U.S. patent number 3,596,419 [Application Number 04/828,190] was granted by the patent office on 1971-08-03 for waterproof concrete burial vault and method of construction.
Invention is credited to Donald A. Jalbert.
United States Patent |
3,596,419 |
Jalbert |
August 3, 1971 |
WATERPROOF CONCRETE BURIAL VAULT AND METHOD OF CONSTRUCTION
Abstract
A waterproof concrete burial vault, cast in situ by using inner
and outer plastic forms that remain in place. The inner plastic
form is watertight and defines at least one casket receiving
chamber, a sheet of plastic being secured in a watertight manner to
the inner form to completely seal a casket placed within said
chamber. The vault features a tube that extends vertically from the
bottom to the top thereof, which relieves underground liquid
pressure beneath the vault.
Inventors: |
Jalbert; Donald A.
(Bartlesville, OK) |
Family
ID: |
25251127 |
Appl.
No.: |
04/828,190 |
Filed: |
May 27, 1969 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
52/137;
52/741.12; 52/21; 52/169.6 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E04H
13/00 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
E04H
13/00 (20060101); E04h 013/00 (); E02d
031/02 () |
Field of
Search: |
;52/128--142,426,741--743,169,687,688,19--21 ;106/96 ;25/13B
;264/35 ;138/174 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Abbott; Frank L.
Assistant Examiner: Ridgill, Jr.; James L.
Claims
I claim:
1. A waterproof burial vault constructed in situ, comprising: at
least one watertight inner plastic form having a bottom wall and
open at the top; an outer plastic form of larger size than said
inner plastic form and disposed in spaced relationship thereabout,
said inner and outer plastic forms being adapted to be placed
within a dug grave; a plurality of spacer bars beneath at least
said inner form for supporting the same in an elevated position
above the bottom of said grave, said spacer bars having openings
therein for the flow of wet concrete around said bars, and the
upper edges of said inner and outer plastic forms being spaced so
that concrete can be poured between said forms; a unitary concrete
vault body cast in situ between said inner and outer forms and
including a bottom wall within which said spacer bars are embedded,
whereby said forms and said concrete vault body constitute a
unified burial vault body open at the top, said inner form defining
at least one casket receiving chamber; a sheet of plastic adapted
to be secured in a watertight manner to the upper edge of each said
inner plastic form completely around the periphery thereof to seal
said chamber; and cover means placed on said concrete vault body to
complete said burial vault.
2. A waterproof burial vault as recited in claim 1, wherein the
concrete of said vault body contains a waterproofing compound to
render the same impervious to the passage of water.
3. A waterproof burial vault as recited in claim 1, including a
plurality of separate inner forms arranged in side-by-side spaced
relationship, each inner form defining a single casket receiving
chamber and resting on a plurality of said spacer bars, and said
cover means including a separate cover for each casket chamber.
4. A waterproof burial vault as recited in claim 1, wherein said
outer form comprises: a pair of end walls and a pair of sidewalls,
one of said pair of sidewalls and end walls being planar, and the
other thereof having groove defining means on the vertical edges
thereof, the vertical edges of said planar walls being received
within said grooves and being secured in a watertight manner to
said other walls.
5. A waterproof burial vault as recited in claim 1, including at
least one pressure relief tube mounted to extend from beneath said
vault body bottom wall to the top of said burial vault, said relief
tube being open at both ends for relieving pressure accumulations
beneath and outside of said burial vault.
6. A waterproof burial vault as recited in claim 5, wherein said
pressure relief tube is embedded within said concrete vault
body.
7. A waterproof burial vault as recited in claim 5, wherein said
pressure relief tube is secured to the exterior of said outer
plastic form.
