IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPANDING CANOPIES APPLICABLE TO CARRIAGES, TENTS, AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES
Year: 1878

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Sarah Jane Blick, of Lansdowne Works, in the City of
Worcester, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN EXPANDING CANOPIES
APPLICABLE TO CARRIAGES, TENTS, AND OTHER LIKE PURPOSES."
Sealed the 29th October 1878, and dated the 7th August 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Sarah Jane Blick at the
Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 7th August 1878.
SARAH JANE BLICK, of Lansdowne Works, in the City of Worcester. "IMPROVE-
MENTS IN EXPANDING CANOPIES APPLICABLE TO CARRIAGES, TENTS, AND OTHER
LIKE PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to improvements in the arrangement and construction of
expanding and contracting and canopies or coverings applicable to carriages,
wagonettes, or other wheeled vehicles of various kinds, applicable also to tents,
awnings, and other like purposes.
According to my improvements a portable canopy or other like covering for the
above purpose can be made elegant in shape and appearance, easily mounted, very
rigid when fixed, and at a moderate cost.
For this purpose in carrying out my improvements a rigid metal framework is
formed in two parts, consisting of two forked arms connected by a central boss
formed in two parts which can readily be fixed together by thumbscrews.
The forked ends of the arms are jointed near to the central boss so as to close
together when the canopy is out of use.
The outer ends of the forked arms are advantageously curved, and are furnished
with screw couplings to attach them when extended to vertical standards fixed in
sockets attached to the carriage, tent, or other position where the canopy is
mounted.

page_text: A series of ribs or stretchers are connected to the central boss and to each half
of the fabric or material which forms the canopy or covering. These ribs or
stretchers are capable of expanding in like manner to the ribs of an umbrella, so
as to distend the covering or fabric which forms the canopy, or of closing together
when out of use.
The central ribs of the two halves or parts are connected together by hooks or
otherwise when the canopy is mounted.
By this means when the canopy is mounted the forked frame and expanding ribs
afford a rigid support to the material which forms the covering, the sides of which
being curved impart a very elegant appearance thereto.
The covering may have fringe applied thereto, or curtains may be attached so as
to form the canopy into a tent.
When, out of use the canopy can be folded up into a small compass so as to occupy
very little space.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Sarah Jane Blick in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 7th
February 1879.
SABAH JANE BLICK, of Lansdowne Works, in the City of Worcester. " IMPROVE-
MENTS IN EXPANDING CANOPIES APPLICABLE TO CARRIAGES, TENTS, AND OTHER
LIKE PURPOSES."
This Invention relates to improvements in the arrangement and construction of
expanding and contracting canopies or coverings applicable to large or small carriages,
wagonettes, or other wheeled vehicles of various kinds, applicable also to tents,
awnings, and other like purposes.
According to my improvements a portable canopy or other like covering for the
above purposes can be made elegant in shape and appearance, easily mounted, very
rigid when fixed, and at a moderate cost.
And in order that my improvements may be clearly understood and readily
carried into practice, I will proceed to describe the Drawings hereto annexed.
Figure 1 shows a vertical section, and Figure 2, an under side view of a canopy
arranged and constructed in accordance with my Invention.
a, a, is a rigid metal framework formed in two parts consisting of two forked
arms a¹, a¹, connected by a central boss b formed in two parts which can be readily
fixed together by thumbscrews b¹, 61, or otherwise.
The forked ends a', a', of the arms are jointed at a³, a², near to the central boss b
so as to close together when the canopy is out of use.
The outer ends of the forked arms a¹, a', are advantageously curved, and are
furnished with screw couplings c, c, to attach them when extended to scroll or
vertical standards c', c', fixed in sockets attached to the carriage, tent, or other
position where the canopy is mounted.
A series of ribs or stretchers d, d, are connected to the central boss b and to each
half of the fabric or material which forms the canopy or covering, the outer ends or
parts of ribs & being enclosed in the cover. These ribs or stretchers are capable
of expanding in like manner to the ribs of an umbrella so as to distend the covering
or fabric which forms the canopy, or of closing together when out of use.
The central ribs d³, d³, of the two halves or parts are connected together by hooks
or otherwise when the canopy is mounted.
By this means when the canopy is mounted the forked frame a and expanding
ribs & afford a rigid support to the material which forms the covering, the sides of
which being curved impart a very elegant appearance thereto.
The covering may have fringe applied thereto or curtains may be attached so as
to form the canopy into a tent.
When out of use the canopy can be folded up in separate halves or parts and
laid one on the other, thus occupying very little space.
Having thus described the nature of my Invention and the manner of performing
or carrying the same into practice, I would remark that I do not limit myself to the
exact details herein shown and described, nor do I claim any of the parts separately
which are well known and in common use, but what I claim is the improved
arrangement and construction of expanding and contracting canopies consisting of
a rigid combined portable frame a, a, b, connections c, ribs or stretchers d, with
flexible covering applicable to carriages and other wheeled vehicles, tents, awnings,

page_text: and other like purposes, all arranged and combined substantially in the manner and
for the purposes herein-before described, and represented in the Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, I, the said Sarah Jane Blick, have hereunto set my hand
and seal, this Fourth day of February, in the year of our Lord One thousand
eight hundred and seventy-nine.
S. J. BLICK. (L.S.)