IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF STRETCHERS AND RIBS FOR UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS
Year: 1873

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Holland, of the Firm of Cox Brothers
and Holland, of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manu-
facturers, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE
MANUFACTURE OF STRETCHERS AND RIBS FOR UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS."
Partly a communication from abroad by Auguste Boin, of Vincennes,
near Paris, France.
Sealed the 20th March 1874, and dated the 31st October 1873.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Holland at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
31st October 1873.
I, WILLIAM HOLLAND, of the Firm of Cox Brothers and Holland,
of Birmingham, in the County of Warwick, Manufacturers, do hereby
declare the nature of the said Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY
FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF STRETCHERS AND RIBS FOR UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS,"
to be as follows:―
The said improvements in machinery for the manufacture of stretchers
for umbrellas and parasols consist in constructing, arranging, and
A

page_text: working the parts of the said machinery in the following manner :-The
feeding into the machine of the wire from which the stretcher is made
is effected by a gripping lever performing an oscillating motion, the
gripping end of the said lever gripping and carrying forward the wire in
its advance motion, but loosing its hold on the wire in its return
motion.
The wire is flattened or compressed near the point at which it is to be
cut off, the flattened part forming the joint end of one stretcher.
The flattening or. compression is effected by dies working horizontally,
and approaching the wire transversely from opposite sides. After the
wire has advanced further in the machine it is cut off at the impressed
part, and the plain end of the wire is slit and opened out to form the
fork, by which the stretcher is jointed to the rib.
The cutting off of the wire and the formation of the fork are effected
by the following arrangement of parts:-The cutting off is effected by
two cutting tools situated horizontally. The tools advancing simul-
taneously cut off the wire, in doing which a small piece is cut out for
the purpose of removing the metal where the impressed part passes into
the plain part. During the cutting off the wire is held between two
tools, the acting face of each having the figure of one-half the wire, and
the wire exactly fills up the cavity made by the opposed grooves in the
tools. One of the said tools is capable of performing a motion of partial
rotation on one of its longer edges as an axis. Immediately the wire is
cut off the moveable tool performs the motion described, and in doing
so slits or divides the wire, one-half of which is held in it, and the other
half in the other tool. The half of the wire slit by the motion of the
moveable tool is raised from the other half, its end making a considerable
angle with a horizontal plane. While one arm of the fork thus made is
raised a flat tool descends between the arms and opens them out, the
tools holding the wire receding slightly. The moveable slitting tool
performs its return rotatory motion, and brings the arm of the fork into
a horizontal position.
The nearly formed fork advances against and embraces a shaping tool
for shaping the fork, and two tools advancing simultaneously on opposite
sides compress the arms of the fork against the said shaping tool and
perfect the figure of the fork. The fork next descends until its arms are
opposite cutting edges of the shaping tool, when cutting tools advance

