This invention relates to a coffin particularly but not exclusively composed entirely of biodegradable or recyclable materials.

Conventional coffins are manufactured from wood or other materials. Wooden coffins may utilise environmentally scarce hardwoods. Metallic fittings, fixings or decorations may be employed. Cardboard coffins are used but these lack strength and durability and may present an unattractive appearance.

According to a first aspect of the present invention a coffin comprises a casket and a lid, wherein the casket comprises a support member comprising bottom and side portions composed of paperboard, corrugated board or other suitable foldable material, a base wrapper comprising bottom and upright portions adapted to receive the support member, an upper edge of the upright portion comprising a pocket, an inner liner depending from the pocket within the support to form a lining for the side portion of the support member, the lid comprising an upper support member comprising a top portion and side portions composed of paperboard, corrugated board or other suitable foldable material, forming a lid comprising a cover and side portions dimensioned to receive the side portions of the casket to close the coffin; wherein the wrapper is composed of biodegradable textile material.

The textile material may be selected from cotton, wool, linen and mixtures thereof.

The support is preferably also composed of a biodegradable material.

Use of a textile wrapper enclosing a foldable board member confers several advantages. The entire coffin may be biodegradable and can be manufactured locally providing a low carbon footprint. The textile wrapper is strong but resilient so that the support member may be formed from a lighter weight and more economical grade of foldable board. The wrapper may be dyeable and/or printable presenting an attractive appearance which may be customised for a particular user. Alternatively a pattern may be woven into the wrapper.

Both the support and wrapper may be flat packed for ease of storage and transportation. A coffin in accordance with this invention is light in weight yet stronger and more durable than a simple cardboard coffin. The coffin of this invention is easier to store and transport than a wicker coffin.

Preferably the support member comprises a horizontal bottom and an upright side portion extending from the bottom and forming a corner at the periphery of the bottom; the upper edge of the side portion of the support member forming a continuous lip comprising an opening of the coffin; wherein the bottom and upright portions of the base wrapper form a corner extending around the periphery of the bottom of the support member, the corner being dimensioned to receive the corner of the support member; the upright portion comprising a continuous loop dimensioned to receive and support an outer surface of the side portion of the support member and including a downwardly opening pocket extending around the periphery of the loop to receive the lip.

Preferably the wrapper includes an inner portion extending downwardly adjacent an inner surface of the side.

In particularly preferred embodiments of the side portion of the support member comprises a plurality of independently foldable panels hinged to the base, the pocket holding upper edges of the panels in edge-to-edge relation to form a continuous upright portion extending perpendicularly from the base.

In preferred embodiments of the invention the upright portions of the casket wrapper may include a plurality of handles, for example six handles, the handles being arranged in pairs on opposite sides of the base, strengthening members being disposed on an inner side of the wrapper, each strengthening member extending laterally of the base and being secured to the handles of a pair. Each strengthening member is arranged to extend underneath the base of the support in use.

The pocket may serve to protect the edge of the support member from damage in use. The pocket may comprise a stitched portion between the upper edge of the upright portion of the wrapper and the inner liner. Alternatively a folded section of the upright portion may be used.

The handles may be composed of webbmg or rolled textile material secured to the wrapper at each end of the handle, a respective strengthening member being secured to an end of each handle

The strengthening member may compπse webbing, tape, strapping or folded textile material and may be secured to the handles by stitching, adhesive, fasteners or more than one of these means

The base wrapper may be manufactured with a unitary construction In a preferred embodiment the base wrapper may be inserted over a folded and assembled strengthening member so that the pocket of the wrapper secures the upwardly extending edges of the strengthening member in the assembled position as descπbed below

The coffin may include a liner within the base composed of a waterproof or water resistant biodegradable polymeric sheeting

According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention the support for a coffin comprises an elongate base portion including a generally semi-circular head and foot portions and sides extending between the head and foot portions, a multiplicity of upπght head members hingeably connected to the semi-circular head portion to form a generally semi-cylindrical head for the coffin, a multiplicity of upright foot members hingedly connected to the semi-circular foot portion to form a generally semi-cylindrical foot panel to the coffin, first and second side panels hingeably connected to the base portion by fold lines, each side panel having head and foot ends, first and second head end panels hingeably connected to respective first and second side panels by fold lines, first and second foot end panels hingeably connected to respective first and second foot panels by fold lines, each of the head and foot end panels being divided into hingeably connected sub panels by fold lines extending parallel to the fold lines between the head or foot and side panels

Preferably, the end sub panels remote from the side panels include interlocking members arranged so that first and second head panels and the first and second tail panels may be interlocked to form polygonal, generally semi-cylindrical head or foot panels for the coffin.

The use of the support of this preferred embodiment confers several advantages. The coffin may have rounded, cylindrical head and foot portions formed by coving the polygonal head and foot supports by the textile wrapper. Use of a suitably heavy textile material provides a rounded appearance without a need to deform the support into a curved configuration. Instead folded planar sheets may be arranged to form a generally curved or polygonal configuration for the head and foot portions.

The lid may be constructed in the same way as the casket with the head and foot panels being divided into sub panels held in edge to edge relation by engagement within a pocket of the lid wrapper.

According to a third aspect of the present invention a blank for a support for a coffin in accordance with the first or second embodiments of this invention comprises: a flat sheet composed of paperboard, corrugated board or other suitable foldable material, comprising: an elongate base panel including generally semi-circular head and foot portions and sides extending between the head and foot portions, rectangular side panels hingeably connected to the sides of the base panel by foldable portions; head and foot panels hingeably connected to the side panels by fold lines; each of the head and foot end panels being divided into hingeably connected sub panels by fold lines parallel to the fold lines between the head or foot panel and respective side panel; end sub panels remote from the side panels having interlockable portions; a multiplicity of head or foot members extending radially from the generally semicircular head or foot portions, a plurality of the head or foot members connected to an edge of an end sub panel by a frangible connection.

The blank of this invention has the advantages that a generally rectangular integral sheet or board may be provided, facilitating economical cutting from larger sheets or rolls of stock sheet or board. Ease of storage and transportation without risk of damage are also provided.

The invention is further described by means of example not in any limitative sense with reference to the accompanying drawings of which,

Figure 1 shows a casket and lid of a coffin in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 shows the casket with the lid removed, Figure 3 is a plan view of the base of the casket, Figure 4 is a cross sectional view of the casket, Figure 5 is a partial side view of the casket, Figure 6 shows a blank for a support member for the coffin, and

Figure 7 shows the assembled support member

Figures 1 and 2 are perspective views of a coffin in accordance with this invention In Figure 1 the casket is fitted with a lid and in Figure 2 the lid is removed to show the interior of the casket

Figure 3 shows a plan view of the casket of the coffin in accordance with this invention A paperboard strengthening member (1) is disposed within a cotton, wool or linen wrapper (2) A layer of cotton wadding (3) lines the base of the strengthening member (1) A biodegradable polymeπc sheeting liner (4) is placed above the wadding and is covered with a liner (5) of cotton or other textile fabric The support member has upπght portion (6) having uppermost edges (7) which define the opening of the coffin A pillow (39) is provided at the head end

A cotton or other fabric frill (9) is secured by stitching (40) to the upper edge of the wrapper to form a pocket (8) to receive the uppermost edges (7) of the support member (1) to secure the edges in an edge-to-edge configuration and protect the edges from accidental damage in use The pocket (8) may comprise a hem or folded portion of the wrapper to improve the structural integrity of the assembly

A lid (10) comprises a paperboard strengthening member (11) enclosed within a wool, cotton or linen wrapper (12) The sides (40) and edges (43) of the lid are reinforced with a brown woollen jute tape trim (42) sewn over the wrapper A pleated cotton lmer may be provided on the inside of the lid The lid may be constructed in the same manner as the casket with edges of the lid held in edge to edge configuration by engagement withm a pocket of the wrapper Toggles (14) sewn to wrapper of the body (1) may be engaged with cotton tape loops (15) sewn to the inside of the lid to fasten the lid to the body of the coffin.

Handles (16) each comprise a jute load bearing webbing (16) hemmed and sewn to the wrapper (2) at (17) as shown in Figure 4.

Strengthening members (18) extend between the stitched portions (17) of opposite pairs of handles (16) fastened to the textile wrapper (2). Members (18) each pass beneath the folded support (1) to bear the weight of the support as the coffin is raised by the handles (16).

The strengthening members may be composed of jute tape. Preferably six handles and three strengthening members are employed.

Figures 6(a)(b)(c)show a blank for the foldable strengthening member. The blank for a casket portion is shown in Figure 6(b). The blank shown in Figure 6 comprises a sheet of paperboard, corrugated board or other suitable foldable material. A base portion (20) comprises a trapezoidal central part and generally semicircular or polygonal head and foot portions (21, 22).

Side panels (23) are hingeably connected to the base portion (20) by folds (24). At each end of the side panels (23) head end panels (25) and foot end panels (26) are hingeably connected to the side panels by folds (27) (28) respectively.

The head and foot panels (25, 26) are each divided into hingeably connected sub-panels

(29) and (30) by folds extending parallel to the folds (26). The end panels (30) remote from the side panels (23) are partially cut away to form engageable hooks or lugs (31) so that the two head panels may be coupled together to form a continuous generally semicircular or polygonal head to the coffin when the side panels are folded into the vertical orientation. The foot panels are similarly constructed so as to form a generally semi-cylindrical or polygonal foot to the coffin. In this way rounded head and foot portions may be assembled without a need to bed the board into a cylindrical shape.

A multiplicity, for example nine head or foot members (33) extend radially as discrete strips separated by triangular cut away portions, from the generally semi-circular head or foot portions of the base The outmost two members (34) are connected to the head end or foot end members (25, 26) by means of frangible connections (34) The frangible connections serve to maintain the strength and integrity of the blank during manufacture and storage before use

Figure 6a shows a reinforcing sheet dimensioned to overlay the base portion (20) of the assembled casket Figure 6(c) shown the blank for a lid

Figure 7 shows the assembled support member

In assembly of the blank, the frangible connections (34) are severed and the side panels and end portions are rotated about hinges (24) to a vertical orientation The radially extending portions (33) are rotated about folds (35) into a vertical position to form a polygonal or generally semi-circular array The head and foot end portions (25, 26) are folded inwardly towards the longitudinal axis of the blank and the hook or lug portions (31. 32) are engaged to complete the assembly of the support member as shown in Figure 7

The top edges (36, 37) of the side portions, end portions and optionally of the radially extending portions are secured together in an edge-to-edge manner by engagement within the pocket of the wrapper so that the assembly is rigidly maintained in the assembled orientation without need for chips or other fasteners

The construction of the lid may be similar to the construction of the base portion although a less rigid arrangement may be employed