IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR HOLDING, SUPPORTING, AND DISPLAYING UMBRELLAS, STICKS, AND OTHER ARTICLES IN SHOP WINDOWS AND OTHER PLACES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Felix McIlvenna, William Couchman Boulding, and Charles
Mark Boulding, all of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention
of "IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS FOR HOLDING, SUPPORTING, AND
DISPLAYING UMBRELLAS, STICKS, AND OTHER ARTICLES IN SHOP WINDOWS AND
OTHER PLACES'
Sealed the 16th November 1877, and dated the 18th May 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Felix McIlvenna, William
Couchman Boulding, and Charles Mark Boulding at the Office of the Com-
missioners of Patents on the 18th May 1877.
"
FELIX MILVENNA, WILLIAM COUCHMAN BOULDING, and CHARLES MARK BOULDING,
all of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster. IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS
FOR HOLDING, SUPPORTING, AND DISPLAYING UMBRELLAS, STICKS, AND OTHER
ARTICLES IN SHOP WINDOWS AND OTHER PLACES."
In displaying walking sticks, umbrellas, and such like articles in shop windows,
they are usually tied up with strings, and cannot therefore be elegantly arranged.
Besides this they take a long time to arrange each morning.
Now our Invention is designed to obviate these difficulties and provide a simple,
cheap, and efficient apparatus for holding umbrellas, sticks, et cetera. In its simplest
form it consists of a socket (usually cast in some hard metal), and furnished at its
bottom end with a pointed screw.
The socket is usually slightly tapered, or if desired can be a simple tube of any
diameter, but partially or entirely closed at the bottom. The socket being screwed
into any convenient place or position, the article to be exhibited is inserted into
it, which holds it firmly.
We sometimes make it of coiled spring steel, so that on the insertion of the stick
or umbrella the elasticity of the steel firmly holds it.
We may sometimes make the screw to project horizontally from the socket,
instead of vertically. This is useful for screwing into a wall or the side of a counter,
et cetera.

page_text: Another plan consists in attaching or making the socket form part of a metal
plate furnished with holes for screwing, nailing, or otherwise securing it to the wall,
counter, et cetera. In this case we prefer that the socket should incline from the
perpendicular.
In using two sockets on one plate (for attachment to a window frame) we prefer
that they should incline in opposite directions.
We do not bind ourselves to using one or two sockets, as several may be joined
or cast together.
The metal plate may be attached to the bottom of the socket instead of to the
side if desired.
It will be seen that our Invention can be modified in innumberable ways without
departing from the principle, and we do not bind ourselves to the exact details
given above.
The socket screws and plates can be made of any material other than metal, but
inetal is preferable. These sockets are also very useful for attaching standards for
displaying clothing and articles of all kinds, as instead of requiring a wide base
they can have a stout peg at bottom to insert into the socket. By this incans they
can instantly be placed in the right position without danger of being knocked over
in placing others adjoining.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Felix MoIlvenna, William Couchman Boulding, and Charles Mark
Boulding in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 17th November 1877.
FELIX MILVENNA, WILLIAM COUCHMAN BOULDING, and CHARLES MARK BOULDING,
all of Liverpool, in the County of Lancaster. "IMPROVED MODE OF AND APPARATUS
FOR HOLDING, SUPPORTING, AND DISPLAYING UMBRELLAS, STICKS, AND OTHER
ARTICLES IN SHOP WINDOWS AND OTHER PLACES."
In displaying walking sticks, umbrellas, and such like articles in shop windows,
they are usually tied up with strings, and cannot therefor be elegantly arranged.
Besides this they take a long time to arrange each morning.
Now our Invention is designed to obviate these difficulties, and provide a simple,
cheap, and efficient apparatus for holding umbrella sticks, et cetera.
In its simplest
form, shown at Figure 1, it consists of a socket C (usually cast in some hard metal),
and finished at its bottom end with a pointed screw A.
The socket is usually slightly tapered as shown in the Drawing, or if desired can
be a simple tube of any diameter, but partially or entirely closed at the bottom. The
socket being screwed into any convenient place or position, the article to be
exhibited is inserted into it, which holds it firmly.
We sometimes make it of coiled spring steel, so that on the insertion of the stick
or umbrella, the elasticity of the steel firmly holds it.
We may sometimes make the screw to project horizontally from the socket
instead of vertically. This is useful for screwing into a wall or the side of a counter,
et cetera.
Another plan consists in attaching or making the socket from part of a metal or
other plate furnished with holes for screwing, nailing, or otherwise securing it to the
wall, counter, et cetera. In this case we prefer that the socket should incline from

page_text: the perpendicular. This is shown in Figure 3, in which C is the socket; B, the
plate; A, holes for screws or nails.
Figure 4 shews another variation in which the socket inclines from the plate.
In using two sockets on one plate (for attachment to a window frame), we prefer
that they should incline in opposite directions, as shown at Figure 2.
We do not bind ourselves to using one or two sockets, as several may be joined or
cast together.
The metal plate may be attached to the bottom of the socket instead of to the
side if desired.
It will be seen that our Invention can be modified in innumerable ways without
departing from the principle, and we do not bind ourselves to the exact details
given above.
The socket screws and plates can be made of any material other than metal, but
metal is preferable. These sockets are also very useful for attaching standards for
displaying clothing and articles of all kinds, as instead of requiring a wide base
they can have a stout peg at bottom to insert into the socket. By this means they
can be instantly placed in the right position without danger of being knocked over
in placing others adjoining.
Having now described our Invention and the best modes known to us of carrying
it into effect, we wish it to be understood that we are well aware that umbrellas,
sticks, et cetera, or poles or rods carrying articles to be displayed, have been
exhibited in shop windows and similar places by inserting their ends in a hole bored
in the floor, frame, or counter, and we do not claim such, but what we believe to bo
new and desire to claim under the herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
1st. The mode described of displaying umbrellas, parasols, sticks, and like articles,
such as rods, poles, or frames carrying lay figures, articles of clothing, or other things
in shop windows or other places, by inserting their ends into special metal or other
sockets screwed, nailed, bolted, or otherwise attached to the window frame, floor,
counter, or place on which they are to be exhibited.
2nd. The apparatus substantially as described, or any mere modification thereof,
for carrying the same into effect.
In witness whereof, we, the said Felix McIlvenna and Charles Mark Boulding,
on behalf of ourselves and the executors of the said William Couchman
Boulding, deceased, have hereunto set our hands and seals, this Tenth day of
November, in the year of our Lord 1877.
0
F. MCILVENNA.
(L.S.)
Witness,
EDWARD G. COLTON,
Clerk to W. P. Thompson,
Patent Agent,
6, Lord Street,
L'pool.
C. M. BOULDING. (L.S.)