page_text: and cut off the ends of the fork, and thereby perfect the shape of the
fork. The stretcher is removed from the machine by a "knocker-off."
The motions of the several working parts are taken from a single shaft.
The motion of the feeder is taken from an adjustable crank on the end
of the shaft, while the motions of the other parts are taken from cams
on the said shaft, which give motion to levers connected with the tools
and moving parts.
The improvements in machinery for the manufacture of ribs for
umbrellas and parasols consist in constructing and arranging the
working parts of the said machinery essentially as follows:-An axis
carrying three discs receives an intermittent rotatory motion from the
driving shaft by means of a crank, connecting rod, ratchet wheel, and
pawl. In the peripheries of these discs are notches, in which the cut
lengths of wire to be formed into ribs fall one at a time from a hopper
or fceder, against which the discs work. The wires are thus taken
singly by the said discs, and cach wire when at the highest point of its
path is operated upon by several pairs of tools. These tools effect the
flattening at the two ends of the wire to form the notch joint and the
attachment for the fabric, and a marking in the middle for the stretcher
joint. There is also formed the knob at the end of the rib. The three
beds in the peripherics of the discs, in which the wires are received,
form the fixed tools of the several pairs of tools (the said tools being
stationary during the shaping of the wire), while the flattening and
marking tools have a vertical motion, and by their descent produce the
required compressions and marking, the metal being compressed between
them and the fixed tools.
The formation of the knob is effected by a heading tool moving in the
direction of the axis of the wire, and forming the head by an "upsetting"
action. After the shaping of the wire it commences its motion on the
descending side of the discs, and when it is at or near the lowest point
of the path described by the peripheries of the discs it falls from the
machine. The motions are taken from one shaft by cams and levers.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent,
filed by the said William Holland in the Great Seal Patent Office
on the 25th April 1874.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, WILLIAM
HOLLAND, of the Firm of Cox Brothers and Holland, of Birmingham,
in the County of Warwick, Manufacturers, send greeting. .
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Thirty-first day of October, in the year of our
Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-three, in the thirty-
seventh year of. Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors,
give and grant unto me, the said William Holland, Her special license that
I, the said William Holland, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or
such others as I, the said William Holland, 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, excrcise, and vend, within the
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and
Isle of Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN MACHINERY FOR THE MANU-
FACTURE OF STRETCHERS AND RIBS FOR UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS," the result
partly of a communication made to me from abroad by Auguste Boin, of
Vincennes, near Paris, France, and partly of Invention and discovery
made by me, upon the condition (amongst others) that I, the said
William Holland, my executors or administrators, by an instrument in
writing under my, or their, or one of their hands and seals, 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 Office within six calendar months next
and immediately after the date of the said Letters Patent.
NOW KNOW YE, that I, the said William Holland, do herebydeclare
the nature of the said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement thereof, that, is to say :-
The said improvements in machinery for the manufacture of stretchers
for umbrellas and parasols consist in constructing, arranging, and
working the parts of the said machinery in the following manner:-
The feeding into the machine of the wire from which the stretcher is
made is effected by a gripping lever performing an oscillating motion,

page_text: the gripping end of the said lever gripping and carrying forward the
wire in its advance motion, but loosing its hold on the wire in its return
motion.
The wire is flattened or compressed near the point at which it is to be
cut off, the flattened part forming the joint end of one stretcher. .
The flattening or compression is effected by dies working horizontally
and approaching the wire transversely from opposite sides. After the
wire has advanced further in the machine it is cut off at the impressed
part and the plain end of the wire is slit and opened out to form the
fork by which the stretcher is jointed to the rib.
The cutting off of the wire and the formation of the fork are effected
by the following arrangement:-The cutting off is effected by two
cutting tools situated horizontally. The tools advancing cut off the wire,
in doing which a small piece is cut out for the purpose of removing the
metal where the impressed part passes into the plain part. During the
cutting off the wire is held between two tools, the acting face of each
having the figure of one half the wire, and the wire exactly fills up the
cavity made by the opposed grooves in the tools. One of the said tools
is capable of performing a motion of partial rotation on one of its longer
edges as an axis. Immediately the wire is cut off the moveable tool
performs the motion described, and in doing so slits or divides the wire,
one half of which is held in it and the other half in the other tool. The
half of the wire slit by the motion of the moveable tool is raised from
the other half, its end making a considerable angle with a horizontal
plane. While one arm of the fork thus made is raised a flat tool
descends between the arms and opens them out, the tools holding the
wire receding slightly. The moveable slitting tool performs its return
rotary motion and brings the arm of the fork into a horizontal position.
The nearly formed fork advances against and embraces a shaping tool
for shaping the fork, and two tools advancing simultaneously on opposite
sides compress the arms of the fork against the said shaping tool and
perfect the figure of the fork. The fork next descends until its arms are
opposite cutting edges of the shaping tool, when cutting tools advance
and cut off the ends of the fork and thereby perfect the shape of the.
fork. The stretcher is removed from the machine.by a knocker-off.
:
The motions of the several working parts are taken from a single:
shaft; the motion of the feeder is taken from an adjustable crank on:

