IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS
Year: 1865

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Nicholas de Becker, of 7, Gloucester Road, Hereford
Square, Old Brompton, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, for the
Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS."
Sealed the 12th December 1865, and dated the 22nd June 1865.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Nicholas de Becker at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents, with his Petition, on the
22nd June 1865.
I, NICHOLAS DE BECKER, of 7, Gloucester Road, Hereford Square, Old
Brompton, in the County of Middlesex, Gentleman, do hereby declare the
nature of the said Invention for " IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS,"
to be as follows:-
The first part of my Invention consists in not making any grooves or cuts
in the sticks of umbrellas or parasols, and in not driving any nails, rivetts, or
screws into the said sticks, so that by leaving them sound and intact they will
naturally be much stronger and far less liable to be broken. Also in giving
the handles of the said sticks such a curve or twist that the umbrella when
will grasp firmly,
The said sticks, as
carried shut can he suspended from the arm, which it
leaving the hands of the person carrying it perfectly free.
will hereafter be shown, remain quite independent of the frame and other parts
of the umbrella or parasol, and can instantly be withdrawn and used as
walking sticks, or for the purpose of self-defence; they may be made of wood,
[Price 8d 1

page_text: cane, whalebone, or any other suitable material.. The curved handle may
form one piece with the stick, or may be made of different material, and
joined to the stick. I prefer my curved handle, but do not limit myself
thereto.
The second part of my Invention consists in fitting to the above described
stick a thin tube made of iron, copper, brass, steel, or other suitable material,
and I prefer to make this tube fit air-tight to the stick; the said tube may
extend from the open ring or cap to the place occupied by the runner, when
the umbrella or parasol is shut, or it may be longer or shorter. The said
tube may also be perforated to diminish its weight. To this tube the whole
frame of the umbrella or parasol is fixed, including the open ring or cap, the
notched ring, the ribs, stretchers, ruuners, and catches, so that when desired
the stick can be withdrawn instantly. I prefer to fasten the tube to the stick
at the end near the handle by means of a small pin attached to a spring, or
by ascrew ring, or other similar contrivance. In order to be able to keep the
umbrella or parasol open when desired I solder or otherwise fix a cup ring to
the tube, into which a spring or other catch fastened to the runner takes, and
prevents the umbrella or parasol from closing; or I form two ears in the tube
itself at a short distance below the open ring, and into these ears the catch
fastened to the runner fits. The said catch may be of the ordinary con-
struction, or it may be made like a two-pronged fork, the prongs being
curved round at the ends,
The third part of my Invention consists in making the stretchers of my
improved umbrellas and parasols much shorter in proportion to the length of
the ribs used than in umbrellas hitherto made, by which a saving of materials
is effected, the umbrella or parasol is made lighter, will afford greater
protection against rain or the rays of the sun, and will not be so easily turned
inside out. After the covering has been put on the frame I attach the open
ring to the tube of the umbrella frame; but on the tube of parasols I may
instead of the open ring screw a closed cap, through which a ring has been
passed, so that when shut a lady can carry the parasol on her finger without
inconvenience.
The fourth part of my Invention consists in applying a novel ornamental
shield or ring, which I name the "Alexandra shield," to the purpose of
keeping the umbrella closed when desirable, and of maintaining the ribs in
their proper position. This shield or ring I prefer to make cylindrical,
tapering slightly, and containing as many grooves as there are ribs in the
umbrella or parasol; it slides on a short tube fixed on the handle or on the
stick, or partly on the handle and partly on the stick of the umbrella or

