31 October 2024
Happy Halloween:19th century patents to avoid being buried alive!
Today is Halloween, the spookiest day of the year, when our thoughts tend to turn to the dead and other horrors. It’s the perfect time of year, then, to discuss a fear all of us surely have: taphophobia – the fear of being buried alive.
Putting aside the very remote possibility of falling afoul of a drugs cartel (your line of work depending), someone could be buried alive accidently if they are mistakenly presumed dead. This is not as farfetched as you may think, and a quick google search will return some very worrying news stories on the subject.
Being accidently buried alive was probably far more likely before the advent of much of the medical technology doctors employ today, which may explain the abundance of 19th century patents on the subject in our collection. Below are a few of our favourites.
US 81,437 of 1868 – Improved burial-case
This patent is for a coffin with a detachable vertical tube, which, while attached, creates a means of escape for any poor occupant not quite ready for the grave. Air inlets allow anyone alive inside the coffin to breathe freely and a sliding glass lid allows those above ground to check for movement.
If the occupant is too weak to ascend the ladder, they can ring a bell for attention using the cord placed in their hand during burial.
If, after a certain length of time, it is clear the occupant of the coffin is indeed dead, then the tube can be removed (closing the spring-loaded lid of the coffin) and used in another burial.
US of 329,495 of 1885 – Burial-casket
This invention consists of two removable pieces of apparatus (an air pump and an alarm system), which are connected to a coffin buried under ground. Both are activated when a wire attached to the occupant’s hand detects movement, flooding the coffin with air and alerting those above ground to come rescue this poor soul pronto.
The tube of the alarm apparatus also doubles as a way to view the face of the body within the coffin, by means of a lightbulb and a reflector.
Again, when death is more certain, the above ground apparatus can be removed and used in another burial.
US 500,013 of 1893 – Coffin signal
This invention is intended to alert those above ground that someone is still alive inside a coffin, but it feels a little too easy to miss. But we’re skipping ahead. Mechanisms are placed on the body, hands, and head of the coffin's occupant, and are designed to detect the slightest movement. If movement is detected, a spring-loaded device will raise a signal above the coffin. Looking at the patent illustration, this appears to be a mop. Luckily, this also opens a passageway for air to enter the coffin, as it could be some time before someone happens to walk by.
GB 4,626 of 1896 – Preserving dead bodies from decaying
No picture for this one (and preventing premature burial is only a side benefit), but it is one of our favourite British patent specifications, that just so happens to be perfect for Halloween, with lines such as:
'In fact it will lessen the horror of dying in knowing that when we die our bodies will be preserved and not be a meal for worms, insects, rats, mice and the like. Spirit will also revive the seeming dead.'
Anyway, one for the pickling fans out there.
US 658,247 of 1900 – Apparatus for preventing premature burial
This invention is unlike the others, as it’s designed to be used pre-burial.
It’s quite an ambitious patent really, as it describes an ‘observation chamber’ with tracks on the floor (for ease of movement of the coffins) and side rooms for a furnace and an air pump.
In the centre of the main room sit several airtight ‘observation receptacles’ (complete with glass tops), into which the coffins are wheeled (also complete with glass tops). An air and exhaust pipe ensure a steady flow of fresh air to the potentially still alive occupant. The exhaust pipe leads to the furnace, meaning any ‘obnoxious or infectious gases’ are drawn off and burnt.
As in other patents, an alarm system is placed inside the coffin to detect any movement. Then it’s a case of waiting. Either for the occupant waking up, or for a clearer confirmation of death. In which case the body can be buried safely.
Bonus patent: US 208,672 of 1878 – Improvement in coffin-torpedoes
This invention is slightly off topic, but it’s being included as a bonus as it is on the theme of burial and, quite frankly, sounds bonkers. The torpedo (stay with me) is placed inside a coffin prior to burial and is designed to go off if anyone attempts to remove the body – severely injuring or killing the grave robber. Good luck with that one future archaeologists!
It would probably also be useful for those worried about zombie resurrections as well.
Happy Halloween! Hopefully no one reading this will wake up wishing you had one of these someday.
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Written by Steven Campion, Subject Librarian at the British Library