114, and hole 116 are to properly orient the
front portion 100 with the back portion 110. Both portions have
holes 108, 118, respectively, for receiving screws 54, rivets, etc.
Each spring tab 112 can include a pair of ribs 120 which are spaced
apart to accept the head 34 of fastener 32. As seen in FIGS. 7A-7C,
heads 34 are inserted into keyhole grooves 102, slid to the right,
and then slid down. Sliding the heads 34 down causes the spring
tabs 112 to deflect rearwardly as heads 34 travel down and over the
uppermost ones of the pairs of ribs 112. Once over the uppermost
ones of the pairs of ribs 112, spring tabs spring forwardly
retaining heads 34 between ribs 112 and against a rear surface of
keyhole grooves 102.
[0029] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2A-C, a method of forming the sheet
metal casket shell 12 is illustrated. The method comprises
providing a sheet metal casket shell 12 having at least a portion
216 of the end wall 16 and at least a portion 214 of the side wall
14 and a round corner 220 between the portion 216 of the end wall
16 and the portion 214 of the side wall 14, and forming a generally
planar corner 222 oriented at about a 45.degree. angle relative to
the portion 216 of the end wall 16 and the portion 214 of the side
wall 14. One way to form the generally planar corner 222 is to
deform the round corner 220 inwardly by, for example, a tool or die
250 so that the prior round corner 220 becomes generally planar and
oriented at about a 45.degree. angle relative to the portion 216 of
the end wall 16 and the portion 214 of the side wall 14. All other
ways of forming a generally planar corner 222 are also deemed to be
embraced by the claims. Once so formed, the mounting member or back
plate 60 can be attached to the generally planar corner 222. One
way to form the sheet metal casket shell 12 is to form two single
continuous sheets of sheet metal into two complete end assemblies
each having an end wall 16, two round corners 220 and two short
sections of side wall 214 extending from the round corners 220
towards one another. Then, a side wall panel 260 can be welded to
the two short sections of side wall 214 extending towards one
another, on both sides of the end assemblies, to form the two long
sections of the side walls 14. In this way the shell is fabricated
from four components. Other fabrication techniques are of course
possible and all other ways of fabricating the sheet metal casket
shell are deemed to be embraced by the claims. For example, the
shell could be fabricated from eight components: four round corners
each with a short section of side wall and a short section of end
wall, two side wall panels welded to the four corners, and two end
wall panels welded to the four corners.
[0030] 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.
* * * * *