DEVICE FOR TRANSPORTING COFFINS

The present invention relates to a device for transporting coffins.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Devices for transporting coffins are known, usually consisting of conveyor belts which convey the coffin to the desired location. These belts are quite voluminous, and they are typically used in large funerary facilities.

Another type of devices consists of transporting carts especially adapted for this purpose. These carts have the drawback that they occupy too much space, and they do not ease the task of introducing the coffin inside the niche or the crematorium.

Finally, there also exist coffins which are provided with two rollers on its base for transporting them. However, these rollers are fixedly attached to the coffin, so the coffin is more voluminous, and a proper storage, manipulation and positioning of the coffin is not possible.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The aim of the present invention is to solve the disadvantages of the devices known in the art, providing a device for transporting coffins comprising rolling means linked to the coffin, and is characterized in that it comprises means for fixing the position of the rolling means at different distances from the coffin.

Thanks to these characteristics, the device of the invention allows transporting any type of coffin comfortably by adjusting the position of the rolling

means, for example, wheels, according to the requirements. Thus, the device can be used for other purposes, for example, for showing the coffin in different positions.

Preferably, the device comprises a cavity on the lower base of the coffin for housing the rolling means and the means for fixing the position of the rolling means.

Thus, the device is conveniently integrated in the coffin, and the wheels can be hidden inside the cavity when they are not used. Consequently, a coffin comprising the device of the invention in its non-extended position

(hidden) occupies the same space than a usual coffin.

According to an embodiment of the invention, the means for fixing the position of the rolling means comprise a bar which is movable between a plurality of fixed positions, said bar being attached to two pairs of connecting rods which are articulated to each other and to a fixed articulation point of the coffin and which are attached to the rolling means at its other free end, so that the rolling means pivot moving closer or farther from the coffin depending on the position of the bar.

Preferably, the device it comprises a pair of parallel profiles fixed to the coffin which include housings for introducing the bar therein.

Advantageously, the device comprises a spring for keeping the bar inside the housings of the profiles.

Also advantageously, the device comprises a lever for manually extracting the bar from the housings.

According to an aspect of the invention, the device comprises a slidable wedge for extracting the bar from the housings.

According to another aspect of the invention, the connecting rods which are attached to the rolling means comprise means for adjusting their length.

B2005/003328

Thanks to these simple mechanisms, the position of the rolling means can be fixed easily, and they occupy the minimum space.

Preferably, the rolling means comprise a roller.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In order to assist the description of all that has been outlined above some drawings are attached which show schematically and solely by way of non-restrictive example a practical case of embodiment of the device of the invention, in which figures 1 and 2 are views of the device of the invention showing two different positions of use, and figure 3 is a view of the device with a wedge which has been represented separately.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown in figure 1, the device 1 of the invention is located inside a cavity, beneath the lower base of a coffin 2, in the zone of the head. The device 1 comprises two pairs of connecting rods 3 which are articulated to each other and to a fixed point 6 of the coffin 2, and which are attached to a bar 4 at one of its free ends and to a roller 5 at the other end.

The device also comprises a pair of parallel profiles 7 attached to the coffin 2 and provided with housings 8 for introducing the bar 4 transversely therein.

As shown in figure 2, the roller 5 can be fixed more or less inclined with respect to the bottom of the coffin 2 by placing the bar inside the desired housings 8.

When the bar 4 is introduced inside different housings 8, the connecting rods 3 pivot with respect to the fixed points 6, and the roller 5 is positioned closer or farther from the bottom of the coffin 2. The position

of the roller 5 can be modified from a totally hidden position (figure 1) in which the bar 4 is placed inside the housings 8 which are farther from the articulation points 6 and the roller 5 is housed inside the cavity, in such a way that the coffin 2 rests on its bottom, to a totally extended position, in which the bar 4 is placed inside the housings 8 which are closer to the articulation points 6.

There has been provided a spring 9 for exerting a force towards the lower part of the coffin 2 over an axis

10 that connects the two pairs of connecting rods 3 at its articulation points, in order to keep the bar 4 inside the housings 8 and preventing it from coming off accidentally.

The device 1 of the invention is also provided with a lever 11 which is parallel to the connecting rods 3, and which is placed between them, connecting the axis 10 and the bar 4, in order to ease a change of the position of the bar 4 and, thus, to extend the roller 5 at more or less distance. By means of said lever 11, the operator can manually change the position of the bar 4 by introducing his hand through the slot 12. As it can be seen, the spring 9 also eases placing the bar 4 inside the housings 8, and prevents it from being loose.

In order to carry out the above described operation in reduced spaces, the device 1 also includes a wedge 13 (figure 3) provided with arms 14 extending towards the other end of the coffin, and attached to a handle 15. Although in the represented embodiment the wedge 13 is separated from the device 1 for the sake of clarity, the wedge 13 is placed between the bar 4 and the front part 17 of the device 1, in such a way that if the coffin 2 has been introduced, for example, inside a niche, the operator can pull the handle 15 from the outside through an opening made on the bottom of the coffin 2 for this purpose (not shown) , and the wedge 13 is slided. The

wedge 13 extracts the bar 4 from the housings 8, and it is housed inside a slot 16 provided in the wedge 13 for this purpose. Subsequently, the user lets go of the handle 15, which automatically moves towards the front part 17 due to the weight of the coffin 2 until the coffin 2 rests on its bottom. The roller 5 is drawn in and housed inside the cavity of the device 1, in a similar way than as shown in figure 1, but with the bar 4 housed inside the slot 16 of the wedge 13. As it can be appreciated, the device 1 of the invention allows transporting the coffin 2 in an easy and comfortable way. Once the coffin 2 has to be introduced inside the niche or housing, it is not necessary to dismantle or recover any element, as all the elements of the device 1 stay mounted to the coffin 2 with the roller 5 drawn in, as shown in figure 1. This substantially facilitates introducing it inside places of difficult access, as the coffin 2 occupies the same space than a usual coffin. On the other hand, the device of the invention can also be used as a support when the coffin 2 has to be shown. The coffin 2 can be positioned at different inclinations according to the requirements. Thus, additional accessories for this purpose are not necessary, as it is only necessary to change the position of the roller 5.

The connecting rods 3 which are attached to the roller 5 may be provided of a mechanism 18, for adjusting their length, in order to obtain in an easier way the ideal position of the coffin 2.

Said mechanism may consist of a connecting rod 3 which comprises two halves which can be moved longitudinally the one with respect to the other, provided with orifices made at different distances inside which a

pin is introduced for fixing the desired extension of the connecting rod 3.

From the above, it may be deduced that the device 1 of the invention allows a quick and easy manipulation of all types of coffins by means of a simple mechanism, which also can be used as a support of the coffin 2.

Although only an embodiment of the device 1 of the invention has been represented, it could also consist of a telescopic arms mechanism that extend the roll 5 or wheels to the desired position, or any other type of mechanism.