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The following information was scanned and read with OCR directly from a copy of the original patent. We apologize for any difficulty in reading the OCR text; however it will give you a very good idea of the background of the patent print you will receive.

W HAMLTON BurialCasket
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NPETEP& PHOTOGTH00PAPHEP WASHNGTON 0 C
UNTED STATES PATENT OFFCE
WLLAM HAMLTON OF ALLEGHENY PENNSYLVANA
MPROVEMENT N BURALCASKETS
Specification forming part of Letters Patent No  dated May 28 application filed
April 22 1878
To all whom it may concern:
Be it known that  WLLAM HA1 LTON of Allegheny in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania have invented a new and useful mprovement in BurialCaskets and   do hereby declare the following to be a full clear and exact description thereof reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification in which
Figure 1 is an elevation of a casket embodying my invention with cover and lid partially withdrawn showing the construction of the parts Fig 2 is a transverse section on the line x x Fig 1 Fig 3 is a section on the line y y showing the manner of securing the lid and cover Fig 4 is a view of the under side of lid and cover Fig 5 is a top view of the body of the casket
Like letters refer to like parts wherever they occur
My invention relates to the construction of burialcaskets and consists in providing caskets with a sliding lid or sliding cover either or both as preferred whereby the multiplicity of fastenings is avoided A neat and uniform finish may be given to the casket and the lid or cover as the case may be can be readily and noiselessly adjusted to close the casket when desired
The lids and covers of caskets as ordinarily constructed are made detachable and are secured usually by screws or like devices which interfere with the finish of the casket occupy time and make more or less noise in attaching or detaching the parts
Many devices and constructions have heretofore been applied for the purpose of overcoming the objections specified but they have in general been such as materially increased the cost of manufacturing and all were more or less complicated in character
My invention has for its object to simplify and cheapen the construction of caskets as well as to obviate the objections set forth
 will now proceed to describe my invention so that others skilled in the art to which it pertains may apply the same
A indicates the body of a casket B the lid thereof and C the cover n the upper edge of the sides of the body A  form parallelgrooves a a either Tshaped dovetailed or 'other appropriate form and to the under side of the lid B  secure correspondinglyshaped tongues b adapted to slide in the grooves a of the body The lid should be so constructed that it can be withdrawn entirely preferably from the head of the casket (as indicated by the arrow Fig 1) but in order that the cover C may be dispensed with if desired and the lid partially withdrawn toward the foot of the casket to disclose the face of the occupant  form a stop or stops on the under side of lid B preferably widening out the tongues b as at b' and the slots or T grooves a for a portion of their length say from the head of the casket onethird its length or the point indicated by a' The lid B can be secured when the casket is to be closed by means of a spring catch or lock b2
When the cover C is intended to slide to disclose the interior of the casket it may be constructed as follows : On the under side thereof for about half its length are formed parallel tongues c with laterallyprojecting bits or lugs either fixed or detachable and within the lid near its upper edge are formed grooves d for the reception of the lugs or bits on tongues e of cover C n order to brace the cover C when closed and to prevent the foot portion from lifting up a T shaped stop o is provided which enters a groove on the top of the lid or instead thereof a longitudinal central dovetailed tongue and groove on the lid and cover may be employed
This construction will permit the cover C to slide back or be withdrawn a limited distance but will prevent its entire removal
n order to secure the cover when the casket is closed a springlatch or equivalent device e may be added
The devices are employed as follows: When the lid is to be put on the casket the ends of the tongues b at the foot of the cover are inserted in the ends of the grooves a at the head of the body A and the lid then pushed down over the casket
f the sliding cover has been omitted the interior of the casket can be exposed by pushing the head of the lid past the head of body A but if the sliding cover C is employed the lid may be locked by catch b2 and the cover