Abstract: One piece puffing assembly, mounted around the periphery and within the underside of a casket cap, includes two shorter sides, two longer sides, four miter corners, and peripherally inboard and outboard circumferential edges which define parallel planes, each of the sides being stepped in cross-section and having a first plurality of planar surfaces oriented perpendicular to the parallel planes, a second plurality of planar surfaces oriented at an angle of from 0-90 degrees relative to the parallel planes and being interposed between respective ones of the first planar planes.

Abstract: A puffing assembly forming a part of a dish assembly for installation into the underside of a burial casket cap comprises at least two puffing members having adjacent ends adapted to form a miter corner thereat when secured together. One of the puffing members has an arcuate score line traversing a respective end thereof to define a first elongated portion and a second tab portion of the one puffing member. The puffing member adjacent ends are secured together with fasteners outboard of the arcuate score line. When the secured together puffing members are pivoted away from one another by about 90.degree. a miter corner of about 45.degree. is formed and the fasteners are not visible through the miter corner. The end of the other puffing member folds the tab portion of the one puffing member to form an angle of about 90.degree. with respect to the elongated portion of the one puffing member. This positions the fasteners at an angle of about 45.degree.

Abstract: A casket cap assembly for a burial casket comprises a cap having two sides and two ends defining an interior, having a peripheral edge and having a peripheral groove in the peripheral edge within the interior of the cap. A pair of cap dish assembly supports are positioned in the cap along each cap side. A dish assembly is positioned in the cap and is supported by the cap dish assembly supports. The dish assembly comprises a rectangular cap panel and four peripheral puffing members attached to the periphery of the cap panel at respective adjacent edges. Each support comprises a spacer portion and an arcuate portion separated by a cap dish assembly edge receiving portion. The spacer portion contacts the cap within the cap interior to space the dish assembly relatively within the cap. The edge receiving portion receives therein the respective adjacent edges of the cap panel and puffing members. The arcuate portion defines the curvature of the puffing members.

Abstract: A combination of a casket and a liquid retaining system for the casket comprises a casket shell, a body support structure mounted in the casket adapted to support a deceased thereon and a tray positioned atop the body support structure and adapted to be positioned beneath the deceased supported on the body support structure, and a tray for retaining liquids of decomposition of the deceased. The liquid retaining system may further include a liner supported atop the tray bottom wall and beneath the deceased and secured to the upper edges of the side and end walls of the casket shell.

Abstract: A casket is provided with an integral memorabilia compartment for the placement, display and storage therein of personal effects and mementos of memorialization of the deceased. In one form the casket comprises a shell, a cap pivoted to the shell, and an openable and closable memorabilia compartment forming a part of the cap. In another form the casket comprises a shell, a cap pivoted to the shell, and an openable and closable memorabilia compartment forming a part of the shell. In both forms the memorabilia compartment is so positioned and configured as to provide convenient access to mourners paying respects to the deceased for placing personal effects and mementos therein and to provide display of the personal effects and mementos placed therein for viewing by the mourners.

Abstract: A casket having a fully combustible, full height lift mechanism for raising and lowering the bed of the casket and for rotating the bed about the longitudinal axis of the casket that includes an integral C-shaped bracket that supports a drive screw, a seat that threadably engages the drive screw for supporting the bed frame of the casket, and integral fasteners for securing the assembly to the casket. The mechanism may include a tilt mechanism supported within the C-shaped bracket. In one embodiment, the tilt mechanism restrains one edge of the seat such that continued rotation of the drive screw rotates the seat. In another embodiment, the tilt mechanism drives an edge of the seat such that rotation of the tilt mechanism rotates the seat.

Abstract: A casket cap brace support comprises a support bracket adapted to be affixed to a wall of the casket body and including an aperture therethrough adapted to receive an end of a brace member, an elongated brace member having one end pivoted to the cap and the other end received in the support bracket aperture, the other end having a projection thereon, the support bracket having an elongated slot therein with a terminal end, the brace member projection being received in the slot during at least a portion of the movement of the cap to and between the closed and open positions, the slot being so configured such that when the cap is in the open position the brace member is in compression, the brace member projection residing in the slot terminal end and being prevented from moving out of the slot terminal end by the action of the weight of the cap, the cap thereby being resistant to inadvertent closing in the event that the casket cap or body is accidentally bumped.