page_text: the end of the shaft, while the motions of the other parts are taken
from cams on the said shaft which give motion to levers connected with
the tools and moving parts.
The improvements in machinery for the manufacture of ribs for
umbrellas and parasols consist in constructing and arranging the
working parts of the said machinery essentially as follows:-An axis
carrying three discs receives an intermittent rotatory motion from the
driving shaft by means of a crank, connecting rod, ratchet wheel, and
pawl. In the peripheries of these discs are notches in which the cut
lengths of wire to be formed into ribs fall one at a time from a hopper
or feeder against which the discs work. The wires are thus taken singly
by the said discs, and each wire when at the highest point of its path is
operated upon by several pairs of tools. These tools effect the flattening
at the two ends of the wire to form the notch joint, and the attachment
for the fabric, and a marking in the middle for the stretcher joint; there
is also formed the knob at the end of the rib. The three beds in the
peripheries of the discs in which the wires are received form fixed tools
of the several pairs of tools (the said tools being stationary during the
shaping of the wire), while the flattening and marking tools have a
vertical motion, and by their descent produce the required compressions
and marking, the metal being compressed between them and the fixed
tools.
:
The formation of the knob is effected by a heading tool moving in the
direction of the axis of the wire and forming the head by an upsetting
action. After the shaping of the wire it commences its motion on the
descending side of the discs, and when it is at or near the lowest point of
the path described by the peripheries of the discs it falls from the
machine. The motions are taken from one shaft by cams and levers.
Having explained the nature of the said Invention I will proceed to
describe with reference to the accompanying Drawings the manner in
which the same is to be performed.
Figure 1 represents a side elevation, and Figure 2 a plan of a machine
for the manufacture of stretchers for umbrellas and parasols constructed
according to the said Invention.
Figures 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, are transverse vertical sections of the

page_text: Figures 9, 10, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, and 22,
represent the "principal tools of the machine, and parts connected
therewith, drawn of the full size.
The same letters and figures of reference indicate the same parts in
Figures 1 to 22, both inclusive of the accompanying Drawings.
a is the wire square (or of other Figure) in cross section from which
the stretchers are to be made. The said wire is straightened as it is fed
into the machine by passing between the sets of vertical rollers b, b, and
horizontal rollers c, c. One set of the said vertical rollers b, b, is carried
by a sliding plate d, and one set of the horizontal rollers c, c, is carried
by a similar plate e. The said plates d and e are adjusted and fixed by
the levers ff. The said levers are capable of screwing in their axes for
the fine adjustment of the plates d and e; g is the feeding slide working
on a dovetail on the bed of the machine (see Figure 3), and i is the
gripping lever between which and the slide 9 the wire a is gripped to
feed it into the machine. The said gripping lever i turns on the
centre carried by the feeding slide 9, and the said gripping lever is
brought into and raised out of action and the feeding slide worked by.
the following parts :-On the end of the driving and cam shaft k of the
machine is a crank plate to the crank pin 12 on which the connecting
rod is jointed. The end of the connecting rod 13 is jointed to the
short arm m² of the cranked lever m, m², fixed on the rocking shaft m³,
the said rocking shaft m³ turning in bearings at m², m. The end of the
long arm m of the cranked lever m, m², is connected by the link m³ to
the gripping lever i on the feeding slide 9. The joint by which the end
of the connecting rod is secured to the short arm m² of the cranked
lever m, m², is so constructed that the said end of the connecting rod is
made capable of a partial rotation upon the short arm m² of the lever, as
the said rod makes its angular motion on the rotation of the crank plate 7.
The construction of the joint will be understood by an examination of
the detached view of the joint, Figure 1.
The crank pin on the crank plate is adjustable by means of a.
screw and screw box for the purpose of increasing or diminishing at
pleasure the throw of the crank, and thereby adjusting the length of
feed. By the rotation of the crank plate an oscillatory motion is given
through the crank rod / to the cranked lever m, m³, and a reciprocating
motion is communicated to the feeding slide g. As the slide 9 makes

page_text: its advance motion the gripping lever i comes into action and the wire
is gripped between it and the slide 9 and a length of wire sufficient to
form a stretcher is fed into the machine, the said slide coming against
an adjustable stop 93. As the slide 9 makes its return motion the
gripping end of the lever i is raised out of action and the said lever and
the slide move over the wire, but do not carry it with them. A stop
at g³ limits the back or return motion of the feeding slide g. The
wire a fed into the machine passes through a tube p and is flattened or
compressed near the point where it is to be cut off to form the joint end
of one stretcher, and the fork end of another stretcher by means of the
horizontal compressing dies n, n, (see Figures 2 and 4). The saiḍ
dies n, n, are situated on opposite sides of the wire a and are carried by
dovetail slides n³, n³, working in the bed of the machine. The said
flattening dies n, n, are simultaneously advanced by the action of the
levers n³, n³, the short arms of which take into openings in the slides n², n²,
of the said dies as best seen in the transverse séction, Figure 4. The
levers n³, n³, are worked by the cams nt, n', on opposite sides of the
shaft k. The said levers n³, n³, are pressed into contact with their
respective cams, and the return motions of the said levers produced by
the coiled springs represented bearing on the longer arms of the said
levers. The wire a having been compressed at a³ the next stroke of the
feeder carries the said wire through the tube p, and brings the impressed
part a opposite the cutting off tools by the action of which the wire is
cut off at the said impressed part and the joint end of a stretcher