8. A waterproof burial vault as recited in claim 1, wherein the top
surface of said unified burial vault body is planar, and wherein
said surface has a plurality of spaced inserts embedded therein,
said cover means including; at least two cover slabs disposed to
rest side by side on said planar vault body top surface, the
confronting sides of said slabs having overlapped flanges thereon,
and said slabs having bores therethrough aligned with said embedded
inserts; a resilient Z-shaped seal disposed between said overlapped
flanges; seal means between said slabs and the top planar surface
of said vault body; and a plurality of bolts received in said bores
and threaded into said embedded inserts for securing said cover
slabs in place.
9. A waterproof burial vault as recited in claim 8, wherein said
bores are recessed to receive the heads of said bolts, said
recesses having a depth substantially greater than the height of
said bolt heads; and further including disks of resilient material
received within said recesses on top of said bolt heads, said disks
sealing said bores against the passage of liquid.
10. A waterproof burial vault as recited in claim 8, wherein said
sheet of plastic secured to the open end of said inner plastic form
extends outwardly over said top planar surface of said vault body,
said outwardly extending portion of said sheet serving as said seal
means between said cover slabs and the vault body.
11. A waterproof burial vault as recited in claim 1, wherein in
addition to said bottom wall said inner form includes a pair of end
walls and a pair of sidewalls, and wherein said outer form includes
a pair of end walls and a pair of sidewalls, said burial vault
further including; a plurality of spacer means interconnecting
walls of said outer form with their confronting inner form walls,
said spacer means serving both to hold said inner and outer forms
in concentric relationship during the pouring of said concrete
vault body, and to anchor said inner and outer forms to said vault
body.
12. A waterproof burial vault as recited in claim 11, wherein each
of said spacer means comprises: an elongated body disposed between
said inner and outer forms and having a reduced diameter portion on
each end thereof; and a washer received on each reduced diameter
end portion and secured to said elongated body, the reduced
diameter end portions of said body being received in confronting
openings in the opposed walls of said inner and outer forms, and
said washers abutting against and being secured to said opposed
walls.
13. A waterproof burial vault as recited in claim 11, wherein said
inner form contains a plurality of casket-receiving chambers
disposed vertically one above another, said sidewalls and said end
walls of said inner form having inwardly extending shoulder means
thereon at the juncture of each chamber with the chamber
thereabove, and said burial vault further including; a reinforced
sheet of plastic disposed to rest on each said shoulder means and
adapted to be sealed in a watertight manner to the sidewalls and
the end walls of said inner form for sealing the casket chamber
therebelow, each said reinforced sheet further serving as a shelf
to support a casket received in the casket chamber immediately
thereabove.
14. A waterproof burial vault as recited in claim 13, wherein each
said shoulder means is continuous and presents a planar upper
surface for
receiving and supporting the edges of said reinforced sheet. 35. A
waterproof burial vault as recited in claim 13, wherein said
reinforced sheet comprises: a planar sheet of plastic of
substantial thickness; and a plurality of pairs of aligned
cantilever type boxed beams secured to the
undersurface of said planar sheet. 16. A waterproof burial vault as
recited in claim 13, wherein said inner form comprises: a
rectangular bottom wall having an upstanding flange extending about
the periphery thereof; a pair of planar end walls and a pair of
planar sidewalls defining the lowermost of said casket chambers,
the vertical edges of said planar sidewalls and end walls being
secured together in a watertight manner, and the bottom edges of
said planar sidewalls and end walls being secured in a watertight
manner to said upstanding flange; and a pair of sidewalls and end
walls for each upper casket chamber, the vertical edges of said
upper chamber side and end walls being secured together in a
watertight manner, the top ends of said upper chamber side and end
walls being planar, and the bottom edges of said upper chamber side
and end walls having inwardly and downwardly extending flanges
thereon, the upper surfaces of said flanges defining said shoulder
means, and said flanges being received within and secured in a
watertight manner to the end walls
and sidewalls defining the casket chamber therebelow. 17. A
waterproof burial vault as recited in claim 16, further including a
plurality of elongated fasteners extending through said upstanding
flange and said downwardly extending flanges, and projecting
substantially beyond the outer surface of said inner form, the
extending portions of said fasteners being embedded in said
concrete vault body to further secure said inner
form thereto. 18. The method for constructing in situ a waterproof
