IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FRAMES AND HANDLES FOR UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to John Somerset and James Walker, both of Manchester,
in the County of Lancaster, for the Invention of "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
CONSTRUCTION OF FRAMES AND HANDLES FOR UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS."
Sealed the 23rd December 1879, in pursuance of an Order of the Lord Chancellor,
and dated the 5th March 1879.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said John Somerset and James
Walker at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 5th March
1879.
JOHN SOMERSET and JAMES WALKER, both of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FRAMES AND HANDLES
FOR UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS."
This Invention consists of various improvements in the manufacture of the frames
of umbrellas and parasols, some of which are improvements upon the subject of a
former Patent granted to Isaac Richardson Hayes and one of the petitioners, John
Somerset, dated 25th June 1874, No. 2204.
The first part of the Invention relates to the split fork mentioned in the Specifi-
cation of the said Patent, and consists in a substitute for the ferrule, which is passed
over the split part of the jaws to prevent the fork from being opened. It has been
found in practise that these ferrules are liable to become loose, and this part of my
Invention consists in employing an elastic ring made of about three coils of steel
wire, which, being elastic, does not become loose.
The second part of the said Invention relates also to the former Patent, and
consists in substituting for the balls or knobs at the upper ends of the ribs and lower
ends of the stretchers T shaped heads, which have the same effect and simplify the
manufacture, as the circular recesses in the notch and runner (which required a
special tool to cut) are dispensed with. The ring which holds the T heads in their
place is made plain (that is, without the two notches), and is fixed in place by two
screws.
Another improvement consists in fixing a head made of sheet metal bent round
and pressed onto the upper end of a solid steel wire rib instead of flattening the

page_text: end and drilling or punching the hole therein, or in addition thereto, so as to gain
greater strength.
A further improvement consists in fixing a similar solid fork onto the upper end
of a solid steel wire stretcher, and thereby affixing the same to a rib of solid steel
wire, whereby lightness and strength are combined.
"
Another improvement relates to what are known as "paragon" frames, and
consists in combining "paragon or trough sectioned ribs with round steel wire
stretchers, so that when the umbrella or parasol is folded, the solid wire stretchers
lie in the trough of the "paragon" ribs.
A further improvement in "paragon" ribs to give extra strength with great
elasticity consists in fixing a solid steel wire inside the trough of the rib from end
to end, such wire being either of the same thickness throughout or tapered gradually
at each end.
Our improvement in the construction of the handles of umbrellas and parasols
consists in making them of cast or moulded glass instead of the materials hitherto
employed for that purpose.

page_text: SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said John Somerset and James Walker in the Great Seal Patent Office on
the 24th December 1879.
"
JOHN SOMERSET and JAMES WALKER, both of Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster. IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION OF FRAMES AND HANDLES
FOR UMBRELLAS AND PARASOLS."
This Invention consists of various improvements in the manufacture of the frames
of umbrellas and parasols, some of which are improvements upon the subject of a
former Patent granted to Isaac Richardson Hayes and one of the petitioners, John
Somerset, dated 25th June 1874, No. 2204.
Such being the nature and object of our said Invention, we will now proceed to
describe in detail the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or
carried into practical effect, and in order, that the same may be clearly understood
we have annexed hereunto a Sheet of Drawings illustrative thereof, and have marked
the same with figures and letters of reference corresponding with those in the
following explanation thereof.
The first part of the Invention (see Fig. 1 on the Drawing) relates to the split
fork mentioned in the Specification of the said Patent, and consists in a substitute
for the ferrule, which is passed over the split part a, a, of the jaws, to prevent the
fork from being opened. It has been found in practise that these ferrules are liable
to become loose, and this part of our Invention consists in employing an elastic
ring b made of about three coils of steel wire, which, being elastic, does not become
loose.
The second part of the said Invention relates also to the former Patent, and consist
in substituting for the balls or knobs at the upper ends of the ribs and lower ends
of the stretchers T-shaped or L-shaped heads, which have the same effect and
simplify the manufacture as the circular recesses in the notch and runner (which
required a special tool to cut), are dispensed with. The ring which holds the T or
L-shaped heads in their place is made plain (that is, without the two notches), and
it fixed in place by two screws or other similar contrivance.
Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 show the form of the slides and notches, and Figs. 7 and 8
show the T and L-shaped ends.
The ring c, c, which is fixed to the slide, has an annular recess d, d, at the back,
in which the heads are laid (as seen at Fig. 3), and the loose ring e, e, is then moved
up and fastened with a screw or a bayonet joint or other known contrivance..
The tube ex, ex, in Fig. 6 is made longer than usual, so that its end can fall into
the tip cup and thus dispense with the runner spring.
"
Fig. 7 shows the heads made from the solid wire of the rib; and Fig. 8 shows
the same made of a short piece of wire, and attached to the end of a
rib by bending and twisting the sheet metal round it.
paragon
Fig. 9 shows another improvement, which consists in fixing a head f, f, made of
sheet metal, bent round and pressed onto the upper end of a solid steel wire rib g,g,
instead of flattening the end and drilling or punching the hole therein, or it may be
used in addition thereto so as to gain greater strength, as shown at Fig. 9*.
A further improvement consists in fixing a similar fork h, h, onto the upper end
of a solid steel wire stretcher i, i, and thereby affixing the same to a rib of solid
steel wire g, g, whereby lightness and strength are combined (see Fig. 9b). We
also propose to prevent the liability to sideways movement of the ball ends by
adding thereto a projection z, Fig. 9, which works in a recess in the notch, or
instead of this we sometimes substitute a collar y, Fig. 94, for the same purpose.
Another improvement relates to what are known as 'paragon" frames (see
Fig. 10), and consists in combining "paragon' or trough sectioned ribs k, k, with
round steel wire stretchers L, L, so that when the umbrella or parasol is folded, the
"
"

page_text: solid wire stretchers lie in the trough of the "paragon" ribs. The eye of the
stretcher L, L, is formed by bending the wire round into a loop, as shown at
Fig. 10%.
A further improvement in " paragon" ribs, to give extra strength with great
elasticity, consists in fixing a solid steel wire m, m, inside the trough of the ribk, k,!
from end to end, such wire being either of the same thickness throughout, or tapered
gradually at each end.
And another improvement consists in making ribs for umbrellas of two pieces of
half round steel wire, bound and twisted together at one end, as seen at Fig. 12.
Our improvements in the construction of the handles of umbrellas and parasols 1
consists in making them of cast or moulded glass instead of the materials hitherto
employed for that purpose.
Having now described the nature and object of our said Invention, together
with the manner in which the same is to be or may be performed or carried into
practical effect, we wish it to be understood that we claim as our Invention the 1
various improvements in the construction of the frames and handles of umbrellas
and parasols, as hereinbefore more particularly described and illustrated by the
Drawings annexed.
In witness whereof, we, the said John Somerset and James Walker, have
hereunto set our hands and seals, this Fourth day of September, in the year 2
of our Lord One thousand eight hundred and seventy nine.