page_text: Figure 10 represents partly in end elevation and partly in longi-
tudinal section the slitting tools and other parts.
Figure 11 represents in longitudinal section the cutting, slitting, and
gripping tools after the impressed part of the wire has been cut off, and
shows the position of one of the slitting tools during the formation
of the fork.
Figure 12 represents in side clevation and Figure 13 in plan the
holder of the moveable slitting tool, and Figure 14 represents the bed
upon which the slitting tool holder turns.
Figure 15 represents in elevation the moveable cutter separately and
Figure 16 the connecting piece of the said cutter; Figure 17 represents
the fixed cutter separately; Figure 18 the fixed slitting tool; and
Figure 19 the gripping tools separately.
r
I will now describe the construction and action of the cutting-off and
slitting tools and parts connected with them. q is the moveable cutter
working horizontally, and having the shape best seen in the detached
view, Figure 15, and longitudinal sections, Figures 9 and 11; q is the
fixed cutter shown separately in Figure 17, consisting of a peg over
which the hollow part of the moveable cutter q slides; r, ², are the
pair of slitting tools. The slitting tool is carried in the holder ³, by
which a partial rotation can be given to it (as represented in Figure 11),
and the said moveable slitting tool is also capable of a transverse
sliding motion in the said holder for the purpose herein-after explained.
The slitting tool is fixed. The holder ³ of the moveable slitting
tool turns on the curved bed 7. The acting face of each of the
sliding tools r, r, has a groove in it of the figure of one half of the
wire a, as represented, and the wire exactly fills up the cavity made by
the opposed grooves in the said slitting tools r, r. Immediately in
front of the feeding tube p is a pair of gripping tools s, s, by which the
the wire is gripped while being cut off, slit, and the fork roughly formed.
These gripping tools 8, 8, (shown separately in Figure 19) are connected
together by a cross piece 83, which permits the said tools to slightly
separate for the feeding of the wire between them.
.
The impressed or flattened part a of the wire a having been fed
between the cutting tools q, q³, and the wire held in the slitting tools r, 1²,
and gripped by the gripping tools 8, s, the moveable cutting tool q
advances and its tubular part passes on to the peg or fixed cutter q² and
.

page_text: cuts off the wire near where the impressed part passes into the plain
part, thereby giving a curved figure to the joint end of the stretcher, as
seen in Figure 11. By the same motion of the cutting tool the wire
is cut off square between the side of the cutting tool q and the side of
the moveable slitting tool r. A small piece of metal is thereby cut out
between the rounded joint end of one stretcher and that end of the wire
behind it from which a fork is to be made. The piece cut off falls into
the passage in the bed * of the moveable slitting tool holder, and is
conducted away from the machine. Immediately the wire is cut off the
moveable slitting tool has a partial rotation given to it, and takes
the position represented in Figure 11. By this motion of the moveable
slitting tool r the end of the wire is slit or divided down its middle, the .
half of the wire held in the said slitting tool being raised from the
half held in the fixed slitting tool 72. During the rising of the move-
able slitting tool with the half of the fork in it the said tool slightly
retires from the fixed slitting tool ², carrying with it the half of the
fork, by which motion the two arms of the fork are separated as illus-
trated in Figures 10 and 10ª.
.
The separation described of the arm of the fork.in the moveable
slitting tool and the turning aside of the wire is permitted by the
conical figure of the front of the gripping dies 8, 8, (see Figure 10). The
arms of the fork having been thus separated a shaping tool t (Figure 9)
descends between the open arms of the fork and roughly shapes the said
fork. Before the shaping tool t operates upon the fork the slitting
tool makes its return rotary motion and brings the raised arm of the
fork into a horizontal plane. The arm of the fork in the stationary
slitting tool is held in the groove in the said tool when the rotary and
sliding slitting tool is removed from it by the projecting piece rª on
the tool holder which said projecting piece on the motion of the
slitting tool crosses the groove in the fixed slitting tool (see Figures 10,
10 and 11), and the raised arm of the fork in the rotary slitting tool r
is held in the groove in the said tool by the advance of the slide u,
(see Figures 10 and 104), the pointed end of which bears against the
said arm in the said tool. The projecting piece and slide u retire as
the shaping tool t enters the fork.
The moveable cutter q, moveable slitting tool r, gripping tools 8, 8,
slide u, and shaping tool t, are worked in the following manner :-The
moveable cutter q is worked by the lever 9° (see Figure 6), the upper

