Year: 1886

page_text: I, EMIL KLEBER of Berlin, in the Empire of Germany, umbrella manufacturer,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to
be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
t
This invention relates to improvements in the construction of umbrella frames
whereby an umbrella can be opened or closed by operating a device at the handle
end of the umbrella stick without the use of springs or bands.
For this purpose the stretchers are connected to the ribs by hinged semi-tubes
or sleeves fixed on the former and sliding over the said ribs, so that the ribs cannot
be curved or bent by the stretchers when the umbrella is being opened, such
opening being thereby effected with greater facility than heretofore.
In the accompanying drawing figures 1 and 2 are sections of an umbrella frame
constructed according to my invention and in which the umbrella frame is opened
by moving a handle longitudinally towards the knob of the umbrella stick, figure 1
shewing the umbrella frame closed and figure 2 shewing the same open.
Figures 3 and 4 are similar views to figures 1 and 2 but shewing the umbrella
frame arranged to be opened by an opposite movement of the said handle.
Figure 5 shews an elevation, cross section and underside plan illustrating the
manner in which the ribs are connected to the stretchers. Similar letters in all
the figures represent similar parts.
In the umbrella frame shewn in figures 1 and 2 the stretchers a, are connected
in the usual manner to the runner b. The latter is connected to a rod d, movable
within the umbrella stick which is hollow in such a manner that by moving the
rod d in the direction indicated by the arrow in figure 1, by means of the handle d³,
the stretchers a will be spread open, while a reverse motion of the rod d, will cause
the stretchers to fold down to the side of the umbrella stick. The rod d, is firmly
secured in the said positions by means of a catch e:
In order to transmit the movement of the stretchers to the ribs f, so that the
latter shall be spread open without being curved or bent by the stretchers, that
is to say, in order that the umbrella may be easily opened the said stretchers
are connected with the ribs in the manner hereinbefore described so that they
can slide thereon. For this purpose the hinged semi-tubes or sleeves serving to
connect the ribs and stretchers are of peculiar construction, one of such semi-tubes or

page_text: sleeves being shewn in figure 5 drawn to a larger scale than the other figures; it
consists of a U-shaped piece of iron a¹, jointed to the stretcher a, so that it can
move thereon. This piece a¹, is so formed that the rib f can slide to and fro
therein with a very slight amount of friction. In order to properly guide the rib f,
in its motion, the piece.a¹, is provided on one side with a tongue or projection a².
The stretchers a, are jointed to supports or stays 9, which are further secured to
a notch g¹, arranged below the usual top notch for the ribs. This arrangement
serves to prevent the stretchers a, which move with the runner notch band slide upon
the ribs f, from sliding downwards with their hinges a' when the said runner
notch b, is pulled down, which would render the opening of the umbrella
impossible.
The manner in which the stretchers, ribs and stays or supports are connected is
such that when the rod d, and runner notch b, are pulled down, the stretchers a,
supported by the stays g, will be spread open and communicate motion to the
ribs, thereby causing the latter to open, the hinged pieces a¹, sliding upwards
upon the ribs f, and preventing the latter from being curved or bent by the
stretchers.
The ribs are only curved or bent by the material forming the covering of the
umbrella, and the movement of the hinged pieces upon the curved ribs will not
therefore be impeded.
The umbrella frame is closed by a reverse action to that herein-before described.
The umbrella frame shown in figures 3 and 4 is similar to that herein before
described and illustrated in figures 1 and 2 except that the stretchers a, are jointed
to an annular notch h, fixed to the umbrella stick, and the supports or stays g, are
jointed to a runner notch k, connected to the rod d, arranged in the bollow
umbrella stick. In this case in order to open the umbrella the rod must be
operated in an opposite direction to that of the arrangement shewn in figures 1
and 2, whereby the supports or stays will be raised and the stretchers be spread
open, motion being thereby communicated to the ribs.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is
In an umbrella arranged to be opened and closed by means of a rod situated in
a hollow stick and operated from the handle part thereof, the combination of the
ribs f, with the stretchers a, in such a manner, that the said ribs are capable of
sliding up and down through hinged semi-tubes or sleeves a¹, on the stretchers, the
stretchers being either fastened to a runner notch b, and suspended by the supports
or stays g, jointed to a fixed notch g¹, independent of the usual top notch as
illustrated in figures 1, 2, and 5, or jointed to a notch h, firmly fixed to the
umbrella stick and connected by means of the supports or stays g, with a runner
notch k arranged between the top notch and the fixed notch for the stretchers as
illustrated in figures 3, 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawing.