Casket Components 101
Bottom
Beneath casket shell
"seamless casket of 90% copper and 10% zinc (or tin)" describes what type of casket?
Bronze
What is the premier alloy from which caskets are made?
Bronze
Metal Caskets
Bronze, Copper, Stainless, and Steel (16-20 gauge) . More durable than wood, generally. Accounts for 70% of casket sales
Deciduous
(Hardwood) Type of tree which sheds its leaves annually
Square Corner
(Mitered Corner) Less expensive than Round Corners
Coniferous
(Softwood) Type of tree bearing cones and needles
Vertical Side
(State Casket) Body sides at 90 degree angles to the bottom
Laminate
(gluing together sheets of different material) Thin top covering over a thick inexpensive base.
Perfection Cut
A casket in which the rim (ogee), crown and pies are formed as one unit and which is raised as one piece
Stained (wood)
A color stain is applied
Doeskin (Moleskin)
A heavy durable cotton fabric with a short (1/8th inch or less), thick, velvety nap on one side; woven cloth with a suede-like appearance with a nap of less than 1/8th inch.
Casket (FTC)
A rigid container which is designed for the encasement of human remains and which is usually constructed of wood, metal, or like material and ornamented and lined with fabric
Gasketed closure
A rubber gasket is located along the top body molding flange of the casket shell, with another gasket located between the lids. Creates air seal.
Latch Closure
A simple latch secures the cap to the body after closure
Half Couch Perfection Cut
A transverse cut in the casket top or lid allows the head and foot of the casket to be opened individually. Both opened to casket the body and only the head panel open for viewing.
Priest Casket
Casket in which the entire lid can be removed, allowing viewing from both sides
Octagon shell design
Casket shell has 8 angles
Shell
Component panels that compose the cap (lid) and body of the casket
Body Panels
Compose the sides & ends of the casket shell
Describe "Polymer"
Compound similar in appearance to plastic, but with high molecular weight making it extremely durable
Softwood
Coniferous. Lighter & easier to cut than hardwood. (Pine, Cedar)
Hinges
Connect the cap to the body
Describe "Fiberglass"
Consists of extremely fine filaments of glass embedded in various resins. Can be finished to look like metal. Broken down quickly by water.
Non-ferrous Metal
Contains no iron. Copper, Bronze
Poplar
Cottonwood, tulip tree, and willow. Soft white wood.
Round 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.
Hardwood
Deciduous. Resistant to fungi, and usually more expensive than softwood. (Mahogany, Walnut, Cherry, Maple, Oak, Ash)
Flat/Matte Finish
Dull lusterless surface that's free of gloss
Chemical Compounds (for closure)
Epoxy and other cements. Butyl tape used on some infant caskets.
Funeral Rule on families buying caskets from outside the funeral home:
Families can purchase from any vendor, and the home can't charge extra receiving/handling fees for this
Factors contributing to the growth of fungi on wood caskets:
Food (the wood), Moisture (not too much or too little), Air, and Temperature. Kiln-dried wood is immune to decay.
Gasket Channel
Found on cut top gasketed caskets. Integral part of the foot panel header on gasketed caskets. Holds the transverse gasket to seal the space between the head & foot caps
Eternity Bed
Full couch where the lower potion of the decedent is covered in a blanket
Metal finishes (4)
Gloss, Crinkled, Hammer-Tone, Flat
Hardware
Handles, ornamental fixtures, & their fittings that are attached to the casket shell
Unfinished wood
Has no stain or protective varnish
Unstained (wood)
Has no stain, but may be covered with protective varnish
Veneer Casket
Inexpensive particle board structure is covered in a fine wood veneer.
Header/Bridge
Inside the head & foot panels at the transverse cut of half couch perfection cut caskets.
Over-sized or Extra Size Casket measurments
Larger than average. Increased by 2 inches in width & 3 inches in length increments , and an X represents each step in increased size.
Broadcloth
Lincoln's casket. Dense texture, semi-gloss finish
Eco Friendly Casket
Made from bamboo, willow, sea grass, cardboard, and other 100% biodegradable materials. Not always accepted by cemeteries.
Hardwood Caskets
Mahogany, Walnut, Cherry, Maple, Oak, Cedar, Ash, Pine, and populous genus of trees.