burial vault, comprising the steps of: excavating a grave in the
earth to a depth so that the bottom thereof lie at the level at
which the bottom of the vault is to be positioned; positioning
within said grave an outer plastic form having disposed therewithin
at least one inner plastic form of watertight construction having a
bottom wall and being open at the top, said inner plastic form
defining at least one casket receiving chamber and being spaced
from said inner form, said inner and outer forms being held above
the bottom of said grave by spacer means disposed therebetween, and
the top edge of said inner and outer forms being spaced for pouring
concrete therebetween; pouring concrete mix into the space defined
between said inner and outer plastic forms, and between said forms
and the walls of said grave at the bottom thereof; curing said
concrete with said plastic forms in place, whereby to produce a
unified vault body containing at least one waterproof casket
receiving chamber; securing a plastic sheet across the open upper
end of said inner plastic form in a watertight manner; and mounting
cover means to the upper end of said vault body, over
said plastic sheet. 19. The method as recited in claim 18,
including additionally adding a waterproofing compound to said
concrete mix before the pouring thereof.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to burial vaults, and more
particularly to a waterproof burial vault and the method for
constructing the same in situ.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is a common practice to place a casket within an underground
burial vault, the vault serving primarily to protect the casket and
keep it dry. There have been numerous constructions proposed for
such burial vaults, including the use of involved composite
constructions utilizing many layers of different materials in an
effort to achieve a watertight vault. Usually such vaults are very
heavy and are constructed in a factory far removed from the
cemetery, and hence considerable cost in transportation,
installation equipment and labor must be entailed to place them in
a particular grave site.
There is need for a burial vault that can be easily and
economically constructed at the grave site, whereby cost can be
held to a minimum, and which positively seals a casket placed
therein from the entry of ground water or other fluids. The present
invention satisfies that need.
A problem with burial vaults where ground waters are abundant has
been that such waters frequently accumulate beneath the vault,
generating pressures that can shift the vault's position and cause
resultant damage to the grave site. The present invention includes
means for alleviating this problem, and thus contributes to reduced
cemetery upkeep costs and peace of mind to the concerned relatives
and friends of a deceased.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the present invention the burial vault is constructed in situ
from concrete, the first step after digging of the grave being to
place therein spaced, concentrically disposed inner and outer forms
of plastic. Concrete mix containing a suitable waterproofing
compound is then poured into the form and allowed to set, after
which the vault is ready for use.
The plastic forms remain in the vault, and in addition to molding
the concrete serve to provide a vault lining for use in making each
burial compartment watertight. A vault constructed according to the
invention can be designed to accommodate a single casket, or a
plurality of caskets. When the vault is for a single casket, the
casket is first lowered into place and then a plastic plate is
sealed to the upper edges of the inner form to completely seal off
the casket compartment or chamber. A concrete slab cover is then
secured to the upper end of the vault, to complete the burial.
In one multiple casket version of the invention the vault contains
a plurality of casket compartments, one above the other. After a
casket is placed in the lowest compartment, a braced plastic plate
is installed to seal that compartment, the plate serving as a floor
to support the next casket. By the concept of the invention whereby
each compartment is totally sealed after a casket has been placed
therein, the placing of several caskets one above the other in the
same vault is rendered both totally safe and acceptable to the
sensitivities of those burying a deceased. The multiple casket
vault of the invention is especially useful to bury several members
of a family, requiring but a single cemetery grave site to do
so.
In another multiple casket vault constructed according to the
invention, the caskets are placed vertically into separate
vertically disposed compartments or chambers, each compartment
being sealed by a plastic plate after use and being closed by an
individual concrete slab cover.
To relieve any water pressure that might accumulate therebeneath,
at least one pressure relief tube is made a part of the vault and
extends vertically over the height thereof. Preferably two such
relief tubes are used, one at each end of the vault, and said tubes
function to prevent any pressure buildup beneath the vault.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a burial vault
having a completely leakproof burial chamber.
