IMPROVEMENTS IN. FERULES FOR UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, AND WALKING STICKS
Year: 1871

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Hughes, of Liverpool, in the County of
Lancaster, Estate Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN.
FERULES FOR UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, AND WALKING STICKS."
Sealed the 3rd October 1871, and dated the 6th April 1871.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Hughes at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
6th April 1871.
I, JOHN HUGHES, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Estate
Agent, do hereby declare the nature of the said Invention for "Im-
PROVEMENTS IN FERULES FOR UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, AND WALKING STICKS," to
be as follows:-
Hitherto the sockets and tips of end ferules have been made each of
one piece of metal or other material, or of two or more pieces of metal
brazed, soldered, or otherwise firmly united into one piece. It has
therefore been necessary when a tip has become worn to refit a new
socket as well as a new tip. The removal and refitting of sockets has
caused damage to the "sticks" and entailed expense.

page_text: My Invention has for its object to provide ferules the sockets of
which need never be removed from "sticks" but may be fitted with
fresh tips at any time. For this purpose I (1) form a screw thread in
or on the socket and a corresponding screw thread in or on the tip,
and unite these pieces thereby, (2), form the socket with a recess or
recesses, and the tip with a lateral pressure connecting spring or springs
to fit into the said recess or recesses; or the connecting spring or springs
may be on the socket, and the recess or recesses on the tip, or (3) form
a stud or studs on the socket and a groove on the tip, or a stud or studs
on the tip, and a groove in the socket, and connect them after the
manner of a bayonet joint.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said John Hughes in the Great Seal Patent Office ou
the 6th October 1871.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, JOHN
HUGHES, of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, Estate Agent, send
greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her
Letters Patent, bearing date the Sixth day of April, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one, in the thirty-
fourth year of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said John Hughes, Her special license
that I, the said John Hughes, my executors, administrators, and
assigns, or such others as I, the said John Hughes, my executors,
administrators, and assigns, should at any time agree with, and no
others, from time to time and at all times thereafter during the term
therein expressed, should and lawfully might make, use, exercise, and
vend, within the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the
Channel Islands, and Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN
FERULES FOR UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, AND WALKING STICKS," upon the con-
dition (amongst others) that I, the said John Hughes, my executors
or administrators, by an instrument in writing under my, or their, or
one of their hands and scals, should particularly describe and ascertain
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same was to
be performed, and cause the same to be filed in the Great Seal Patent

page_text: Office within six calendar months next and inmediately after the date of
the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said John Hughes, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement, reference being had to the accompanying Sheet
of illustrative Drawings, and to the figures and letters of reference
marked thereon, that is to say:-
Hitherto the sockets and tips of end ferules have been made each of
one piece of metal or other material, or of two or more pieces of metal
brazed, soldered, or otherwise firmly united into one piece. It has
therefore been necessary when a tip has become worn to refit a new
socket as well as a new tip. The removal and refitting of sockets has
caused damage to the "sticks" and entailed expense.
My Invention has for its object to provide ferules the sockets of
which need never be removed from "sticks" but may be fitted with
fresh tips at any time. For this purpose I (1) form a screw thread in or
on the socket and a corresponding screw thread in or on the tip, and
unite these pieces thereby, (2), form the socket with a recess or recesses,
and the tip with a lateral pressure connecting spring or springs to fit
into the said recess or recesses, or the connecting spring or springs may
be on the socket, and the recess or recesses on the tip, or (3) form a stud
or studs on the socket and a groove on the tip, or a stud or studs on the
tip and a groove in the socket, and connect them after the manner of a
Figs. 1 and 2 are vertical sections of ferules constructed in accordance
with my Invention, the connection being made by screw threads. a is
the socket; b, the tip. In Fig. 1b is formed with a screwed stem, and
in Fig. 2 a has a screwed stem. In practice these parts are connected
by simple turning until they bind. When a is worn out it is easily
removed by turning in the opposite direction.
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of a ferule, the socket a being formed with
a recess and the tip b with a spring c secured to its side. A transversc
aperture is formed in a at d, so that when bis pushed home the end of c
shall fall into the inner end of the aperture d. To remove b and c it is
only necessary to push a wire through d and compress c.

page_text: Figs. 4 and 5 are also vertical sections where a bent lateral pressure
connecting spring, or two springs e are placed or fixed in a slit in the
stem of b, and there are through apertures to receive the ends of the
springs c.
Fig. 6 is a vertical section of another modification with a double
lateral pressure or two lateral pressure springs. a, socket; b, tip;
g, bent double spring secured to b, and resting when expanded as shown
on the curved surface of a.
Fig. 7 is a vertical section of a ferule constructed with an internal
bayonet joint. a, socket with recessed space; b, tip with stud h. After b
has been entered and pushed home it is turned into the position shown
in the horizontal section Fig. 8.
Figs. 9 and 10 represent a modification similar to Figs. 7 and 8, the
difference being that the recess is formed in whilst the stud is affixed
to the stem of a.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention and par-
ticularized the same in such manner that others will be enabled to carry
my improvements into effect, I would have it understood that I do not
confine myself to the details shown on the Drawings and described, as
other modifications may readily be made and the materials employed
may be varied, although in practice I prefer metal and metal; what I
do claim as my Invention is, so constructing ferules for umbrellas,
parasols, and walking sticks that the tips can be easily attached to and
removed from the sockets, and so also that the sockets need not bc
removed from the sticks when new tips are fitted.
In witness whereof, I, the said John Hughes, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, the Fourth day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-one.
Witness,
JAMES JOHNSON,
Draughtsman to J. T. King.
JOHN HUGHES. (L.S.)