IronBladen

A fairly plain looking yet sturdy wooden coffin made to stand upright on it's end, for the purpose of public beheading. The lid would be hinged to the coffin at the top end, with a slot that aligns with the corpse-to-be (slash offender slash public enemy)'s neck, where a steel blade can be fitted at a right angle, so that on slamming the coffin lid shut using the force of gravity induced by a simple tug on a short pull-rope attached to one side of the lid, the beheading is neatly enacted, simultaneously enclosing the corpse in it's coffin ready for burial slash cremation slash other means of disposal.

For extra convenience (and public safety) the coffin would be fitted with wooden stocks for the neck and ankles, so that the guillotinee slash willing test subject slash martyr stays put while the reasons for the execution are read out. The neck stock would be high enough under the guillotinee's chin that it stretches their neck for the blade to make a nice 'chop!' without being hindered.

Also , the IronBladen could have a plexiglass window in it at face level, so that the corpse's expression post beheading can be satisfactorily viewed and even photographed, strictly for scientific purposes only, of course.

It might be expedient to fit two small wheels to the bottom edge of the IronBladen, so that it can be rolled away easily after the job is done.

As an added measure of neatness and convenience, the coffin could contain a double layered lining on it's inner walls; the first layer consisting of a moisture-proof material such as PVC or some other sort of plastic material, and on top of that, a layer of super-absorbent material, so that the coffin, once slammed shut, becomes a watertight capsule that leaves no mess behind it once rolled away.

The blade can be removed, re- sharpened, and used for the next execution, to slash costs slash expenses slash save government money slash slash slash slash I'm getting carried away now....eek