Improvements in Umbrellas.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Dec., 1899-Accepted, 14th Apr., 1900
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Umbrellas.
I, ADDISON BOVEE CAMERON, of Ennis, Madison County, in the State of Montana
and United States of America, School Teacher, do hereby declare the nature
of this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be particu-
Jarly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention relates to umbrellas, and particularly to means for automatically
opening the same the object in view being to provide an umbrella that can be
opened with one hand while the other hand of the person performing such
operation is occupied, and also to readily open the parts of the umbrella on the
supporting stick by pressure of a portion thereof against an object, the mechanism
for effecting such operations being simple and effective, strong and durable and
comparatively inexpensive and also regulated as to strain or tension to such a
degree as not to injure the fabric covering of the umbrella, or loosen the several
connected parts.
The invention consists essentially of a stick having a sleeve slidingly mounted
on the outer end, a spring being held partially against the sleeve and within the
adjacent portion of the stick, and said sleeve having the ribs movably connected
thereto and provided with hinged stretchers with intermediate break joints, the
inner parts of the stretchers being attached also to the sleeve by braces, as well as to
the stick, and the said sleeve held locked at times through the medium of a
sliding collar connected thereto by a wire rod and co-acting with a catch on
the stick.
The invention further consists of the details of construction and arrangement
of the several parts which will be more fully hereinafter described and claimed.
In the accompanying drawing:
Figure 1 is an elevation of a stick and a part of an umbrella frame embodying
the features of the invention, and illustrating the position of the parts in dotted
lines, when closed.
Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional elevation of a portion of the stick and the
improved devices co-acting therewith, shown open in full lines, and closed in
dotted lines.
Figure 3 is a detail sectional view of a catch for the locking collar of the
improved device.
Similar numerals of reference are employed to indicate corresponding parts in
the several views.
The numeral designates an umbrella stick of any suitable dimension or
design, having on the inner portion thereof, adjacent the handle or grip, a spring
catch 2, which may be of the usual resilient wire construction, and held within
the said stick at opposite portions. The outer end of the stick 1 is formed with
a longitudinal socket or bore 3, and thereover is slidingly fitted a sleeve 4 having
an outer closed thickened end 5. Between the ends of the said sleeve 4, a circum-
ferential projection or ring 6 is located and either formed integral with the said
sleeve or attached thereto. The inner end of the ribs 7 are movably connected to the
projection or ring 6, at regular intervals, and to the said ribs, the outer ends
D

page_text: of stretchers 8 are pivotally secured and at their inner ends, moveably attached
to a collar 9 fixed permanently on the stick 1 at a suitable distance from the outer
end of the latter. The stretchers 8 have hinged joints 10 therein at a suitable dis-
tance from the ribs 7, said hinged joints opening outwardly and dividing the
stretchers into inner and outer sections 11 and 12. These hinged joints 10
will be preferably of that class known as "rule" joints, that freely break when
pressed in one direction and resist movement in the opposite direction of the parts
which they connect. The inner sections 12 of the stretchers 8 have the lower ends
of braces 13 movably attached thereto, the upper ends of said braces being
pivotally connected also the projection or ring 6 on the sleeve 4, below the points
of attachment of the ribs 7 thereto. To the inner end of the sleeve 4, a wire or
wire rod 14 is secured, and at its opposite end also attached to a collar 15, freely
movable on the stick 1 in the vicinity of the catch 2, said collar being formed
with a longitudinal slot 16, to receive the projecting locking portion of the
said catch. The catch 2 has a thumb projection 16ª in advance of the collar 15
when the latter is locked, so that the said catch may be released from the collar
without touching the latter and thereby avoid pinching the fingers. The sleeve 4
operates in one direction against the resistance of the coiled spring 17, which is
in part seated in the socket or bore 3, in the outer end of the stick 1, and also
bears against the inner wall of the thickened end 5 of the said sleeve. The
sleeve 4 is made sufficiently thick and strong to resist hard usage and the
strain that may be brought to bear thereon by constant use, and by extending over
the outer end portion of the stick 1, the latter is also protected thereby.
When the umbrella frame is in its closed condition, the ribs 7 lie closely
against the stick 1, with the stretchers 8 folded, as clearly shown in dotted lines
Figure 2, and between the braces 13, which will be also close to the stick, and the
said ribs. To hold the parts in open position, the collar 15 is provided and con-
nected to the sleeve 4, as herein before set forth, said collar moving towards the
grip end of the stick 1 and receiving the catch 2 and thereby retaining the said
sleeve 4 in an inwardly drawn position against the repellant action of the
spring 17. To acquire this open condition, it is only necessary for the operator,
or person carrying the umbrella, to press the thickened end 5 of the sleeve 4
against some stable object or surface. This will move the sleeve 4 inwardly, over
the outer end of the stick 1, and at the same time exert an inward
pressure on the braces 13, which will throw the section 12 of the
stretchers 8 open and simultaneously throw out the ribs 7. When these parts
have assumed the several positions just set forth, and as shown by Figure 1, the
collar 15 will be in engagement with the catch 2. This mode of opening the
umbrella is one of the essential characteristics resulting from the precise arrange-
ment of the several parts, as specified. It will be understood however, that the
umbrella is not confined exclusively to this mode of opening the same, as at
times, the collar 15 may be grasped and pulled towards the grip end of the stick
or in a direction reverse to the movement of the slide of an ordinary umbrella.
In closing the umbrella, it is only necessary to release the catch 2 from the
collar 15, and the spring 17, which is always compressed when the sleeve 4 is
drawn inwardly, is free to suddenly throw out or expel the said sleeve 4 and simul-
taneously draw upwardly on the braces 13 the sections 12 of the stretchers 8 and
throw the ribs 7 and sections 11 of said stretchers inward in the folded position
shown in dotted lines in Figures 1 and 2.
The advantage to be gained by the improved umbrella stretcher, heretofore
set forth, is the convenience offered thereby at times when it is troublesome to
raise or lower an umbrella without disengaging both hands and leaving them
free to manipulate the umbrella. It frequently happens that while carrying a
valise or bundle in one hand, it is necessary to use an umbrella that may be
carried in the other hand in closed condition. It is necessary, in the common
form of umbrella to entirely free the hands, before a successful opening operation
can be obtained, and likewise in closing the same. By the present device, the

page_text: umbrella can be quickly raised with one hand by pressing the sleeve against
some object, as before indicated, or when the use of an umbrella is not further
desired, a simple pressing on the catch 2 holding the collar 15 will result in an
immediate closing of the parts.
To accommodate various applications of the invention, changes in the form,
proportion, size and minor details of construction may be resorted to, within the
spirit and without sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:―
In an umbrella, the combination of a stick a sleeve movably mounted on the
outer end of the said stick a spring interposed between the said sleeve and
stick, ribs movably attached to the said sleeve, stretchers having intermediate
hinged joints opening upwardly and respectively connected to the stick and the
ribs, braces movably attached to the inner portions of the stretchers and also to
the sleeve, and means for holding the sleeve drawn inwardly against the repellent
action of the spring.