Cap Openings, Shell Designs, and Closure Methods

False

An octagonal shell design has 6 body panels.

Cap Opening Styles

1. perfection full-couch 2. perfection half-couch 3. single-hinged panel casket 4. Slip panel casket

True

A shell manufactured in the elliptic style will appear a casket having ends in the shape of a half-circle.

True

A slip-panel cap may be completely removed form the casket.

Methods of Cap Closure

- Gasketed or - Non-Gasketed

Caskets Lacking Gaskets Often Use One of Two Methods to Secure Closed Cap to the Body:

- Latch Closure or - Threaded Fastener

The overall style of any casket is in large measure the result of combining two elements:

- The style of cap opening - The basic design of the casket shell

Side Body Panels

Casket shell designs are further differentiated by the shapes of the casket body panels. The basic variations are most clearly understood when the casket is viewed in cross-section.

Hinges

Connect the cap (or caps) to the body. - inside body ledge flange and ogee flange

True

Generally speaking, round-corner caskets are more expensive than square-cornered caskets.

Casket Shell Design

In addition to the manner in which the cap opens, casket shells are further categorized by the designs applied to the ends of the casket, the style of the casket corners, and the profiles of the casket body panels.

Threaded Fastener (Non-Gasket)

Is frequently used to close hinged-cap caskets. A thumbscrew extends from the crown into the ogee, where it is received by a threaded metal sleeve.

Non-Gasketed Caskets

Simply do not have a gasket feature; although some may be intended to perform the some function as gasketed unit, they will go about achieving that purpose via alternative means. - not designed to inhibit elements

Perfection Half Couch:

The ___________ _______ ________ is a casket in which the ogee, crown, and pies are formed as one unit with a transverse cut in the cap, forming a two-piece lid for the casket.

Sliding Lock Bar / Lever Lock

The ___________ ________ ________ and the _______ _______ are the two most common methods used to secure closure of gasketed caskets.

Transverse

The gasket is adhered to the body ledge flange; in the case of the half-couch casket, a secondary ____________ gasket lies atop the gasket channel found on the foot cap header.

Chemical Compounds

There are two varieties of closure utilized by some non-gasketed caskets that attempt to ensure that the casket is resistant to the entrance of soil and water. - compounds such as butyl tape (a synthetic rubber with excellent adhesive qualities) or epoxies function effectively as gaskets and are frequently used in conjunction with a tongue-and-groove design incorporated into the cap/body. - this method is historically used to close two-piece infant caskets and burial vaults.

Gasketed Caskets

Unit is a casket, almost always of metal or plastic polymer construction, that incorporates a rubber gasket, placed on the perimeter of the body ledge flange (and in the case of a half couch caskets, also on the transverse gasket channel). When the cap is closed, the gasket is compressed against the casket body and held in place by the cap's ogee flange. - designed to inhibit the the entrance of water, soil, and other gravesite elements. - hinges, locking mechanisms, gasket

True

Urnside casket shell design may have either square or round corners.

Vertical Side

a casket body style with the body sides at a 90 degree angle to the bottom. Similar is the state casket, a casket in which the body panels are at the 90 degree angle to the bottom and the corners form 90 degree angles; also called a vertical side square.

Elliptic

a shell manufactured style in the ________ style will appear a casket having ends in the shape of a half circle. - referred to as a "tub" design because of the shells oval shape resembles an antique bathtub. - exclusively considered a female casket

Round-Corner Design

as its name suggests, features are curved corner profile. - more expensive due to the increased amount of workmanship involved.

Urn Side

casket design in which the body panels display the shape of an urn. - round or square corners - design typically seen in the upper-range of construction material.

Square- Corner or Miter

design is just that Square. Side end body panels are perpendicular to one another, joined at a 90 degree angle. - is one of the most easiest and least costly to manufacture. - less finishing work required

Term Perfection:

distinguishes between the varieties most commonly used today and the older "half-couch" and "full-couch" casket designs. Vintage Styles: - the ogee portions of the cap were hinged independently of the crown and would fold outward and downward. - in perfection style, the ogee is an integral part of the cap, attached to the crown. - modern day usage the "perfection" term is usually dropped

Locking Mechanisms

found on gasketed caskets vary in design depending on the manufacturer, but two basic principles are commonly used: the sliding lock bar and the lever lock.

Flaring Square

frequently utilized in the manufacture of lower-range cloth-covered caskets, is a casket design in which the sides and ends of the casket body, flare out from to top; (the casket) is narrower and shorter at the bottom than at the top.

Octagon

is a casket design having eight angles or corners and therefore has eight sides or body panels. - vast majority of octagon-style is mostly seen among inexpensive cloth-covered units.

Perfection Full-Couch

is a casket in which the rim (ogee), crown, and pies are formed as one unit and which raises in one piece.

Perfection Half-Couch

is a casket in which the rim (ogee), crown, and pies are formed as one unit with a transverse cut in the cap, forming a two piece lid for the casket. - transverse cut can be 1/2, 1/3, etc. - head end open

Slip Panel

is a casket opening style in which the cap or lid at the head end of the casket is completely removed from the casket for the purpose of viewing; the remains may be viewed from either side of the casket. - commonly employed by Orthodox Jewish aaron - almost exclusively in wood caskets - hinged on top body molding - cap held in place by dowels - design similar to that of "priest casket"

Single Hinged Panel aka Hinged Cap

is a casket which the cap is in two pieces, the rim (ogee) and foot panel is (sic) one piece which is hinged to the top body molding and the head panel being the second piece which is hinged to the rim (ogee). - entire cap raises

Threaded Fastener (Gasket)

is a screw type fastener. Gasket compression is achieved by tightening screws that secure the cap to the body. - closure method used by Zeigler Case

The process of closing the casket:

is accomplished by means of a "key" usually an elaborately-handled allen wrench, that when turned causes the bar to travel or slide and engage "eyes" or "striker pins" located on the ogee flange, drawing the cap to the body. Keys insertion point: - likely found in the top body molding at the foot end of the casket ("endlock") or at the middle front of the casket ("side-lock" or "front-lock).

Hermetically Sealed

made airtight; impervious to external influence; completely sealed by fusion or soldering. - this method is historically used to seal the massive cast bronze caskets.

Latch Closure

method uses a simple spring-loaded latching mechanism similar to that found in a jewelry box. While most can be actuated with just fingers, some will require a key (described above). - is used on wood caskets and on inexpensive metal caskets.