IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS, SUNSHADES, AND LIKE WEATHER PROTECTORS
Year: 1880

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Septimus Edmundus Carlisle, of Duke Street, Saint
James's, in the County of Middlesex, for an Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN
UMBRELLAS, SUNSHADES, AND LIKE WEATHER PROTECTORS." A communication
from abroad by Alexander Mac Millan, temporarily residing at Boulogne, in
the Republic of France.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Septimus Edmundus Carlislo
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th June 1880.
SEPTIMUS EDMUNDUS CARLISLE, of Duke Street, Saint James's, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS, SUNSHADES, AND LIKE WEATHER
PROTECTORS." [A communication from abroad by Alexander Mac Millan, temporarily
residing at Boulogne, in the Republic of France.]
The Invention communicated to me relates to improvements on an Invention for
which Letters Patent were granted to Alexander Mac Millan, dated the Eighth
day of May, One thousand eight hundred and seventy eight, Number 1854, the
object of the present improvements being to simplify and strengthen the con-
struction of certain parts of the frames of umbrellas, sunshades, and like weather
protectors; the improvements also having for object to allow the umbrella to be
rolled up so as to occupy but small compass, and thus improve the shape of the
umbrella when closed.
In carrying out the present improvements the stretchers are constructed of
corrugated sheet steel and the ribs are formed of semi-tubular steel, so that when
closed the stretchers fit into and over the edges of the ribs, thus allowing the ribs
to fit nearly close to the stick when the umbrella is closed.
That part of the ribs to which the stretchers aro jointed is formed with a "gate,"
and the end of the stretchers are constructed to fit into the "gate," the joint pin
passing through the "gate" and the end of the stretcher in such a manner that the..
Price 6d1

page_text: joint shall not project beyond the rib, but is contained therein instead of projecting
therefrom as usual. The end of the stretcher may if found advantageous be formed
eccentrically, and a spring be adapted thereto to assist in ensuring the closing of
the stretcher within the rib when the umbrella is shut.
Instead of forming the ends of the stretchers and ribs which are jointed
respectively to the runner and top notch with rollers, as described in the Speci-
fication of the said former Letters Patent, they are now formed with a bolt fitting
into corresponding bearings within the runner and top notch, which arrangement
allows the runner and top notch to be made of smaller dimensions than hitherto.
A tip cap with or without a spring may be adapted to the umbrella, such tip
cap being constructed to take the tips of the ribs with the least possible trouble;
it will also be used to push the umbrella up, as it will be adjusted to the runner for
that purpose.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Septimus Edmundus Carlisle in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
28th December 1880.
SEPTIMUS EDMUNDUS CARLISLE, of Duke Street, Saint James's, in the County of
Middlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS, SUNSHADES, AND LIKE WEATHER
PROTECTORS." A communication from abroad by Alexander Mac Millan, temporarily
residing at Boulogne, in the Republic of France.
The Invention communicated to me relates to improvements on an Invention for
which Letters Patent were granted to Alexander Mac Millan, dated the Eighth day
of May, One thousand eight hundred and seventy eight, Number 1854, and the
object of the present improvements is to simplify and strengthen the construction
of certain parts of the frames of umbrellas, sunshades, and like weather protectors,
and also to allow the umbrella to be rolled up so as to occupy but small compass,
and thus improve the shape of the umbrella when closed.
In order to make the Invention communicated to me better understood, I will
proceed to describe the same by reference to the accompanying Drawing, in which
similar letters in all the Figures represent similar parts.
In carrying out the present improvements as applied to umbrellas I proceed as
follows: I use ribs made of grooved' or corrugated steel as ordinarily employed,
and I make my stretchers & also of corrugated sheet steel, but of a much improved
form as compared with ordinary stretchers, that is to say, as shewn in Figures 1, 2,
3 and 3ª, which represent respectively in plan, side elevation, and cross sections
one of my stretchers constructed according to these improvements; the ribs b to be
used with these stretchers are formed, as above mentioned, of grooved or semi-
tubular steel, as shewn in Figures 4, 5, and 6, which represent a plan, a side
elevation, and a cross section of a portion of a rib. By this construction when the.
umbrella is closed the stretchers a will fit into and over the edges of tho ribs b, as
shewn in Figures 7 and 8, which represent a side elevation and a cross section of
the rib and stretcher when closed.
I also make an improved form of joint for connecting the rib with the stretcher.
by making that part of the ribs b to which the stretchers a are jointed with a
gate c, such as is shown in Figures 5 and 7; the ends d of the stretchers a are
constructed to fit into the said gate c; the joint pin e passes through the gate c and
the end of the stretcher, so that the joint shall not project beyond the sides of the
rib b, but shall be contained therein instead of projecting therefrom as usual. The
end d of the stretcher a is formed eccentrically, as shewn, and a spring f is adapted
within the hollow rib b, which spring pressing against the eccentric end d of the
stretcher assists in ensuring the closing of the stretchor within the rib when the
umbrella is shut, as will be seen by reference to Figure 9, which is a sectional view
of part of a stretcher and rib partly opened.
Instead of forming the ends of the stretchers and ribs, which are jointed
respectively to the runner and top notch with rollers, as described in the Speci-
fication of the said former Letters Patent, I find it advantageous to form them in
umbrellas made with my present improvements with a bolt g, Figures 1 and 2,
such bolts fitting into corresponding bearings in the runner and top notch, as
hereinafter described, which arrangement allows of the runner and top notch being
made of smaller dimensions than hitherto, as will be seen by reference to the
elevation, section, and plan of the runner shewn in Figures 10, 11, and 11ª. I
also find it advantageous to form the runner for my improved umbrellas of two
parts; the upper part h, Figure 18, fitting into the lower part i, Figure 19, a
bayonet joint being provided, so that when the ends of the stretchers are placed
in their respective bearings in the top part h, shewn in Figure 12, which is an

