A New or Improved Band-fastener for Umbrellas and Parasols.
Year: 1897

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A New or Improved Band-fastener for Umbrellas and Parasols.
We, GEORGE MONTAGU BROWN-WESTHEAD, of Erskine House, Colwyn Bay, in the
County of Denbigh, Barrister-at-Law, and MARCUS BROWN-WESTHEAD, of Lea
Castle, near Kidderminster, in the County of Worcester, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
In order that the said invention may be the more readily understood we remark
that when an umbrella is closed the folds of the silk or fabric of the cover are
generally folded or wrapped around the frame and held in position by a band of
fabric or «
elastic." The said band has at one end a button and at the other a ring
of somewhat larger diameter than the button. The button and the end of the band
to which it is attached are sewn to the silk or covering fabric near the edge of the
cover. The said band is somewhat shorter than the circumference of the folded
umbrella and the ring end requires to be pulled tightly in order to engage the ring
on the button and to disengage it therefrom. This pulling of the band sooner or
later results in the tearing of the band from the covering material.
The said invention has for its object to remedy the defect referred to and to
produce a band fastener which may be put around the folded umbrella without
tension and consequently without the strain on the covering material hereinbefore
referred to, the required tightening of the band being effected after the band
has been placed in position.
In carrying the said invention into effect we take a band of elastic or of flexible
but inelastic fabric of a length nearly equal to twice the circumference of the
folded umbrella. We pass the said band through a light metallic loop carrying a
button. To one end of the band we attach a ring of somewhat larger diameter
than the button, and to the other end of the band we affix a light triple barred
metallic frame the band before the attaching thereto of the ring described being
engaged with the said frame in the following mauner. The band is first passed
under one of the outer bars, then over the middle bar and finally under the other
outer bar.
The button is sewn to the cover in the usual position and the slack band is
passed round the umbrella and the ring engaged with the button. The slack band
is now tightened by placing the thumb of one hand on the button and with the
other hand drawing the triple barred frame away from the button when the
band is tightened to the required degree. In order to unfasten the band the
triple barred frame is drawn towards the button when the band is immedi-
A tab
ately slackened and the ring can be readily disengaged from the button.
is attached to the triple barred frame by which tab the frame can be readily
moved.
From the above description it will be understood that in using the said new or
improved band fastener there is no strain put upon the connection of the button
with the fabric of the cover and the danger of tearing the button from the said
fabric is thereby obviated.

page_text: Although we have only described the said invention in connection with an
umbrella yet it is equally applicable to a parasol.
1007
W. T. WHITEMAN,
Agent for the Applicants.
A New or Improved Band-fastener for Umbrellas and Parasols.
[, GEORGE MONTAGU BROWN-WESTHEAD, of Erskine House, Colwyn Bay, in the
County of Denbigh, Barrister-at-Law, on behalf of myself and the late Marcus
Brown-Westhead, of Lea Castle, near Kidderminster, in the County of Worcester,
Gentleman, whose legal representative I am, do hereby declare the nature of my
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
describ. d and ascertained in and by the following statement :-
cover.
In order that my invention may be the more readily understood i remark that
when an umbrella is closed the folds of the silk or fabric of the cover are generally
folded or wrapped around the frame and held in position by a band of fabric or
"elastic." The said band has at one end a button and at the other a ring of some-
what larer diameter than the button. The button and the end of the band to
which it is attached are sewn to the silk or covering fabric near the edge of the
The said band is somewhat shorter than the circumference of the folded
umbrella and the ring end requires to be pulled tightly in order to engage the ring
on the button and to disengage it therefrom. This pulling of the band sooner or
later results in the tearing of the band from the covering material. Further where
an iuelastic band is employed there is a slackness of half the diameter of the button
after the ring has been passed over the said button. The objection to elastic bands
is that they sooner or later lose their elasticity and stretch to such an extent as in a
short time to become useless or practically useless for the purpose for which they
are used.
My invention has for its object to remedy the defects referred to and to produce
a band fastener which may be put around the folded umbrella without tension ind
consequently without the strain on the covering material herein before referred to,
the required tightening of the band being effected after the band has been placed
in position.
In carrying my invention into effect I take a band of flexible but inelastic fabric
of a length somewhat greater than the circumference of the folded umbrella. I
pass the said band through a light metallic loop or frame carrying a button. To
one end of the band I attach a second light metallic loop or ring capable of being
passed over and engaged with the button of the first named light metallic loop or
frame and to the other end of the band I affix a light triple barred metallic frame
the band before the attaching thereto of the loop or ring described being engaged
with the said frame in the following manner.. The band is first passed under one
of the outer bars, then over the middle bar and finally under the other outer bar.
The light metallic loop or frame carrying the button is sewn to the cover in the
usual position and the slack band is passed round the umbrella and the other light
metallic loop or ring engaged with the button. The slack band is now tightened
by placing the thumb of one hand on the button and with the other hand drawing
the triple barred frame away from the frame carrying the button that is in the
direction of the folds of the umbrella when the band is tightened to the required
degree. In order to unfasten the band the triple barred frame is drawn towards the
button, that is in a direction opposed to the folds of the umbrella when the band is