page_text: ene of which is engaged with the crutch end of the connecting picce q*,
(see the plan, Figure 2). The lever q³ is acted upon by the periphery of
the cam go to give the advance motion to the cutter, and by the part q¹º
of the said cam, acting upon the projecting plate q" on the end of
the said lever to withdraw the said cutter. The holder 78 carrying the
rotatory and sliding slitting tool is worked by the slide " jointed to the
front end of the said tool holder. The lifting of the slider is effected
by the cam 8 (see Figures 1 and 6), and its return motion by a
projection on the side of the cam acting upon a projection. on the.
extreme end of the slide. The moveable slitting tool ris advanced to
the fixed slitting tool and the moveable slitting tool permitted to
retire for the purpose herein-before described by the operation of the
lever and cam 7 and the coiled spring represented.
The gripping
tools 8, s, are worked by the lever ³ acted upon by the cam
(see Figure 5), the return motion of the said lever and gripping tools
being effected by the coiled spring represented bearing on the said
lever 8.
The slide u for holding the raised arm of the stretcher fork in the
rotary and sliding slitting tool is worked by the lever u² and cam u³,
in the manner represented in Figure 6. The return motion is effected
by the spring represented bearing on the lever u². The shaping tool t is
fixed to the lever t2 and the said lever is worked by the slide from
the cam t, the periphery of the said cam giving the rising motion to the
slide and a projecting piece on the side of the cam acting against a
projection on the slide giving the return motion. The fork having been
roughly formed on the wire in the manner described, the next stroke of
the feeder carries the wire fork forward through the feeding box w, x,
and causes the said fork to bear against and embrace a fixed shaping
tool y situated between a pair of horizontal shaping and cutting tools 2, 2,
by the operation of which tools the shape of the fork is perfected and
its ends cut off. These tools are represented of the full size in vertical
longitudinal section in Figure 20, and plan, with the cover removed, in
Figure 21, the said Figure 20 also exhibiting the mechanism for
depressing the stretcher fork on the fixed shaping tool y and for removing
or knocking off the finished stretcher.
Figure 22 is an end elevation of the fixed shaping tool y_and clearing
tool 7. The shaping parts of the combined shaping and cutting tools
áre marked 3, 3; and the cutting edges are marked 4, 4. The cutting

page_text: edges of the tools are situated at a lower level than the shaping parts,
and the said cutting edges act against the nose part y (see Figure 20)
of the fixed central tooly. The partly formed fork marked 5 having been
fed to and made to embrace the fixed shaping tool y in the manner repre-
sented in Figures 20 and 21, the tools 2, 2, simultaneously advance on
opposite sides of the fork 5 and the shaping parts 3, 3, of the said tools
compress the arms of the fork at the base parts against the fixed shaping
tool y, and thereby perfect the figure of the said fork. The shaping
tools 2, 2, having retired, the feeding box w, x, supporting the partly
formed stretcher, now descends and brings the fork opposite the cutting
edges 4, 4, of the tools 2, 2, which tools again simultaneously advance
and cut off the ends of the fork against the inner side of the nose part y³
of the fixed shaping tool y, and thereby complete the fork as seen in
Figure 21.
As the feeding box w, x, descends, the clearing tool 7 also-descends,
and bearing against the fork depresses it on the fixed shaping tool y.
The fork having been completed the tools 2, 2, retire, the feeding box
opens by a lateral motion, and the finished stretcher falls from the said
box, a knocker off 10 detaching the fork from the shaping tool y.
The shaping and cutting tools 2, 2, are worked by the cams 11 and 12
on opposite sides of the shaft k, acting on the levers 13, 13, (see
Figure 8). Each cam has two rises upon it, one rise advancing the
tool 2 for the shaping operation, and the other for the cutting operation.
The return motions are effected by the springs, represented pressing on
the levers 13, 13.
The feeding box w, x, is constructed, and the said box, the clearing
tool 7, and the knocker-off 10, are worked in the following manner :-
The said feeding box consists of two plates, marked respectively w, x,
the upper plate w having a trough or groove in its under side which is
covered by the under plate x, which said under plate is capable of a
sliding on the under side of the top plate for the purpose of opening and
closing the box. One end of the feeding box w, x, is supported near
the slitting tools q, q², (sec Figures 9 and 11), and the other end is con-
nected to the head of a vertical dovetail slide 14 by the knuckle and
pin at 15; the bottom sliding plate x is furnished with a stay 16, and a a
rod 17 connected to the said stay works vertically in a slot 17ª in the
framing of the machine. (see Figures 7 and 21), and its end enters a

