IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, OR OTHER ANALOGOUS ARTICLES
Year: 1877

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Frank Hodges, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester,
Manufacturer, and George Alfred Healey, of the same Place, Mechanic, for the
Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, OR OTHER ANALOGOUS
ARTICLES."
Sealed the 27th November 1877, and dated the 21st June 1877.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Frank Hodges and Georgo
Alfred Healey at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 21st June
1877.
FRANK HODGES, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester, Manufacturer, and
"IMPROVEMENTS IN
GEORGE ALFRED HEALEY, of the same Place, Mechanic.
UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, OR OTHER ANALOGOUS ARTICLES."
The object of this Invention of improvements in umbrellas is to keep the ribs of
the umbrella closer to the stick than heretofore, without the use of a tip cup or an
india-rubber ring. To accomplish this, we adapt a helical spring to the runner
which is arranged to have a slight independant motion on the tube to which the
helical spring is secured, so that when the umbrella is closed the spring will force
the runner a short distance forward on the tube towards the handle. By this
means the stretchers will be drawn tight, and the ribs to which they are connected
will be brought closer up against the stick.
,
In order more perfectly to accomplish our object of bringing the ribs close to the
stick, we apply a separate spring to each stretcher. These springs are fastened to
the runner, but are inade to bear against studs fixed near the ends of the stretchers,
so that when the umbrella is closed, the stretchers will be pressed back and will
carry with them the ribs, so that the ribs will be pressed against the stick, and the
tips of the ribs will be brought still closer together. This latter object may be also
effected by applying a separate spring to each of the ribs at that part where they
are jointed to the stretchers. These springs are made to bear upon the outer end
of the stretcher in the manner the back spring of a pocket knife bears against the
back of a blade when the knife is closed, and by that means will force the stretchers
back against the ribs, so that these parts will lie close and snug together.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said Frank Hodges and George Alfred Healey in the Great Seal Patent
Office on the 21st December 1877.
FRANK HODGES, of Leicester, in the County of Leicester, Manufacturer, and
GEORGE ALFRED HEALEY, of the same Place, Mechanic. "IMPROVEMENTS IN
UMBRELLAS, PARASOLS, OR OTHER ANALOGOUS ARTICLES."
The object of this Invention of "Improvements in Umbrellas, Parasols, and other
Analogous Articles," is to keep the ribs of the umbrella or other article closer to the
stick than heretofore, without the use of a tip cup or an india-rubber ring. To
accomplish this, we adapt a helical spring to the runner, which is arranged to have
a slight independent motion on a tube to which the helical spring is secured, so that
when the umbrella is closed, the spring will force the runner a short distance
forward on the tube towards the handle. By this means the stretchers will be
drawn tight, and the ribs to which they are connected will be brought closer up
against the stick.
+
In order more perfectly to accomplish our object of bringing the ribs close to the
stick, we apply a separate spring to each stretcher. These springs are fastened to
the runner, but are made to bear against studs fixed near the ends of the stretchers,
so that when the umbrella is closed, the stretchers will be pressed back and will
carry with them the ribs, so that the ribs will be pressed against the stick, and the
tips of the ribs will be brought still closer together.
In the accompanying Drawing,
Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of an umbrella frame constructed according to our
Invention, the ribs and stretchers being represented in their extended or open state.
Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the umbrella in a partially closed state, that is,
before the runner is drawn back to its full extent, and therefore showing the tips of
the ribs as being some distance from the stick.
Fig. 3 is another sectional elevation, in which the runner is drawn home behind
the spring catch; and the tips of the ribs are shown as being pressed or held close
up to the stick.
In these several Figures, a is the stick; b, b, the runner; c, c, the ribs; and d, d,
the stretchers, which are jointed at their inner ends to a wheel or ring é¹ at the
upper end of the short internal runner tube e, which latter is surrounded with a
helical spring h, as shown at Figures 1, 2, and 3.
This part of the article is shown at Figures 4 and 5, drawn upon an enlarged
scale in order that the construction, arrangement, and operation of the several parts
may be more clearly seen.
Fig. 4 represents the helical spring of the inner runner tube e in its uncom-
pressed state, as at Fig. 2; and Fig. 5 represents the spring in its compressed state,
as at Fig. 3, or when the runner has been drawn home past the spring catch g, which
holds it in its place.
To the upper part of the runner bare jointed a set of bent lever springs f, f,
(Figures 1, 2, and 3), one of which is adapted to each stretcher d, their upper ends
being held securely against the latter by means of small ferrules or clips f¹, ƒ¹,
fixed on the stretchers, but which will allow the lever springs f, f, a short up-and-
down movement on the stretchers.
It will now be understood that, by drawing down the runner from the position
in Fig. 1 (when the umbrella) is open to the position shown at Fig. 2, the umbrella
will be partially closed, but the ribs will not be secured because the runner has not
passed the spring catch g; but by continuing to pull down the runner, the helical
spring will be compressed, and at the same time the lever springs f. f, will be
drawn down and cause their upper ends to bear strongly against the stretchers, and
force them inwards towards the stick; in doing so, they will carry with them the
ribs C, which will thereby be made to press towards the stick, as shown at Fig. 3.
In order to open the umbrella, it will only be necessary to press back the spring