Another object is to provide a method for constructing a watertight
concrete burial vault in situ at the grave site.
A further object is to provide form structure for constructing a
concrete burial vault, which forms remain in place and serve to
made the vault watertight.
Yet another object is to provide a burial vault equipped with means
to relieve the pressure of underground water that accumulates
therebeneath.
Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present
invention will be readily apparent from the following Description
of the Preferred Embodiments, when taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the multichamber horizontal vault of
the present invention, with the cover sections in place;
FIG. 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line
2-2 of FIG. 1, showing in particular the construction of the inner
and outer plastic forms;
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken on the line
3-3 of FIG. 1, showing in particular the arrangement of the
pressure relief tubes and the construction of the reinforced
plastic sheets;
FIG. 4 is an enlarged staggered horizontal fragmentary sectional
view, taken on the line 4-4 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on
the line 5-5 of FIG. 1, showing in particular the vault seal
arrangement;
FIG. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on
the line 6-6 of FIG. 1, showing the seal between sections of the
cover;
FIG. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on
the line 7-7 of FIG. 4, showing the construction of one of the
spacers;
FIG. 8 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on
the line 8-8 of FIG. 2, showing in detail one of the reinforced
plastic sheets;
FIG. 9 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on
the line 9-9 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 10 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on
the line 10-10 of FIG. 4;
FIG. 11 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on
the line 11-11 in FIG. 4;
FIG. 12 is a top plan view of a single casket vault constructed
according to the invention;
FIG. 13 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 13-13 in
FIG. 12;
FIG. 14 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken on the line
14-14 in FIG. 12;
FIG. 15 is an enlarged vertical sectional view taken on the line
15-15 in FIG. 12, showing how the bolts securing the vault lid are
sealed;
FIG. 16 is a top plan view, partially broken away, of a multiple
vertical burial vault constructed according to the invention,
wherein the pressure relief tube is secured to the exterior of the
outer plastic mold; and
FIG. 17 is a vertical sectional view through the vault of FIG.
16.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring now to FIGS. 1--11 of the drawings, there is shown
therein at 2 a multiple-casket horizontal vault constructed
according to the invention. The vault 2 is constructed in situ
within a grave 4 dug in the earth 6, and includes a rectangular
boxlike concrete body 8 having an inner plastic form 10 and an
outer plastic form 12 thereon, the upper end of the vault being
closed by a middle concrete slab lid section 14 and two end lid
sections 16 and 18, respectively.
The inner and outer forms 10 and 12 are made of polyvinylchloride
or some other suitable plastic, and after serving to mold the
concrete as it is poured remain in position on the finished vault
body 8 to help render watertight the casket chambers within the
vault. The vault 2 contains three casket chambers, a lower chamber
20, a middle chamber 22 and an upper chamber 24, it being
understood that a vault with more or less chambers than the three
shown can also be constructed according to the invention.
The inner form 10 includes a rectangular bottom plate 26 having an
upstanding flange 28 on the periphery thereof, which flange is
telescopically received within the lower end of a rectangular lower
form section 30 having planar end walls 32 and 34 and planar side
walls 36 and 38, respectively. In order to connect the flange 28 to
the lower form section 30, and to made a watertight structure, the
entire periphery of the flange 28 is secured by chemical fusion, or
welding, to the walls of the section 30, as indicated at 40 in FIG.
10. In addition, spaced screws 42 are threaded through the flange
28 and the walls of the section 30. The screws 42 are optional and
can be omitted if desired, but if utilized should project
substantially beyond the walls of the lower section 30 so that they
serve a anchors in the concrete body 8.
Received on the lower form section 30 is a middle form section 44,
comprising end walls 46 and 48 and side walls 50 and 52,
respectively, the upper ends of said walls being planar. The end
walls 46 and 48 are spaced apart the same distance as the end walls
32 and 34, and have downwardly extending flanges 54 on the inner
lower edges thereof that are received within the lower section 30,
the upper surfaces of the flanges 54 defining shoulders 56 that
extend at a right angle to the end walls 46 and 48.