page_text: hole in the said plate x so as to bind the parts 16, 17, and x together.
The two plates w, x, are held together by the cross piece 20 and pin
at 21, in the manner represented. The bottom plate x has a lateral.
sliding motion given to it for the purpose of opening the feeding box by
the lever 22 working in the end of the cross piece 20, the said lever 22-
being actuated by the pin 23 on the face of the cam 24 (see Figure 7);
and the return motion is given to the said bottom plate for closing the
feeding box by the action of the horizontal spring 25 against the stay
rod 17.
The simultaneous motion of the feeding box w, x, and clearing tool 7
for bringing the stretcher fork opposite the cutting edges 4, 4, of the
tools 2, 2, and for depressing the said fork on the fixed central shaping
tool y are effected as follows:-26 is a slide (see Figures 1, 8, and 20),
worked by the cam 27, the said cam moving in a strap or collar on the
said slide so as to both lift and depress the said slide; the upper end of
the slide 26 gives motion to the lever 28, and the latter to the clearing
tool 7. Between the slide 26 of the clearing tool 7 and the slide 14
carrying the feeding box w, x, is a lever 30 (see Figure 1), its arms
engaging respectively in holes in the said slides 26 and 14. As the
slide 26 rises the slide 14 descends and carries down the feeding box w, x,
to a level proper to bring the fork 5 opposite the cutting edges 4, 4, of
the tools 2, 2, to cut off the ends of the fork, as before described. The
knocker-off 10 is worked by the cam 24 (see Figure 7) acting upon 'the
slide 31 to which the said knocker-off is connected.
By an examination of Figure 7 it will be seen that the lifting of the
slide 31 is effected by the action of the cam 24 upon the hooked end of
the said slide, and when the depression in the said cam is brought
opposite the end of the said slide the latter is pressed into the said
depression by the spring 32, and the knocker-off 10 thereby brought into
operation.
For convenience of description I have described the machine as
operating in succession upon the wire for the making of a single
stretcher, but it must be understood that the processes of flattening the
wire, fashioning the joint end of one stretcher and separating it from-
the fork end of another stretcher, roughly forming the fork of a second
stretcher, and finishing the fork of a third stretcher, are simultaneously
effected by the tools and appliances described and represented, three
7

page_text: stretchers being in course of manufacture at one time, a stretcher being
made and removed from the machine at each rotation of the driving
and cam shaft, that is to say the final shaping and perfecting of the
fork of one stretcher is being effected by the shaping and cutting tools
y, y², 2, 2; while the joint end of the same stretcher is being fashioned
and cut off from the wire behind it by the cutting tools.q, q², the fork
of a second stretcher is being roughly formed by the operation of the
slitting and shaping tools r, r³, t, and the wire flattened by the flattening
dies n, n, where the joint end of the second stretcher and the fork end
of a third stretcher are to be made.
Although I have described and represented the mechanical appliances
for impressing, cutting off, and slitting the wire, and for roughly shaping
and perfecting the shape of the fork in combination, yet I wish it to be
understood that the respective mechanical appliances described and
represented may be used separately instead of in conjunction. In this
case the wire and partly mado stretchers may be fed by hand to the
respective detached tools or appliances by which they are to be operated
upon.
I will now describe the improvements in machinery for the manufac-
ture of ribs for umbrellas and parasols.
Figure 23 represents a front elevation, and Figure 24 a plan of the
said rib machinery; Figures 25 and 26 are end elevations of the same,
the elevation Figure 25 being taken at the right-hand end of the
machine, Figure 24 and the elevation Figure 26 being taken at the left-
hand end of the machine, Figure 24.
+
Figures 27, 28, and 29 are transverse vertical sections of the machine
taken respectively on the dotted lines A, B, and C of Figure 23.
Figure 30 represents a longitudinal vertical section of a part of the
machine drawn to a larger scale taken on the line D of Figure 24.
Figures 31, 32, and 33 represent some of the tools of the machine.
The same letters indicate the same parts in Figures 23 to 33.
a, a³, a³, are the three discs fixed on the shaft b, by means of which
discs the cut lengths of wire are carried and supported while they are
operated upon to convert them into partly made ribs. These discs have
an intermittent rotary motion given to them in the manner hercin-after

