US2788597A - Protective covers for burial caskets - Google Patents

Description

p 7 H. H. MICHEL 2,788,597

PROTECTIVE COVERS FOR BURIAL GASKETS Filed Oct. 18, 1954 INVENTOR, HOWARD H. MICHEL ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent PROTECTIVE COVERS FOR BURIAL CASKETS Howard H. Michel, St. Louis, Mo.

Application October 18, 1954, Serial No. 462,759

1 Claim. (Cl. 41--12) My invention relates generally to protective covers, and has particular reference to an improved article of this character for preventing the marring of the top surface of burial caskets by the floral, or other display pieces placed thereon.

The article of my invention is especially useful to funeral directors for preventing the finely finished surface of the casket from being damaged by the rough or wet base parts of floral sprays or the like. An ugly scratch or stain on the otherwise immaculate casket, revealed when the lid is closed and during the burial services, is highly disconcerting to the mourners and creates resentment toward the undertaking establishment. It is an object of the invention to eliminate such a condition.

A further object of my invention is to provide a protective cover of the character described having means for retaining the floral piece or other decoration in a fixed position on the casket for securement against casual or unintended displacement, and which flexibly adapts itself to the contour of the top surface of the casket so as to be almost unnoticeable.

My invention comprises a cover of flexible, moisture resistant, transparent sheet material having flexible, gripping means on one side for causing it to cling to the top surface of the casket, and means on the opposite or upper side for engaging a floral piece. Other objects and advantages will appear from the following description setting forth a practical embodiment of my invention.

In the drawing,

Fig. l is a perspective view of the article of my invention positioned on a casket;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken at line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the holding means taken in line 3--3 of Fig. 2, and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken at line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

Referring now by numerals of reference to the drawing, 5 designates the cover member which preferably consists of a rectangular piece of flexible, water-resistant, transparent sheet material. The cover is of a length somewhat less than the length of a casket of average size, and of a width somewhat greater than the width of such a casket so that it will extend transversely completely across the upper and side surfaces of the top or lid member of the casket, as best appears from Fig. 2. The material from which the cover 5 is made is preferably clear or uncolored resilient sheet plastic such as that known in the trade as Vinylite.

As a means for fastening a spray, blanket or other floral piece to the cover member 5, such member is pro- 2,788,597 Patented Apr. 16, 1957 vided with one or more rows of spaced, upwardly projecting prongs 6, consisting in the present example of nails of about one inch in length and having relatively large, fiat head portions 7. The nails extend through from the under side of the cover as shown in Fig. 3, and are retained by metal fasteners 8. Such fasteners may desirably consist of small rectangular plates of resilient metal, each formed to provide a pair of oppositely disposed spring fingers 9 whose confronting ends are arranged to engage and grip the prong 6 at its base. The fasteners thus secure the prongs in a position at right angles to the cover 5. The prongs are preferably arranged and spaced, in transverse rows as shown, and the rows terminate short of the side edges of the cover so that they may be concealed by the floral piece which they are intended to penetrate and hold in position.

The cover 5 is provided on its underside with means to cause it frictionally to grip or cling to the surface of the casket. Such means desirably consist of fiat pads of foam or sponge rubber 1d, applied and secured as by cement to the cover 5, in underlying relation to the nail heads 7. The pads 10 are preferably in the form of strips, as shown, extending transversely below the cover 5, along and subjacent the row of nail heads. As so disposed the pads 10 serve to protect the casket surface from becoming marred by the nail heads.

It will be understood from the foregoing that in use the cover is placed on the top of the casket as shown in Fig. 1, and the floral spray or blanket is placed thereon and pressed against the prongs to cause them to become embedded and concealed. The rubber pads 10 will, in most instances, be concealed by the floral piece, as will also the material of the cover. However, because of its transparency any part of the cover 5 that extends beyond the floral piece will be scarcely noticeable.

My invention should not be understood to be limited in form and constituents precisely as described herein, for certain changes may be made therein without departing from the specific and full intendment of the invention which is defined by the following claim.

I claim:

A casket protector comprising a rectangular sheet of transparent, flexible, water-impervious material, a plurality of nails extending through said sheet, said nails being arranged in spaced rows transversely of said sheet, and having flat enlarged head portions engaging the underside of said sheet and pointed shank portions projecting upwardly at a right angle from the: upper side of said sheet, substantially fiat plate-like fasteners having finger portions gripping the shank portions of said nails with the sheet tightly clamped between said fasteners and the head portions of said nails, and fiat elongate strips of rubber extending along the transverse rows of nails on the underside of said sheet, said strips being adhesively secured to the sheet and to the head portions of said nails.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,231,995 Glidden et a1. Feb. 18, 1941 2,234,512 Wilson Mar. 11, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS 698,531 Great Britain Oct. 14, 1953

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