Chapter 12: Part 3 - Casket Corners, Closures, and Outer Burial Containers

• Gaskets
• Hinges
• Locking Mechanism

Components of a gasketed casket

Dome

The top of an air seal burial vault that entraps air as it is put in position. It also supports the weight of the earth above.

State law

Always let your client families know that a vault is NOT required by what?

30”x36”

Standard Burial Vault

Elliptic, Octagon, Round, Square, Urnside, Vertical side square, and Flaring square

The seven different casket corners

End lock, side or frontal lock, and lever lock

different types of locking mechanisms

Latch closures, threaded fasteners, chemical compounds, and hermetically sealed

different types of non-gasketed caskets

75 inches x 22 inches

dimensions of an adult wood casket

78 inches × 23 inches

dimensions of an adult metal casket

16-24 inches

height of an adult metal casket

16-22 inches

height of an adult wood casket

two

To calculate the size of a 1X oversized casket, the funeral director should add how many inches to the width of an average adult size casket?

three

To calculate the size of a 1X oversized casket, the funeral director should add how many inches to the length of an average adult size casket?

six

To calculate the size of a 2X oversized casket, the funeral director should add how many inches to the length of an average adult size casket?

four

To calculate the size of a 2X oversized casket, the funeral director should add how many inches to the width of an average adult size casket?

six

To calculate the size of a 3X oversized casket, the funeral director should add how many inches to the width of an average adult size casket?

nine

To calculate the size of a 3X oversized casket, the funeral director should add how many inches to the length of an average adult size casket?

six

The increase in infant casket size progresses in increments of how long regarding length?

nine

The increase in infant casket size progresses in increments of how long regarding height?

Outer burial container

Any container which is designed for placement in the grave around the casket including but not limited to containers commonly known as burial vaults, grave boxes and grave liners.

Burial vault

An outer enclosure which offers protection from the earth load, as well as seals. The purpose is to support the load of the earth and limit intrusion of outside elements. 

Concrete vault

With steel reinforcements or without steel reinforcements.

Closure Method

the hardware used to protect the deceased in the casket from water and soil

Latch closure

A simple latch secures the cap to the body after closure

Threaded Fasteners

A threaded screw-type fastener used on a hinged cap style casket

Chemical Compounds

Epoxy and other cements are used. Butyl tape is used for sealing the cap and body on some infant caskets

Hermetically Sealed

Airtight; impervious to external influence; completely sealed by fusion or soldering

Ceremonial casket/Rental casket

A casket used for a visitation or a funeral service. Rented by the purchaser. At the time of disposition, the body is then transferred to a burial container, or alternative container.

Traditional casket

Is wood or metal and is used more than one time and eventually sold, letting the purchaser know it was a rental

Average adult casket outer dimensions

84”x29”

Top seal

A method of sealing a burial vault that utilizes an epoxy compound in conjunction with a tongue in groove closure at the top of the vault.

Air seal

A method of sealing a burial vault that utilizes the air pressure created by placing the dome of the vault onto the base of the vault.

Double seal

A method of sealing burial vaults that utilizes the principle of the air seal in conjunction with an epoxy material at the junction of the dome and the base of the vault.

Grave liner

An outer enclosure that offers protection for the earth load but does not seal. (Typically made from concrete, wood, polymers, or fiberglass.)

Grave box

 An outer enclosure consisting of a body and a 1 or 2 piece lid.

Sectional

A grave liner consisting of 6 or 8 slabs of unfinished concrete placed around the casket.

Urn vault

Metal or concrete vault for urns.

Transfer container

An outer enclosure that protects the casketed remains during transportation.

Air tray

 A transfer container consisting of a wooden tray with a cardboard covering for the casket.

Zeigler case

A metal, gasket-sealed container which can be used as an insert into a casket or a separate shipping container.

Wood box

A transfer container made entirely of wood.

Combination case

A transfer container consisting of a particle board box with a cardboard tray and cover to satisfy air-shipping regulations.

Alternative container

A non-metal receptacle or enclosure, without ornamentation or a fixed interior lining, designed for the encasement of human remains and which is made of cardboard, pressed wood, composition material or pouches of canvas or other material. 

Unfinished wood box

An unornamented casket made of wood which does not have a fixed interior lining.

Combination unit

Any product consisting of a unit or series of units which are designed or intended to be used together as both a casket and as a permanent burial receptacle.

Elliptic casket corner

A casket having ends in the shape of a half circle.

Octagon casket corner

 A casket having 8 angles or corners which has 8 sides or surfaces on the side of the body panel.

Round casket corner

Curved corner formed by the addition of a rounded corner piece that has been stamped or milled during the manufacturing process. The corner is welded into position.

Square casket corner

The sides and ends are joined at a 90- degree angle. Sometimes called the mitered corner, it is less expensive than the round corner because it requires fewer component pieces and fewer hours of labor.

Urnside casket corner

 A casket design which displays a body panel with the shape of an urn.

Vertical side square casket corner (State Casket)

A casket body style with the body sides at a 90-degree angle to the bottom.

Flaring square casket corner

A casket design which displays a body panel with the shape of an urn.