Vault

Claim 1

A burial vault for use in supporting a casket as when positioned in the ground comprising a base, said base being substantially planar in configuration, a dome portion, said dome portion having integral end and side walls and connected by an integral top wall, said side and end walls of the dome portion being tapered, thereby facilitating the stacking of a plurality of dome portions upon each other, said base around its periphery forming a seat, said end and side walls having a continuous lower edge, said edge being accommodated by the base seat when the vault is closed in preparation for its usage, said dome portion including reinforcement to enhance its load supporting strength, said reinforcement including a series of solid reinforcing ribs integrally formed interiorly of the said dome portion, said reinforcing ribs extending transversely of the said dome portion, with said reinforcing ribs extending transversely across the interior of the top wall and extending integrally down the entire side walls, said reinforcement also including metallic rods associated with the molded dome portion, said rods being embedded within the said molded dome portion and extending across its top wall and down its side walls, said rods being arranged spaced approximately equally distant intermediate the aforesaid transversely arranged reinforcing ribs, and said burial vault being formed of a molded thermosetting polymer.