Record receptacle for a burial vault

DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG.
1 illustrates a perspective view of a burial vault 100 for use with an embedded and sealed record receptacle 140 according to a preferred embodiment.
Burial vaults 100 typically hold a casket (not shown) that in turn contains the remains of a deceased human or other organic creature.
The record receptacle 140 may be cylindrical in shape and contains one or more paper scrolls or other record media (not shown in FIG.
1) having information concerning the deceased and the burial location of the vault 100, printed or stored in an archival quality form and hermetically sealed within the receptacle 140.
The vault 100 includes a lid 110 and a base 120 which may be made of concrete, plastic or other durable material able to withstand the pressure of soil and water when interred in the ground for a century or more.
The lid 110 rests in pressure sealed relation on the base 120 to enclose a casket within the vault 100.
The vault 100 is typically ceremoniously buried in the ground after the casket is enclosed in the vault.
FIG.
2 illustrates a cutaway side view of a concrete vault 100 and an embedded record receptacle 140.
In one embodiment the record receptacle 140 is cast and embedded horizontally in the lid 110 so that the receptacle 140 is positioned substantially parallel with the base 120 of the vault.
The receptacle 140 may be disposed in other positions, however, such as generally perpendicular to the base 120, as discussed in detail below.
A method for casting and embedding the record receptacle 140 in the vault 120 is also discussed below.
FIGS.
3 and 4 illustrate a perspective view of an embodiment of the record receptacle 140.
The receptacle 140 may be made of metal, for example brass, and may be cylindrical in shape, with a hollow body 310, a cap 320, and a sealing agent 330 such as an O-ring that may be made of nylon, neoprene or a durable elastomeric material.
While any O-ring that aids in the creation of a hermetic and/or water-tight seal will suffice, the O-ring is preferably a fluroelastomer such as VITON manufactured by the Dupont Company, headquartered in Wilmington, Del