Improved Bending Apparatus Applicable to the Forming of Handles for Umbrella and other Sticks
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 29th July, 1886.
Complete Left, 23rd Apr., 1887.
Complete Accepted, 14th June, 1887.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Bending Apparatus Applicable to the Forming of Handles
for Umbrella and other Sticks.
WILLIAM DANGERFIELD of Chalford in the County of Gloucestershire, Umbrella
and Parasol stick manufacturer, and JOHN FULTON FERRABEE, of Edgecombe House,
Brimscombe, in the County of Gloucestershire, Manager, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improvements upon an invention for bending stick and
umbrella handles for which a Patent dated March 5th, 1864, No. 561, was granted to
one of the present applicants, the object being to produce the crook or bend, which is
now most generally approved of, and forms the greater portion of a circle.
According to the Patent of 1864, the portion of the stick intended to form a
crooked handle, was, after being softened by heat, lapped around a grooved heated
mandril, and held in contact therewith until the stick was "set"; it was then released
by an endway movement, from the grooved mandril.
According to our present invention, instead of bending the stick to a half round,
which is all that could be done under the Patent above referred to, we crook the stick
to any desired extent, and vary the form of the crook according to taste.-We
employ, as before, a heated mandril, but instead of forming in it an annular groove to
receive the stick, we make it oval, or cam-shaped in cross section, so that the stick,
when laid around it, will take a corresponding form; and the vice, which holds the
stick firmly between its jaws, preparatory to the bending operation, we fit with curved
clams or gripping pieces, which will curve the stick previous to its being lapped around
the mandril.
For effecting this lapping of the stick upon the mandril, we use a steel strap fitted
to the outer or convex clam, and carrying at its extremity a handle. The attendant,
pulling upon this handle, causes the strap to bend the stick over the inandril, and by
hooking the handle to a fixed point, the metal strap will retain the stick in its bent
position until set.--When this has taken place, the stick is released from the grip of
the clams, and may then be slidden off from the mandril in the direction of its axis.

page_text: .
When more complex curves are required, we apply, between the clams and the
mandril, an adjustable shaping block working in guides, and operated by a traversing
screw. We thus obtain an additional curve, the amount of which will be determined
by the setting in or out of the block. If desired, the clams and the shaping block
may, like the mandril, be heated by a gas jet or equivalent means.
For bending any quick curve, or curves, requiring support as the pressure is being
applied thereto, we fit to the acting face of one or both clams, a flexible steel spring,
either straight, or of any convenient curve, and free at one end, for the purpose of
preventing the wood from breaking under the operation of bending.
In some cases we cast the mandril in one piece with one of the shaping clams,
making it solid or hollow as may be desired.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improved Bending Apparatus Applicable to the Forming of Handles
for Umbrella and other Sticks.
We WILLIAM DANGERFIELD of Chalford in the County of Gloucestershire, Umbrella
and Parasol stick Manufacturer, and JOHN FULTON FERRABEE of Edgecombe House,
Brimscombe in the County of Gloucestershire, Manager, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to improvements upon an invention for bending stick and
umbrella handles for which a patent dated March 5th 1864, No. 561, was granted to
one of the present applicants, the object being to produce the crook or bend which is
now most generally approved of, and forms the greater portion of a circle.
According to the patent of 1864, the portion of the stick intended to form a crooked
handle, was, after being softened by heat, lapped around a grooved heated mandril,
and held in contact therewith until the stick was "set"; it was then released by an
endway movement from the grooved mandril.
According to our present invention, instead of bending the stick to a half round,
which is all that could be done under the patent above referred to, we crook the stick
to any desired extent, and vary the form of the crook according to taste. We employ,
as before, a heated mandril, but with no annular groove to receive the stick. This
mandril we make oval or cam-shaped, so that the stick, when laid around it, will take
a corresponding form, and the vice which holds the stick firmly between its jaws
preparatory to the bending operation, we fit with curved clamps or gripping-pieces,
one of which may carry the mandril. These clamps, when brought together, will curve
the stick preparatory to its being lapped around the mandril.
