# US 2009/0260204 A1 · Apparatus for Lowering a Cinerary Urn > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0260204 A1 - Document ID: US20090260204A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/420,127 - Filed: 2009-04-08 - Published: 2009-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-04-18 - Inventors: Andre Courchesne - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260204A1 ## CPC - A61G 19/00: Hoisting or lowering devices for coffins - A61G 17/08: Urns (columbaria E04H13/00) - A61G: TRANSPORT, PERSONAL CONVEYANCES OR ACCOMMODATION SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR PATIENTS OR DISABLED PERSONS (appliances for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk A61H3/00); OPERATING TABLES OR CHAIRS; CHAIRS FOR DENTISTRY; FUNERAL DEVICES (embalming corpses A01N1/00) ## Abstract An apparatus for lowering an urn comprises a frame, a substantially horizontal platform for supporting the urn, and a lowering mechanism mounted to the frame that is releasably connected to the platform The lowering mechanism automatically releases the platform when the platform is in the bottom position. To releasably connect the lowering mechanism to the frame, four hangers may be used to releasably connect the platform to respective suspension straps. Each hanger may comprise a square body for insertion through a corresponding square hole in the platform. Each hanger may have a pivoting arm that pivots into a substantially horizontal posture to support the platform from underneath, the pivoting arm of the hanger comprising a counterweight to cause the pivoting arm to return to a substantially vertical posture when legs underneath the platform reach the bottom position. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for lowering an urn, the apparatus comprising: a frame; a substantially horizontal platform for supporting the urn; and a lowering mechanism mounted to the frame and releasably connected to the platform for lowering the platform from a top position to a bottom position and for automatically releasing the platform when the platform is in the bottom position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the lowering mechanism comprises four hangers for releasably connecting the platform to respective suspension straps. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein each hanger comprises a square body for insertion through a corresponding square hole in the platform, each hanger further comprising a pivoting arm that can be pivoted into a substantially horizontal posture to support the platform from underneath, the pivoting arm of the hanger comprising a counterweight to cause the pivoting arm to return to a substantially vertical posture when legs underneath the platform reach the bottom position, thus removing the weight of the platform from the pivoting arm of the hanger to thereby enable rotation of the hanger into the substantially vertical posture that permits the platform to be released by pulling the hangers upwardly through the respective holes in the platform. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the lowering mechanism comprises a reel driven by an electric motor for reeling the suspension straps around each respective reel to thereby lower the platform. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the lowering mechanism comprises a locking mechanism that, during setup of the apparatus, is set for a desired depth corresponding to the bottom position so that the locking mechanism releases the platform when the platform reaches the bottom position and furthermore causes the reel to rotate in an opposite direction to lift the hangers through the respective holes of the platform. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus as claimed in claim 5 wherein the lowering mechanism comprises a tension releaser mounted to the frame for releasing tension on the strap. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the frame comprises a plurality of skirt rods for holding a skirt that conceals mechanisms internal to the apparatus. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the frame comprises liquid-bubble levelers embedded within horizontal members of the frame for levelling the frame. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the frame comprises four substantially upright legs, each substantially upright leg having a hydraulic cylinder for vertically displacing an upper leg relative to a lower leg. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The apparatus as claimed in claim 9 wherein the frame comprises a pair of cable-actuated frame-collapsing mechanisms, wherein each mechanism has a pull rod for actuating a cable that disengages a trigger pin from a hole in the substantially upright leg. ### Claim 11 A disposable H-shaped platform for use with an apparatus for lowering an urn, the disposable platform comprising: four square holes for receiving respective hangers, the holes being disposed in corner extensions of the platform, each pair of corner extensions defining a rectangular cut-out region to enable the platform to be displaced vertically without interfering with the apparatus; and a pair of legs having a depth greater than a pivoting arm of the hanger. ### Claim 12 A method of lowering a cinerary urn, the method comprising: placing the urn on a substantially horizontal platform suspended by a frame of an apparatus; operating a lowering mechanism mounted to the frame of the apparatus to lower the platform and the urn from a top position to a bottom position; and automatically releasing the platform when the platform is in the bottom position.