page_text: catch g, when the helical spring will assist in carrying that part of the runner b
upwards, and with it the lever springs f, f, thereby releasing the stretchers from the
pressure to which they were subjected, and allowing the several parts to assume the
positions shewn at Fig. 2, when the umbrella may be opened and the ribs expanded
by pushing up the runner in the usual manner.
In the Figures above described, that part of the runner e to which the stretchers d'
are attached, is shown as placed inside the tube b, and with the helical spring h
outside the tube c. It will be evident however that the tube may, if preferred, be
placed outside the part b, and the helical spring inside the tube. This arrangement
is shewn at Figures 6 and 7: The spring is shown in a quiescent or uncompressed
state in Fig. 6, and in a compressed state in Fig. 7.
Another modification is shewn at Figures 8 and 9, in which the helical spring hi
is placed externally and is made to press on the upper end of the tube e, the upper
end of this spring being secured to the upper part of the internal tube b by flanges
or other means. This tube extends a considerable distance above the external
tube e.
In all these Figures similar letters of reference denote corresponding parts.
Fig. 10 is an elevation shewing a modification of the plan already described in
Figures 1, 2, and 3, and will be found peculiarly applicable to these frames which
are constructed of round or solid wire in contradistinction to the grooved ribs and
stretchers used for making what are termed paragon frames. In this case it will
be seen that the springs fare made of wire, their lower ends being secured to the
wheel or ring e¹ of the sliding tube e, while their upper ends bear against the
stretchers d, as shewn, against which they are firmly held by the clips f¹, which
pass on the other side of the stretchers, but clasp the two arms of the spring on each
side of the stretchers which are jointed to a wheel or ring at the upper part of the
runner b. In this arrangement the ribs d, d, are slightly bent, as shewn at j, j;
Fig. 10, whereby the spring levers f, f, press on to the stretchers more forcibly when
drawn home.
In this Drawing, the helical spring hand spring catch gare dispensed with, which
may be also done with the spring levers, as described in Figures 1, 2, and 3.
Fig. 11 shews a method of making the lever springs fin one piece without the
clips f, the ribs then lying as shewn by the dotted lines.
The arrangements shewn at Figures 4 and 5, 6 and 7, 8 and 9, may be also;
employed. without the lever springs, described in Figures 1, 2, 3, 10, and 11, to'
bring the tips of the ribs closer to the stick by giving the ribs c, c, Figures 1, 2, and.
3, an outward bend or set at that part where they are jointed to the stretchers d, d.
The helical spring / forces the wheel or ring e, Figures 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 nearer
the handle, and thus draws the stretchers tight and pulls the ribs towards the
stick.
Fig. 12 is another modification. In this case the springs f, f, are also made
of wire, and are secured to the runner b by means of an encircling ring f2.
The stretchers & are also jointed to the wheel or ring of the runner, and the upper
ends of the springs f take into eyes or holes made in the clips f¹ which are fixed on
the stretchers, so that when the umbrella is opened and the stretchers d expanded,
the latter will force the ends of the spring back, as indicated by dotted lines in
Fig. 12.
In place of clips f¹, f¹, holes may be made in the stretchers and studs inserted,
against which the springs press, as shewn in Figures 13 and 14.
It will now be understood that, in whatever position the stretchers & may be, the
springs will always have a tendency to press them inwards towards the stick a, and
in so doing will carry the ribs with them, and thereby cause the tips of these latter
to bear towards the stick.
Figures 13 and 14 represent in elevation and vertical section another modification.
In this instance, the springs f, instead of being made of wire, are made of flat pieces
of metal, and are secured by a ring f to the inner tube e; the stretchers are
also jointed to a wheel or ring e¹ at the upper end of the runner tube e, as in Fig. 12.

page_text: Fig. 15 is a modification of the plan shewn at Figures 13 and 14, the difference
being that, instead of having a number of separate pieces as springs, a tube f is used
which fits freely upon the runner tube b, and, when the stretchers are expanded,'
slides thereon, as shewn by the dotted lines. This tube f3 is slit up longitudinally
so as to form a series of springs f, f, the upper ends of which are doubled over in
the form of a hook, which takes into a corresponding hook formed by bending up
the tail of the clips f¹, so as to form a kind of hinge joint. It is obvious however
that the springs used in Figures 13 and 14 may be also made of a tube slit up'
longitudinally, thus forming a series of springs, as in Fig. 16.
Fig. 16 shews another form of springs, whereby lighter springs may be used than
in the former arrangement. In. Fig. 16 the springs f, f, are made longer than in the
other instances, and are surrounded near their upper extremities k by the encircling
wire or ring e, which however will allow this end of the springs an up-and-down
movement on the runner tube.
If preferred, the upper encircling wire may be made to bind the springs tightly
to the runner tube so that they cannot move thereon, and the lower encircling
wire ² must then be looser, so as to allow the lower ends of the springs a slight
vertical movement.
Although we have shewn and described the springs fas being placed below the
ring e, it will be evident that they may, if preferred, be placed above the ring, and
made to bear on the inner ends of the stretcher in the same manner. All the several
parts will be constructed and will operate in the manner already described, except
as to the transposition of the springs. It will of course be understood that when
the springs are so placed they will, when the umbrella is closed, be surrounded by
the stretchers, and thus, as it were, hidden from view.
Having now described the nature of our Invention of "Improvements in Umbrellas,
Parasols, or other Analogous Articles," and having explained the manner of carrying
the same into effect, we wish it to be understood that, under the above in part recited
Letters Patent, we claim,-
The mode or modes herein set forth of adapting to the stretchers of umbrellas,
parasols, and other analogous articles, springs or spring levers for the purpose of
pressing the stretchers inwards, and causing them to carry with them the ribs, the
tips of which will be thereby pressed towards the stick, as and for the purpose
herein set forth.
We also claim the combination of the runner and separate tube with an elastic
connection, as and for the purpose herein set forth.
t
In witness whereof, we, the said Frank Hodges and George Alfred Healey,
have hereunto set our hands and seals, the Fifteenth day of December,
in the year of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.
FRANK HODGES.
· (LS.).
FRANK HODGES.
GEORGE ALFRED HEALEY.
. (LS.).
(LS.)