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Modern Day Foodie
Patents for the Dead: Unusual Inventions for Preserving and Communicating with the Departed
2024-02-03
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I recently wrote the article "Eternal Love: The Concept of Couple's Coffins." While researching that article, I came across the most unusual patents for our dearly departed. These are just a few of the unusual inventions I encountered for the dead. Everything from dead ringers to coffin handholding to metal coffins that preserve the body for a very long time.
Metal Fisk Coffins (1800s)Photo byPublic Domain
Fisk Metallic Burial Coffin
This is one of my favorite coffins. I have always been fascinated with this metal coffin's design and how it preserves the body. This coffin is often found during modern day construction in areas that were once cemeteries in the 1800's. A coffin that went missing/unknown when moving the cemetery or an unknown cemetery. The A.D. Fisk Coffin Patent US5920A was approved in 1848 and expired in 1865.
A.D. Fisk Coffin Patent US5920A diagramPhoto byPublic Domain
According to the patent, the metallic coffin was a cast using low qualtity metal. In addition, the metal is conformed as closely as possible with the form of the human body. In turn making it light and compact. This coffin was popular when having to transport the body long distances. Due to it sealing nature.
Click to see video by Generations Found YouTube, about a woman who died back East during the 1800's. Her husband used a Fisk Coffin to get her back home in the untamed West.
The pattern of the coffin consisted of two shells, an upper and a lower, which join in a horizontal line in the center. The two parts being of the same or nearly the same depth. The two shells are curved in nearly all their parts, and they may be made as thin as the running of the metal allowed. The inventor, Almond Fisk describes that they are strong enough to resist any pressure to which they are subjected. Nearly 185 years later, he has been proven correct in his belief that the coffin would survive.
What do you think of these unusual patents? Let us know in the comments.
Have you ever seen the PBS documentary “The Woman in the Iron Casket?” The doucmentary is about construction workers uncovered a woman during the process of redeveloping a property in Queens, New York. They determined that the remains were of a young African American woman who died in the early 1850s. Her body had naturally been mummified in a Fisk iron coffin that she was buried in. The casket had broken open during the excavations. But she and the coffin were well preserved before the excavation. I recommend watching this documentary.
Fisk Coffin from the The Woman in "The Woman in the Iron Casket."Photo byNY Cemetery Wordpress
Dead Ringer Devices for the Dead?
“Device for indicating life in buried persons”
The “Device for indicating life in buried persons” was granted in 1887 and expired in 1904. They classified this patent as G08B21/22 - status alarms responsive to presence or absence of persons. Basically, a “dead ringer” alarm.
The patent states, this invention relates to a safety device and alarm apparatus applied to coffins for the use and saving of such persons as may be buried while only apparently dead. In other words, they were buried alive!
One of my favorite things about this diagram is how much it looks like Jesus buried alive and the cross at the top. Think about that?
"Dead Ringer" device for those buried alive!Photo byPublic Domain
One modification is the coffin is provided with an opening, over which may be placed an airpipe. This opening and that at the upper end of the airpipe are closed by a hinged or sliding plate, which may be opened by the movement of the buried person pulling a chain/rope, so that fresh air may enter the coffin. At the same time an electric current is closed by opening the plates, which activates an alarm. Hence the phrase "dead ringer."
The second modification is if the coffin is situated in a vault or sarcophagus the air-pipe is placed upon an opening in the cover of the lid/door and a flexible joint is arranged between the closing device of the coffin and the airpipe. The alarm apparatus is in both cases the same.
What do you think of these patents? Let us know in the comments.
Kowski Dead Ringer Device
The Kowski, Patent US500013A is also a “dead ringer” device. But it was granted later in 1893 and expired in 1910.
It was registered under the classification A62B33/00 - devices for allowing seemingly dead persons to escape or draw attention, breathing apparatus for accidentally buried persons. This classification has the description: Devices allowing accidentally buried person to indicate their location (e.g. victims of avalanches, earthquakes.)
The Dead Holding Hands
The dead holding handPhoto byPublic Domain
You heard me right. A system so the dead can hold hands. How romantic! Patent US9770379B1 is the “Tandem casket system with interconnecting passageway to accommodate handholding of deceased persons.” Their application was recently granted and expires in 2036.
As the name suggests, it is two caskets that can facilitate the dearly departed to be able to hold hands for eternity. The caskets are Interconnected by a passageway in which the hands of the occupants of each casket can hold hands. Ingenious!
What do you think of these unusual patents? Let us know in the comments.
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