page_text: described.
In the peripheries of the carrying and supporting discs
a, as, as, notches at, a' are made, into which the cut lengths of wire (one
of which is marked e) fall one at a time from a hopper (not repre-
sented), or are placed therein by hand. At the bottom of each notch a*
is a bed or tool upon which the wire is supported during the shaping,
flattening, and marking operations. Each of the tools marked d in the
disc a makes a pair with the upper sliding tool g carried in the slide 9².
Each of the tools marked e in the disc a' makes a pair with the upper
tool h in the slide h²; and each of the tools marked fin the disc a³ makes
a pair with the upper tool i in the slide. The tools d and 9 are for
flattening and shaping the wire near the knob end where the attachment
of the fabric is made. The tools e, ½, are for marking the wire in the
middle where the stretcher joint is to be fixed; and the tools f, i, are
for flattening the wire at the notch end.
In combination with the tools d, g, is a horizontal heading tool k for
forming the knob or head on the end of the wire; and working in
combination with the upper tool i is a cutter 1 for cutting off the wire at
the joint end.
A length of wire c being fed to or placed in one of the recesses a' of
cach of the discs a, a², a³, on the ascending side of the said discs and
supported on the beds or tools in the said discs an intermittent motion
is given to the said discs, and the wire is thereby carried to the highest
point of the path of the said discs and brought opposite the upper sliding
tools g, h, i, and cutter and its end opposite the horizontal heading
tool k. The discs coming to rest in the position described a stop or lock
rod m (see Figures 24 and 25) advances and engages in one of the
recesses n³ in the periphery of the stop wheel n on the shaft 6 carrying
the said discs, and locks the said shaft and discs so as to prevent their
rotation during the shaping and compressing operations. The discs a, a², a³,.
coming to rest and being fixed or locked as described the upper tool g
descends and flattens and shapes the wire at the knob end where the
fabric is to be attached. The heading tool k now advances horizontally
and compresses the end of the wire and forms thereon a knob or head
(see Figure 30); the upper tool h next descends and effects the marking
of the wire at the middle; afterwards the upper tool i descends and
flattens the joint end of the wire, and finally the vertical cutter
descends and cuts off the wire at the flattened joint end. The processes
of flattening and shaping the wire at its two ends, marking it; in the

