Abstract: A method of shipping a burial casket in a knocked-down configuration and subsequently assembling the casket at its point of destination comprises the steps of providing a kit of disassembled casket components assemblable into a casket having a shell and a cap, packing the kit of components into shipping container, shipping the packaged casket kit to a destination point, removing the kit from the container and assembling the casket from the kit utilizing at least a portion of the shipping container as an interior component of the casket. A casket comprises a shell and cap assembled from a kit shipped in knocked-down configuration, a body support structure positioned in the shell for supporting a body and a floor for the casket upon which to support the body support structure in the shell. The body support structure is formed from the bottom of an elongated, shallow, generally rectangular shipping carton in which the casket kit is shipped. The floor is formed from the top of the carton.

Abstract: A casket shell comprises an elongated inner box and an elongated outer box. The inner box is congruently disposed in the interior region of the outer box and a core is sandwiched between the inner and outer boxes. The core includes a top surface attached to the inner box and a bottom surface attached to the outer box. The core can be made form a closed-celled material or a honeycomb material having a plurality of interconnected cylinders. Both inner and outer boxes are foldable to a generally planar configuration to minimize the volume during shipment. A casket shell in accordance with the present invention can also include a plurality of panels, each panel includes a core having a top surface and a bottom surface, first and second stabilizing surface element attached to the bottom and top surfaces, respectively. The panels connected together by a plurality of connectors to define the casket shell.

Abstract: A method of lining a casket with a liquid impervious liner comprises the steps of providing a casket shell having a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls and a bottom wall, providing a plastic liner having a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls and a bottom wall, inserting the liner into the casket, heating the liner to soften the liner, applying a pressure differential across the softened liner relative to the casket shell to urge the side, end and bottom walls of the softened liner into engagement with the side, end and bottom walls of the casket shell, and permitting the liner to cool. A combination casket and liner is constructed by the method.

Abstract: A shirring attachment for a sewing machine that includes a programmable control operable to independently control the operation of individual shirring tools that are located at different points across the width of the material to be shirred. The shirring control stores a plurality of different shirring pattern programs some of which represent shirring patterns that vary across the width of the shirring material. Consequently, a number of shirring patterns can be produced that were not previously possible. Further, the shirring attachment is designed for a high production environment in which sewing machines operate at up to 1,000 stitches per minute.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a blank for folding into a body containment section of a casket, the blank comprising: a first stabilizing surface element, the first stabilizing surface element being a unitary element, a second stabilizing surface element positioned to lie above the first stabilizing surface element and spaced-apart therefrom, the second stabilizing surface element being a unitary element, and a core having a top surface and a bottom surface, the core being sandwiched between the first and second stabilizing surface elements, the bottom surface of the core being attached to the first stabilizing surface element and the top surface of the core being attached to the second stabilizing surface element, the core including a first section and a second section spaced-apart from the first section to form an elongated gap therebetween, the first and second sections of the core being arranged so that the blank can be bent along the gap, each of the first and second sections of the core being atta

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 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: A casket is assembled from prefabricated components to provide an attractive and aesthetically appealing casket design with a minimum amount of metal components so that the casket is adapted for cremation. A shell of the casket is constructed from upstanding sidewalls with a peripheral frame and facing panel secured to the frame. The respective walls are joined by cooperating cam and post connectors that they can be easily assembled without skilled personnel or specialized tooling. A cap enclosing the casket shell is constructed with a peripheral rim formed from rim members also joined by the cam and post connectors. A dish assembly is positioned on an inside surface of the cap and includes puffing members which are securely retained within cooperating grooves on the rim and dish assembly to thereby avoid the need for metal staples or other mechanical fasteners.

Abstract: A decorative cremation urn display pedestal comprises a lower base configured into a generally box-like structure and including four generally vertical side walls having abutting adjacent side edges, and a generally horizontal cremation urn-supporting top wall supported atop the side walls. A pair of shelf-supporting walls extend upwardly from the top wall and have abutting adjacent side edges, with each wall of the pair being generally parallel to a respective base side wall thereunder. At least one generally horizontal cremation urn-supporting shelf extends horizontally outward from the pair of shelf-supporting walls. The shelf corresponds in size and shape to the base top wall and is cantilevered horizontally outward from the pair of shelf-supporting walls by having a free unsupported corner positioned above a respective corner of the base top wall.

Abstract: A handle structure for a casket (10) is provided. The handle structure includes a bar (33) and a casket shell (12) spaced apart from the bar (33). The casket shell (12) includes a side panel (28) having an outwardly-facing side surface (66) positioned behind the bar (33) and fixed relative thereto. The side surface (66) includes an outer portion (64) and an edge (60) defining a recessed portion (62) of the side surface (66) positioned inwardly of the outer portion (64) of the side surface (66). The recessed portion (62) cooperates with the outer portion (64) to define a cavity (68) positioned behind the bar (33) so that a person carrying the casket (10) can grip the bar (33) without engaging the side surface (66).

Abstract: A lightweight structurally sound casket formed preferably of a sandwich construction using a core of an open cell or honeycomb patterned material and fluid resistant surface elements. The casket is comprised of a body containment portion and a lid portion, each of which has the sandwich construction as the main structural element. The open cell material is structurally enhanced by being sandwiched between first and second stabilizing surface elements in both the body containment portion and the lid portion. In addition to the stabilizing surface elements, an aesthetically pleasing material is adhered to the outer portions of the body containment section and lid so that the casket has an attractive appearance. The body containment portion is constructed from rectangular pieces of the open cell material and stabilizing surface elements by folding the same into a box-like configuration.

Abstract: A method for plating zinc substrates with 24K gold. The method includes precleaning the substrate; applying a paint base coat electrostatically; curing the base coat; plating the gold by vacuum metallization; applying a clear paint top coat; and curing the top coat.

Abstract: A combination comprises a burial casket designed and constructed so as to have a visible theme, a music media storage and display assembly incorporated into the casket selectively movable to and between a generally concealed storage position and a generally exposed display position, and music media including recorded music selected so as to have an audible theme, corresponding to the casket visible theme, stored and displayed in the assembly. The casket includes a shell and head end and foot end caps pivoted to said shell. The foot end cap includes a header board mounted on a head end thereof. The storage and display assembly comprises a platform slidable through the header board to and between the storage and display positions within and without the foot end cap respectively, the platform having a recess therein for receiving the music media, and an ejector mounted to the platform operable to eject the music media from the recess for easy grasping when the platform is moved to the display position.

Abstract: A burial casket comprises a shell, a cap enclosing the shell and memorabilia tray pivotally connected to the shell with a linkage. The tray is pivotally movable from a position inside the shell to a position outside the shell when the cap is open. The tray is maintained in an upright, upwardly facing orientation during movement of the tray. The linkage comprises a pair of links, each link being pivotally connected at one link end to an end of the tray and at the other link end to the shell. The tray is generally elongated, rectangular in shape and shallow and includes a plurality of individual compartments therein. The tray is oriented lengthwise generally parallel to the length of the shell and is mounted to a side wall of the shell. The tray may include individual covers enclosing the individual compartments.