page_text: underside view of the top part of the runner, this part can be easily passed into
its position in the lower part i, and the lower part i being then turned the pin m
will move into the horizontal slot of the bayonet joint, and fasten the two parts
together and keep the ends of the stretchers securely in position, or the two parts
may be fastened together by means of pins. The runner is made so that when
the umbrella is closed the part n shall extend beyond the ends of the ribs b to
allow of pushing open the umbrella. The interior of the runner is preferably
provided with springs, as described in the said former Letters Patent. Bearings
corresponding to the bearings are also made in the top notch.
I also find it advantageous to use in my improved umbrella a tip cap, consisting
of a cylinder o sliding on an inner cylinder p fixed to the stick q of the umbrella, as
shewn in Figures 13, 14, and 15; between the inner cylinder p and the stick o̟ is
placed a coil spring r, one end of the spring r bearing against the flanges of the
outer cylinder o, the other end bearing against the flange of the inner cylinder p;
in the outer cylinder is a bayonet slot t, and a correspondingly shaped spring
catch u is fixed within the inner cylinder provided with a push pieco v. By this
construction if the outer cylinder o be pulled (in the direction of the arrow) over
tho inner cylinder p the spring catch u will take into the bayonet slot t, and will
hold the outer cylinder in the position shown in Figures 13 and 14, so as to leave
the tips of the ribs free and allow the umbrella to be opened. When the umbrella
is closed on pressing the push piece the outer cylinder o will be released from
the catch u, and will be carried back by the coil spring 7 so as to embrace the tips
of the ribs, as shewn in Figuro 15.
Having thus described the Invention communicated to me, and the best means
with which I am acquainted for carrying the same into effect, I wish it to be
understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details herein laid down, as
the same may be varied without departing from the peculiar character of the
Invention, but what I do claim is,―
Firstly. The manufacture and use of stretchers for umbrella framos made of
corrugated sheet steel, substantially as represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3 of the
Drawing annexed.
.
Secondly. The improved method of forming the joint for connecting the stretchers
and ribs of umbrella frames, the end of the stretcher, being fixed inside the gate,
with or without a spring acting on the eccentric end of the stretcher, substantially
as herein before described and represented in Figures 5, 7, and 9 of the Drawing.
Thirdly. The combination of parts herein described, and forming when put
together an umbrella frame of improved form and construction, substantially as
herein before described and represented in the respective Drawings hereunto
annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Septimus Edmundus Carlisle, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty eighth day of December, in the year
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and eighty