IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF UMBRELLAS
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Spence, of 8, Quality Court, Chancery Lanc, in
the County of Middlesex, Patent Agent, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS
IN THE MANUFACTURE OF UMBRELLAS." A communication from abroad by
Charles Macé, Paris, France, Manufacturer.
Scaled the 15th September 1877, and dated the 16th March 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Spence at the Office
of the Commissioners of Patents on the 16th March 1877.
WILLIAM SPENCE, of 8, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF UMBRELLAS."
(A communication from abroad by Charles Macé, of Paris, France, Manufacturer.)
This Invention relates in the first place to a mode of remedying the defects in
the ordinary caps applied to umbrellas for closing them, and holding together the
ribs thereof when the umbrella is closed.
At present it is necessary to displace the cap by sliding it on the handle; then
bring together the ribs into a bundle, in order that the said cap may be made to fit
over the ends of the ribs as required. This operation requires the use of both
hands, and is in some cases troublesome; and besides this, some difficulty is often
experienced in placing the ends of all the ribs under the cap at the same time.
Now the Invention for this purpose consists in adapting and applying to umbrellas
a self-acting cap, which becomes shifted in position as required by the pressure
applied by one hand on the bundle of ribs when the umbrella is closed. This effect
is produced by the formation of a conical part at the end of the cap, on which part
the ends of the ribs are caused to act by the lateral action of the pressure on the
ribs, which thereby cause the shifting of the cap to the extent required to admit of
the ends of the ribs passing over the top of the conical part and entering a hollow
in which they are held.
In order to open the umbrella, the cap is slidden back, and the ribs are thereby
liberated.

page_text: Another improvement under this Invention consists in dispensing with the wire
ordinarily employed for fastening the ends of the stretchers in the confining ring on
the ordinary slide, and thereby preventing the wear of the silk or other covering.
For this purpose the end of each stretcher is made in the form of a ball, which is
held at its required stretch by means of a notch or cavity, and which is confined by
a screwed cap so formed internally as to allow at the same time of the said ball
moving, as in a ball-and-socket joint.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Spence in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 15th Sep-
tember 1877.
WILLIAM SPENCE, of 8, Quality Court, Chancery Lane, in the County of Mid-
dlesex, Patent Agent. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF UMBRELLAS."
A communication from abroad by Charles Macé, of Paris, France, Manufacturer.
This Invention of "Improvements in the Manufacture of Umbrellas," relates in
the first place to a mode of remedying the defects in the ordinary caps applied to
unbrellas for closing them, and holding together the ribs thereof when the umbrella
is closed.
At present it is necessary to displace the cap by sliding it on the handle, and
then to bring together the ribs into a bundle in order that the said cap may be
made to fit over the ends of the ribs as required. This operation requires the use
of both hands, and is in some cases troublesome; and besides this, some difficulty is
often experienced in placing the ends of all the ribs under the cap at the same
time.
Now the Invention for this purpose consists in adapting and applying to umbrellas
a self-acting cap, which becomes shifted in position as required by the pressure
applied by one hand on the bundle of ribs when the umbrella is closed. This effect
is produced by the formation of a conical part at the end of the cap, on which part
the ends of the ribs are caused to act by the lateral action of the pressure on the
ribs, which thereby cause the shifting of the cap to the extent required to admit of
the ends of the ribs passing over the top of the conical part, and entering a hollow
in which they are held.
In order to open the umbrella, the cap is slidden back, and the ribs are thereby
liberated.
Another improvement under this Invention consists in dispensing with the wire
ordinarily employed for fastening the ends of the stretchers in the confining ring on
the ordinary slide, and thereby preventing the wear of the silk or other covering.
For this purpose the end of each stretcher is made in the form of a ball, which is
held at its required stretch by means of a notch or cavity, and which is confined by
a screwed cap, so formed internally as to allow at the same time of the said ball
moving as in a ball-and-socket joint.
Having thus stated the nature of the said Invention, I will describe more par-
ticularly in what manner the same is to be performed by the aid of the accom-
panying Drawings, in which are represented the parts above referred to.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.
Fig. 1 shows an improved umbrella with the covering thereof removed.
Fig. 2 represents, full size, the new cap mounted on the slide, the shell of which is
also improved

page_text: The cap G shown, capable of moving with slight friction on the slide C, presents
a conical surface g, around which the ends of the ribs B are caused to rest on the
closing of the umbrella, as shewn by the dotted lines in Fig. 2 and the full lines in
Fig. 1.
When this cap is in its normal position, its back part is caused by the action of
the spring to press against the collar c of the slide C. The ribs B being closed, if
it be desired to confine them under the cap, it is only necessary to exert with one
hand a lateral pressure upon them all at once, the object of which is to cause their
ends to rest against the conical or inclined part g, so as to push the cap downwards
into the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. These ends then pass simul-
taneously into the hollow g', in which they are retained as required (see Fig. 2).
In order to open the umbrella, the cap must be drawn back in order to liberate
the ribs.
The mounting of the stretchers is shewn more particularly in Figures 3 and 4.
The end of each stretcher F terminates in the form of a ball f, which readily finds
its place in the notch or cavity n of the shell N, the stem of the said stretcher passing
by a corresponding notch. The screw cap E, which is screwed on the slide as
shown in Fig. 4, keeps all the balls fin place without impeding their radial oscillation
during the opening or closing of the umbrellas. This simple arrangement forms an
advantageous substitute for the ordinary mounting of the stretchers by means of a
metallic wire.
It is to be observed that the above described self-acting cap, and the mode of
mounting the stretchers, may be employed in any suitable metal, and may be varied
in size and form to suit different sizes and kinds of umbrellas.
Having thus described the nature of the said Invention communicated to me as
aforesaid, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I hereby declare that
what I claim as of the said Invention is,-
First. The adaptation and application to umbrellas of the self-acting cap
represented in Figures 1, 2, and 3, and described.
And, Secondly. The mode of mounting the stretchers represented in Figures 4
and 5, and described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Spence, have hereunto set my hand
and scal, the Fifteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord Ono
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
Witness,
FRANK REDMAN,
8, Quality Court,
Chancery Lane.
WILLIAM SPENCE. (L.S.)