IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-CLOSING UMBRELLAS AND TILE LIKE
Year: 1883

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by Alfred Julius Boult at the Office of
the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th November 1883. A communi-
cation from Friedrich Jorns of Berlin in the German Empire.
"
ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
Engineer, IMPROVEMENTS IN SELF-CLOSING UMBRELLAS AND TILE LIKE," A coin-
munication from Friedrich Jorns of Berlin in the German Empiro.
This invention relates to an improved umbrella which closes automatically.
In carrying this invention into practice a hollow stick or rod (say of wood or
consisting of a metal tube) is provided. At the upper part is fixed the top-notch
to which the ribs are hinged in the usual manner. The stretchers are attached at
one end to a movable sleeve similar to the top notch, their other ends being hinged
to the ribs.
The hinge connecting each stretcher with the corresponding rib is so fitted with
a spring that the umbrella always has the tendency to close.
The said springs may conveniently be made of steel wire which may be coiled
round the pivot of the hinge.
Within the hollow stick or tube is placed a metal rod, the upper end whereof is
connected with the top-notch for the stretchers by a pin, the other end thereof
being shaped like an arrow head or forming a double hook.
At the handle end of the stick is placed a bell shaped ring or cap connected with
the rod in the stick by a pin in such a manner that any movement of the ring is
communicated to the stretcher top-notch.
The bell shaped ring just mentioned may serve to hold the ends of the ribs
together when the umbrella is closed, but instead thereof a plain or ornamental
ring may be used, a separate cap serving to gather the rib ends.
When the umbrella is opened, the double hook moving in the stick is held fast
by a spring formed into two jaws, somewhat resembling in shape a pair of tongs.
A pin with a conical head passes through the stick and when this is forced inward
the conical head enters between the two arms of the tong-shaped spring; thus
releasing the double hook. The top-notch for the stretchers has the tendency to
move towards the point of the umbrella, thus causing the ribs to bo close to the
stick when the umbrella is closed.

page_text: In a modification of the construction above described the top-notch or runner
for the ribs consists of a hinge-ring carrying the ribs. The upper ends of the latter
form a sharp corner. Under a cap surrounding the upper end of the ribs, and
attached to the stick by a pin, is fixed a spring (for instance a coiled spring
surrounding the stick) bearing against a plate or washer and forcing the same
against the rib-ends. These theroby receive a tendency to close up against tho
stick, similarly to the blades of a penknife and this tendency normally closes the
umbrella. This will tend to cause the ribs closely to bear against the stick when
the umbrella is closed, and whon this arrangement is used together with the spring
hingo between the ribs and stretchers already described the closing of the umbrella
is more perfectly accomplished. The cover is above the cap enclosing the spring
and washer and the ends of the cover hidden by the usual cap.
The rod within the stick, attached as described to the top-notch of the stretchers
may have a single hook only, which when the umbrella is opened, engages with a
correspondingly shaped spring-hook fixed by a screw in the handle end of the
stick which is released by a button when dosired.
The runner with which the stretchers are connected is held in place on the stick
by a pin or stud and when the umbrella is to be opened this runner is pulled
down, viz towards the handle, till the rod within the stick engages with the catch
in the handle end of the stick.