Ready To Assemble Metal Stamping Casket

A metal stamping casket that is readily assembled at a location remote from the location of manufacture. The casket has several different potential embodiments. For example, first and second tabs on respective first and second side walls are overlapped to form a joint connecting the first and second walls.

In another embodiment, a plurality of side walls has peripheral slots extending from lower sections of respective walls. A bottom has a periphery extending into the peripheral slots of the side walls to join the bottom and the side walls together. In a further embodiment, a portion of a plurality of side walls have an upward opening groove for receiving a decorative material.

In a still further embodiment a casket cover includes a cap providing an exterior finish of the casket and a dish disposed within the cap to provide an interior finish for the cover of the casket. The cover further has a frame with a first slot for receiving an edge of the cap and a second slot for receiving an edge of the dish. A header is connected to the cap and provides support for the dish and the frame to form an end of the cover.

Caskets typically include a base or shell formed as a complete unit together with a lid or cover hinged to the base. The lid or cover is either a single cover extending the full length of the casket or separate lower and upper cover portions which are often capable of being individually opened and closed. Since the cover and shell are designed as a unit and coordinated with one another, typically the structure of the casket is completely or substantially completely manufactured at one facility and shipped as a fully assembled unit to its destination. A fully assembled casket occupies a large space and, as a result, shipping and storage costs are high.

Over recent years, there has been a continuing effort to provide a casket design that is comprised of a group or kit of components and subassemblies that may be very compactly packaged for shipping and therefore, more efficiently and economically transported through the distribution system to the destination of use of the casket. Preferably, the casket is easily assembled at a location remote from the factory, and the final product is as functional and visually appealing as if the casket had been fully assembled at the manufacturing facility. The success of such an operation depends to a great extent on the capability of the casket design to eliminate, from the assembly process, operations requiring great skill or complicated and expensive tooling.

The present invention provides a ready to assemble casket that is easily assembled at a location remote from where the components of the casket have been manufactured. The invention has the advantages of permitting a metal stamping casket to be more economically packaged, shipped and stored prior to use. Further, the metal stamping casket can be assembled with a minimum of simple tools and complicated welding and finishing operations are not required.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention and in accordance with one embodiment, the present invention provides a casket having a plurality of side walls including a first wall having a first tab extending from an edge of the first wall and a second wall having a second tab extending from an edge of the second wall. The first and second tabs are overlapped to form a joint connecting the first and second walls. A bottom is connected to lower portions of the side walls to form a shell therewith; and a cover is mounted on upper portions of the side walls to form a closure for the shell.

In another embodiment, the invention provides a casket having a plurality of side walls with peripheral slots extending from lower sections of respective walls. A bottom has a periphery extending into the peripheral slots of the side walls to join the bottom and the side walls together so that the bottom and side walls form a casket shell. A cover is mounted on upper portions of the side walls to form a closure for the shell.

In a further embodiment of the invention, a metal stamping casket has a plurality of side walls wherein a portion of the side walls has an upward opening groove. A decorative material extends around the portion of the side walls and is secured in the groove. A bottom is connected to the side walls to form a shell; and a cover is mounted on upper portions of the side walls to form a closure for the shell.