(8) Casket Opening and Closure Methods

What is a gasket?

Single molded piece of rubber along top body moplding flange. An additional gasket is necessary on the perfection half couch and is located along the header flange of the foot cap.

What are the hinges?

Metal pieces that connect the cap to the body of the casket shell. They are located within the parameter of the gasket, ensuring that the hinge will not come in contact with the underground elements. This ensures the integrity of the hunge and ultimately the seal achieved in a gasketed casket

What is the gasket on the foot end of a half couch?

Transverse gasket

What is the end lock locking mechanism?

Uses a slide or travel bar within the top body moldeing. A hex (casket) key is inserted into a portal at the foot end of the casket

What is the side (front) lock locking mechanism?

A slide or travel bar is used in a similar fashion to the end lock but the portal opening is located on the front (viewing) side of the casket

What is the lever lock locking mechanism?

Requires no hex key, but rather a lever permanently affixed to the top body molding which is turned to lock the cap. it is not really as discreet as the end or side locking mechanisms

What is the latch closure lock method?

a simple spring loaded latching mechanism. Some latch closures can be worked with the fingers but others may require a hex key

Wgat is the threaded fastener locking mechanism?

a screw type fastener used to close hunged cap caskets. A thumbscrew extends from the crown into the ogee, where it is received by a threaded metal sleeve

How can caskets be sealed with chemical compounds?

An epoxy such as butyl tape, used to function as a gasket

How is a casket hermitically sealed?

Sealed by fusion or soldering. it is airtight and impervious to external influences

What are the locking methods for a gasketed casket?

-End lock
-Side/front lock
-Lever lock

What are the locking methods for a non gasketed casket?

-Latch closure
-Chemical compounds
-Threaded fasteners
-hermitically sealed

What are the cap opening styles?

-Perfection full couch
-Perfection half couch
-Single hinged panel
-Slip panle (clergy/priests/casket)

On the perfection style casket, the ogee is attached to what?

the crown and part of the cap of the casket

Caskets today are usually…

Perfection half couch

What is a perfection full couch?

Characterized by the open full cap or lid exposing the body from head to toe for viewing purposes. the entire lid is molded as one piece. Sometimes an insert panel covers the foot portion of the deceaased.

What are the characteristics of a perfection half couch?

-Transverse cut through the cap
-Two piece cap split
-some casket companies will have a 50/50 split in the cap

What are the characteristics of a single hinged panel?

-Having a crown only that is hinged
-Ogee or rim does not raise with the corwn when the cap is opened
-Offers only a small or limited viewing area

What are the characterstics of a slip panel?

-Priests or clergy casket
-Complete removal of the head panel from the cap
-Not hinged but is attached by wooden pegs or dowels

What are the average inside casket dimensions of a metal casket?

78in long x 23 wide and 16-24 high
6’6 × 1’11

What are the average interior dimensions of a wood casket?

75’ long x 22’ wide and 16-22 high
6’3 × 1’10

How do overside caskets increase?

-two inches in width
-three inches in length
-Each increase is represented by an x after the size
-Vendors are tweaking average sizes to adapt to trends
-Oversize caskets may require an oversize vault which in turn may require the purchase of additional grave space

How are infant caskets measured?

-6 in length up to 5
-Width will adjust in proportion the length
-Dimensions var greatly beginning as small as 12” in length

WHat is the unwritten rule of thumb for children’s casket?

Children 12 years or older will go in an adult casket
-Children 4 feet or taller will go in an adult