US2822685A - Dual burial vault structure - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 11, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 25, 1956 Feb. 11, 1958 w. M. CHANDLER ETAL 2,822, 85

DUAL BURIAL VAULT STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 23, 1956 i 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ilnited States Patent DUAL BURIAL VAULT STRUCTURE Wesley Miles Chandler, St. Paul, Minn., and Richard G. Reichle, Riverside, Ill., assignors to Wilbert W. Haase Co., Broadview, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application November 23, 1956, Serial No. 623,962

1 Claim. (Cl. 72-7) This invention relates to a multiple burial vault structure.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved multiple burial vault structure having certain of the desirable structural features and characteristics of conventional concrete asphalt burial vaults together with certain of the desirable structural features and characteristics of the so-called air-seal type of burial vault.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved multiple or double tier burial vault unit which is so constructed and arranged that both burial vault units may be installed in the grave opening at the time the grave is opened and thereafter a first interment made and the lower burial vault unit sealed, and a second interment made in the upper burial vault unit without interfering with the seal of the lower burial vault unit.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved multiple burial vault structure which includes a novel member which provides a base for the upper burial vault unit, and a cover for the lower burial vault unit, and which also provides a structural reinforcing supporting member for the side walls and the end walls of both the upper and lower burial vault units of the new multiple burial vault structure.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view illustrating a preferred construction of the new multiple burial vault struc' ture;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail view of the sealing construction which is embodied in the new multiple burial vault structure; and

Fig. 3 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view on line 3-3 in Fig. 1.

A preferred embodiment of the new multiple burial vault structure is illustrated in the drawings, wherein it is generally indicated at 10, and includes an upper burial vault unit 11 and a lower burial vault unit 12.

The upper burial vault unit 11 includes a dome-shaped member 13 which includes an outer concrete shell 14 and an inner core 15 formed of hard asphalt and which is integrally bonded to the outer concrete shell 14. The lower burial vault unit 12 includes a box-like portion 16 which includes an outer concrete shell 17 and an inner hard asphalt core 18 integrally bonded thereto, as described above in connection with the upper burial vault unit 11. The lower burial vault unit 12 includes side walls 19, end walls 20, and a bottom wall 21, all of which are similar in construction, and the upper burial vault unit 11 includes side walls 22 and end walls 23, which are likewise similar in construction.

As shown in the drawings, the dome-shaped member 13 of the upper burial vault 11 is open at the bottom thereof and the hard asphalt inner wall 15 extends downwardly to the lower ends of the outer concrete portions 14 of the side walls 22 and to the lower end portions of the concrete outer portions of the end walls 23 of the upper burial vault unit 11.

2,822,685 Patented Feb. 11, 1958 The concrete outer wall portions 14 of the lower burial vault unit 12 terminate at their upper edges in generally V-shaped tongue portions 25 and these V-shaped tongue portions 25 are adapted to project into correspondingly shaped grooves 36 which are formed in marginal flanges 27 which are formed integrally with and as a part of a combination base and cover and structural reinforcing member 28 which forms the base or bottom wall of the upper dome-shaped burial vault unit 11 and the cover member for the lower burial vault unit 12. This combination base and cover and structural reinforcing member 28 embodies a rectangular-shaped raised center portion 29, which is disposed within the confines of the marginal flanges 27, and is composed of a concrete upper wall 30 and a hard asphalt lower wall 31 integrally bonded thereto, as described above in connection with the walls 14 and 15 ofthe upper burial vault unit 11.

As shown in the drawings, and as best shown in Fig. 2, the asphalt inner wall 18 of the lower burial vault unit 12 extends upwardly to the inner sides of the top edges of the tongue 25 and is tapered gradually upwardly, diminishing in thickness to the point 37, and the inner or lower asphalt wall 31 of the upper burial vault unit 11 extends upwardly along the inner edges of the grooves 36 and then extends horizontally across the grooves 36 to the outer and upper corners 26 of the grooves 36.

Suitable combination casket rests and lifting clevises 32 are anchored in the bottom wall 21 of the lower burial vault unit 12 and similar combination casket rests and lifting clevises 35 are anchored in the raised center portion 29 of the combination base and cover and structural reinforcing member 28.

In the use of the new multiple burial vault structure 10 both the upper burial vault unit 11 and the lower burial vault unit 12 may beplaced in a grave opening when the grave is opened with the member 28 resting on the upwardly projecting tongue 25 of the lower burial vault unit .12 and the dome-shaped cover member 13 resting on the marginal flange 27 of the member 28. Accordingly, at the first interment, the members 13 and 28 may be removed from the lower burial vault unit 12 and a casket may be rested on the combination casket rests and clevises 32 of the lower burial vault unit 12. A suitable soft asphaltic sealing composition 33 may then be placed in the V-shaped grooves 36 in the combination base and cover and structural reinforcing member 28 so as to substantially fill the grooves 36. At the same time the soft asphalitic sealing composition softens and fuses into the hard asphalt extensions of the asphalt walls 18 and 31 of the lower burial vault unit 12 and of the member 18, respectively.