The sidewalls 50 and 52 of the middle form section 44 are spaced
further apart than the sidewalls 36 and 38, and have inwardly
extending rims 58 on the lower edges thereof that project
perpendicularly from their associated sidewalls. The upper surfaces
of the rims 58 define shoulders 60, and said rims have downwardly
extending flanges 62 thereon that are received within the lower
section 30 and which are integral with the flanges 54. The flanges
54 and 62 are welded to the inner upper edges of the walls of the
lower form section 30, as shown at 64 in FIG. 9, whereby a
watertight connection is made. In addition, optional screws 66
corresponding to the screws 42 also serve to secure together the
middle and lower inner form sections 44 and 30.
Received on the middle form section 44 is an upper form section 68,
comprising end walls 70 and 72 connected by sidewalls 74 and 76,
the upper ends of all of said walls being planar. The end walls 70
and 72 are spaced apart the same distance as the walls 46 and 48,
and have downwardly directed flanges 78 on the lower edges thereof
that define shoulders 80.
The side walls 74 and 76 are spaced apart further than the wall 50
and 52, and have inwardly directed rims 82 thereon that terminate
in downwardly directed flange 84, and which define shoulders 86.
The flanges 78 and 84 are received within and are welded to the
middle form section 44, and again optional screws 88 are utilized
to further secure the two form sections.
Because of the welded construction throughout, it is seen that
there are no breaks or openings in the inner form 10. Thus, said
form is completely leakproof and watertight.
The outer form 12 consists of a lower section 90 and an upper
section 92, the lower secton 90 comprising planar end walls 94 and
96, and sidewalls 98 and 100, respectively, the sidewalls 98 and
100 having enlargements 102 on their opposite ends each containing
a groove 104 for receiving the vertical side edge of one of the end
walls 94 and 96. The end walls 94 and 96 are inserted into the
grooves 104, and are welded in place to form a watertight
joint.
The outer form upper section 92 comprises end walls 106 and 108 and
sidewalls 110 and 112, respectively, and has a length and width
identical to that of the lower section 90. The outer bottom edges
of the walls 106, 108, 110 and 112 have downwardly directed flanges
114 thereon, which receive the upper end of the lower section 90
and which are welded thereto. The opposite ends of the sidewalls
110 and 112 have enlargements 116 thereon containing grooves 118,
which receive the vertical edges of the end wall panels 106 and
108, the latter being welded in place. Optional screws 120 are also
utilized to secure together the two sections 90 and 92.
The overall height of the outer form 12, which is constructed to be
watertight, is the same as that of the inner form 10, and the two
forms are assembled concentrically to define a uniform space of
several inches width therebetween for receiving concrete. The forms
10 and 12 are held in concentric relationship by a plurality of
spacer dowel assemblies 122, the details of one such assembly being
shown in FIG. 7.
Referring to FIG. 7, the dowel assembly 122 includes a cylindrical
body 124 of plastic having reduced diameter end portions 126.
Plastic washers 128 are received on the end portions 126 and are
welded to the dowel body 124, and the inner and outer form walls 50
and 98, respectively, have holes 130 and 132 therein of a diameter
to snugly receive said end portions. The end portions 126 are
inserted into the holes 130 and 132, and the washers 128 are then
welded to the sidewalls 50 and 98. The result is a watertight
assembly, the dowel assemblies 122 all cooperating to hold the
inner and outer forms 10 and 12 in a fixed concentric relationship,
and also serving to anchor the forms to the concrete 8. A total of
18 dowel assemblies 122 is shown in the drawings; obviously, more
or fewer can be employed, as desired and as are proved necessary
for a given size vault.