page_text: parasol, and slides over the tips of the ribs (when the umbrella or parasol is
closed), each groove containing one of the tips of the ribs. By this means
the umbrella or parasol is not only kept closed, but the ribs are effectually
prevented from coming in contact with persons passing, or from tearing ladies
dresses, which often happens with umbrellas of the ordinary construction.
This said shield or ring may be made of gold, silver, aluminium, copper, or
other suitable metal or material. The said shield is particularly applicable to
umbrellas or parasols the handles of which do not form one piece with the
stick, but are joined to the stick in any of the well-known ways, for the short
tube on which the shield slides will serve to cover the joint, and to give it
additional strength. When it is desired to open an umbrella or parasol of
iny improved construction the shield has only to be drawn slightly towards
the handle from the tips of the ribs, the handle turned quickly half round,
when the umbrella flies open, and the catch takes into the cup, ring, or the
ears described in the second part of my Invention.
It is evident that a person possessing only one arm could easily open and
close an umbrella or parasol of my improved construction.
My improvements are also applicable to carriage and perambulator
umbrellas; and my Alexandra shield parasols, as described in the fourth part
of my Invention, are particularly applicable to ladies' driving whips, as the
stick of the said parasol can easily be withdrawn, and the tube slipped on to
the whip stick.
The last part of my Invention consists in applying any one or more part or
parts of my improvements to umbrellas or parasols of the ordinary con-
struction.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent, filed
by the said Nicholas de Becker in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
21st December 1865.
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME, I, NICHOLAS
DE BECKER, of 7, Gloucester Road, Hereford Square, Old Brompton, in the
County of Middlesex, Gentleman, send greeting.
WHEREAS Her most Excellent Majesty Queen Victoria, by Her Letters
Patent, bearing date the Twenty-second day of June, in the year of our
Lord Oue thousand eight hundred and sixty-five, in the twenty-ninth year
of Her reign, did, for Herself, Her heirs and successors, give and grant unto
me, the said Nicholas de Becker, Her special licence that I, the said

page_text: Nicholas de Becker, my executors, administrators, and assigns, or such
others as I, the said Nicholas de Becker, 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, exercise, and vend, within the United
Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, the Channel Islands, and Isle of
Man, an Invention for "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS," upon
the condition (amongst others) that I, the said Nicholas de Becker, 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 Nicholas de Becker, do hereby declare
the nature of my said Invention, and in what manner the same is to be
performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement:-
The first part of my Invention consists in constructing my umbrellas and
parasols in such manner that the sticks do not require to be mutilated or cut,
also in giving the handles of the said sticks, when desirable, such a curve that
the umbrella can wher. shut be suspended on the arm, and the arm be firmly
grasped by the handle, leaving the hands of the person carrying the umbrella
perfectly free. But for my combined walking-stick and umbrella I prefer to
make a small dent in the stick for a purpose herein-after described.
The second part of my Invention consists in fitting to my umbrella and
parasol sticks a thin tube made of brass or other suitable metal. Upon this
tube rests the whole frame of the umbrella or parasol. In my walking-stick
umbrella or whip-parasol I prefer to fasten the tube to the stick by means of
a small pin passing through the tube into the small der.t cf the stick above
mentioned. The head of this piu is attached to the end of a spring, while
the other end of the spring is soldered under a ring to the outside of the tube,
a second ring encircling the tube and the spring, but not fixed, serves to hold
the spring down, and to keep the pin in the hole in tube and stick when
required. The hole or dent in the stick can also be lined with a small metal
ring to strengthen it. Instead of the above method of fastening the tube to
the stick I also employ a kind of bayonet fastening. In my permanent
umbrellas, that is to say, when it is not desirable to be able to use the
umbrella stick as a cane or walking-stick I simply fix the tube by punching it