Abstract: A combination burial casket and hardware comprises a casket shell having a wall, a plate secured to the wall and having a rear edge and a forward surface, an arm, adapted to receive and support a handle bar, pivoted to the plate, and including at least one transverse pivot member, with the plate including at least one rearward facing notch formed in the plate rear edge and receiving the at least one transverse pivot member, the plate forward surface concealing the transverse pivot member, and a stop operable between the plate and the arm limiting pivotal movement of the arm relative to the plate. The arm comprises a pair of elongated arm members or is an integral one piece arm member. The transverse pivot member comprises a pivot bar or a pair of pivot pins. The stop comprises a first projection on the plate and second and third projections on the pivot member. Either the plate or the arm include ornamentation. The arm and pivot member are cast as a single part.

Abstract: Hardware for a casket which may be quickly and easily twisted into fixed engagement with the casket at a predetermined orientation. The hardware may be easily removed from the casket without leaving metal hardware components in or on the casket. Specifically, an anchor member is fixed to the casket and comprises a twist locking connector which mates with a twist locking connector fixed to an item of casket hardware. The item of hardware preferably comprises a casket handle or other handle component such as a handlebar mount. The twist locking connectors of the anchor member and the item of casket hardware include stop surfaces which engage during a twisting motion of the item of casket hardware. This twisting motion is preferably less than a full turn of the item of casket hardware.

Abstract: A shipping clip is provided for a casket which has a body or shell with a top ledge including a front edge and a pair of caps pivoted to the body and closable thereon, with each of the pair of caps having a header wall on an end thereof. The header walls are in a confronting relationship one to another when the pair of caps are closed upon the body. The shipping clip spaces the header walls from one another and spaces the caps from the body during shipping of the closed casket. The shipping clip comprises a base which has two side edges and which is adapted to be placed atop the top ledge of the casket body, a first wall extending upwardly from the base intermediate the base side edges, and second and third walls extending upwardly from the base, one of which is located on one side of the first wall and the other of which is located on the other side of the first wall.

Abstract: A combination casket and shield comprises a casket having a casket shell with a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls connecting the side walls and an interior. The shell walls include a groove therein extending peripherally around the interior of the casket shell. An elongated sealing strip is disposed in the casket shell groove and has first and second resilient sealing members. A transparent shield is removably installed to the shell. The shield has a peripheral edge retained between the first and second sealing members of the sealing strip in sealing engagement therewith. The sealing strip includes a third member disposed in the casket shell groove and the first and second members are connected to the third member. The first and second sealing members are hinged relative to one another by a resilient living hinge and include respective resilient interlocking projections.

Abstract: A casket display structure has a back wall and wing walls that are removably-attached to the back wall to form an alcove. A double-tiered display rack is mounted between the wing walls. The display structure includes a lower casket rollout rack connected to the fixed double-tiered rack by a scissors unit.

Abstract: Handling apparatus for a casket has a first member for applying a laterally inwardly directed force to a wall of the casket, a second member for applying laterally outwardly and upwardly directed forces to a lower edge of the casket, a third member interconnecting the first and second members, and a handle connected to one of the first, second and third members. When the handling apparatus is placed in contact with the casket lower edge and wall and the handle lifted upwardly a couple is applied to the apparatus and hence the casket thus retaining the apparatus in contact with the casket and enabling the casket to be lifted and transported with the apparatus. The apparatus is quickly removed by simply removing upward force from the handle. Alternatively, a clamp in the form of the threaded bolt can be included in the apparatus for clamping the casket edge between the second member and the bolt for semi-permanent installation of the apparatus on the casket.

Abstract: The combination of a casket and non-invasive externally removable hardware for lifting the casket. The combination comprises a casket shell including a socket in a wall thereof, a plate, a handle operably connected to the plate for lifting the casket, a stud passing through the plate, means for translating the stud relative to the plate, a retainer connected to the stud, and resilient material surrounding the stud and disposed between the plate and the retainer. The handle, when the stud is inserted into the casket shell wall socket, is removably securable to the casket shell upon actuation of the translating means to translate the stud and retainer toward the plate compressing the resilient material therebetween and causing the resilient material to swell to fill the socket.