In use, after the grave 4 has been dug, the concentrically arranged
inner and outer forms 10 and 12 are lowered therein, with the
bottom wall 26 of the inner form 10 and the bottom edge of the
outer form 12 resting on a plurality of parallel, spaced,
vertically disposed spacer bars 134. The bars 134 are made of
plastic and can be welded to the undersurface of the bottom wall
26, and each has a plurality of large holes 136 therethrough for
the flow of concrete. The earth of the grave 4 therethrough
provides a form around the periphery of the spacer bars 134.
The forms 10 and 12 can be fabricated and assemblied in concentric
relationship either at the factory, or at the grave site. Thus, the
versatility of the invention is increased.
With the forms 10 and 12 in place, concrete mix is poured into the
space therebetween to form the unitary concrete vault body 8. The
concrete mix has added thereto a waterproofing compound, such as
that known commercially as Berylex, which reacts with the concrete
to provide a water-impervious finished product when the concrete
has set and cured. Thus, the watertightness of the burial or casket
chambers 20, 22 and 24 in the vault is not only assured by the use
of the inner and outer plastic forms 10 and 12, but also by the
concrete body 8.
Concrete burial vaults have been known to shift their position in
the earth over a period of time, often producing an unsightly
appearance and requiring expensive repair work to reset them. It
has been found that a major cause for this shifting can be the
accumulation of ground water under pressure beneath the vault, and
the present invention includes means to relieve this pressure and
thus alleviate vault shifts from this cause.
Referring again to FIGS. 1--11, the exterior of each of the inner
form end walls 32, 46, 70, 34, 48 and 72 has the base leg of an
L-shaped plastic bracket 138 welded thereto, the projecting leg 140
of each bracket lying in a horizontal plane, and the brackets 138
on each end of the inner form 10 being in vertical alignment. The
bracket legs 140 each have a hole 142 therethrough, the holes 142
at each end of the inner form 10 being in alignment and receiving a
pressure relief tube 144. The pressure relief tubes 144 are secured
to the brackets 138, and are of a length so that the lower ends 146
thereof extend below the bottom wall 148 of the vault body 8, and
so that the upper ends 150 thereof project substantially above the
flat top face 152 of the vault body 8.
The pressure relief tubes 144 function to relieve to atmosphere any
ground water or other ground pressures that accumulate beneath the
vault 2. While the tubes 144 are shown embedded within the vault
body 8 in FIGS. 1--11, they can optionally be located on the
exterior of the outer form 12, as will be described in connection
with another embodiment of the invention.
After the vault body 8 has been cast in situ and has cured, it is
ready for use. A casket is first placed in the lower casket chamber
20, after which said chamber is closed and sealed by a reinforced
rectangular plastic sheet 154 of substantial thickness. Secured by
welding to the bottom surface of the sheet 154 at spaced intervals
are pairs of aligned, boxlike reinforcing ribs 156. The ribs extend
transversely of the sheet 154 and each aligned pair has an overall
length about the same as the distance measured between the opposed
flanges 62. Each rib 156 include a pair of spaced, parallel, right
triangular sidewalls 158, the base of the triangle being disposed
near the outer edges of the sheet 154, and the hypotenuse tapering
to the center of the sheet. The sidewalls 158 are boxed in by a
plate 160, the result being that each rib 156 constitutes a
structural cantilever-type brace supporting the plastic sheet
154.
The sheet 154 is installed with the peripheral edges thereof
resting on the shoulders 56 and 60, said peripheral edges being
welded to the shoulders over the entire length thereof. Thus, when
the sheet 154 is installed, the casket chamber 20 is completely
sealed and watertight, having been rendered watertight first by the
inner plastic liner 10 and the plastic sheet 154, and secondly by
the waterproofed concrete vault body 8 and, to the extent that it
covers the exterior of the vault body 8, by the external plastic
form 32.
After sealing of the casket chamber 20, the reinforced plastic
sheet 154 functions as a shelf to support a casket within the
chamber 22. If the chamber 22 is not to be used immediately, the
cover slabs 14, 16 and 18 are installed to close the burial vault
2.