page_text: to the stick. The length of the tube varies according to the purpose for
which the umbrella is intended; umbrellas not possessing the third part of my
Invention, viz., much shorter stretchers, can yet be greatly improved by the
application of a short tube on which the umbrella frame can rest as will
herein-after be shown.
The third part of my Invention consists in making the stretchers of my
improved umbrellas and parasols much shorter in proportion to the ribs than
in umbrellas hitherto made, for I make the stretchers about one-third of the
length of the ribs I use, or shorter still. I prefer to make the ribs like a Tat
the end which requires to be attached to the notch ring, and to make the
notch ring of a plain metal ring with as many teeth pointing upwards from
the ring as there are ribs in the umbrella. Between each pair of teeth is an
empty space equal in breadth to the thickness of the rib. Each tooth is
curved outwards at the base, forming agroove into which one arm of the cross
piece of the T rib fits, and in which groove it can turn as the umbrella is
opened or closed. The open ring pases over the ends of the teeth, and
presses them against the metal tube on stick of the umbrella, or against:
the stick. This notch ring, as is evident, dispenses with the use of wire, by
means of which the ribs are usually attached to the notch ring. For keeping
the umbrella open I prefer to attach to the notch ring a single or double
pronged spring catch which takes into a cup ring soldered to the tube on the
stick. For umbrellas with long stretchers I prefer to apply a double single-
pronged or double two pronged spring catch to the runner, by means of which
the umbrella can be kept closed, as the prongs pointing towards the handle
take into a cup ring attached to the end of the short tube on which the
Alexandra shield slides, or into a ring formed with the edge of the said
tube.
The fourth part of my Invention consists in the application of a novel
ornamental shield or ring, which I name the "Alexandra shield," for the
purpose of keeping the umbrella or parasol closed. This shield, which
I prefer to strike with a die or to cast in metal or other suitable substance,
I generally make with eight or as many vertical flutes as there are ribs in the
ambrella or parasol; it slides on a short tube fixed on the handle. of the
umbrella, or on the stick, or partly on both.
...
My improvements are applicable to every kind of umbrella or parasol, and
any one or more part or parts may advantageously be applied to umbrellas or
parasols of the ordinary construction.
I will now proceed to describe the nature of my said Invention with
eference to the annexed Sheet of Drawings, and to the letters and figures

page_text: marked thereon, the same letter being always used for the same part of the
umbrella or parasol.
The first part of my Invention is partly illustrated by Fig. 1 which is a
front view, partly in section, of my improved walking-stick umbrella. a is
the unmutilated stick, with a peculiarly curved handle & for firmly grasping
the arm when the umbrella is shut, leaving the hands of the person carrying
it perfectly free. The curved handles of ordinary umbrellas describe rather
less than half a circle; the handles of my umbrellas describe about three-
fourths of a circle, or more or less. In the above stick there is a small groove
or dent c', into which a small pin c fits, see also Fig. 5. In my permanent
umbrella, see Fig. 8, the stick a is not cut or mutilated in any way.
The second part of my Invention consists in fixing a thin brass or other
metal tube over the stick, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, & 8, upon which the
whole frame of the umbrella rests. This tube d can be fastened to the stick
in various ways. For my walking-stick umbrella I prefer to use either of the
fastenings shown in Figs. 5, 6, & 7. In Fig. 5 c is the small pin above
mentioned, which is rivetted to the end of spring c²; the other end of spring c²
is soldered under ring e, fastened to the end of the tube d. The pin c passes
through a hole in the tube d into a dent c' in the stick, and a second ring el
slips along the spring c², and holds it down; Fig. 5ª is a plan of ring el;
Fig. 6 is a sectional view, and Fig. 7 a front view of a kind of bayonet
fastening for tubed; the ring f is soldered to the end of tube d, and ring f",
having a slit, is loose ou tube d. The pin g is driven half way into the stick a
leaving the head projecting, so that when the stick is passed through the tube
as far as the pin, the latter enters the holes in the rings f&f. The ring f¹
being provided with a slit extending about half way round is then turned and
holds the stick a firmly in the tube d. It will be evident that by drawing
down ring e¹ (made with a little groove e², into which the spring c2 fits) in
Fig. 5, or turning ring in Fig. 6, the stick can instantly be withdrawn.
These fastenings are also very applicable to parasols for driving whips. Fig. 6"
is a plan of my ring f. For my permanent umbrellas I prefer to fasten the
tube d to the stick by punching the tube at intervalls after it has been
tightly fitted to the stick, see Fig. 8. The tube d may in all cases be per-
forated for the sake of lightness, if preferred. For umbrellas and parasols of
the ordinary construction having long stretchers I make the tube d much
shorter, see Figs. 2 & 3. To this tube d I solder the notch ringh and the
cup ring, into which latter the spring catch k, attached to the runner 1, takes
when the umbrella is opened. I prefer to make the spring catch k double
for umbrellas with long stretchers, as shown in Figs. 2 & 3, and to the