page_text: middle, and forming a head on one end are thus effected nearly simul-
taneously by the machine. The upper tools g, h, i, and cutter / and
heading tool k having retired the stop or lock rod m is withdrawn from
the lock wheel n, and the discs a, a², a³, released when a partial rotation
is again given to the said discs and another cut length of wire, which
has been fed to or placed in them, is brought to the position represented,
and the operations described are repeated, and another rib is shaped,
flattened, marked, and a head or knob made on one end. After the
shaping of the wire it commences its motion on the descending side of
the discs a, a², a³, and when it is at or near the lowest part of the path
described by the periphery of the discs it falls from the machine.
The motions of the several moving parts are taken from the cam and
driving shaft p in the following manner:-The slide 9' carrying the
tool g for flattening and shaping the wire at the knob end is worked by
the lever g³ operated by the cam 9' on the shaft p (see Figure 27), the-]
return motion of the lever being effected by the coiled spring g³, which
has been compressed during the raising of the long arm of the said lever
by the cam. The slide 2 carrying the tool for marking the middle of
the wire is worked by the lever h³ operated by the cam 7 on the shaft
(see Figure 28), the return motion being effected by the spring . The 2
slide carrying the tool i for flattening the joint end of the wire is
worked by the lever 3 acted upon by the cam i on the shaft p (see
Figure 29). The vertical cutter works in the guides 1, 12, on the
slide (see Figure 23) of the tool i, but the said cutter is operated
independently by the lever 2 through the cam on the shaft p (sec 2
Figures 25 and 29). The return motion of the slide and parts can-
nected with it is effected by the spring connected to the lever . The
heading tool k is fixed in the horizontal slide k², which is worked by
the horizontal lever ³ through the side cam k* on the shaft p (sec
Figures 24 and 26), the return motion of the lever being effected by the a
spring k³.
The intermittent motion of the discs a, a, a³, is effected by means of
a ratchet wheel q on the end of the shaft b, with which ratchet wheel a
pawl q carried by the pawl lever q³ turning loosely on the shaft b
engages.
The vibratory motion of the pawl lever q³ is effected through the
connecting rod q* and excentric 95, the said excentric being keyed to the
cam shaft p (see Figures 24 and 25).
3

page_text: The motion of the stop rod m for stopping or locking and releasing
the discs a, a², a³, at the proper times is effected by the box or groove
cam m² on the shaft p. The said stop rod m slides in the guides m³, m³,
and its end works in the groove in the cam m³ in the manner best seen
in Figure 24.
↑
The carrying discs a, a³, a³, and the shaft 6 and ratchet and stop
mechanism may be omitted, and a bed carrying the lower tools d, e, f,
may be fixed on the bed plate of the machine under the slides g², h³, i,
and cutter . In this case the cut-off lengths of wire are fed by hand
into guides in the lower tools similar to a³, and after the descent of the
slides g, h,, and cutter 1, and the advance of the heading tool k and
their retirement, the partly made ribs are removed from the said lower
tools by hand.
Having now described the nature of the said Invention, and in
what manner the same is to be performed, I wish it to be understood
that I do not limit myself to the precise details herein described and
illustrated, as the same may be varied without departing from the nature
of the said Invention, but I claim as the said Invention with respect to
the improvements in machinery for the manufacture of stretchers for
umbrellas and parasols herein-before described and illustrated in
Figures 1 to 22 both inclusive of the accompanying Drawings.
First. The general arrangement, combination, and working of the
parts of the feeder described and illustrated for feeding or advancing the
wire and partly made stretchers.
F
Secondly. The construction and combination and working of the parts
described and illustrated for flattening or compressing the wire from
which the joint end of a stretcher is to be made.
Thirdly. The construction and combination and working of the parts
described and illustrated for fashioning the joint end of one stretcher
and separating it from the wire from which the fork end of another
stretcher is to be made, and the combination with the said parts of the
gripping, slitting, and shaping tools described and illustrated, by means
of which the wire is held while being cut off and a fork roughly
shaped.
Fourthly. The construction and combination and working of the
slitting tools and parts concerned in their action described and illustrated

page_text: for slitting the wire and for opening it out to form the fork of the
stretcher, and the combination with the said slitting tools of the shaping
tool described and represented for roughly shaping the fork.
Fifthly. The construction and combination and working of the parts
described and illustrated for perfecting the figure of the fork and-for
cutting off its ends.
Sixthly. The combination of the feeding, compressing, cutting,
slitting, and shaping appliances enumerated in claims 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5,
into a machine for the manufacture of stretchers, substantially as
described and illustrated. I claim with respect to the improvements in
machinery for the manufacture of ribs for umbrellas and parasols herein.
before described and illustrated in Figures 23 to 33 both inclusive of the
accompanying Drawings.
Seventhly. The combination of the carrying and supporting discs
having an intermittent rotary motion with the upper moveable tools for
flattening and shaping the wire at the knob end, for marking the wire at
the middle and for flattening and cutting off the wire at the joint end,
the parts being constructed, worked, and operating substantially as
described and illustrated. Also the combination with the said parts of
the heading mechanism described and illustrated. Also the modification
described in which the lower tools are stationary.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Holland, have hereunto
set my hand and seal, this Twenty-first day of April, in the
year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-
four.
Witness,
GEORGE SHAW.
WILLIAM HOLLAND. (L.S.)