Solid Wood
Means all components are made of the same species of wood
Stainless Steel
Metal alloy noted for it's ability to resist rust. Comes in 400, 300, and 200 Series, respectively increasing the grade
Swing Bar
Movable handle with a hinged arm
Slip Panel (Slip Top)
No hinges. Panel over the face & chest of deceased is removed.
Lever Lock
No key, flip lever to lock
Reverse Hinge
Opens for viewing on the decedent's left side instead of right.
Corner
Optional part of the hardware, attached to the four corners of the body panel
How is bronze thickness expressed?
Ounces per square foot. (Higher the ounces = thicker metal)
Body
Portion of the casket shell containing the top body molding, body panel, base molding, and casket bottom
Side Lock
Same as end lock, but key opening is in front of casket
Salix
Select Hardwood. Casket constructed from many different species of wood
Individual/Single
Short handle unit held by one pall bearer
Full Couch Perfection Cut
Single one-piece cap, opens as a unit.
Full length
Single piece handle stretching the entire length of a casket
End Lock
Slide bar in top body molding, key opening is in end of casket
Single Hinged Panel (Single Hinged Cap)
Small opening. Ogee doesn't open, just upper edge
Cloth Covered
Sometimes called "Doe Skin". Base material is inexpensive material like pressed wood or corrugated fiberwood, then covered in cloth.
Galvanized Steel
Stainless Steel with a coating of zinc to increase resistance to rust.
Top Body Molding Flange
The horizontal portion of the top body molding (body ledge) where the gasket is placed on gasketed protective caskets.
Rim Flange/Ogee Flange
The turned under edge or horizontal portion of the rim that comes into contact with the gasket or body ledge flange (top body molding flange).
What influences the durability of the wood?
Toxicity of extractives present, chiefly Tannic Acid.
Fishtail/Pie
Wedge-shaped portion of the cap at each end of the crown
Plywood
Wood by-product made by gluing thin sheets of wood together so that the grains are at right angles to one another
Corrugated fiberboard
Wood by-product made into lightweight, inexpensive caskets usually for direct disposition
Composition board
Wood by-product where particles of wood are bonded together with waterproof glue. (fiberboard, particleboard, pressed board)
What contributes to decay of the wood?
Wood-destroying fungi
Coffin
a case or receptacle for dead human remains which is anthropoidal in shape.
Urnside
a casket design in which the body panels display the shape of an urn
Elliptic shell design
a casket having ends in the shape of a half circle
Flaring Side
a casket shell design in which the sides and ends of the casket body flare out from the bottom to the top; a casket shell design that is narrower and shorter at the bottom than at the opening of the top
Semi-Gloss Finish
a low luster finish
Steel
a metal alloy consisting mainly of iron and carbon
Stationary Bar
a non-moveable casket handle
Bail Handle
a single handle in which the lug, arm, and bar are combined in one unit
Gasket
a single molded piece of rubber
Polished/Gloss Finish
a surface made smooth and glossy usually by friction
Plush (high pile)
a woven cloth with a nap exceeding 1/8 inch
Hermetically Sealed
airtight; impervious to external influence; completely sealed by fusion or soldering
Rim/Ogee
an "S" shaped molding that is a component part of the casket cap
Ferrous metal
any metal formed from iron (steel or stainless steel)
Brushed Metal
bare metal is scratched with an abrasive material and then finished until a smooth high gloss is obtained
Threaded Fasteners
casket closing devices which work like screw or bolt
Satin Finish
has less luster than semi-gloss
Natural finish (wood)
may be stained or unstained with an outer protective coating of varnish or polyurethane
United States Standard Gauge
measurement for thickness of metals; the number of sheets of metal needed to equal approximately one inch thickness.
Casket Sizes
measurements are stated according to inside dimensions and vary between manufacturers
Base Molding
molding along the lowermost edge of the body panels
Bar
that part of the casket handle, attached to the lug or arm, which is grasped by the casketbearer
Side
the "long" sides of the casket
End
the "short" sides of the casket
Tip
the decorative or ornamental part of the casket handle that covers the exposed ends of the bar
Plated Metal
the finish created when a base metal is coated by another metal via an electrolytic process; it is identified when used in casket construction by the term "deposit" as in "copper deposit".
Arm
the part of the casket handle that attaches the bar to the lug
Lug/Ear
the part of the casket handle that is attached to the casket body
Cap or lid
the top most part of the casket shell, including the ogee, crown, pie, and header
Crown
the uppermost part of the cap, extending from rim to rim; everything above the rim.