The member 28 may then be placed in sealing position upon the box-like portion of the lower burial vault unit 12 with the V-shaped tongues 25 engaging in the grooves 36 whereupon the softened hard asphalt surfaces formed as extensions of the walls 18 and 31 and the sealing composition 33 provide a heremetic air and water seal between the combination base and cover and structural reinforcing member 28 and the box-like portion of the lower burial vault unit 12.

It will be noted, in this connection, that the weight of the member 28 forces a part of the sealing composition 33 downwardly into the outer portion of each of the grooves 36, as shown in Fig. 2, while, at the same time, a part of each mass of sealing composition 33 fuses into the hard asphalt wall portions formed as extensions of the hard asphalt walls 31 and 18, as pointed out above.

The next and second interment may be made in the upper burial vault unit 11 without aifecting the seal of the lower burial vault 12 by removing the dome-shaped cover member 13 and resting the casket on the combina tion clevises and caket rest 35, whereupon an asphaltic sealing composition 34 may be placed upon the upper surfaces of the horizontal flange portions 27 of the com bination base and cover and structural reinforcing member 28.. The dome-shaped upper portion 13 of theupper burial vault unit 11 may then be inserted into position of seal of the lower burial vault unit 12.

It will also be noted that the new multiple burial vault ,unit embodies certain of the desirable advantages and characteristics of asphalt-concrete burial vaults, as embodied in the lower burial vault unit 12, including. the

"up erburiarvault unit'includin'g a dome-shaped'memtongue and groove and asphalt seal 2633, and associated parts, while, at the same time, embodying certain of the desirable'advantages and characteristics of so-called air seal burial vaults, in the upper burial vault unit 12, including the elevated position of the casket when rested on the combination casket rests and clevises 35 which are anchored in the raised center portion of the combination base and cover and structural reinforcing member 28 and which thus protects the casket in the upper burial vault 12 against possible damage by a relatively higher and rising ground water level than is possible in the use of conventional concrete burial vaults.

It will also be noted that in the new multiple burial vault structure the combination base and cover and structural reinforcing member 28 provides structural support and reinforcement for the side walls 22 and end walls 19 and end walls 20 of the lower burial vault unit 12 at the vertical center or mid-portion of the assembled vault structure. This vertical center structural reinforcement of the side and end walls of both the upper and lower burial vault units is particularly important in view .of the fact that the side walls and end walls of the assembled vault structure are relatively high in the assembled vault structure and the center reinforcement is essential to prevent inward collapsing of the side and end walls of the assembled vault structure.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, that the present invention provides a new and improved multiple burial vault structure having the desirable advantages and characteristics and accomplishing its intended objects, including those hereinbefore pointed out, and others which are inherent in the invention.

We claim:

A dual burial vault structure comprising a lower burial vault unit and an upper burial vault unit, said lower burial vault unit including a box-shaped portion having an open top and composed of an outer concrete shell her having an open bottom and composed of an outer concrete shell and an inner asphalt layer integrally bonded thereto, said upper and lower burial vault units being disposed with the open portions thereof in opposed relationship, a combination base" and cover and structural reinforcing member seated upon the upper surfaces of the walls of'said lower burial vault unit and providing a cover therefor, said combination base and cover and structural reinforcing member being composed of an upper concrete wall and a lower asphalt layer integrally bonded thereto and said upper concrete wall including a generally'rectangular-shaped raised center portion having a marginal flange formed integrally therewith and disposed therebelow and extending therearound, the bottom of said flange and the upper surface of the walls of the lower burial vault unit having a tongue and groove interlocking engagement so as to resist inward movement of such walls at the open top of the lower burial vault unit, said flange having a flat upper surface, the lower end portions of the side and end walls of the said domeshaped member resting upon said upper surface of the marginal flange with said raised center portion projecting up into the open lower end of said upper burial vault unit and providing a base therefor, said. raised center portion being of slightly less width and length at its juncture with said flat upper surface of the marginal flange than the inside dimensions between the inner surfaces of the side and end walls of the upper unit so as to positively position the same and resist inward movement thereof at the open bottom of the upper burial vault unit, layer means hermetically sealing the said upper end portions of the side and end Walls of said lower burial vault unit to the lower surface of said marginal flange of the reinforcing member, and layer means hermetically sealing the lower end portions of the side and end walls of the upper burial vault unit to the upper surface of said marginal flange, said combination base and cover and structural reinforcing member providing a structural reinforcement for the side and end walls of the upper and lower burial vault units as the upper and lower burial vault units and reinforcing member are disposed in assembled relationship.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,691,568 Gorman Nov. 1a, 1928 1,839,149 Haase Dec. 29, 1931 2,162,435 Hopkins June 13, 1939 2,167,091 Simpson July 25, 1939 2,616,146 Haase Nov. 4, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 213,660 Great Britain of 1924

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