IMPROVED MEANS AND APPLIANCES FOR ATTACHING STRETCHERS TO RUNNERS, ALSO IN THE CON- STRUCTION OF RUNNERS OR SLIDING TUBES FOR UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, AND LIKE ARTICLES
Year: 1877

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Thomas James Smith at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 30th August 1877. (Communicated
from abroad by Alfred Gilson, of Paris, France.)
THOMAS JAMES SMITH, of the Firm of Robertson, Brooman, and Company, of
166, Fleet Street, in the City of London, Patent Agents. "IMPROVED MEANS
AND APPLIANCES FOR ATTACHING STRETCHERS TO RUNNERS, ALSO IN THE CON-
STRUCTION OF RUNNERS OR SLIDING TUBES FOR UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, AND LIKE
ARTICLES." (A communication from abroad by Alfred Gilson, of Paris, France.)
The object of this Invention is to dispense with the ordinary cap fastener and
springs, and to substitute a new arrangement of runner on to the sticks or handles
of umbrellas and like articles. The Invention is in fact intended to fulfil the
functions of the known organs. In the first place it compels the ribs to
keep close against the stretchers by a pressing action upon the stretchers when
the umbrella is closed; in the second place, it enables the umbrella to be main-
tained open by means of a bayonet joint attachment which may be fixed at any
part of the handle. These results are obtained by the special combination of
runner which has in the interior a moveable socket capable of sliding longitudi-
nally with reference to the runner. It is this essential and characteristic socket
piece which causes pressure upon the stretchers to make the ribs approach, and
which carries the mortise of the bayonet arrangement, the tenon of which is upon
the stick or handle.
The following description with reference to the annexed Drawings will explain
three different arrangements of runner constructed in accordance with this Inven-
tion. The runner represented in vertical section, Figure 1, and in plan, Figure 2,
is formed with a series of slots or sockets a, cut out to form a kind of gallery;
below the slots it presents as many full parts as there are stretchers to the umbrella;
each of these stretchers b is jointed upon a distinct support c, placed directly upon
each full part of the socket; all these little isolated supports supply the place of
the ring at present employed to serve for jointing the stretchers of the runner.
These supports c, one of which is seen in section and the other in elevation upon
Figure 1, are formed of a sheet or plate of metal cut and folded in such manner as
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page_text: to present two side cheeks d, between which is jointed the stretcher b upon the
pin e, which also passes through the cheeks. Each cheek has a lip folded inwards,
as at i, for additional strength, and because the stretcher is thinner at this part. The
lower portion of each support is split open at the sides to enable the stretcher to
exercise pressure to push back this part which is so to speak independent of the rest
of the support, this pressure being also transmitted to the upper or full part of the
socket a in such manner that the latter, in re-acting, caused by its springyness to
act and determine the approach of the ribs when the umbrella is closed. The bottom
of the support may be also completely raised.
To fasten the supports c within the runner socket a, the extremities f below the
socket are caused to take into little openings provided for this purpose; the opposite
extremities f' are maintained by the socket 9, which is screwed upon the runner
socket a; this socket g is prolonged beyond the thread and covers the supports o at
their lower jointing; the socket a of the runner being necessarily of an elastic
nature is preferably made of steel. An inner turned down ring k in this socket
prevents the extremities f and f¹ of the supports c from touching the handle and
making scratches or streaks thereon.
The two other arrangements are represented in longitudinal section, Figures 3
and 4. Figure 5 is a view of the whole at a reduced scale, showing an umbrella in
its two position, open and closed.
In these arrangements the runner a is formed at is summit with a stronger part
pierced with notches or vertical grooves upon its periphery to receive the extremities
of the stretchers b, b. These latter are jointed upon the same iron wire c passed
through a neck or throat formed for this purpose. The diameter of this runner
relatively to the handle of the umbrella is slightly larger than usual in order that
the movable socket d may be interpolated. This socket is prolonged by a larger
ring d¹, adjusting itself by friction in the runner, and intended exactly to press
upon the ends of the stretchers, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. It thus
abuts upon the bearing e, formed in the interior of the runner, and towards which it
is attracted by a helicoidal spring f, interpolated between the socket and the
runner. In this position the umbrella is closed. The pressure exercised by the
socket upon the extremities of the stretchers straightens them, and draws with them
the ribs, causing to disappear partly the curve given to them to facilitate the
opening of the umbrella. The dotted lines in Figure 5 show this result.
At the base of the movable socket d is screwed a button g, which has for
object to manoeuvre the said socket while drawing the runner with it. To open the
umbrella this button is caught hold of and pushed from bottom to top; the
resistance offered to the putting up causes the spring to compress at the same time
as the socket is displaced on the runner. The ring din raising disengages the
stretchers, and these may thus develope themselves as soon as the runner continues
to slide upon the stick.
When the runner has arrived at the desired point of the handle it is fixed there
by a bayonet arrangement. It is for this purpose that the socket is free to turn in
the runner.
In the part of the ring it is pierced with a notch h, in which the
tenon i, by the well-known movement, is caused to engage and projects upon the
ferrule adapted to the handle.
When the umbrella is open the stretchers may affect two extreme positions upon
the handle, one at the ordinary place of the spring, the other near the nut above
the neutral point situated upon the horizontal plan passing by the joints of the
ribs and stretchers as in dotted lines, Figure 5. The position of the runner is
otherwise entirely optional.
The second arrangement of this system, represented in Figure 4, differs from the
preceding only in secondary points. For better restoring the stretchers it is pro-
posed to terminate them by a side extension or heel, upon which the ring d' effects
pressure more easily. In this arrangement the helicoidal spring f may be dispensed
with, or a shorter one at the base of the runner may be enployed. In this case the

page_text: rib or ledge forming a bearing is lowered. To maintain the socket firmly in its
position of pressure a bayonet fastening is employed, the notch being formed upon
the ring at k, and the pin 7 being formed upon the runner, an inclination termi-
nating the transverse part of the bayonet alot force the socket to lower itself
5 again in the turning movement of the bayonet.