For effecting this lapping of the stick upon the mandril, we use a steel strap fitted
to the outer clamp, and carrying at its extremity a handle. The attendant, pulling
upon this handle, causes the strap to bend the stick over the mandril, and by securing
the handle to a fixed point, the metal strap will retain the stick in its bent position
until set. When this has taken place, the stick is released from the grip of the clamps,
and may then be slidden off the mandril in the direction of its axis.
In some cases, we cast the mandril in one piece with one of the shaping clamps,
making it solid or hollow, as may be desired; but in other cases, we mount the mandril
on an adjustable holder, and thus provide for the replacement of the mandril by other
forms to suit the work in hand.
In the accompanying drawing, Fig. 1 is a plan view of one arrangement of our
stick-bending apparatus, and Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of part of the same, taken
in the line 1, 2, of Fig. 1. A A is a parallel vice, to the jaws of which are bolted
clamps B, C.-These clamps are curved on their acting faces corresponding to the
curve desired to be imparted to the work. The clamp B is made in one piece with
the mandril B', which takes the shape corresponding to the bend of the hook which
the stick to be operated upon is intended to take. Fitted to the clamp C is a steel
strap C, to the free end of which is attached a handle ( for drawing the metal strap
down into its acting position. The steel strap is secured to its handle by screws

page_text: passed through a binding-piece C³, the outer end of which is shaped to enable it to
abut against the end of the hooked stick, when bent round the mandril, and thereby to
form a fulcrum for the lever handle, to put a strain upon the strap and lap the stick
tightly round the mandril.
To prevent the stick from slipping from under the grip of the pressing surfaces,
and to provide also a fixed point for securing the handle in its bent position until the
stick has set, an adjustable table D is provided, which stands in contact with the
mandril B, and forms a support for the bent stick. This table D, it will be seen,
takes the form of a disc, and is held in position by an adjustable arm D¹ fitted to the
back of the vice, and held firmly thereto in its set position by a binding screw D².
Pin holes arranged segmentally are formed in the face of the table D to receive a
stop pin D³, which, when the handle C is drawn into the position of Fig. 1, is inserted
in a hole in the table, and bearing against the back of the handle, maintains the
strap Cat tension.
In order to release the stick, when set, it will only be necessary to withdraw the
pin D³, throw back the strap C', and slacken the grip of the vice, when the stick may
be removed sideways from the mandril, and replaced by another suitably prepared for
the bending operation.
In bending any quick curve or curves, requiring continuous support as the pressure
is being applied thereto, and when a mandril unconnected with the movable clamp is
used, we fit to the acting face of the movable clamp, a flexible steel spring, either
straight or of any convenient curve, and free at one end to serve as a support for the
wood, and prevent it from breaking under the operation of bending.
Fig. 3 shews in partial plan view so much of a bending apparatus as will serve to
illustrate this modification of our invention. The mandril B is, in this case, fitted to
a stud on the disc table D, which may itself be made adjustable on the adjustable
arm D' which carries it.
Fitted to the adjustable clamp B is the supporting spring marked B³, which bridges
over the space between the clamp and the mandril, and thus provides a continuity
of support for the stick while subjected to the bending strain. In this, as in the
first described arrangement, the clamp C, attached to the fixed jaw of the vice,
will carry a steel strap for bending the stick over the mandril, and the same
means as that described may be used for retaining the steel strap at tension during
the setting of the stick. From the foregoing description it will be readily under-
stood that the form and proportions of the crook or bend may be varied at pleasure, by
replacing the clamps and mandril with other forms of these instruments, or, in the
case of the modification shewn at Fig. 3, by readjusting the position of the mandril
with respect to the clamps.
For adjusting the apparatus to suit various thicknesses of stick, the table D is raised
or lowered with respect to the bite of the clamps, in order that it may form an efficient
support for the stick as it is lapped around the mandril.
Figs. 4 and 5 illustrate some simple modifications in the forms of the crooks made
by our improved apparatus, the ends of the crooks having been finished off by hand
in the usual manner.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the ature of our said invention
and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is:
The improved bending apparatus above described, whereby the handles of umbrella
and other sticks may be crooked into various shapes, as above set forth, at the pleasure
of the workman.