The cover slab 14 is constructed of concrete having reinforcing
rods 162 embedded therein, and has a length slightly greater than
the distance measured between the exterior of the sidewalls of the
outer form 12. The slab 14 has the general cross section of an
inverted T, the lower half of the vertical side edges 164 thereof
having rectangular flanges 166 formed thereon. Each flange 166
includes a flat horizontal top surface 168 and a flat vertical side
surface 170, joined by an angled flat surface 172. The cover slab
14 is secured to the vault body 8 by four bolts 174, the bolts
being passed through bores 176 in the slab and being threaded into
inserts (not shown) embedded in the top surface 152 of the vault
body. The upper end of each bore 176 has a recess 178 to receive
the head of the bolt 174, said recess having a height substantially
greater than the height of the bolt head, and being sealed by a
disk 180 of neoprene or other suitable resilient sealing material
pressed therein on top of the bolt head. The cover slab 14 also has
two centrally located, threaded inserts 182 embedded therein, into
which eyebolts for use in lifting the slab can be threaded.
The end cover slab 16 has a length corresponding to that of the
slab 14, and is also constructed of reinforced concrete. It is
secured in position by six bolts 184, the bead of each bolt being
received in a recess 186 closed by a resilient sealing disk 188.
The end slab 18 is of like construction, and is secured in place by
four bolts 190 having their heads received in recesses 192, the
recesses 192 being sealed by resilient disks 193. Both of the cover
slabs 16 and 18 have inserts 182 embedded therein to receive a
lifting eyebolt E, and each slab has a bore 194 therethrough for
reception of the upper end 150 of the pressure relief tube 144, a
resilient sealing sleeve 196 of neoprene or some other suitable
material being disposed in each of the bores 194 to seal about the
relief tubes 144.
The inner face of each end slab 16 and 18 has a rectangular flange
198 thereon, designed to mate with the flanges 166. The flanges 198
include a flat bottom surface or face 200 and a flat vertical
surface 202, connected by a flat angled surface 204. Received
between each set of flanges 106 and 198, and running the full
length thereof, is a Z-shaped resilient seal 206, the opposite legs
of which are engaged and compressed by the flat angled surfaces 172
and 204, and the body of which is engaged and compressed by the
flat horizontal surfaces 168 and 200.
For installations of the cover slabs 14, 16 and 18 up until the
vault 2 is finally filled and closed, a normal rectangular gasket
or seal (not shown) is placed on the surface 152, to complete the
sealing of the vault. One of the cover slabs, in the drawings the
slab 18, usually has a headstone 208 mounted thereon in a recess
210, although the use of such a stone and its placement is a matter
of choice.
When it is desired to place a casket in the second casket chamber
22, the slab covers 14, 16 and 18 are removed, and the casket is
lowered to rest on the reinforced sheet 154. Another reinforced
sheet 212, having reinforcing ribs 214 on the undersurface thereof,
is then rested on and welded to the shoulders 86 and 80, which
completely seals the chamber 22. The slabs 14, 16 and 18 can then
be replaced until the time for using the upper casket chamber 24
occurs, at which time they are again removed.
After a casket has been placed in the upper casket chamber 24, a
plastic sheet 216 is placed on the vault body to rest on the
surface 152, said sheet having holes therethrough for passage of
the bolts 174, 188 and 190, and the pipes 144. The sheet 216 is
welded to the top edge of the inner form 10, which thus seals the
chamber 24, and the slab covers 14, 16 and 18 are then replaced,
the portion of the sheet 216 lying on the surface 152 serving as a
gasket.
It is obvious that a horizontal vault containing nearly any desired
plurality of casket chambers can be constructed according to the
invention. The inner and outer plastic forms 10 and 12 are locked
in place by the spacer assemblies 122, and the screws 42, 66, 120
and 88, and function with the plastic sheets 154, 86 and 216 to
make each chamber fully watertight, and totally separate from the
other chambers. Thus, a multiple-chamber horizontal vault can be
used for one family or for unrelated persons, and with the vertical
stacking feature in a single grave site provides efficient use of
expensive cemetery land.