page_text: tube m, on which my "Alexandra shield" slides, I attach a second cup ringi,
or form the edge of tube m iuto a ring, so that when the umbrella is closed
the second arm of the double spring catch K takes into the cup ring i¹,and
prevents the umbrella from opening.
The third part of my Invention consists in making the stretchers of my
improved umbrellas and parasols much shorter in proportion to the length of
the ribs I use than in umbrellas hitherto made. I make the stretchers about
one-third of the length of the ribs, and sometimes shorter,as shown in Fig.1,
the stretcher o being one-third of the length of the rib p. I prefer to make
my ribs T-shaped at the end which has to be joined to the notch ring, as
shown in Fig. 9, and also my notch ring (see Figs. 10, 10°, 1.,b). I propose
to form of a plain metal ring q with as many teeth r pointing upwards from
the ring as there are ribs in the umbrella or parasol. The cross pieces of the
rib P works in the curved part of the teeth 2, the rib itself lying between two
teeth. When all the ribs have been placed in the notch ring, the latter is
slipped over the stick to its proper place. The ribs are held in the right
position by the pressure of the stick a, or the tube d, and the open ring t
(Fig. 1) passes over the ends of the teeth 7,and holds them fast. This notch
ring cau either be soldered to the tube d or punched to the stick a. Fig. 10
is a front view partly in section of the notch ring attached to the stick a;
Fig. 10 is a ground plan of the same, and Fig. 10% a front view of the
notch ring alone.
The fourth part of my Invention consists in the application of a novel
ornamental shield or ring, which I name the Alexandra shield, for the purpose,
firstly,of keeping the umbrellaor parasolclosed, whether wet or dry; secondly,
of maintaining the ribs parallel to each other, and preventing them from
twisting round the stick, which wears the silk out rapidly; thirdly, of giving
the umbrella a neat appearance; and, lastly, of preventing the ribs from
coming in contact with persons passing and tearing ladies' dresses. I do not
limit myself to any particular form or configuration in these shields, but
prefer to make them either plain,as shown in Fig. 11, of which Fig. 11 is
the ground plan or fluted, as shown in Figs. 12 & 13, and theis ground plans
Figs 12 & 13; the number of flutes always corresponds with the number of
ribs in the umbrella or parasol. This shield, which I prefer to strike with a
die or to cast, will not flatten easily; at the same time it is very light and
ornamental; it slides on the short tube m (see Figs. 1, 3, & 8,) which is
fixed on the handle 6 or the stick a, or partly on both, especially when the
handle is not formed of the same material as the stick, in which case the
tube m would strengthen the joint. When, as in Fig. 3, this shield is used

page_text: together with the double two-pronged spring catch K, or (double single
pronged) the tube m requires to be rather longer than when the single spring
catch is used, because the cup ring has to be fastened to the end of it, or
the edge of the tube itself may be turned up to form the cup ring.
Figs. 14, 15, 16, 17, & 18 represent runners, to which my single, double,
single two-pronged, and double two-pronged spring catches K have been
applied; Fig. 19 is a ground plan of the notch ring h¹.
My improvements, as above described, or one or more parts thereof, are
applicable to every kind of umbrella or parasol.
Having now described the nature of my said Invention, I wish it to be
understood that what I claim as the Invention to be secured to me by the
herein-before in part recited Letters Patent is,-
Firstly, the unmutilated stick and curved handle,in the manner and for the
purposes substantially as described.
Secondly, the sole right of applying a thin brass or other tube for carrying
the frame of the umbrella or parasol, substantially as described.
Thirdly, the sole right of applying the reduced or shortened stretchers for
the purposes substantially as described.
Fourthly, the sole right of applying and using my "Alexandra shield,"
fluted or plain, in the manner and for the purposes substantially as described,
& together with my two-pronged or double two-pronged spring catch.
&, lastly, the sole right of applying one or more parts of my improvements
to umbrellas of the ordinary construction.
In witness whereof, I, the said Nicholas de Becker, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Twentieth day of December, in the year of
our Lord One thousand eight hundred and sixty-five.
NICHOLAS DE BECKER. (L.S.)