page_text: utton.
amediately slackened and the metallic loop can be readily disengaged from ue
A tab is attached to the triple barred frame and to the light metallic loop
hich engages with the button to facilitate the tightening of the loop above
escribed.
Figure 1 of the accompanying drawing represents in elevation a portion of an
mbrella, drawn to a large scale, to which a band fastener made according to
ny invention is applied, the said band being unfastened.
on the
Figure 2 represents the same after the fastening of the band and Figure 3 is a
ection on the line x, x Figure 2; Figure 4 is an elevation of the band fastener
letached from the umbrella and Figure 5 is a section of the same
ine y, y Figure 4. Figures 6, 7 and 8 represent the metallic portions of the
Fastener separately.
The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the several figures of
the drawing.
a is the band, preferably of silk, to one end of which the outer bar 61 of
the flat triple barred frame, 61, 62, 6s (Figure 6) is attached the said end
or folded upon itself and extending slightly
of the silk being doubled
as to form a tab a¹. The other end of the silk
beyond the bar 61 so
is passed first over and under the outer bar c¹ of the button carrying
angular frame c¹, c², c³ (Figure 7), then under the bar b¹ of the flat triple barred
frame b1, b2, 3 over the middle bar 62 and under the other outer bar b³ of the said
flat triple barred frame as will be best understood by reference to Figures 3 and 5.
The said end of the band a is then doubled upon itself so as to form a second
tab a² and is attached to the straight bar d¹ of the button engaging metallic
loop d', d² (Figure 8). The bar c³ of the button carrying frame c¹, c², c³ is attached
by sewing to the cover of the umbrella at the place where the button of the ordinary
band fastener is sewn. In the normal or unfastened state of the band fastener the
band a is of a length somewhat greater than the circumference of that part of the
rolled or wrapped up umbrella around which it is to be passed and the triple barred
frame 61, 62, 63 occupies a position adjacent to the button carrying frame c¹, c², ca
as is illustrated in Figure 1.
The band fastener is used as follows. The umbrella having been rolled or
wrapped up the band a is passed round the umbrella and the bowed part d² of the
button engaging loop, d² is passed over the button c of the bar c³ of the button
carrying frame c¹, c², c³. The tab a² being held by the thumb and finger of one
hand, or the thumb being placed on the button c, the other tab a¹ is drawn by the
thumb and finger of the other hand so as to draw the triple barred frame b², b², b³
from the button carrying frame c², c², c³ and thereby double a portion of the band
and effect the virtual shortening of the length of the band a and cause the same to
O grip the umbrella. The unfastening of the band is effected by the reversal of the
operations described for effecting its fastening.
From the above description it will be understood that in using the said new or
improved band fastener there is no strain put upon the connection of the button
with the fabric of the cover and the danger of tearing the button from the said
5 fabric is thereby obviated. Further, the slack necessary to permit of the button
engaging loop passing over the button being adjustable there is no necessity for
the use of elastic bands the objection to which has been herein before pointed out.
Although I have only described the said invention in connection with
umbrella yet it is equally applicable to a parasol.
50
an
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my inven-
same is to be performed, I declare that
tion and in what manner the
claim as my invention :-
The new or improved band fastener for umbrellas and parasols hereinbefore
described and represented in the accompanying drawing the said new or improved
55 band fastener consisting essentially in the combination of the following parts, namely,
.

page_text: a band of silk, fabric or other flexible material, of a length somewhat greater than
the circumference of the rolled or wrapped up umbrella or parasol to which it is to
be applied, a button carrying loop or frame secured to the covering material of the
umbrella or parasol, a flat triple barred frame to one of the bars of which one end
of the flexible band is attached and a button engaging loop or ring attached to the
other end of the flexible band the several parts being arranged and operated sub-
stantially as described and illustrated.
Dated the Twenty-third day of May 1898
GEORGE MONTAGU BROWN-WESTHEAD.