The concepts of the invention, however, are also adaptable for in
situ construction of a single casket vault, and such is shown at
300 in FIGS. 12--15. The vault 300 is made utilizing inner and
outer plastic molds 302 and 304, respectively, the inner mold 302
including planar end walls 306 and planar sidewalls 308 welded at
their mating vertical edges, and welded to the upstanding integral
flange 310 formed on a plastic bottom wall 312, optional screws 314
being utilized to further connect the flange 310 to its associated
walls.
The outer form 304 comprises planar end walls 316 connected by
welding to planar sidewalls 318, and has the same height as the
inner form. The inner and outer forms 302 and 304 are mounted in
concentric relationship by spacer assemblies 320 identical to the
assemblies 122, and rest on perforated strips 322 placed on the
bottom earth wall 324 of a grave 326. Pressure relief tubes 328,
corresponding to the tubes 144, are secured by brackets 330 to the
end walls 306, and the space between the inner and outer forms 302
and 304 is filled with concrete, with Berglex or the like added
thereto, to form the vault body 332.
After a casket has been placed in the vault body 332, a plastic
sheet 334 is placed thereon and welded to the top edges of the
inner form walls 308 and 306 to completely seal the casket chamber.
The installation is then completed by installing cover slabs 14, 16
and 18, identical to the same slabs shown in FIGS. 1--11.
The present concept can also be employed to construct a vertical
multiple-casket burial vault, such being shown at 400 in FIGS. 16
and 17. In said FIGS. an outer, rectangular form 402 is constructed
like the outer form 12 from sidewalls 404 and end walls 406, the
former having enlargements 408 therein provided with slots 410 to
receive the lateral edges of the end walls 406, the entire assembly
being welded together. The outer form 402 is placed in a grave 412
to rest on the bottom wall 414 thereof, and a plurality of
perforated plastic bars 416 are welded to extend between the form
end walls 406.
Disposed to rest on the bars 416 (which correspond to the bars 134
and 322) are three plastic inner forms 418, each comprising a
frustoconical body 420 shaped to receive a frustoconical casket
therein, and a bottom wall 422, the inner forms 418 being
watertight. The spaces between the inner and outer forms 402 and
418 are then filled with concrete containing Berylex, or the like,
to form a concrete vault body 423.
The three casket chambers are individually closed by rectangular
concrete slab covers 424, 426 and 428, secured by bolts 430
threaded into inserts embedded in the top surface 432 of the vault
body 423, the bolt heads being received in recesses 434 closed by
resilient disks 436. Each cover has a headstone 438 mounted
thereon, and has inserts 440 embedded therein to receive a lifting
eyebolt.
After a casket has been placed in one of the casket chambers, a
rectangular plastic sheet 442 is placed over the mouth of the inner
form 418 and welded thereto, and the appropriate cover 424, 426 or
428 is then installed. Again, the result is a watertight,
plastic-lined casket chamber. When all the covers 424, 426 and 428
are installed, the joints therebetween are filled with mortar
443.
It was mentioned hereinabove that the pressure relief tube of the
invention could be embedded in the vault body, or that it could be
secured to the outer form. In FIGS. 16 and 17 the latter
construction is shown, and pressure relief tubes 444 are welded to
the exterior surfaces of the end walls 406.
While the inner and outer plastic forms of FIGS. 1--14, and the
outer form of FIGS. 16 and 17 have been shown as being made up from
separate pieces, which makes for ease of transport, it would also
be possible to mold them as one-piece units. Alternatively, the
walls defining each casket chamber could be molded in one piece as
subunits, and these could then be secured together to form a vault
of any desired height. All of these constructions for the forms are
within the concept of the invention.
Obviously, many other modifications and variations of the present
invention are possible.
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